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Start by contacting your mortgage servicer—not by sending a generic document bundle. Ask for the current short-sale checklist, the approved submission channel, and whether your loan requires a Borrower Response Package (BRP) or allows streamlined documentation. The investor that owns or guarantees the loan and the servicer’s instructions determine what makes your package complete.
What a short-sale package does
A short sale is a sale of the mortgaged property for less than the amount needed to pay off the mortgage. The package gives the servicer the borrower information and proposed sale terms needed to review the transaction under the loan’s applicable rules.
There is no single document list that applies to every mortgage. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have distinct procedures, and the servicer may have additional requirements. Treat the servicer’s current checklist as the controlling list for your loan.
How to submit the package
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Ask the servicer how your loan will be reviewed
Call or write to the mortgage servicer and request its current short-sale checklist and submission instructions. Ask which forms are required, where and how to submit them, whether there are file-size or signature rules, and whether you should use a case number or named contact. Confirm whether you need a BRP or qualify for streamlined documentation. Fannie Mae’s process distinguishes between those paths; see its short-sale servicing guidance.
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Complete borrower forms if requested
When a BRP is required, Fannie Mae identifies Form 710—or an equivalent application—as a way to provide financial and hardship information and attestations. Follow the servicer’s checklist for supporting records; do not assume an online list is mandatory or complete for your loan. See Fannie Mae’s Borrower Response Package information.
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Coordinate the property listing with a licensed agent
Discuss the short-sale process with a licensed real estate agent and confirm the listing meets the applicable investor’s requirements. Fannie Mae says the agent should not be a borrower on the mortgage. Freddie Mac requires a licensed broker and specifies MLS listing conditions; its requirements are set out in Single-Family Seller/Servicer Guide Section 9208.1.
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Send the signed offer documents
Once you have a buyer’s offer, submit the fully executed sales contract and addenda. Freddie Mac also calls for a preliminary Settlement/Closing Disclosure Statement once available. If an initial offer is incomplete, Fannie Mae says the servicer should provide a checklist of the documentation needed. Ask the servicer to confirm receipt and whether the file is complete.
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Track requests and keep proof of submission
Save copies of every document and record upload confirmations, emails, or fax receipts. Note when the servicer receives the offer and any required BRP, and respond promptly to requests for missing or refreshed information. Ask for written confirmation of what remains outstanding.
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Check the approval terms before closing
Compare the final transaction documents with the servicer’s written approval before closing. In Fannie Mae’s workflow, the servicer oversees whether the closing follows the approved offer terms, and a Short Sale Affidavit, Form 191, is part of the process where applicable. See Fannie Mae’s short-sale fact sheet.
Documents to prepare or ask about
Use this as a prompt for your servicer, not as a universal or exhaustive checklist:
- A BRP, if required, including the financial and hardship information and attestations collected through Form 710 or an equivalent application.
- The fully executed purchase contract and addenda.
- A preliminary settlement or closing disclosure when available.
- Additional information the servicer requests for the investor’s eligibility review or to complete an incomplete offer.
- Form 191, the Short Sale Affidavit, in the Fannie Mae closing workflow where applicable.
The servicer may also request borrower, property, title, lien, or offer information. Confirm the exact list and required format before sending your package.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Listing rules and review timelines are not universal
Investor rules can affect both when an offer may be submitted and how long a review takes. For example, Freddie Mac’s Section 9208.1 requires a licensed broker to list the property on the applicable MLS for at least five consecutive days. The listing must include a Saturday and Sunday and be active for the five days immediately before the borrower accepts and submits the offer to the servicer.
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Fannie Mae’s published servicing timeframes are different and apply to its servicing requirements, not every mortgage. Under its guidance, the servicer should acknowledge an initial offer within five business days. It should provide a written response within 30 calendar days after receiving a complete required BRP and the initial offer; a response to a revised offer is due within ten business days. An approved transaction generally must close within 60 calendar days unless an extension is requested and approved. These are servicing-guide timeframes, not guaranteed approval or closing dates for every case. See Fannie Mae’s short-sale servicing guidance.
Quick Recap
If your package is delayed or returned as incomplete
- Confirm what was received. Ask the servicer to identify missing documents and confirm the date it received the offer and any required BRP.
- Get the request in writing. Keep the specific missing-item list with your case records so you can respond to the actual requirements rather than a generic checklist.
- Resubmit in the requested format. Follow the servicer’s channel and signature or file rules, then retain the new confirmation.
- Ask which review clock applies. The Fannie Mae timelines above depend on receipt of the offer and, where required, a complete BRP; another investor’s rules or the servicer’s process may differ.
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