Are Loan Modifications Better Than Short Sales?
When you are a homeowner struggling with your mortgage payments you should understand the difference between a short sale and a loan modification. Both of these methods may help you get out of a foreclosure situation. They are dealt with in the same department of your bank by a loss mitigation professional. Homeowners should be aware that the approach you choose may have a very different results on your finances.
Initially, many homeowners choose a loan modification. The modifications can come in the form forgiveness of late fees, a reduction in monthly payments pr lower interest rates. You can get one pr more conditions of your mortgage modified, depending on what your bank will agree to do and what you can afford.
A short sale is where the bank agrees to allow you to sell your home for less than the balance remaining on your mortgage. Your lender then agrees to forgive the shortfall of funds remaining after the sale proceeds have been received.
How are you going to benefit from a loan modification on your home mortgage?
1. You will not have to worry about finding somewhere else to live, because you will stop foreclosure proceeding right in their tracks. 2. If you are able to get payments or fees reduced, you will have extra time to get your finances in order. 3. There will be less damage done to your credit score.
Here are three disadvantages of loan modifications:
1. The reduction of your monthly payments might not be enough to completely free up your cash flow. 2. If you miss any payments on your modification agreement, then your lender could begin foreclosure proceedings again. 3. Your lender may offer modified payments only for a short period of time. This means the payments may go back up in the future, which could increase financial stress if you’re not prepared.
A short sale has these three great benefits:
1. As soon as your home is sold your debt will vanish, this means no more monthly payments. 2. If you have come to the conclusion that your owe more than your house is worth and there is no possible way to increase the value of your property then a short sale could be just the right solution. 3. Most likely your bank will agree to forgive the difference between the amount you owe on your mortgage and the lower the sale price of your home.
There are three disadvantages of short sales
1. Your lender may report the forgiven portion of your mortgage to the IRS. This could mean you face a tax liability next year. 2. Once your home is sold, you’ll need to move. Finding a rental property could be difficult if your landlord
As you can see there are definitely both good and bad points in either a loan modification or a short sale. It is our experience that most consumers want to find a way to stay in their home and pay off their debt, especially, if their financial problems are just temporary. If you are completely overwhelmed with debt and there is no end in sight to your financial hardship, the road of a short sale may be the best solution, because it allows you to start fresh.
Tags: credit report, Foreclosure, home, HUD, landlord, loan modification, loans, mortgage, Short Sale, Short Sales
