Short sales in 2026 may not be making headlines yet, but Cristina Gaspar says the numbers already tell a different story. Last year saw roughly 30,000 approved short sales and about 45,000 repossessions, and she believes many of those homeowners could have been helped.
On this episode of Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered, James Dwiggins and Keith Robinson sit down with Gaspar, co-founder and president of Mr. Short Sale. In just one year, the company has grown to more than 400 active short sale files nationwide.
Gaspar shares how she went from teaching to real estate in 2010, fell in love with distressed property, started flipping houses with her sisters, and eventually co-founded a boutique brokerage before launching Mr. Short Sale.
She breaks down how a short sale actually works, why deficiency waivers matter and why charging the buyer is the only compliant way to do it. She also explains why she’s watching low-down-payment FHA loans closely, and why she believes the coming wave of distress could be worse than most people expect.
Plus, she debunks the biggest myth agents believe about short sales and explains why trying to do one yourself puts the homeowner, the agent and the broker at risk.
Highlights
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- How a short sale works and why deficiency waivers matter
- Why the buyer, not the seller, pays the short sale fee
- Why low-down-payment FHA loans are driving new distress
- The biggest myth agents believe about short sale commissions
- Why doing a short sale on your own can put everyone at risk
Gaspar explains that buyers in today’s short sales are typically getting properties at 70 percent to 88 percent of market value, with most files closing in three to six months. Agents are paid by the lender, usually 5 percent to 6 percent, and Mr. Short Sale doesn’t take a cut of their commission.
She also shares why vetting comes first. Many homeowners who call don’t actually need a short sale. One client was told she had to do one, and instead walked away from the closing table with $150,000 in equity.
Her advice for agents heading into a tougher market: Don’t be afraid of distressed real estate. Whether it’s short sales, REOs or investment properties, there’s real business to be built in a space most agents avoid.
Connect with Cristina Gaspar on LinkedIn.
Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered is now exclusively on Inman. Tune in for agent- and team-focused content on Mondays and leadership interviews on Wednesdays each week. Listen on Apple or Spotify.
James Dwiggins is the president of NextHome, Inc. and co-host of Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered.
Keith Robinson is the president of strategy at NextHome, Inc. and co-host of Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered.
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The views and opinions expressed on Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered are those of the hosts and guests in their personal capacities and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of AGNT, Inc., eXp Realty, LLC, NextHome, Inc., or any of their respective affiliates, subsidiaries, officers, or directors.
