Can one of you guys move up here and start handling short sales. There is an art to it, but every listing agent I have encountered knows almost nothing about it, it is terribly frustrating. I made an offer on a short sale last friday, realtor didn’t get the paperwork done until Tuesday, the trustee sale is set for this Monday. She calls me today with a counter from the seller (not the bank) regarding some issues with window coverings, ceiling fans, light fixtures, shelves, etc. (all of which the resident wants to take and I had included in my offer). It was 1:45 p.m. today (friday)when she called, if it is an east coast bank it will be closed, on the west coast it is likely they are done for the day, the trustee sale is Monday morning. I was furious that the offer hadn’t been submitted to hold off the sale and even doing it Wednesday would be dicey, but with 3 business hours left before the sale, it’s a goner. We could have worked out some sort of cash side deal for the items in question but it’s too late. I was going with shorts because they are often in turnkey condition but I am so done with the frustration, I’m going bank owned. It’s not entirely the bank’s fault, the realtors need to educate themselves on the process and not lower the price to market when there is only a week left before the sale after no offers in 6 months for pete’s sake.

I had been using waiting hawks advice on not being represented by a realtor and going with the listing agent or their buddy to get preferential treatment, but it’s not panning out. I think an intelligent and experienced buyer’s agent is the only way to navigate the current sea of idiots in this line of work.

Sorry for the rant, I’m a little dissapointed that I missed it, I really dug that pad.