The settlement statement (HUD-1) is a component of real estate transactions. It outlines the terms for disbursement—reviews the fees and shows who is paying for what. Essentially it is a break down of how all the funds in a real estate transaction are being disbursed (including commission). Each and every agent should review an estimated settlement statement well before the closing date. It doesn’t matter whether the transaction is a short sale or a cash deal on a home owned outright. All parties involved in the transaction should make sure that the numbers crunch correctly.
In the past, it was common for agents to have a very cavalier attitude with regard to the settlement statement. If something was amiss, it could be taken care of at the eleventh hour.
But, with regard to short sales, the generation of the settlement statement is required by the bank months in advance of the short sale closing. Agents, title officers, and escrow employees need to think long and hard about what that final settlement statement is going to look like. Sometimes you have to see six months into the future. Will there be an HOA lien? What will be the cost of the property taxes? All of the fees that are necessary to close the transaction need to be presented to the bank at the beginning of the transaction. So, if your crystal ball is a little foggy, clean it off. You must see well into the future and note all of the fees that will be required in order to close the transaction.
The bank will use that statement (yes, it could be from five months prior) in order to generate the short sale approval letter. So, it is really important that the crystal ball is clear and you get all the numbers right.
You do not have to create the settlement statement yourself.
While I am not necessarily advocating that agents prepare their own settlement statements, it is vital that the agent understand how the statement is prepared and review it with a fine tooth comb. Agents (especially those doing the short sale negotiating themselves) need to be involved in assuring that the settlement statement has all of the correct information. The explanation of how the short sale settlement statement is prepared is a primer for those that are a little bit fearful. I’m here to tell you that you need to overcome those fears and pay careful attention to this aspect of the transaction. If not, it may cost you! It is definitely not Much Ado About Nothing!
Photo: flickr creative commons by ell_brown
