Actually we dont know if it was a patient buyer. In most short sales, the eventual buyer is the one who steps in late in the game after most of the heavily lifting and waiting has already been done.

Update: Just checked and that was exactly the case. Offer was accepted by seller on 7/16 and probbaly submitted a week later. It was approved and in escrow 30 days after that and closed in about 40 days. In this market it is the patient, well represented and opportunistic buyer who wins.