Hi Folks. Here's a comment that I received from an employee of Bank of America. I think it sums up some of the frustration that we are all going through. I will keep the comment anonymous and it has been edited for grammar. Here goes:
"I have sat here and read through all of these messages and I am at a loss for words. I currently work as a supervisor in the short sale department for Bank of America. And YES I hate my job. I hate having to get on the phone with these homeowners and agents and explain to them that I do not have the authority to submit a same day postponement for a foreclosure. Nor do I have any more contact with their negotiator than they do.
My first week on this job had me in tears. I was on the phone with an Attorney who was trying to stop a foreclosure sale and in the background I was listening to the homeowner and her children crying. It is hard and some days I leave out of work in the worst mood. EVERY DAY I attempt to make some sort of contact with corporate to get some answers from someone. But just like the rest of you, my questions and calls go unanswered." END
I posted this to remind all of us that most of the folks we speak with at the lenders/servicers are just doing their jobs. They are overwhelmed with files and calls and there is only so much they can do.
As hard as it is sometimes, we must try to remember that these folks also have families and could very well be experiencing financial hardships just as the homeowners we are working for are. Show them some respect. Be kind. Maybe...... just maybe you'll get a better response. OK?
Image ***Sometimes we all just need a hug!
Do NOT be foreclosed on! Avoid foreclosure. Short Sales DO close.
Want to find out more? www.CentralFloridaShortSales.com
***I am NOT an Attorney nor do I play one on TV. Click the button below for my Bio.
Copyright © 2010 http://www.brokerbryant.com/ | All Rights Reserved
Tutas Towne Realty has already successfully negotiated Short Sales with the following Lenders and Investors.
Chase Short Sale,Sun Trust Short Sale, GMAC Short Sale, Wells Fargo Short Sale,Bank of America Short Sale,USA Bank Short Sale,PNC Bank Short Sale,Citi Short Sale,HomeEq Short Sale,Fifth Third Bank Short Sale,ING Direct Short Sale,GreenTree Short Sale,Capital One Short Sale,ASC Short Sale,First Horizon Short Sale,E-Trade Short Sale,Transland Financial Short Sale,US Bank Short Sale,IBM LBPS Short Sale,
Nationstar Short Sale,BAC Florida Short Sale,Real Time Solutions Short Sale,Fannie Mae Short Sale
FHA Short Sale,Selene Finance Short Sale,DTA Solutions LLC Short sale,Flagstar Short Sale,IndyMac Short Sale
******************************************************************
Tutas Towne Realty, Inc handles Florida real estate sales, Florida short sales, Florida strategic short sales, Florida pre-foreclosure sales, Florida foreclosures in Kissimmee Florida Short Sales, Davenport Florida Short Sales, Haines City Florida Short Sales, Poinciana Florida Short Sales, Solivita Florida Short Sales, Orlando Florida Short Sales, Celebration Florida Short Sales, Winderemere Florida Short Sales. Serving all of Polk, Osceola and Orange Counties Florida. Florida Short Sale Broker. Short Sale Florida.
Reserved for TLW
I can't imagine having a job as a Loss Mitigator. I've heard that there is huge turnover in the position.
I am sure being on the inside can be just as frustrating as the outside looking in!
I can't imagine having a job as a Loss Mitigator. I've heard that there is huge turnover in the position.
Sounds like just a big boiler room or telemarketing call center. BOA really needs to clean up their act.
Wow - one never thinks about this side of the story.
You are so good at presenting multiple sides to a story, BB. -- Tanya in Montreal
Excellent advice! I'll try to remember this as I am currently dealing with Bank of America. I guess it's frustrating for all involved! Thanks for the reminder!
Bryant,
There are two great lessons here!
I wounder how many will understand?
Bill
Very thoughtful post. ;-)
Hmmm...Ok, felt about an ounce of sympathy for the author of that letter. I'm just so thankful that most of my clients avoid short sales. In the past 15 months, I've only had a handful of clients who braved a short sale purchase. Three of them were CW/BofA short sales and unfortunately BB, they were the absolute worst. I'm just glad that I didn't have to deal with the bank reps (the Realtors did that dirty work).
I cannot believe that any normal person could handle that job. They must have the patience of Jobe and the hide of an elephant.
In fact, I have the same impression of listing agents.
I am not very surprised to hear these complaints. I have complained about the bank employees in a general sense when I felt that they have been poorly trained and managed.
Also, you should have used a cartoon of Eeyore (who is always gloom and doom), not Winnie the Pooh.
Not really happy having to deal with this myself. .we work very hard to make up to our clients that got caught in this mess. . and dealing with BOA. .is my every day DRAGON FIGHT!
You are right. Sometimes we forget that there are real people on the other end of the phone who is not the decision maker!
Thank you for the wonderful post. I would not have the job.
Thank you for printing that. I can't imagine having a job like that. It very often has nothing to do with person on the other end of the phone. BOA really has a lot of 'splainin to do.
You are right of course. But I still believe that collectors and lawyers take meany pills.
Wow- amazing that she put her feelings in written words to you! When I do talk with a person at any Bank, not just BOA, I try to be human, let them know that I know that they are HUMAN! Say something like " I know you guys are slammed". Hoping that gives me some one that cares, that looks at my file as other HUMANS lives, not just another pile of paper to get out of the way! Not sure if it works, but it can't hurt.
Interesting Bryant. You've heard from one of the few that cares, because I've certainly spoken to many that really don't seem to.
I am sure the employees are frustrated.
I get it.
But, no excuse for the top management not knowing what is going on.
Why can't one department talk to another?
They can't even switch you over.
Bryant - It does make a difference to work with a vendor who cares, even if they have limited ability to help.
BB,
I think the worst part of the job is the lack of communication on BOTH sides. Btw, it will be interesting to see how equator does long-term.
It is SO hard to feel sorry for BofA employees. It's easy to "shoot the messengers" I guess. But you're right. We do need to consider all the people who are involved; including the "enemy". =/
Bryant- there are all kinds of people wherever we go, whatever we do, in all businesses and companies, there are good ones who care and there are those who don't. We have our share of both- this goes for agents as well. Katerina
BB, some are nice like the one you illustrated but some are quite sarcastic. It's a matter of how we deal with them that gets the job done. :D
!!!! Amazing disclosure. Thanks for posting this, it's always good to be reminded the belly of the beast is full of actual humans.
Great post. I agree with Missy. There is no excuse for upper management. BOA says they are listening to us. But the battle has been mighty. Negociators sitting at a desk think that they are helping their employer by trying to negociate a deal that the agents in the field have already negociated!! WE ARE ON THE SAME SIDE! Getting the most possible for the property. I've lost 12 or so deal from BOA alone that should have been approved. Instead they went south, the next offer was much less, $25K less in one case. They are loosing billions buy not putting the real estate agent on their side. Shame on them.
I found this late, but .. I'm just glad I found it!! It's a humbling reminder that we're all just humans in difficult positions. We do what we can .. and we can always choose to DO MORE!!
I called into BOA Equator Short Sale dept today and I could tell that the guy was irritated. I believe that they do have a rapid turn over on jobs there because it seems that lots of the reps do not have answers to questions. I had someone put me on hold so he could ask someone else. But, we are all human beings with feelings - no one is a robot?
Lenders continue to change Short Sale requirements, processes and timelines it seems like weekly if not more frequently!
It is such a sad and frustrating part if the business. I cannot imagine doing this lady's job. It's hard enough showing a distressed property to potential buyers, you can feel the sadness in the home.
If only the banks could make this process a little smoother- it's not like short sales are going anywhere anytime soon... Realtors have adapted and maybe it's time the banks did!
Over the past two years, I think the BofA reps and negotiators have improved tremendously. Only one time in the past year has a BofA employee said something rude to me. (I had one very rude employee that told me I should tell my seller to start paying their mortgage if they want some good news from BofA. I told him my seller paid her bills until her husband died.) Anyway, I think the problem is with BofA decision makers and Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac. The people we deal with are just employees trying to provide for their families with a sucky job.
Great post!
There's an old Southern German expression my Momma taught me; "Wald 'rein, Wald 'raus" translated; "The way you holler in the woods is the way the echo comes back."
It's the 'dirty-little-secret' to getting a short sale through. Ask the person on the other side how their day is going, how many files they are handling and how YOU can make it easier on them. Stop, Wait and LISTEN. You'd be surprised at what simple tips, tricks and hints you can pick up.
I have another saying too... "Don't mistake kindness for weakness."
Thanks for a great post!
This is so sad...I am blessed that I do not have to deal with these types of phonecalls on a daily and non-stop occurence...