Now, we as agents, are looking at these types of sales from a couple of different lenses. On one end, when we represent the seller, we have to help them make the right decision, gather the mountains of paperwork to submit to the bank, and then, if we have a properly priced listing, we sell the home. In most cases, when these are completed, the sellers are relieved to have had that burden taken away from them. From the buyer side, we have to give them the right information in order to make the best decision, which we don't always have. Who is the listing agent? Do they know what they are doing from their end? Is the buyer getting a good deal? What kind of time frame is the buyer on with regards to when they have to move? Not a short list.
An agent should give the buyer or seller the right information to make the best decision for their situation- nothing else. If a seller is behind in their mortgage, they lost their job, and they have negative equity, then a short sale is probably the way to go. If a seller has time to spare, and the home that they want is a short sale, it is the agent's job to let them know that, and not try to steer them away from that particular property. However, if the buyer needs to close on their new home in 30 days, they probably should choose another property.
I haven't even touched the tip of the iceberg. There are a number of other details that go into a sale like this, and if you are looking at it from any of the type of lenses that I just mentioned, then you should contact an agent with short sale experience.
