Is The FDIC Killing Short Sales? Article by Robert Hertzog
Is The FDIC Killing Short Sales?
As some of you already know, I blogged recently about being interviewed recently by our local NBC news affiliate.
Basically, IndyMac Bank (now OneWest Bank), is holding one of my clients hostage, demanding a $75k promissory note, or they will proceed to foreclosure. For the life of me, I couldn’t figure out why they were doing this. The BPO came in at the contract price of $275k, with a net to IndyMac of $241k. What advantage could there possibly be for them to proceed to foreclosure?
Yesterday, I figured it out. You see, IndyMac was taken over by the FDIC and sold to OneWest Bank in March/2009. Guess who the investors are behind OneWest? George Soros, Michael Dell, Steve Mnuchin (former Goldman Sachs executive), and John Paulson (hedge-fund billionaire).
Now, listen to the deal they got from the FDIC….
Basically, they purchased all current residential mortgages at 70% of par value (70% of the outstanding loan amounts). They purchased all current HELOCS at 58% of Par Value!!!
Next, in order to “sweeten the pot”, the FDIC stepped in and guaranteed the following: For any residential mortgages where OneWest experiences a loss, the FDIC will step in and cover anywhere from 80%-95% of the loss. The loss is calculated using the ORIGINAL LOAN BALANCE, not the amount that OneWest paid for the loan. Let’s use my clients situation as an example:
Loan Amount is $478,000, plus 6 months of missed payments, for a grand total of $485,200 OneWest pays $334,600 for the loan We have an all cash offer of $241,000, net to OneWest.
So, let’s do the math, shall we? The net loss, according to the FDIC formula is the ORIGINAL LOAN AMOUNT minus the amount of the offer. In this case, $485,200-$241,000, or $244,200. Next, the FDIC, according to their Loss Share Agreement, writes a check to OneWest for 80% of the so-called “net loss”. So, in this case, OneWest gets a check from Uncle Sam for $195,360 (.80 X $244,200).
Add the $195,360 to the sales price of $241,000, and you get a grand total of $436,360. Remember, OneWest paid $334,600 for the loan. So, OneWest puts $101,760 in their pocket, thanks to the FDIC. Folks, that is over $100k of our hard-earned tax dollars!
So, you ask…Why does this program hurt short sales? Because, our brilliant government offers this SAME PROGRAM FOR FORECLOSURES! The only difference is, the government picks up 80% of the tab on all of the extra costs associated with a foreclosure (BPO’s, upkeep, utilities/maintenance, legal fees, etc.) So, If I’m OneWest, why would I want to waste my time negotiating through a Short Sale, when I can make the same amount of money (if not more) by just letting it go to foreclosure? And we wonder why nobody can get a Loan Modification? Why would OneWest approve a loan modification for this guy, when they can foreclose and make over $100k? And, to add injury to insult, they have held this loan for 6 months! Not a bad ROI, huh?
What infuriates me the most is that in my particular case mentioned above, they have the guts to hold my client hostage for a $75k promissory note, after they are already making more than $100k on the sale!!! This is his primary residence, 1st Position loan, and OneWest has NO RECOURSE! Imagine if they could make $100k, then get a deficiency judgement! Talk about making some big bucks!
Can you say “GREED”?
The scary thing is that over 50 banks have Shared Loss Agreements in place with the FDIC. Some of them include: Bank of America (go figure), CitiMortgage, Wells Fargo, etc.
This entire agreement between the FDIC and OneWest can be found here, on the FDIC website. It’s all there, for the world to see! They have it all layed out. All of the formulas, worksheets, etc.
Now, it’s up to us to bring it to the attention of our elected officials and the media. Enough is Enough!
UPDATE 9/18/09: I JUST READ AN AWESOME ARTICLE ON THIS, THAT GOES INTO WAY MORE DETAIL THAN MY BLOG ABOVE. TAKE THE TIME TO READ IT WHEN YOU GET A CHANCE! CLICK HERE TO READ IT.
Wait, it gets better…The FDIC just announced that it needs to start borrowing money from the U.S. Treasure in order to replenish it’s deposit insurance fund (the same fund being used to pay all of these banks in the Loss Share Agreements). Go Figure!
Robert G. Hertzog






Thanks for your comment, Robert. I think if you read the entirety of my blog you will see that I try to post the current news and views about the market. You are welcome to post your analysis of what the market will do. My readers welcome input from all sides.
Thank you! This is just what I was looking for. Keep up the great work!
[...] How to help speed up a short sale tips [...]
Great blog post. The media will never pick up on this because it is more complicated than a soundbite.
If I may add that with the number of outstanding loans that are scheduled to reset in the next couple of years, decreasing home values and stricter lending guidelines, the rate of foreclosures are on track to peak in 2010. Short sales have become a growing niche for Real Estate Agents to sell homes before they become bank owned.
short sales | short sales education | short sales success
1/3 on the market are foreclosed or short sales – wow. It’s nice that you research this information. The agents who represent home sellers prob don’t share that info with buyers. Take care.
Dear Patrick,
Great article! I agree with you. I also would like to add couple more alternatives to those homeowners who want to stay in their homes.
There are two products those aren’t widely knowing and common in the market place. Trsutee Foreclosure Delays and Loan Re-Write.
Did you know that Homeowners are illegally being foreclosed on especially in Trustee States?
In Judicial Foreclosure states, a judge reviews the legality of the foreclosure proceedings to ensure the homeowner is being protected against greedy lenders and yet still the lenders are not properly following the foreclosure laws correctly (see this article: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/31/nyregion/31judge.html?_r=2).
In Trustee States, lenders employ a “third party” trustee company to replace the legal function of a judge and orchestrate the foreclosure process. If banks are not legally foreclosing when they know a judge reviews the case what do you think they are doing when they only have to go through a trustee that they pay? And what is more interesting, the trustee company is liable for the foreclosure proceedings but who is going after the trustee companies to review the legality of these foreclosure packages? You guess it! Yes, No one is..!
Did you know that a loan Re-Write program has the ability to reduce homeowner’s current loan balance down to the current market value at prime + 3%?
Here is an example: You owe $500K on your home but it is only worth $350k. Investors will bulk purchase the note from your current lender and re-write it back to you at $350k, saving you (the homeowner) over $150k!
I hope this helps!
To find out more about our services you may want to visit http://ASNDinc.com/
Yamen Elasadi
yamen@ASNDinc.com
Arizona Unemployment Trends – September 2009
Arizona Unemployment Trends Visualized as a Heat Map:
Arizona Unemployment in September 2009 (BLS data)
http://www.localetrends.com/st/az_arizona_unemployment.php?MAP_TYPE=curr_ue
versus Arizona Unemployment Levels 1 year ago
http://www.localetrends.com/st/az_arizona_unemployment.php?MAP_TYPE=m12_ue
[...] How to help speed up a short sale tips [...]
[...] How to help speed up a short sale tips [...]
This is good news… Foreclosure market needs movement to make more money and start leaving this situation
that’s good to hear. when you are experiencing foreclosure, you need the help of reliable real estate agents. when you are looking for them you may visit this site:
REALTOR
[...] How to help speed up a short sale tips [...]
[...] How to help speed up a short sale tips [...]
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[...] See: Why short sales aren’t always a good deal. [...]
[...] Considering making an offer in today’s distressed home marketplace in Prescott or Prescott Valley? See: Top 10 tips to win the REO multiple offer game. [...]
[...] See: Why short sales aren’t always a good deal. [...]
[...] Considering making an offer in today’s distressed home marketplace in Prescott or Prescott Valley? See: Top 10 tips to win the REO multiple offer game. [...]
[...] How to help speed up a short sale tips [...]
[...] How to help speed up a short sale tips [...]
[...] How to help speed up a short sale tips [...]
[...] See: Why short sales aren’t always a good deal. [...]