Finding Short Sales?

Short sales are defined by the banks acceptance of a lower offer below what they were actually due.

In California a NOD (notice of default) is used to identify a foreclosure's beginning.

You can go the courthouse, usually the recorders office and look for and search for a list of NOD's. From here you can contact those that are the recipients of the NOD and see if they will sell.

Realtors can also provide properties that are in short sale.

In addition to this you can contact title companies and obtain a list of NOD's from them instead of researching them at the courthouse. When obtaining a list of NOD's you can note that if a transaction ensues you will bring it back to them to close and do title on. This way they win as well.

Does A short sale benifet the seller at all.
I am actually looking for short sales in California that are
listed by an agent, or not.(all the better if listed by agent for me)
most agents I have talked to so far say they dont list short sales.

Any idea on how to find agents that have these listings other than calling and beating their doors down.

Thats what ive been doing so far and havent had much success.

I'll keep at this way if I have to, Just open to any ideas to make this process a little easier.

you can also look in your local paper under Legal Notices and they provide a list of defaults heading for auction and they list the address and names of the owners.
you can then look them up online in the yellow pages and get the phone numbers to contact the owners themselves.
Hope this can help you out.

Have you contacted banks and credit unions directly. Having been a lender I suggest you contact the branch/bank manager or loss mitigation dept and ask for a list of properties they have in short sale not represented by an agent.

Wish you well.

Okay, I will do that. Thanks!

One thing you can do is talk to a title company and ask for 30,60,90 day lates. These are people falling behind on there mortgage but have not recieved a notice of default (NOD) yet. This is the earliest opportunity you have of getting first shot at a possible short sale.