Orange County Short Sale Realtor Market Report

The real estate market here in Orange CountyCurrently there are a grand total of 3,699
California has undergone a large correction thatdetached homes under contract in Escrow in
began in earnest in the summer of 2006'. Orange County. Of this total, 2,124 are short
Reports have shown that 1 in 5 homeownerssales, which represents a ratio of 57.4% for
own more than there home is worth, and manyOrange County.  In addition, there is now a Total
of those homeowners are having trouble with theof 3,077 condominiums currently pending in
mortgage payments due to the recession.  InEscrow, and 2,058 short sales in escrow, for a
decades gone by, mortgage banks would file aratio of short sales to the grand Total of 66.9% .
Notice of Default once a homeowner becameIn Orange County in the past 90 days, there
delinquent on their mortgage by 2 to 3 months,have been a total of 3,450 detached homes that
and then follow through and Foreclosrue on thehave Sold and closed escrow. Of this amount, 750
home and take ownership to the property as awere Short Sales sold, which yields a ratio of
Bank owned REO. Short Sales to the Total of 21.7%.  For attached
Times have changed due to political pressures andcondos that have sold in the past 3 months, there
changing mores. Today, a Bank would muchhave been 2,332 units that have closed. Of this
rather entertain and grant a Short Sale, then haveTotal, 741 were closed Short Sale condos, which
to Foreclose on a property owner who may berepresents 31.8% of the total.
under financial strain.  It is the proverbial win-winThere are some interesting observations to
resolution for studies have shown that Banksmake, First, notice the large increase in the Ratio
loose less money in a Short Sale compared toof Short Sales to Total when you compare
Foreclosure, and Short Sales provide propertyActive for Sale to Pending in Escrow. This is due
owners some major benefits compared toto the fact that most Short Sales are bargain
Foreclosure.priced and many home buyers today are seeking
Simply put, a Short Sale is a real estatevalue. But the next observation is even more
transaction in which the fair market value salesinteresting. Notice how the ratio of Short Sales to
price of the home is less than the currentTotal decreases substantially when comparing
outstanding mortgage debts plus cost of sales. Pending in Escrow to Sold in the past 90 days.
A professional Realtor usually has to negotiatesThis shows the high failure rate of Short Sale
such Short sale terms with the mortgage bank(s)transactions. To be exact, in the past 90 days,
in order to be successful.approximately 62% of detached Short Sale
In Orange County California, as of March 1st ofTransactions failed, and 52% Short Sale condo
2010, there are 5,239 detached homes active fortransactions failed to close.
sale, and 1,228 short sale properties active forThe reason for this high failure is unfortunatley
sale. That is a ratio of 23.4% of active Shortmany agents do not have the training or
Sales to Total listings. There are a Total ofexperience to close this complex transactions at a
3,117 attached condos listed for sale, and 1,149 ofhigh rate of success. The Short Sales ASAP
these active listings are short sales. Thisgroup are Orange County Short Sale experts and
represents a ratio of Short Sales to Total condohave a closing success rate of over 95%.
listings of 36.9% .