SELLERS.. You have decided to Short Sale.... Here are some tips to a successful close.

In many ways, the hardest part of a short sale transaction is the process leading up to your decision. Heart-wrenching and difficult, it usually comes after much thought and deliberation. I am presuming that you have already consulted with three professionals; an attorney, your tax adviser and a Realtor. All of which should be well versed in the short sale process. These three individuals will provide you with the most comprehensive information for potential legal/tax/sales consequences and also have you prepared for the paperwork and timeline portions of a short sale.

As to the house itself you need to view your listing and sale just as you would any other sale. You need to get it on the market and you need it to sell. Buyers are a bit more skeptical and weary of a short sale purchase. They know they have to wait a long time for an answer and it may not be approved. There are some things you can do to help your situation. Remember the goal is to attract a buyer that will stay with you for the long haul - someone that will bond to the house and transaction - and be there when short sale approval arrives. There are some short sale lenders that require a complete restart of the process if a new buyer is brought into the middle of the process.

1. Begin immediately to make the mental change from seeing your house as you home to a place that will continue to provide you shelter until close of escrow.

2. Just like any sale, you need to depersonalize the home. Minimize photos, clutter, keep it clean and tidy to the extent you can. This are not expensive items - just good habit and something that can make or break the relationship with the buyer YOU NEED.

3. Keep your yard up, Mow the lawn and water. Once the short sale lender has delivered written approval, the buyer's lender will need to do an appraisal. In this market, the more you do as a short sale owner to assure the buyer can get their loan and complete the deal, the better for you. REMEMBER, the idea is to KEEP the buyer.

4. Without breaking the bank or spending anything excessive, try to complete any minor repairs that the buyer's lender might have a concern with. Such as operational smoke detectors or strapped water heaters. The idea is to minimize delays to an already long process.

5. If you have an HOA and can afford to keep up your payments, do it. Most short sale lenders will NOT approve payments to HOA's for delinquent payments. Besides, a non-payment to the HOA will do nothing to hurt the short lender but is very hurtful to the other homeowners in the complex. Either you or the buyer could face this bill at close of escrow. Most buyer's find it unsettling to learn this at the end instead of knowing up front. Remember you NEED AND WANT TO KEEP YOUR BUYER. Minimize surprises.

6. If you have any potential liens or judgments that may be coming up, notify your listing agent. There are ways that the effect of these liens can be minimized, but each situation is different. Again, waiting to the end can hurt or kill the transaction.

7. Stay in close contact with your listing agent. Ask questions, provide documentation, help them to help you. The truly knowledgeable short sale agent will have a high percentage of completions and will be best able to guide you through all the steps.

These are just a few suggestions to helping you achieve and close a successful short sale transaction. They are an exercise in extreme patience but provide certain homeowners the opportunity to close one chapter of their life and begin another.