Many investors ask how can they use a land trust when buying a short sale? Without getting to involved in land trusts lets just say the reasons for using the land trust are privacy, 1st level of asset protection, and a reduction of liability. For the record I am a big believer in both asset protection and land trusts.

So how can you use land trusts when you are buying short sales? If you are writing a check for the property you can simply use a land trust from the very beginning or use a nominee instruction after the lender has given you written acceptance.

But if you are using a land trust any other time it is likely you will have to close on the transaction in your personal name then deed the property to the land trust. While there may be other ways to close in the land trust this answer is written to apply to the majority of transactions. Exceptions there may be but if you are working with lenders and short sales there is a lot to be said for keeping it simple and getting the short sale accepted.