OK, I admit it. I’m one of those obnoxiously organized people you read about. I have systems for everything because it keeps me efficient. I’m also rarely late for a meeting. If I make an appointment with another person — doesn’t matter who it is, a buyer for homes in Land Park, a Sacramento short sale seller, the pest inspection guy or my hairdresser — I’ll show up 5 minutes early.

That’s because I plan ahead. Always looking into the future. Sometimes, I go so far as to look up the time distance between my origination and destination on Google Maps, and I pad the time, sort of like the way escrow pads its closing statements. Having a cushion is good.

Time is running out, though, for those home buyers who want to claim that first-time home buyer tax credit. Especially if they are planning to make an offer on a short sale. A buyer has until April 30th to get into contract, and that escrow must close by June 30th.

Since many short sales — especially Bank of America short sales — can take as long as 3 to 4 months to receive short sale approval, a buyer should try to get a purchase offer accepted by February 15 on a short sale. Certainly no later than March 15.

Unless, of course, it’s a Wachovia short sale. Wachovia has its act together, and those short sales generally close, from start to finish, in 45 days. Chase and Aurora short sales are taking much longer than usual at the moment. A Fannie Mae short sale where the seller is not in default? Don’t even go there.

Short sale buyers should pad their time-frames to allow for delays as well. Some short sale banks require 2 to 5 days for HUD approval. That means the escrow can’t close until the bank signs off on the HUD. In Sacramento, escrow officers generally don’t submit the HUD to the bank until the buyer has signed loan docs. So, a 30-day escrow can turn into a 35-day escrow, and many banks give a short sale buyer only 30 days to close before the approval letter expires. Goodbye $8,000.

Here are a few tips to get that home buyer credit while closing on a short sale:

• Hire an experienced Sacramento short sale agent, because that agent will foresee these types of delays and allow for them.
• Remember, the buyer’s agent has little control in a short sale situation; it’s up to the listing agent to push through that short sale approval.
• Sacramento short sale sellers? Get those homes on the market NOW.
• Google the short sale bank.
• And whatever you do, don’t schedule your closing for June 30th. Shoot for mid-month.

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Elizabeth Weintraub is an author, home buying columnist for The New York Times-owned About.com, a Land Park resident, and a Land Park real estate agent who specializes in older, classic homes in Land Park, Curtis Park, Midtown and East Sacramento. Weintraub is also a Sacramento Short Sale agent who lists and successfully sells short sales throughout Sacramento. Call Elizabeth Weintraub at 916.233.6759. Put 35 years of real estate experience to work for you. DRE License # 00697006.

The Short Sale Savior, by Elizabeth Weintraub, available through bookstores everywhere and at Amazon.com.

Photo: Unless otherwise noted in this blog, the photo is copyrighted by Big Stock Photo and used with permission.