Homeowners who fall behind on a mortgage usually wait too long to ask for help, often because they do not know who to ask. Options narrow as the timeline moves, so an early conversation with someone who has handled these situations before is worth a great deal. Chris Baynes & Associates, a team with Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage in Wilmington, still takes this work.
Certified Distressed Property Expert
Chris Baynes is a REALTOR® and a trained Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE). The designation exists specifically for agents who work with owners facing foreclosure and the long-term credit consequences that follow it.
Experience Through the Worst of It
Chris Baynes has more than 25 years in this market, including the crash and the years of recovery that followed. Across multiple cycles he has worked with distressed sellers who were upside down on their mortgages and has helped families avoid foreclosure.
Still an Active Service
Distressed sales are a smaller share of the business today than in past cycles, but Chris Baynes & Associates has never stopped doing this work. Homeowners are not being handed to someone who last saw a hardship file fifteen years ago.
Comfortable With Owners Who Are Upside Down
Owing more than the house is worth is the situation most sellers are embarrassed to describe out loud. Chris Baynes has handled it many times and will lay out what the options actually look like from where the homeowner is standing.
Negotiation on Files With More Than Two Parties
Negotiation here is a trained skill rather than a personality trait: Chris Baynes is a Master Certified Negotiation Expert (MCNE). Hardship transactions often involve a lender or a third party in addition to the buyer and seller, and that is where negotiation experience matters most.
Honest Counsel, Including When the Answer Is Not to Sell
Chris Baynes has repeatedly advised clients not to sell when it was not the right move for them, knowing it meant earning nothing. A homeowner in trouble gets a straight assessment rather than a push toward a listing.
Discretion and a Small Team
Chris Baynes & Associates is four people, so a hardship file is not passed around an office. The same small group handles it start to finish.
A Free, No-Obligation Review
Chris Baynes offers a free real estate review that tells an owner what the property is currently worth. Knowing the real number is usually the first step toward knowing which options are open, and there is no cost and no commitment to find out.
Marketing That Still Runs at Full Strength
A hardship listing gets the same documented 26-point marketing plan as any other, including professional photography, virtual tours, and wide syndication. The team's listings reach contract in a median of 17.5 days, where the New Hanover County average is 58, and time is the scarcest thing in a foreclosure timeline.
Homeowners facing a hardship in the Wilmington area can reach Chris Baynes & Associates at 910-470-4408. Chris Baynes is not an attorney, a credit counselor, or a tax advisor, and homeowners should get advice from those professionals on the legal, credit, and tax consequences of any option they consider.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should a homeowner make the call?
Earlier than most people do. Options narrow as the timeline moves, and homeowners usually wait too long because they do not know who to ask.
Has he done this before, or only during the crash?
Both. Chris Baynes has more than 25 years in this market including the crash and the recovery, and the team has never stopped taking this work even though it is a smaller share of the business today than in past cycles.
What if I owe more than the house is worth?
That is the situation most sellers are embarrassed to say out loud. Chris Baynes has handled it many times and will lay out what the options look like from where the homeowner is actually standing.
Will I be pushed into listing?
No. Chris Baynes has repeatedly advised clients not to sell when it was not the right move, knowing it meant earning nothing. He is not an attorney, a credit counselor or a tax advisor, and those questions go to the professionals who handle them.