Rock Realty Client Testimonials

"Mike was wonderful to work with. He was always there to answer questions but never pushed me to make a decision. My entire home buying process went smoothly thanks to Mike. I would gladly recommend him and would be happy to use him again the next time I move!"

Laura S. (Middleton, WI 53562)
Rock Realty Buyer Client

Thanks for the compliments, and Congratulations on your closing Laura!

Are you considering purchasing property in Dane or Rock County Wisconsin? Click below to start your home search!

Dane County Properties

Rock County Properties

On an approved short sale, has anyone reduced their commission in order for the closing to happen. Buyer did not get the closing cost credit from Chase and now short of funds to purchase flood insurance. What would you do? 

Should You Compare Quotes from Various Agents for Home Insurance?

Don’t be fooled by funny commercials and catchy slogans; insurance is quite complicated.  Varying levels of coverage, locations and other factors make insurance policies very different from one provider to the next.  That is why it is so important to compare various quotes from different insurance agents.

Wild Changes for Multiple Locations

Check out these findings from Bankrate for multiple quotes for various locations

Bankrate used the websites of popular insurance providers to get quotes for various cities.  The parameters for the quotes were as follows:

• Single family home
• Full replacement policy
• Value of home $250,000
• Liability policy of $300,000
• A deductible of $500
• Medical coverage of $1,000 for each person

As you can see from the chart in Racine, WI the 3 quotes for the same property varied by 37%.  For higher priced areas such as Chicago, IL the quotes differed by as much as 121%.

What Causes the Differences?

Every year the insurance department from each state will approve a set of rates which is based upon the actual losses in the state from prior years as well as anticipated claims for the upcoming year.  Each insurance company uses a team of actuaries to look at historical data to come up with a reasonable expectation of insurance claims for the upcoming year and compares that with the company’s financial ability to pay the claims.

Each insurance company has their own standards and guidelines for assigning rates.  One company may place a higher weight on the costs to build in a particular neighborhood while a second insurance company would place more emphasis on the rate of crime and possibility for a natural disaster.  This is one reason why it is so important to thoroughly investigate a new neighborhood and understand the area’s history before buying a home.

Rash of Disasters Take Their Toll

The disasters from that past few years all over the country have resulted in higher insurance in multiple areas.  Tornadoes in Missouri, flooding in Tennessee and hurricanes along the northeast have left a wake of millions of dollars of damaged buildings, automobiles and personal belongings.

All of these events, and many similar disasters, have driven up the cost of homeowner’s insurance. Along with these natural problems there is also the issue of higher costs to build a home after it is totaled and the decreased investment returns that insurance companies have experienced with the sluggish economy.

Before getting a policy with an insurance agent make sure all of your bases are covered.  You will obviously need a policy that will take care of your home and your mortgage loan if the property is completely destroyed.  You also need to take an inventory of your belongings to make sure they are protected in the case of burglary, fire or other event.  Some people have collections of valuable items such as art, jewelry and firearms.  Losing these items can be disastrous, especially if the insurance policy is not adequate for the loss.

Verona, Wisconsin Homes for Sale

The Wisconsin housing statistics are in for March of 2014. Here is an excerpt from what the Wisconsin Realtors® Association (WRA) had to say:

Home sales dropped for the third straight month in Wisconsin as the frigid temperatures and hefty snowfall continued into March, according to the latest analysis of housing market activity released by the Wisconsin REALTORS® Association (WRA). Compared to March 2013, home sales declined 11.3 percent in March 2014, which contributed to a weak first quarter. First-quarter sales fell 8.5 percent compared to the first quarter of 2013. However, the median price of existing homes rose a modest 1.9 percent to $136,500 over the period between March 2013 and March 2014. Median prices were up 4.2 percent for the first quarter relative to the same quarter last year.

“Even with spring officially arriving in the middle of March, the spring selling season has been slow to gather steam,” said Steve Lane, chairman of the WRA board of directors. “We are hopeful that the spring thaw will jump-start the selling season that traditionally gains momentum in the second quarter,” Lane said. Still, Lane noted that the first quarter sales remain above their levels of two years ago — a year that had a relatively mild winter by comparison.

Below are the number of Home Sales and Median House Prices for the state of Wisconsin, Rock County, and Dane County. These stats include Janesville and Madison. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions pertaining to these figures. As you probably have heard, home sales & prices have been increasing over the past few years. This month again showed a decrease of home sales statewide, but an increase in home prices. Dane County's prices increased around 4% in March, year over year, while Rock County's median home price stayed nearly the same. Rock County did show an increase in home sales though, in contrast with the rest of the state.

Thinking of purchasing a home before prices or rates rise any further?! I'd be happy to show you any homes currently listed for sale. Feel free to visit Home Listings in Rock County to search for current Rock County properties or visit Home Listings in Dane County for homes in Dane County Wisconsin.

Now might be the right time to sell your Wisconsin home. Feel free to take a look at our cutting edge Rock Realty Marketing Plan! If you would like some insight into how much your home is currently worth, I would be happy to provide you with a free comparative market analysis. This is a report that gives a close estimate to what your home might sell for in your current local Wisconsin real estate market. Click below:

What's My Wisconsin Home Worth?

Has your home value fallen below what you currently owe? Have you experienced a hardship like divorce or job loss? A short sale may be right for your situation. Visit our page on Wisconsin Short Sales for more information.

Help!we signed loan docs by SS approval deadline on Mar 28th,but it was too late to fund Funds are in Escrow.Now SPS is refusing to let us record; want to start over with new BPO, when we have the buyers licensed APPRAISAL.

US Bank is investor:they approved the sale will get exactly the same $$ as previously approved.But SPS won't give an updated approval letter so we can record.Help? Ombudsman service never answers

Have not did a short sale with Spousal or Child support Judgment.

I have a property that has 3 liens and  2 judgments.

1st is with Wells Fargo 

2nd is with Shell Point (ELC)

3rd is a Lien with no loan "Milton M Wright"

Support Judgment shows no amount, seller thinks it is about $30,000 

Judgment for EDD.

Will the 1st take care of the Support lien or will this kill the deal?

The Right Way to Investigate Your New Neighborhood

The house looks perfect and it has all the features you need.  The location is convenient for your needs and there really is nothing standing in the way of buying this particular property.  STOP.  Don’t buy the house until you do one thing; investigate your new potential neighbors.  Here are some tips for finding out the not so obvious facts.

Make Multiple Visits at Multiple Times

One of the best things you can do before buying the home is to visit the home are various times and various days.  The appearance of the neighborhood at 11:00 am on a Wednesday will likely be different from the appearance on a Thursday night.  Look for neighbors that are in the yard, on the street and how busy the roads are.  Are any of the neighbors engaged in any loud activities such as parties, electric tool use or other annoying sounds?  Take your time and make sure to visit the home on the weekend as well.

Chat Up Your Potential Neighbors

The people that will be your neighbors have the information you need.  However, it can be a challenge to get them to talk.  During your visits look for people out in the yard engaged in various activities.  Start a pleasant conversation and ask them about their opinion of the area and the neighborhood.  Ask a few open ended questions and give them a chance to talk.  Make sure to ask if there are any troublesome neighbors to look out for or any problems in the area such as sink-holes, poorly built homes or sewer issues.

Use the Internet

Various websites like Google and Bing offer maps and street views of nearly every known address.  Type in the address and look around.  It is likely that the pictures are at least a few months old if not a few years.  The home could look exactly like it does now or there could be some major changes.  Take time to look at the home you intend to buy as well as the adjoining properties.  You may discover something that raises a red flag and causes you to consider a different property.

Check Police Records

There are some websites and even smart phone apps that provide detailed police records for neighborhoods.  These sites will usually list things such as robberies, vehicle thefts, and violent crime. Some neighbors on one street may not be aware of crime that is frequently occurring one or two streets over.

See if anyone is Blogging

Sometimes there will be a blog or even a small community newspaper published for the area that you are considering.  If you can find the blog or recent paper take some time to review the information.  Local events, improvements in the neighborhoods and other items will likely give you enough detail to see if this is the right area for you.

Some of these steps may take a bit of time to complete and may seem awkward at first.  However, considering the large investment that comes with owning a home it really makes sense to spend some time researching your new neighborhood and ensure that it will be as nice as your new home.

Middleton, WI Homes for Sale
Waunakee, WI Homes for Sale
Beloit, WI Homes for Sale
Milton, WI Homes for Sale

When leaving a message, ALWAYS hit the "#" sign after your message.

Not all, but most messaging systems will allow you to mark your message as "urgent" after you do this.

What does this mean?

When marked as "urgent", your message gets moved ahead of EVERYONE else that called before you, and, is noted as "URGENT" when played back!!!

If the person you are trying to reach has 20 messages, he/she will not only hear yours first, but will also hear it marked as "urgent".

BEST MOVE - DO IT TWICE!!!!

When you call back the second time, and hit "#" again, say this:

"....sorry to be calling you again, but, I was not certain I left you the account number I was calling about on my previous message...."

Gives you a clean and "easy" reason to leave 2 "urgent" voice mails!!!!

If you need help processing your short sales, please contact:

Ben Benita

Ben@ShortSaleShop.net

Toll Free - 855-50-SHORT

Just Sold! 4136 N River Rd, Janesville WI 53545

We are happy to announce another home closing in Janesville, Wisconsin. This large home was on a riverfront lot on River Road in Janesville. Being that it was a short sale, the buyers got it at a great price. I'm sure they will enjoy the river amenities for years to come. Because of Rock Realty's aggressive online advertising campaign, we were able to locate and represent the buyer as well as the seller in this transaction. Congratulations to everyone involved!

If you are thinking of selling or buying a home in Wisconsin, we would be happy to assist you.

Give Rock Realty a call at 877-774-7625. We are a full service real estate brokerage.

 
Janesville, WI Real Estate for Sale

OTHER ARTICLES

• Getting Pre-Approved for a Mortgage Before Looking for a Home
• First Time Buyers: How To Wade Through Real Estate Lingo
• What’s Just as Important As Location When Choosing a Home?
• 10 Things that are Good to Know Before Buying a Home
• Tips for your first Home Inspection
• Tips for Purchasing a Foreclosure
• Tips for Picking the Right Wisconsin Home

Hello Fellow Short Sale Agents...

As I write this, I started thinking about all the past Clients' I have helped with Short Sales through the years, Help of this Site, how many people have you helped? Because of this site? Because of the Knowledge we shared with each other...We all deserve a round of applause, if not for a simple, TAKE A BOW...my hat goes off to all of you!

In Charlotte, NC...short sales are down...maybe starting to see the end of it's great run...and then...then the phone rang this morning...A New Client in the Short Sale Arena....you see; I only have 3 Short Sales left, NOW 4(Thanks to Bank of America)....I have more "Real Deals" if you will...by that I mean, regular RE ones that will actually close before I see the short sales close(LOL)....

It all remains the same however, the 3rd Party, the Hardships, the TRUE partnering in someone else's life to help them out of a Bad Situation....THAT IS THE PART OF REGULAR REAL ESTATE THAT SHORT SALE AGENTS HAVE EXPERIENCED THAT I BELIEVE OTHER AGENTS DON'T....

While we are in the business to help and guide people to a New Home, or Sell A Property...Nothing feels quite as good as Being A Part of Real Estate Transaction where YOU REALLY HELP HOMEOWNERS, YOU ARE A KEY PERSON THAT ALLOWS THEM A NEW OUTLOOK & HOPE OF OWNING A HOME IN THE FUTURE...

So...as I suit up for another go around with the banks...I SAY BRAVO TO ALL OF YOU, What We Do, What We Have Done...Being A Short Sale Agent Has Been Some of The Most Rewarding Years of My Business!

• Familial transfers: Quitclaim deeds are often used to transfer property within families, for example, between parents and children, siblings and other closely related family members.
• Adding or removing a spouse: Whether resulting from marriage or divorce, a real estate owner can use a quitclaim deed to add a spouse to the title or to remove him or her.
• Transferring real estate to an LLC or corporation: Since corporate transfers often happen between closely related entities, they are usually done with this deed.
• Transferring real estate to a trust: Estate planning for subsequent generations often involves an initial transfer from a family member into a trust.
• Clearing the title for insurance purposes: In the process of researching the chain of title, title companies may find a "cloud" on it. Generally this means that someone who is not identified in the ownership history may have an interest in the property. This can be amended if the person in question executes a quitclaim deed.
• Removal of a potential interest holder: Prior to funding a loan, lenders may require someone who is not going to be on the loan, such as a spouse, to record a quitclaim deed, thus formally foregoing any future interest in the property.

About Property

Amazing corner plot Dubai Style Villa in Al Furjan
Villa has three spacious bedrooms with bathroom and Built in wardrobes. 
It Covers 3509 sq.ft built up area and Facing the Community View.
Kitchen is fitted with cabinets and the maid's room include with bath.

Coast Sea Real Estate Broker is a professional Brokerage that catered Sales, Purchase and Leasing that focuses on prime communities and properties in Dubai. It was formed by a team proficient family founded property experts services company operating a traditional Russia estate agency who guarantee consistent results by incorporating relevant strategic and systematic approach with the highest commitment to exceptional services and integrity. Our mandate is to deliver levels of customer care well above prevailing industry benchmarks, in a rapid and result oriented fashion which adheres strictly to the regulatory framework now governing the local property market. Consequently, the staff we employ are expected to follow a business methodology which demands exceptional honesty, a stringent code of business conduct and total transparency to the client, we offering excellent customer service from leading industry experts. We have our branch in the most beautiful city of Russia Sankt Petersburg and ready to assist our clients from there for any property they wish to buy in UAE 

Buy property in Dubai

The Wisconsin housing statistics are in for February of 2014. Here is an excerpt from what the Wisconsin Realtors® Association (WRA) had to say:

For the second straight month, home sales dropped as Wisconsin recorded its coldest winter in decades according to an analysis of February housing market activity released by the Wisconsin REALTORS® Association (WRA). Existing home sales dropped 10.1 percent relative to February 2013; however median prices actually increased substantially, rising 7.4 percent to $130,000 over the same 12 month period.

“We live in Wisconsin. We expect slow sales in February,” said Steve Lane, chairman of the WRA board of directors. “But we broke many records for cold temperatures this winter, so it’s not surprising this year’s February sales were off the 2013 pace,” Lane said. “Weather extremes weren’t the only thing that conspired to dampen sales. Median prices have grown consistently since March of 2012 and mortgage interest rates have been climbing and are now almost a full percentage point higher than this time last year,” Lane said.

Below are the number of Home Sales and Median House Prices for the state of Wisconsin, Rock County, and Dane County. These stats include Janesville and Madison. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions pertaining to these figures. As you probably have heard, home sales & prices have been increasing over the past few years. This February showed a decrease of home sale statewide, but an increase in home prices. Dane County's prices stayed fairly stagnant year over year, while Rock County's median home price was up over 20%!

Thinking of purchasing a home before prices or rates rise any further?! I'd be happy to show you any homes currently listed for sale. Feel free to visit Rock County, WI Home Listings to search for current properties listed in Rock County or visit Dane County, WI Home Listings for homes in Dane County.

Now might be the right time to sell your Wisconsin home! If you would like some insight into how much your home is currently worth, I would be happy to provide you with a free comparative market analysis. This is a report that gives a close estimate to what your home might sell for in your current local Wisconsin real estate market. Click below:

What's My Wisconsin Home Worth?

Has your home value fallen below what you currently owe? Have you experienced a hardship like divorce or job loss? A short sale may be right for your situation. Visit our page on Wisconsin Short Sales for more information.

Attention Short Sale Superstars! Wells Fargo just approved this listing(March 2014), W7527371, for $58,000. This mobile home has 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1-Car Garage detached, 1152 sq ft htd, .14 acre. It is situated on a salt water canal (95 ft water). Needs work, but has good potential. All inquiries may be received via phone or text, 727-992-2018. I'm wiling to pay for a Home Warranty at closing for the buyer. Thanks!

I am looking for anyone who was vandalized by Safeguard when they were authorized by the bank to change the locks...I want to start a class action lawsuit against Safeguard (and the banks authorizing Safeguard) because they hire unlicensed people who, while in the process of changing the locks enter an OBVIOSLY occupied home and STEAL valuables.  I am looking for EVERYONE who has been in this situation, even if it was as simple as Safeguard throwing the food away in the refrigerator!!  I am also looking for a GREAT trial atty who has class action experience!!

I know I was. For months I battled with Nationstar trying to avoid the Auction.com "Verification of Offer" process. If you are not aware of the issue you can read up on it here.

• Is Your Short Seller Being Forced To Use Services They Don't Want?

Anyway.......I fought the good fight and I lost :)  So I decided to give auction.com a try and see if I could figure it out.

The program has changed. The no longer take a portion or our commission. They honor the commission in the listing agreement including the split. This assumes the lender/investor doesn't make a change.

Auction.com is paid from the 5% buyer premium.

• From Nationstar: The online auction process is paid for by a buyer’s premium, not by you and not from your listing agent’s commission.

If you already have a buyer prior to the auction process then the buyer should register on the auction.com and monitor the auction. If the bidding goes above the current contract hen the buyer can increase their "bid". If the existing buyer wins the auction they do not have to pay the 5% buyer premium. The deal basically gets kicked back to the listing agent.

You can also request to get auction.com involved right up front (prior to selling the property). The property will through the auction process as normally and you would still get full commission. The MLS co-broke would be honored for any represented buyers. Unrepresented buyers will come back to you and you get the full commission.

• From Nationstar: Nationstar offers two short sale programs:
  1. Market Validation Program (where an initial short sale offer has been received) Nationstar requires an expanded marketing campaign followed by an online auction of the property to maximize market interest and prices for a property. Nationstar will use the auction and marketing services of Auction.com [(operating and licensed as Real Estate Disposition Corporation in Arizona)/ (operating and licensed as Real Estate Disposition Corporation in Massachusetts)/ (operating and licensed as REDC DE, LLC in Pennsylvania) (“Auction.com”)] to assist with this process.
  2. Nationstar Listing Assistance Program (where no short sale offers have been received)
  Nationstar will use the auction and marketing services of Auction.com to assist in generating market interest in the property through an expanded marketing program followed by an online auction that may generate an offer that could result in an approved short sale offer.

As for the borrower, they get full Waiver of Deficiency if they participate in the process. They may be REQUIRED to if they want to do a short sale.

I found the process to be very smooth and plan to do many more. May be a new niche since many agents will avoid them. I smell opportunity. If you are a Florida agent I'd be happy to handle Nationstar/Auction.com short sales for you.

• Contact me before walking away from ANY Florida Short Sale Opportunity.

My main concerns (disclosure and commission structure) were sorted out with the new auction program. Just be sure to disclose, disclose and then disclose again.

I hope this helps.--

• Nationstar and Auction.com Forms and Disclosures

Related Articles:

Tips To Deal With Auction.com and HubZu.com With Short Sales

Nationstar And Auction.com. A Formula For Failure

New Short Sale Changes Change The Direction Of Real Estate.

Is Your Short Seller Being Forced To Use Services They Don't Want?

I want to know if anyone had experience to negotiate a short sale w American Express as 3rd lien holder.  I have an approval from 1st and 2nd lien holders.  But found out in last minute from the title works that there are 3rd lien from American express.  American Express doesn't have a settle for less or loss mitigation dept.  They either wants a full judgement amount or have a owner file a bankruptcy.  Do you have any suggestion?

When leaving a message, ALWAYS hit the "#" sign after your message.

Not all, but most messaging systems will allow you to mark your message as "urgent" after you do this.

What does this mean?

When marked as "urgent", your message gets moved ahead of EVERYONE else that called before you, and, is noted as "URGENT" when played back!!!

If the person you are trying to reach has 20 messages, he/she will not only hear yours first, but will also hear it marked as "urgent".

BEST MOVE - DO IT TWICE!!!!

When you call back the second time, and hit "#" again, say this:

"....sorry to be calling you again, but, I was not certain I left you the account number I was calling about on my previous message...."

Gives you a clean and "easy" reason to leave 2 "urgent" voice mails!!!!

If you need help processing your short sales, please contact:

Ben Benita

Ben@ShortSaleShop.net

Toll Free - 855-50-SHORT

Does anyone have a Fannie Mae name I can use....Im having issues with a short sale with the servicing company?