+ Michael Saunders & Co. launches short-sale division
Michael Saunders & Co. has formed a Short Sale Division, which will allow agents to focus on this type of transaction, which is becoming increasingly popular with homeowners who are struggling to or unable to meet mortgage obligations.

Cristy Carrington Lewis will re-join the company as the division’s lead account manager. Lewis earned her law degree from The Florida State University College of Law before working as an assistant Sarasota County attorney specializing in contracts and transactional law. She then joined Michael Saunders & Co., where she worked as a sales agent for five years, most recently in the company’s Siesta Key office. This past summer, Lewis worked at a Sarasota law firm that specializes in real-estate and commercial litigation, where she negotiated short-sale cases and facilitated loan modifications.

“Agents have been known to spend upwards of 120 hours on a single case, only to see their efforts on behalf of their clients add up to nothing when the lender refuses to budge,” said Michael Saunders, company founder and CEO, in a prepared statement. “The process is extremely fluid, poorly defined and without a clear set of procedures for agents or sellers to follow. A callback might be inadvertently missed, which can rotate your file back to the bottom of the pile. Under the best of circumstances, you need the patience of Job, the persistence of a marathon runner and the nerve of a tight-rope walker to manage a successful short sale.”

+ Soda receives Prudential Real Estate’s Legend Award
Jim Soda, of Prudential Palms Realty, has received the Legend Award, one of the highest honors given by Prudential Real Estate and Relocation Services, a Prudential Financial company.

The award is given to top producers who have reached the Prudential’s Chairman’s Circle level for at least five years. Soda is a consistent recipient of the Chairman’s Circle Award platinum level, ranking him in the top 1% of Prudential agents nationwide. He is an Accredited Buyers Representative (ABR), Certified New Home Sales Professional (CSP) and Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist (CLHMS). Soda is currently working on his Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS) designation.

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