
Short Sale
Buying Again After a Short Sale
If your payments have never fallen behind 30 days late and the lender does not require that you pay back the loan, Fannie Mae guidelines may allow you to buy another home immediately. Finding a lender who will fund that kind of loan is very difficult. If you are current on your mortgage, you can qualify for an FHA loan immediately as well, but lender requirements can be weird such as you have to move more than 600 miles away.
If your payments are in arrears yet a short sale is granted by your lender, you may qualify to buy another home with a Fannie-Mae backed mortgage within two years, regardless of whether the home is your primary residence. The wait for FHA is 3 years.
Affects on Credit After a Short Sale
A short sale may be considered to be a derogatory mark on your credit even though credit bureaus do not show the word "short sale" on your credit report. It may say "paid in full for less than agreed" or "settled for less," among other categories. Some clients have reported negative FICO score drops from 50 points to 130 points.
Major point drops are typically due to being in default, meaning you have fallen behind on your payments.
Credit Reports After a Short Sale
All lenders report short sales differently, with many reporting "paid in full for less than agreed," and some report the short sale as a charge off. Negative credit, however, stays on your report for 7 years.
Deficiency Judgments After a Short Sale
Judgments are often negotiated between the seller and the short sale bank. In some cases, such as California, if the home is your personal residence and was financed through purchase money, there is no deficiency judgment.
Loan Application Questions After a Short Sale
Loan applications do not ask questions about a short sale. You may report that you sold your home.
Length of Time to Move After a Short Sale
If you've had a foreclosure notice filed, you may be able to postpone that action while the bank considers your short sale. The wait for short sale approval can be from 2 to 3 months, or longer.
Taxation After a Short Sale
A personal residence is exempt from mortgage debt relief until the end of 2012 on a federal level. Some states will still tax you unless you qualify for an exemption. An investor is not exempt from mortgage debt relief, subject to certain conditions.