If someone you know has fallen or will soon be falling behind on mortgage payments, the fear of the unknown can be overwhelming. But local real estate agents with training and a new resource through the Miami Association of Realtors, a local real estate association, have an inside edge to help troubled homeowners.

The Miami Association of Realtors recently launched the Fannie Mae Short Sale Assistance Desk offering MIAMI members a way to escalate the short sale process on homes owned by Fannie Mae. Short sales have been known to take many months to close.

“In this market, knowledge and training are key to helping homeowners, but having the tools in place to get the deals done gives South Florida agents at a huge advantage,” said Ellen Mitchel, Co-Owner of RE/MAX Executive Realty and the 2011 Director of Broward Board of Governors. “This new, streamlined process will help us get homeowners closer to resolving their issues and farther from foreclosure.”

Mitchel has her Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE) designation and has been working for the last couple of years with homeowners to work through short sales while helping home buyers purchase distressed properties. She also started a website, www.EllenHelpsHomeOwners.com, to help struggling homeowners find answers and investigate the possibilities prior to foreclosure.

“The most important thing to know is that no matter what stage of default a homeowner is in, there is almost always a way to avoid foreclosure,” said Mitchel. “That being said, the quicker a homeowner does something about the situation, the less challenging it will be to resolve.”

RE/MAX Executive Realty has 14 professional real estate agents serving Miami and surrounding areas. To contact RE/MAX Executive Realty or search property listings, visit www.HomeInSouthFlorida.com, call 954-292-6412 or email ellenbithell@remax.net.

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The Prestige Properties Team has over 30 years of real estate experience from the US to Canada and speaks seven languages including English, Spanish, Polish, German & Russian.  We are a woman owned minority business that does extensive community outreach.  We are viewed by ourselves and others as a shining example of an unstoppable team that others are drawn to.  We seem to grow and excel beyond all expectations and we value each other and support each other both professionally & personally.

The Prestige Property Team is a leader in the South Florida real estate market. The team assists buyers looking for Miami  real estate for sale and aggressively markets South Florida homes for sale. They are also Certified Distressed Property Experts (CDPE), committed to helping families in financial hardship find options to foreclosure. For more information you can visit EllenHelpsHomeowners.com.