Although not the best time to be disposing a property, i) I have conviction in the buyer's ability to perform, and ii) believe the sale price is a defensible exit value given the current climate.

I'd love to answer more questions if you have them, and I'll be at the BP Conference in San Diego in October if you'd like to connect in person.

Criticism just activates defensiveness and then you just have an argument and tension following, not a solution to the problem.

There could be a "note conference" and a "subject-to" conference.

I am not in California but just came back from a conference and a few of my friends work those areas.I do believe the broker/agent is giving sound advice.From what I have been told in California it varies by area but there are many more short sales than REO.The foreclosure process there takes a very,very long time and can be expensive for the banks.Some areas in California are receiving multiple offers over asking.The reason is California generally isn't a cash flow market so people wrong or right buy on speculation.It's one of those markets that cycles up hard and crashes down hard so timing is more critical than other markets with more subtle swings in value.With the short sales you will have to watch out for time lines for approval of the sales price.If it has been a while and the prices have fallen even more you will have appraisal issues.This is why you need to know absorption rates for the specific area you are buying in and buy what percent the market is increasing,decreasing each month or is it staying flat.Velocity is also a factor.If for instance December values declined 3.0,then January 3.2,then February 3.6 percent then the velocity downwards is increasing.Also values might decrease but interest rates rise causing you to buy less of a house.So really get educated and drill down the numbers to make an informed decision.Also make sure to compare with market declines apples to apples.So if you want a 3/2 ranch on a 1/2 acre make sure you are looking at that data and not a mixture of sales with wide adjustments to bring in line.no legal adviceForeclosure auctions are generally cash only at the courthouse.Property that has already been foreclosed on that the bank is sticking in a auction is a different animal.

I most likely won't use one now, although I may use a short one that goes along w/ the booklet I'm making, if talking to people out of state w/ a web conference type of service to help them understand or if I ever do do presentations for groups...but I'm going to try to refrain from that concept at least initially.

If a shutdown lasts longer than a week, the Pentagon might not be able to process its payroll in time for the Oct. 15 paychecks, Defense Department Comptroller Robert Hale said Friday.

Originally posted by @Chris Martin:On my visit to Intuit Premier Reseller Conference we visited Intuit and they introduced us to Sparkrent.

I play my defense by choosing to live modestly.

Turn around and set up conference meetings with the buyer and seller at the same time via skype or some other system .