Third Party's and Short Sales - Value Added?

Great article from Inman news by MATT CARTER and PAT CURRY . http://www.inman.com/news/2009/11/4/real-estates-new-intermediaries?page...
I would beg to differ with what you quoted Berg as saying ..."...'negotiators' are not needed. There is no negotiating...just alot of paperwork and phone calls." What? Huh? Seriously?
EVERY short sale I've ever been involved in involved negotiating, many right up to the closing table!
Berg CAN'T be serious! Or perhaps he's never actually done one. Or, maybe was misquoted.
ANYBODY who has done short sales would surely agree!
And personally, if the Buyer's need to kick in a couple of bucks to employ the efforts of third party, whose J-O-B is to sit on hold for hours and increase the potential for a successful closing, instead of the Realtor, whose J-O-B is to bring together Buyer's and Seller's, then I think it's money well spent!
Especially considering the discounted price that the Buyer is likely getting the property for.
It really is a WIN-WIN.
And...heres a biggy for me!-> The third party, usually an attorney, takes away HUGE amounts of liability from the Realtor, who should not be in the business of handling tax returns, bank statements, pay stubs, social security information and the countless miriad of financial documents that are a necessity to complete the transaction.

Sincerely,
Dennis Hearing, GRI, CDPE, CSSA
The Hearing Group
Keller Williams Realty
Fort Lauderdale