New California Short Sale Law Passed! | California SB 306
As promised…here is the section of the recently passed California SB 306 law. This new law revolutionizes the way Short Sales will be done in California…
Here is the readers digest version: (note: we read this beast 3-4 times and this is our translation of the bill…seek advice of an attorney if you want more clarification)
UPDATE: Read the update to this post HERE.
1) Once a short sale offer is submitted the lender would have 21 days to accept, reject or deny the offer. Understand, this means that the short sale package has to be submitted correctly…and completely.
2) A Short Sale offer is submitted WITH a HUD the lenders/ servicers have 4 days to reply to the offer. (Note: we sent this one over to our attorney to review.)
3) The lender will have to submit all responses IN WRITING.
Bottom line, Short Sales (in California) are about to get waaaay easier and close faster.
Agents if you are not doing Short Sales….why the heck not! The Golden Age of Short Sales is (finally) here. Watch the FREE Agent Short Sale Secrets video and download your FREE Agent Short Sale Secrets book!
SB 306 (Calderon)
Real property transactions.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST
SB 306, as amended, Calderon. Real property transactions.
(1) Existing law requires that, upon a breach of the obligation of
a mortgage or transfer of an interest in property, the trustee,
mortgagee, or beneficiary record a notice of default in the office of
the county recorder where the mortgaged or trust property is
situated and mail the notice of default to the mortgagor or trustor.
Existing law, until January 1, 2013, prohibits a mortgagee, trustee,
beneficiary, or authorized agent from filing a notice of default for
an additional 30 days on loans made between January 1, 2003, to
December 31, 2007, that secure residential real property, under
certain circumstances.
This bill would, until January 1, 2013, provide that these
provisions apply to mortgages and deeds of trust recorded between
January 1, 2003, to December 31, 2007, secured by owner-occupied
residential real property containing no more than 4 dwelling units.
The bill would also, among other things, revise the declaration that
is required to be filed in this connection with the notice of
default.
(2) Existing law states legislative findings and declarations with
regard to the duty loan servicers have to maximize net present value
under their pooling and servicing agreements, stating that their
duty is owed to all parties in a loan pool, not to any particular
parties, and that a servicer acts in the best interests of all
parties if it agrees to or implements a loan modification or workout
plan, as specified.
This bill would specify the application of these findings and
declarations to certain investors.
(3) Existing law requires a trustee or authorized agent, upon
posting a notice of sale, to post and mail a specified notice
addressed to residents of property subject to foreclosure upon
posting a notice of sale. Existing law requires a notice of sale
to be recorded in the county in which the property, or some part of
it, is situated at least 14 days prior to the date of sale.
This bill would specify how and when this notice is to be mailed.
This bill would extend the time during which the
notice of sale must be recorded from 14 to 20 days.
(4) Existing law requires a beneficiary on a deed of trust or a
mortgagee on a mortgage to prepare and deliver a beneficiary
statement or a pay-off demand statement within 21 days of receipt of
a written demand from specified entitled parties. Existing law
requires the written statement to include information reasonably
necessary to calculate the payoff amount on a per diem basis for the
period of time, not to exceed 30 days, during which the per diem
amount is not changed by the terms of the note.
This bill would revise the period of time during which the
information reasonably necessary to calculate the payoff amount may
be prepared.
The bill would also , until January 1,
2014, require a beneficiary to prepare and deliver
, within 21 days upon written demand,
of the receipt of a short-pay request, as defined, to prepare
and deliver a short-pay demand statement, which would be a
written statement, conditioned on the existence of a short-pay
agreement, that is prepared in response to a request from an entitled
person or authorized agent, setting forth an amount less than the
outstanding debt, together with any terms and conditions, under which
the beneficiary would execute and deliver a reconveyance of the deed
of trust securing the note that is the subject of the short-pay
demand statement. The bill would provide that the short-pay agreement
is an agreement in writing in which the beneficiary agrees to
release its lien on a property in return for payment of an amount
less than the secured obligation. The bill would permit a beneficiary
that elects not to proceed with the transaction that is the subject
of the demand short-pay request to
refuse to provide a short-pay demand statement, but would require
that he or she provide a written statement, indicating that the
beneficiary has elected not to proceed. The bill would provide that
if the terms and conditions of the short-pay agreement require
approval by the beneficiary of a closing statement prepared by an
escrowholder, approval or disapproval shall be provided not more than
4 days after receipt by the beneficiary of the closing statement, or
the closing statement shall be deemed approved, except as specified.
(5) The Escrow Law provides for licensing and regulation of escrow
agents, other than certain exempt persons, by the Commissioner of
Corporations. The law requires licensees to apply for membership in
the Escrow Agents’ Fidelity Corporation, a nonprofit mutual benefit
corporation, which is established to indemnify its members against
loss of trust obligations. The law limits required membership in the
Escrow Agents’ Fidelity Corporation who engage in certain kinds of
business. Existing law defines and regulates the activities of
exchange facilitators and excepts from the definition of exchange
facilitator escrow companies, under specified circumstances.
This bill would provide escrow transactions that involve money or
property held or deposited with a person acting as an
pursuant to specified actions of an exchange
facilitator regarding deposit of funds are not
transactions that require a licensee to have membership in the Escrow
Agents’ Fidelity Corporation.
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Hi there,
Just a small addition to the SB 306, the “21 day and 4 day” provision mentioned in the bill is ONLY applicable if the lender has NOT filed the NTS.
Gunnar
Sorry, that is the NOD.
Gunnar
Has any one told the Banks this? they are taking 30 t0 180 days to
review files still….
Most importantly it does not seam to take effect until January 1 2010. Will the banks be ready?
I don’t want to sound like Negative Ned, but I am also concerned about how this can be enforced. If you submit to the banks and demand they respond in 21 days, and mention that they are in violation of the law if they do not do so, then what is to stop them from just saying: “If you really want an answer in 21/4 days, and can’t wait for our 90 day turnaround, then the answer is DECLINED. Case closed.” …..You know who those banks are, with the ‘I don’t care what you want, this is how we do it’ attitude. Hope someone can comment on this in a more positive light.
Ultimately…I doubt there will be anything to enforce servicers doing anything.
90% of all mortgages are now ‘owned by’ Fannie/ Freddie….I suspect that at some point if the
servicers don’t comply….bye-bye servicers.
This law is being misinterpreted. The 21 days refers to the lender sended a payoff demand letter on an ALREADY APPROVED SHORT SALE. Basically, for escrow when you are going to close the deal.
“The bill would also , until January 1, 2014, require a beneficiary to prepare and deliver, within 21 days upon written demand, of the receipt of a short-pay request, as defined, to prepare and deliver a short-pay demand statement, which would be a written statement, conditioned on the existence of a short-pay agreement”
So you have to have the “short-pay agreement” already done. Big difference. The banks will still take a really long time to approve the short-pay agreement.
-Mark
can’t a 30 day notice given to a tenant during a short sale be enforced, even though the owner is not paying the mortgage or the assosiation dues, in the satate of California?
Technically yes….but, as with owners…tenants can also ‘cash in’ on cash for keys!
Buying a short sale and need help in getting some answers.
Can a short sale have different price form seller than the short sale bank?
Would the shortsale bank be present at the closing or just the sellers?
Can the buyer demand agreed price of the shortsale form the real estate broker involved?
Hi Alex,
Are you working with an agent…specifically and agent who knows how to list (and buy) short sales?
Sounds like you are not. May I suggest that I refer you to one of our students?
Your questions:
Its the sellers home. The seller signs the contract etc. Later, the bank agrees (or not) to accepting less on the homes than its worth.
SS bank would not be ‘present’ at a closing.
No, the buyer can’t demand much of anything. If they bank won’t agree to the short sale…and the seller (or buyer) can’t make up for the difference
between what the lender’s net needs to be…no deal.
Like I said, you really should consider working with a ASD Student. We have the best agents in the nation as students and I assure you
whomever we would refer you to will do an excellent job.
Hope this helps!
Tim
What I get asked all the time is, can the bank come after me for the balance on a 2nd after they release the lien? My client got his short sale approved but the 2nds approval letter states they will make payment arrangements for the rest after closing