Hallelujah!! Happy Day!!!!!!!

We made it to the light at the end of the never ending short sale tunnel!

There are no words. This is new high. I need to pinch myself- again.

For those of you who don't follow me, you can get most of the story here. And the rest here.

4 years of doing everything humanly possible in our capacity to keep a house.

Being rejected for both loan modification and refinance despite our over 800 perfect credit scores.

Being lied to and manipulated by Aurora Loan Services while we waited almost a year for them to approve a short sale.

Spending countless hours on the phone with hundreds of people trying to get straight answers and have our voice be heard.

Watching multiple families walk from the purchase agreement as our home's value plummeted to nearly $100,000 below market value- while waiting for our number to come up.

Losing sleep and tears and more money than I care to admit.

And having our credit score tank to a ridiculous low.

We can finally put this nightmare to bed, once and for all.


When our realtor called today he was shocked at my somber response. I told him I was waiting for the bad news. That is all I knew. I've lost track of how many times we've actually sold this home only to be left with disappointment in the end. More reasons than I could have ever invented in my own head. And just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, inevitably it did.

He said, "Thought you'd be happy. It's done." It still hadn't totally sunk in. I asked for proof multiple times. When he told me that they had cut his commission check I felt pretty confident it was in fact done.

No more utilities for an unoccupied home. No more taxes (even though we just paid them). No more HOA battles. Our $800 fines are paid up. Writing the last $80 check now.

Until you experience anything of this magnitude, you will never fully understand the helpless, hopelessness that overcomes you. You are entirely at the mercy of people that don't know you or care about you. You are nothing more than a number in their giant stack of numbers.

Or the enormous amount of stress that weighs you down on a daily basis. It has been a burden for several years. And today, that $270,000 weight is gone.

I know some would never share such personal and embarrassing information, let alone blog about it. But I feel like this was a learning experience. A very painful learning experience. And if I can educate, comfort, even help one person in any capacity then it wasn't all for naught.

Life is full of mistakes. But how else would we ever grow or progress forward if we didn't experience the humiliating, humbling, sometimes horrific errors of life. Plus, had we been privy to a magic crystal ball we would have never even thought twice about purchasing a home. Not then. But no one, not even the politicians and bankers who are mostly to blame, could have ever foreseen the crippling effects the economy would suffer.

I am only human. And I'm not afraid to admit it and lay it out there for all to see.

My short sale journey was fraught with trials, tears, and much turmoil. But I've tried to keep my chin up and extract anything I could. In true Lish style these are the lessons I walked away with...

10 Short Sale lessons learned
1. Not all banks are created equal.
2. Short sale means LOOOOooong sale.
3. You MUST be delinquent on payments to start, preferably 6 months- regardless of what they tell you to the contrary.
4. No one has your back.
5. Banks will doctor records to protect themselves.
6. Bank employees are trained to LIE their butts off. Under no circumstances should you ever trust anyone.
7. Your realtor may be in cahoots.
8. You must lie, cheat, and steal to get ahead. Or you will have years of tormented agony.
9. It’s only credit, not your life.
10. Nothing is done until it’s done. And then it may still not be done...

You better believe I'm smiling. And celebrations are in order!

We are done. We are done. Hallelujah! Happy Day!! We are done!!!

Thought this was appropriate to share today along with our elation.

24 comments

  1. I'm so happy for you, Lish. I actually have tears in my eyes. It's done. :)

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  2. Oh my goodness Alicia! You are a FREE woman! Go out and celebrate!!!

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  3. Yea! I've got goosebumps! I know I haven't been following you since the beginning, but long enough to know you are wonderful person and to know you've had such a horrific experience is sad. But what strength you have to get through it AND focus on the positive. Congratulations!!!

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  4. So happy for you and your family!!!! Celebrate!

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  5. What a fantastic turn of events...long awaited :)
    Congrats. Inhale deeply!

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  6. So, so glad to hear that this is finally over. I know what a big emotional impact this had. Congratulations!

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  7. Oh Lish, I am so THRILLED for you guys! I know this has been a long, hard road....and man, you deserve to be done. DONE.

    Yay!!

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  8. CONGRATULATIONS!!!! WOOHOO!!! That is so great to hear, and I absolutely love the YouTube video you shared - one of my all-time favorite songs!

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  9. I am so happy to hear this wonderful news! Happy dance!

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  10. I'm so glad that it all worked out in the end. This is the best Christmas gift for you and your family. It saddens me how many families have been hurt by the economic down turn of the last few years. Hearing that you are moving forward gives the rest of us hope. I'm not planning on selling anytime soon, but I hope when it happens it won't be a disaster. :) Katharine

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  11. Lish, I'm so PROUD of you! It has been a LONG road but you have handled it beautifully. This is the BEST Christmas gift ever. Congratulations, my friend!

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  12. Hi, jumped over from Siren's blog and just read ur post. This is exactly why I refuse to buy a home right now. With the economy the way it is it's hitting home owners hard and then there are the people like u who are trying to sell at the same time and it's extremely hard but SO glad u can put this all behind u as a lesson well learned. And SO glad u shared ur experience!!!!

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  13. I am so, so happy that this is over for you. It's a gift for the holidays.

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  14. I am glad this nigtmare is over for you, what a Holiday Hallelujah this is!
    I recently read an article written in Rolling Stone magazine, about everything you have gone thru and MORE. anyway I am glad you can finally breath again.
    Congratulations on the longest Short sale sale in yor life.

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  15. I am so happy for you and the fact that you no longer have that burden! From a buyers perspective they treat you like crap too when trying to purchase a short sale!! Banks= corrupt!

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  16. Congratulations! I'm so happy that this is finally over with for you.

    Thank you for sharing this struggle and how it has affected you.

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  17. Woo hoo! YAY!! Congrats!!

    The world has just been lifted off your shoulders...go celebrate!

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  18. I'm so happy for you! Seriously, what a great thing to have taken care of before the start of the new year!

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  19. Congrats Lish!!! So happy for you and your hubby. What an ordeal.

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  20. Woohoo!! So happy to hear this - I am so sorry for the long headache - but so glad you can move forward. Enjoy the celebrating!!! :)

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  21. I am so very glad that this is over for you! I don't even understand how short sales are legal to be honest with you. I have never heard even one good thing about them. No one I have EVER talked to has had a good thing to say about them. Even when you are a BUYER you get screwed over.

    Again, it must be the biggest relief to NOT have this anymore. Congrats!

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  22. YEAH!!!! I am am so happy for you! You must feel as though a huge weight has been lifted off your shoulders! I am sorry it was such a mess of a situation for you, but at least now you can start relaxing and destressing!

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