What Constitutes a good short sale deal in today's market?

[OregonREI]

As it relates to short sale deals (with and without equity). More specifically double closing deals with and without transactional funding. What precisely constitutes a good deal? What specific components need to be looked at, such as:

- FMV/ ARV
- Repair costs
- BPO
- Comps. (10 properties within 10sq. miles. Remove high 2 and low 2. AVG remainder)
- Mortgage balance
- Equity

I have gained much by listening in on these forums, but all seems to vary a little bit depending on who you listen too.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Best Regards,

Chris

[shortsalewiz]

if a property has equity, there is no reason to short sale it. if it doesn't sell, that means it doesn't have equity.

a good short sale is a deal with high and low comps. Low ones to negotiate with the bank and high ones to sell the deal.

[ShortSaleArtisan]

if a property has equity, there is no reason to short sale it. if it doesn't sell, that means it doesn't have equity.

a good short sale is a deal with high and low comps. Low ones to negotiate with the bank and high ones to sell the deal.

That's kind of a double edged sword. You also end up with the bank looking at the high comps and wondering if the low comps are accurate for accepting a short sale offer, then you have buyers looking at the low comps and wondering if they are over paying for a property.

That said, if you can negotiate correctly using the high and low I do see how it could help, I just think you have to be careful, a big spread between high and low can also indicate other things like uncertainity of the valuation which will often times turn off both parties involved (end buyers and lenders).

[Ted Akers]

ARV does not really come into play unless you are reselling to a rehabber and then only on the resell transaction.  Definately focus on repair costs when trying to get the BPO at the lower end.  No need to present higher end comps to the bank - let them find them.  Short Sale Banks, and mortgage companies that may be lending to your end buyer, are going to focus on a much narrower geography - more like one mile unless the property is rural.  Lenders for you end buyer will definately focus on a one mile radius and have tightened time frames for comps to 3 months (used to be within six months).  For Transactional Funding you need a buyer capable of coming to the table with funds - typically cash or hard money buyers due to conventional lender 90 day title seasoning requirements, or loans from portfolio lenders, although an FHA buyer is now an option.   

[DJP]

if a property has equity, there is no reason to short sale it. if it doesn't sell, that means it doesn't have equity.

a good short sale is a deal with high and low comps. Low ones to negotiate with the bank and high ones to sell the deal.

That's kind of a double edged sword. You also end up with the bank looking at the high comps and wondering if the low comps are accurate for accepting a short sale offer, then you have buyers looking at the low comps and wondering if they are over paying for a property.

That said, if you can negotiate correctly using the high and low I do see how it could help, I just think you have to be careful, a big spread between high and low can also indicate other things like uncertainity of the valuation which will often times turn off both parties involved (end buyers and lenders).

Exactly... I agree with both of your takes, but I would rather have the wider range of comps.  Having that range allows you to hit more home runs instead of marginal deals that will take up more of your time trying to get that spread.  The wider range of comps will lose you a couple deals b/c of the BPO using the higher comps, but it may also save you some time by not chasing some deals that would not be worth the effort. 

[shortsalewiz]

I like the following to be in a deal
1. high and low comps
2. area where things are moving if priced correctly
3. no rehab jobs, maybe a little TLC.