Many Realtors in Maryland are jumping on the Short Sale bandwagon as of late.  Several of them are even proclaiming themselves Short Sale Experts.  I would be a little hesitant about using someone who proclaims themselves to be a Short Sale Expert, here are a couple of reasons why.

Websters dictionary defines an expert as someone who

: having, involving, or displaying special skill or knowledge derived from training or experience

So lets take a closer look at two of the most important words in this definition TRAINING and EXPERIENCE.   There are several courses designed to train Realtors on Short Sales ranging from 4-16 hours.  What a Joke!!!  I spend almost 16 hours EVERY WEEK continuously training myself on the short sale industry.  The programs, guidelines and lender processes are changing on a monthly basis, so a Realtor needs continuous training to meet the changing environment.

Experience, well this one is easy.  How experienced is your Realtor with short sales?  To find out, ask him/her.  How many short sale transactions have you closed in the past 12 months and show me the documentation or provide me with a list of homeowners you have helped.

See many Realtors believe that Short Sales will be the next BIG THING in Real Estate. Unfortunately, many homeowners will see their house go to foreclosure by choosing the wrong Realtor.  Homeowners, make sure you do your homework, a short sale is a complicated transaction and cannot be handled by a so called EXPERT.