Who pays closing costs in a short sale?

Asked by: Christopher Rau  |  Last update: November 4, 2025
Score: 4.5/5 (24 votes)

In a short sale transaction on the other hand, the seller's closing costs are usually paid out of the money the buyer brings to the closing. Normally, the seller's lender must approve all of these seller closing costs before a short sale can be approved and completed.

Who sets the price in a short sale?

The asking price is set by the homeowner and their agent but keep in mind that the lender has the last word. If the lender feels the agreed-upon sales price is too low, they will simply not approve the sale.

What is the downside of a short sale on a home?

Disadvantages of a Short Sale

There are more parties involved than a typical sale making the process complicated and often lengthy. In a traditional home sale, price negotiations happen between the buyer and seller (or their representatives), not the seller's bank.

Who pays the realtor in a short sale?

A short sale also allows the homeowner to reduce the amount of fees they pay when they sell the home. In most cases, these fees are the obligation of a property owner when they sell the property. In a short sale, these fees are paid by the lender.

Who pays in a short sale?

A short sale is when a homeowner sells their home for a price that falls “short” of the outstanding loan amount owed to their mortgage lender. The lender uses the proceeds to cover the majority of the borrower's mortgage balance when the house is sold.

Who Pays Closing Costs in a Short Sale?

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Who pays the closing costs in a short sale?

In a short sale, we negotiate with the lender to accept less than the full amount owed to satisfy the debt, allowing it to be paid off “short”. Another benefit is that all of the fees involved with selling a home are paid by the lien holder (bank) and there is not any out-of-pocket expense for you (the seller).

Who benefits from a short sale?

Benefits Of A Short Sale In Real Estate. A short sale can be beneficial for all parties involved. It provides greater investment opportunities for buyers and minimizes the financial repercussions that both the lender and seller would face if the property went into foreclosure.

Do realtors make money on short sales?

In a short sale, the commission technically remains the responsibility of the seller, but the lender covers it with part of the sale proceeds. Because short sales are designed for financially-distressed homeowners, sellers seldom can afford to contribute money to close the deal.

Does a short sale count as income?

A short sale can result either in you owing the deficiency to the lender as unsecured debt or in the lender forgiving the deficiency. If your lender forgives the balance of your mortgage after the short sale, you may have to include the forgiven debt as taxable income in the year of the short sale.

Can you negotiate the price on a short sale?

Real estate agents advocate for homeowners but lenders have the say in sales. Some lenders may be more willing to negotiate while others have policies. Handling these situations requires patience, persistence, and strong negotiation skills. Short sale negotiations can take time.

Do short sales take longer to close?

Time: It can take longer to close on a short sale than a typical home sale because several lienholders are If the property has additional liens, they'll need to be sorted out and approved by the bank or lender prior to any sale.

What are three cons of short selling?

Short selling comes with numerous risks:
  • Potentially limitless losses: When you buy shares of stock (take a long position), your downside is limited to 100% of the money you invested. ...
  • A sudden change in fees. ...
  • Dividend Payments.

Which is the most likely consequence of a short sale?

A Short Sale Will Damage Your Credit Scores

Some say short sales have less of a negative effect on credit scores when compared to foreclosures, but this claim isn't necessarily true. Short sales, as well as deeds in lieu foreclosure, are pretty similar to foreclosures when it comes to damaging your credit scores.

What fees are associated with short selling?

What are the costs of short selling? You'll pay trading commissions, also called stock trading fees, when you buy or sell stocks. You'll also pay a “hard-to-borrow” fee, an annualized fee based on the value of a short position and the hard-to-borrow rate for that position. This fee varies daily and can be significant.

Do you pay your mortgage during a short sale?

A short sale is when you sell your home for less than what you owe on your mortgage. As a result, sale proceeds won't be enough to pay off your mortgage, so you must make up the difference.

Why is a short sale bad for buyer?

However, their credit also takes a hit, and they'll walk away from the sale with no cash for a new home. Buyer: Buyers of short sales might get the home at a reduced price — but the property, in all likelihood, has its share of problems. The deal also comes with more red tape than your standard real estate transaction.

Does the seller get any money in a short sale?

For a short sale to happen, both the lender and the homeowner have to be willing to sell the house at a loss. The homeowner will make no profit, and the lender will actually lose money for selling the house for less than the amount owed.

Do you pay tax on short selling?

Yes, short-term capital gains (STCG) are taxable regardless of the amount. Unlike long-term capital gains (LTCG), which have an exemption limit of Rs 1.25 lakh per year (increased from Rs. 1,00,000 in the Union Budget 2024), there is no exemption limit for STCG.

Do you owe money after a short sale?

After the short sale is completed, your lender might call you or send letters stating that you still owe money. These letters could come from an attorney's office or a collection agency and will demand that you pay off the deficiency.

Who pays realtor fees in a short sale?

While a seller typically pays all real estate agent commissions and other closing costs, in a short sale the seller pays nothing; the lender or bank foots the bill.

How do you profit from a short sale?

Short selling a stock is when a trader borrows shares from a broker and immediately sells them with the expectation that the share price will fall shortly after. If it does, the trader can buy the shares back at the lower price, return them to the broker, and keep the difference, minus any loan interest, as profit.

Is short sale flipping illegal?

Those who engage in short sale transactions, including the related "negotiations", and who are unlicensed (and do not have the benefit of an exception/exemption), are in violation of California law. The penalties include fines and/or imprisonment under section 10139 of the B&P Code.

What is a reasonable offer on a short sale?

If it's below value, that is generally acceptable. Just not excessively below. Think of your offer as being “within shot.” For example, a Seller that has an FHA loan trying to get short sale approved, a common number the bank is willing to approve is a minimum “net” 88% of the bank's appraisal price.

Who profits from short selling?

Short sellers are wagering that the stock they're shorting will drop in price. If this happens, they will get it back at a lower price and return it to the lender. The short seller's profit is the difference in price between when the investor borrowed the stock and when they returned it.

Does a short sale affect your taxes?

If you engage in a short sale or your mortgage lender forecloses on your home, the Internal Revenue Service treats it just like a sale. Foreclosures and short sales may also require you to recognize ordinary income if the lender cancels any of your outstanding mortgage balance and you're ineligible for an exclusion.