Short Sale Specialist — Santa Clara County, CA

Santa Clara County is one of the most expensive housing markets in the nation, with a median home price of approximately $1.4 million, 15 incorporated cities, and nearly 1.9 million residents. The county stretches from the urban core of San Jose through the tech-driven suburbs of Cupertino and Sunnyvale, down to the agricultural communities of Morgan Hill and Gilroy.

The county's extraordinary home values create unique short sale dynamics. Many homeowners carry jumbo loans — mortgages above the conforming loan limit — which are serviced by different departments with distinct approval criteria. Tech-sector job loss, equity compensation changes, and divorce are among the most common hardship drivers we see. Even partial-equity situations, where the home is worth slightly more than the loan balance, can qualify for a short sale when combined with seller hardship.

In California, the foreclosure process begins with a Notice of Default filed after 90 days of missed payments. The lender must then wait at least 90 days before recording a Notice of Trustee Sale, followed by a 21-day waiting period before the auction. Acting early — ideally before the Notice of Default is filed — gives homeowners the most time and the most options, including a short sale that avoids the auction entirely.