Lately the word "Short-Sale" is losing its momentum;  it's not the new black anymore... lol...It was the newest coolest hottest thing every buyer wanted to buy and every foreclosure-fearing seller wanted to opt for, but that was so a few months ago!

Now. Not so much. Just ask any realtor...do you want to be on the phone for at least 6 hours a day? everyday? and spend the rest of your time standing by the fax (they don't believe in scanned e-mail offers...the Green movement hasn't gotten there yet, lol) to make sure that the 30-50 page offer to purchase packet you need to send to the lender goes through the 10 different fax numbers each of the 30 lender representatives gave you as you called 16 different departments within the same lender's company, and then ofcourse within those 16 departments you were transfered to the "correct" department another 18-20 times? Those of you that haven't been directly involved in a Short-Sale, and by directly I mean representing the Seller, well, you may laugh and think this is cute and sarcastic....However, if you, like me, have represented a Seller...you are probably not laughing (maybe just a chuckle, lol) because the truth isn't that funny.

I consider myself fairly intelligent, and a good follower of directions...yet I found it almost unreal when I first dealt with a lender and came across the experience I describe above! Seriously, not very funny. One particular lender really did have and provide to me (every representative was 100% confident though that the phone/fax number they were giving me to use to send over my offer...was without a doubt the correct one!!) all the phone numbers and fax numbers I mention to you above. No joke.

I have spent entire days (well into late evening) faxing the same 30-50 page offer to purchase to over 5 fax numbers, to make sure that at least one of those made it to the "correct" department. And trust me, I followed up like a stalker to make sure it got somewhere! Don't get me wrong...I DO NOT FAIL! I kind of take it like a contest, like a reality show of sorts...CAN YOU SURVIVE OR WILL THE LENDER WEAR ME DOWN? NO!!  I WILL THRIVE AND SURVIVE AND WILL NOT LET THEM MAKE ME A QUITTER! Really....not kidding.

Lenders will need to somehow simplify their process because let me tell you...it's not a game most realtors want to play, it's not a game most sellers are willing to play (why on earth would they do this if they can just walk away and leave the property vacant, and never look back?), and its not a game that benefits the lenders in any way, shape or form. Until then...be brave, and the thrill of victory will be well worth it!! (Ok, not really...but you have to lie to yourself sometimes to get through yet another "oh no the department you really want is...." lol)

Just for kicks, and I'm sure some of you will know exactly which lender I am refering to, who can name the lender that has the following departments, all of them with a different phone number, all of them with a different fax number, yet all of them are the department you NEED to talk to to follow up on the same thing...where in the process is my Short-Sale offer??

- HOPE Department
- Loss Litigation Department
- Work-Out Department
- Short-Sale Department
- Foreclosure Department
- Etc, Etc, Etc