Buyers and Sellers Benefit from REALTOR® Expertise in Distressed Sales
SARASOTA, Fla. (April 8, 2010) Andrew Bers, PA, and Robbie Petsinger with Prudential Palms Realty have earned the nationally recognized Short Sales and Foreclosure Resource certification. 
The National Association of REALTORS® offers the SFR certification to REALTORS® who want to help both buyers and sellers navigate these complicated transactions, as demand for professional expertise with distressed sales grows.
According to a recent NAR survey, nearly one-third of all existing homes sold recently were either short sales or foreclosures. For many real estate professionals, short sales and foreclosures are the new “traditional” transaction. REALTORS® who have earned the SFR certification know how to help sellers maneuver the complexities of short sales as well as help buyers pursue short sale and foreclosure opportunities.
“As leading advocates for homeownership, REALTORS® believe that any family that loses its home to foreclosure is one family too many, but unfortunately, there are situations in which people just cannot afford to keep their homes, and a foreclosure or a short sale results,” said 
2009 NAR President Charles McMillan, a broker with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Dallas-Fort Worth. “Foreclosures and short sales can offer opportunities for home buyers and benefit the larger community, as well, but it’s extremely important to have the help of a real estate professional like a REALTOR® who has earned the SFR certification for these kinds of purchases.”
The certification program includes training on how to qualify sellers for short sales, negotiate with lenders, protect buyers, and limit risk, and provides resources to help REALTORS® stay current on national and state-specific information as the market for these distressed properties evolves.
For more information, visit www.prudentialpalmsrealty.com or call 941.926.7000.
About Prudential Palms Realty and Lakewood Ranch Realty (A Sister Company):Prudential Palms Realty combines top local agents with the latest technology to provide powerful strategies for finding or selling homes. The brokerage has offices servicing Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte counties with over 250 sales professionals. Prudential Palms Realty is an independently owned and operated member of the Prudential Real Estate Affiliates, Inc., one of the leading real estate brokerage networks in North America. For more information on Prudential Palms Realty, call 941.926.7000 or visit www.prudentialpalmsrealty.com or Lakewood Ranch Realty, call 941.907.2000 or visit www.LakewoodRanchRealty.com