Banks are agreeing to more short sale transactions, and short sales are taking less time to sell, which is helping to clear large inventories of distressed properties more efficiently, says James J. Saccacio, RealtyTrac CEO, in releasing new housing data this week.
“This is a glimmer of hope that lenders are getting more realistic,” Rick Sharga, senior vice president of RealtyTrac, told Bloomberg News. “It’s a win for borrowers who avoid foreclosure, buyers who get a house in better condition and banks that lose less money, which is also a win for taxpayers.”
During the second quarter, the number of homes nearing foreclosure accounted for 12 percent of total home sales, with banks agreeing to more transactions at prices below the outstanding mortgage balance, RealtyTrac reported in releasing its second quarter data this week.
What’s more, pre-foreclosure homes took an average of 245 days to sell after receiving the initial foreclosure notice–that’s down from 256 days in the first quarter, RealtyTrac reports.
Sales of homes in the foreclosure process or short sales sold on average for a 21 percent discount–or an average sales price of $192,129–compared to the sales price of non-distressed homes.
Thanks Realtor.com
