Is it advisable to use a law firm to handle your short sale?

This article is strictly my opinion and based on my own experience with clients who have used or are currently using a law firm to represent them.

To date I have worked with only three such transactions.  None of them have been favorable.  The law firm gets paid no matter what the outcome so there doesn't seem to be any real incentive for them to pursue and negotiate like an experienced realtor does. 

In the last short sale I worked with that had a lawyer representing it took almost one year to get it to closing.  Imagine the frustration for both the seller and buyer. 

In the current one I am working with this is a replacement offer in to the bank because the first buyer walked because it was taking the law firm and bank too long to respond... more than six months.  We are now on month four of the replacement offer. 

On the other hand an experienced short sale realtor knows exactly what to do to get the sale approved and closed within 3-4 months or less.   You as the customer don't get charged anything by a realtor.  The bank pays the commission from the proceeds of the sale.  The realtor doesn't get paid until the sale is completed so there is incentive to get it to closing.

So I invite you to ponder that if you are thinking about putting your house on the market in a short sale.  I encourage you to find a qualified and experienced short sale realtor.