BANKS ARE FIGHTING BACK……A LITTLE

After years of not pursuing their rights and a hands-off approach to the onslaught of short sales and foreclosures in Las Vegas, banks are taking a closer look at what really qualifies as a short sale these days.  Now that traditional sales have overtaken short sales as the main way to sell a home, banks have devoted more resources to examining the short sale transaction very carefully.

 

With price appreciation, a homeowner will find it more and more difficult to complete a short sale than a couple of years ago.  As the Nevada legislature has made it even more difficult for a bank to foreclose due to the  “Homeowner’s Bill of Rights” banks have looked for other ways to protect their investments.  In the past, I have participated in short sales where the bank gave several thousand dollars in relocation money to the homeowner to assist with their relocation.  In one instance, the homeowner was given $3,000 to relocate after the transaction.  The only problem was, they never relocated, and used the money to rent the home back from the purchaser after the transaction closed.  They essentially wiped out all their debt and lived in the house for $1,000 less a month than if they had to maintain their current mortgage.  Would this land them in jail?  Probably not.  But the bank may sue the homeowner to recover their losses on the transaction.

PRACTICE POINTER:  Homeowners need to make sure they are upfront with the bank in their short sale transactions as banks show they are not averse to prosecuting homeowners for deceptive practices.

Drizin Law is providing this information for educational purposes only. It should not be construed as legal advice or a legal opinion as to any specific facts or circumstances. This information is based on general principles of Nevada law at the time it was created and you should be aware laws frequently change. Moreover, the laws affecting you may differ depending on the circumstances. You should consult with a qualified attorney in your own state or jurisdiction concerning your particular situation. Review of this information does not create an attorney-client relationship.