This is the first of what PartnerFirst expects to be many state accreditations of its HSC offering, and comes as HAFA accounts for an ever-larger share of the short sale market. According to a recent Treasury Department report, successful HAFA short sales and deeds in lieu jumped over 73 percent in April compared to the month before.  This trend attests to HAFA’s enduring importance in the default sphere—and the urgency of training real estate agents in its provisions.

Jacob Swodeck, Director of Education for PartnerFirst, is not surprised by the surge in HAFA sales. “These numbers that the Treasury released recently about HAFA are just proof that it’s gaining steam, and this is just the beginning,” he says.  And, these developments emphasize the importance of HAFA training for real estate professionals: “If you don’t understand HAFA you’re not going to have the ability to have intelligent conversations with distressed borrowers,” Swodeck says.

The PartnerFirst HAFA Specialist Certification provides the in-depth training and analysis that agents will need to complete HAFA sales competently, according to Swodeck. “PartnerFirst has done a great job at taking something complicated, and like a good algebra teacher, making it bite-sized and easy to understand,” he notes.  “And, it’s business in a box.  It teaches Realtors how to execute HAFA transactions from the listing appointment—actually pre-listing appointment—all the way to closing.”

PartnerFirst’s HSC course is one of the first to offer a comprehensive view of the HAFA program for real estate agents, and has been recognized as the best in its class by industry insiders. It is the latest addition to PartnerFirst’s suite of education offerings, which includes Pre-foreclosure Specialist Certification (PSC), a complete short sale training course for agents.

About PartnerFirst:

PartnerFirst has been at the forefront of the default services industry with its innovative agent management services platform. By training and certifying real estate agents to serve the specific needs of distressed homeowners, PartnerFirst provides the missing piece for servicers’ homeowner outreach efforts.

The PartnerFirst agent database serves as a brand-neutral, nationwide resource that mortgage servicers and component servicers can use with confidence.

The Find-an-Agent homeowner referral database serves the same function on the consumer side—connecting distressed homeowners with local real estate agents who can help them.

PartnerFirst is working with real estate agents, homeowners and mortgage servicers to bring health and stability back to the housing market.

Jason Crawford, PartnerFirst, LLC, 951-547-7813, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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