Should I Short Sale or Let The Bank Foreclosure?

June 20, 2011 - PRLog -- Should I Short Sale or Let The Bank Foreclosure?
Information to Help You Make the Call!

I get the question from people all the time: short sale or foreclosure, which is the better option? My knee-jerk reaction is always “Are you kidding? Short sale, of course!” This has been mostly because I was always under the impression that a short sale, although still a ding on your credit, was gentler on the score than a foreclosure.

But according to a recent blog post by FICO Banking Analytics, there is no real difference in the affect a short sale or a foreclosure has on your credit score. Both the impact in points and the time to fully recover is about the same for both events.

This put me in a precarious situation. All this time I had lauded the short sale as vastly superior to foreclosure, largely because of its less adverse effects on credit. So I was forced to do further research into which was the better option. In doing so I learned about benefits of a short sale I wasn’t even aware of, and found that the FICO blog was way off.

Each borrower’s credit situation is different, and the way that a creditor reports a short sale to bureaus is different. The reality is that hundreds of thousands of distressed homeowners who have chosen a short sale have experienced a lesser impact on their credit than those who have chosen foreclosure.

In a short sale, a distressed homeowner may be able to obtain another mortgage sooner than someone who has a foreclosure on his or her record. Also, more and more employers pull credit before hiring a potential employee, and a foreclosure can keep you from getting a job.  Some employers pull credit reports on existing employees, and a foreclosure may not bode well in certain industries.

These benefits stacked against the negatives of foreclosure, including the embarrassment of public announcement and literally being kicked out of your home, make, in my opinion, short sale the reigning champion.

Now you make the call!

Thanks for your interest, Maria McGuire

Maria McGuire
Broker-Owner Re/Max Advisors                                                                                        CDPE-Certified Distressed Property Expert
Office: 586-725-1900 / Cell: 586-996-4059  Email: Maria@MariaMcGuire.com

We specialize in assisting homeowners facing financial difficulties in Macomb and St. Clair Counties, including all areas of Southeastern Michigan.  By exploring options to avoid foreclosure through dignified solutions including the short sales process, clients receive sound real estate advice.

Support4 Sellers.com is a helpful resource that offers homeowners alternatives besides foreclosure or bankruptcy that can affect their credit for years.

We are currently offering our services in Bruce Township, Washington Township, Armada, Ray Township, Richmond, Lenox, Shelby Township, Macomb Township, Chesterfield Township, Sterling Heights, Clinton Township, and Harrison Township in Macomb County and Berlin Township, Riley Township, Wales Township, Kimball Township, Port Huron, Columbus Township, St. Clair Township, Casco Township, China & East China Townships,  Ira Township, Cottrellville Township, Clay Township and Algonac in the St. Clair County areas.

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