preclude short sales and foreclosures from determining a home's value when refinancing.

Many people who want to refinance their homes with good credit and equity are having trouble getting a fair market appraisal if there were any short sales or foreclosures in their neighborhoods. What a bank decides to accept in a short sale or in a foreclosure shouldn't be considered when determining a home's value. Many people who want to take advantage of lower interest rates and lower their monthly payment are finding they cannot if homes in their area have been foreclosed or sold in a short sale.