The Power of a Comparative Market Analysis When Selling Your Home

Most of the general public has access to various price lists when trying to sell an object. Online automobile databases offer average prices for used cars, auction sites can list recent sale of various electronics and even boats have a value listing guide. However, when selling a home it is better to get a comparative market analysis (CMA) from a local real estate agent or Realtor®. Here are some of the ways a CMA can help you.

Price Trends

The most obvious benefit is the ability to see current price trends. The CMA report will list out homes that have sold in the past 12 months in your immediate area. By organizing the transactions by date it is possible to see if home prices are on the rise or falling.

Value Placed on Square Footage

Since the homes will be listed with the square footage of each home sold, potential sellers can find out how much their home is worth based on the usable square feet in the property. In addition, if any of the sold properties had a basement or attic that was finished then sellers can also determine how the market values additional square footage. While it is common for basements to have a slightly lower price per square foot some areas may place it higher than others due to demand.

Value of Accessory Items

Most people usually feel that particular features of their home will bring more value to their home than the market will warrant. For example, expensive hardwood floors, custom paint finishes and high end bathroom fixtures may be quite expensive when purchased but their overall impact on the price of a home is not as high. Instead, things that improve usable square footage, more lighting or outdoor items like pools and decks will do more to bring up the price of a home.

Expected Time of Sale

A comparative market analysis will also show when a home was listed for sale and when an offer was made on the property. This gives prospective sellers a realistic expectation for how long it will take before receiving an offer and how long it takes for the home to actually sell once the offer is accepted.

Avoiding Unrealistic Prices

Along with homes that have sold your real estate agent can also provide a list of homes that either withdrew from the market or the listing simply expired. If the home did not sell within a time period that multiple other properties sold then there are a couple of explanations. Obviously, the most common issue is the price was too high for that particular market. Another common problem is the presence of a major repair issue with the home that the seller is unwilling to fix prior to sale. Having this information should help you do a better job of picking a price for your home.

Getting a detailed CMA report from your real estate agent will provide you with the best source of realistic information to help you decide if your can sell your home for your anticipated price and if it might sell in the amount of time you had hoped for.

Original Blog Post: What's a CMA? Comparative Market Analysis

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Banks grant short sales for two reasons: the seller has a hardship, and the seller owes more on the mortgage than the home is worth.

The seller will need to prepare a financial package for submission to the short sale bank. Each bank has its own guidelines, but the basic procedure is similar from bank to bank.

A few examples of a hardship are:
Unemployment / reduced income
Divorce
Medical emergency
Job transfer out of town
Bankruptcy
Death

The seller’s short sale package will most likely consist of:
Letter of authorization, which lets your agent speak to the bank.
HUD-1 or preliminary net sheet
Completed financial statement
Seller’s hardship letter
2 years of tax returns
2 years of W-2s
Recent payroll stubs
Last 2 months of bank statements
Comparative market analysis or list of recent comparable sales

Writing the Short Sale Offer and Submitting to the Bank

Before a buyer writes a short sale offer, a buyer should ask his or her agent for a list of comparable sales.

Banks are not in the business of giving away a home at rock-bottom pricing. The bank will want to receive somewhat close to market value.

The short sale price may have little bearing on market value and may, in fact, be priced below the comparable sales to encourage multiple offers.

After the seller accepts the offer, the listing agent will send the following items to the bank:
Listing agreement
Executed purchase offer
Buyer’s pre-approval or proof of funds letter and copy of earnest money check
Seller’s short sale package.

The Short Sale Process at the Bank

Buyers may wait a very long time to get a response from the bank. It is imperative for the listing agent to regularly call the bank and keep careful notes of the short sale process.

Buyers may get so tired of waiting for short sale approval that they may feel the need to threaten to cancel if they don’t get an answer within a specified time period.

That type of attitude is self-defeating and will not speed up the short sale process. If buyers are the type with little patience, perhaps a short sale is not for them.

Following is a typical short sale process at the bank:
Bank acknowledges receipt of the file.
A negotiator is assigned.
The bank orders a valuation of the property.
The file is sent for review or to the investor.
The bank may then request that all parties sign an Arms-Length Affidavit.
The bank issues a short sale approval letter.

Some short sales get approval in 3 weeks. Others can take as long as 12 months. A typical Short Sale transaction takes 4-6 months to complete.

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Short Sales are BACK!

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GUESTS: 
Bryant Tutas 
407-873-2747 
Co-founder of www.ShortSaleSuperstars.com. Working Short Sales every day all day.

Real Estate Broker and Owner of Tutas Towne Realty. A virtual Real Estate company specializing in listing and selling Short Sales and REO properties in the Central Florida Area.

Finding solutions that get your property “sold” is what I do.

Folks, if you need to sell your home then give me a call today and let’s talk! 407-873-2747 All calls are confidential. I can help……

….if you’re facing foreclosure. www.CentralFloridaShortSales.com 
….if you need to sell a Holiday Home. www.BuyProperty.ning.com 
….expose your property to over 500 web sites. www.TutasTowneRealty.com 
….educate you on current market conditions. www.BrokerBryant.com

Mike Linkenauger 
904-733-4911

Main website http://www.short-sale-specialists.com

Short Sale Websites - www.ShortSaleHosting.com
Mike got his start in Real Estate in 2005 at the young age of 26. He immediately established himself as a top producer in the Jacksonville, FL market, moving into the top 1% of agents his first year in the business. As the Florida housing market became depressed in 2007, Mike shifted his focus and immediately found a calling in assisting home owners with a short sale. In no time he amassed an inventory of over 100 short sale listings and quickly established himself as one of the top short sale agents in the State of Florida. As his online presence grew, homeowners from other parts of Florida began contacting him for guidance with a short sale and to be connected with a local short sale agent.

How to Pick Profitable Rental Properties

(Investment Properties: Part 4 of 5)

From looking at various homes to actually making a profit, investing in rental properties takes many steps. A person that is new to the process may feel a bit overwhelmed. In order to reduce risk and increase your chances of making positive cash flow with real estate, here are some tips on picking a home.

Good School Zone

A good school zone will always attract families. Many families will be able to purchase homes in the area but some will have to rent a while in order to get their finances in order. These are the types of people who will stay in a home for 2 or 3 years and be potential good tenants. Focus on schools that have high standardized test scores and achieve well in the areas of math and science.

Avoid High Crime Areas

This may seem obvious, but it needs to be pointed out. Homes in areas that are subject to more than average rates of crime will be tough to rent out. Furthermore, the crime rate will drop the rental rate. This can cause a breakeven or even net loss on the monthly cash flow.

Demographic of Neighborhood

Each neighborhood will have its own miniature set of demographics. A community next to a college or university will likely be made up of homes rented almost exclusively to students. An older neighborhood with higher priced homes will likely have couples that are middle aged and higher. Study the neighborhood carefully to make sure there is an available market of tenants that fit the demographic.

Employment Opportunities

Another factor that can heavily influence the profitability of a rental property is the number of available jobs in the nearby area. A new factory, expanding hospital or growing university are places that will add on more people and need them for full time work. Many times people will obtain a job first and then start looking for nearby homes to rent. Sometimes these people can be short term renters but it is possible to find someone that locks in a home for 2 or 3 years.

Check for Vacancies and Homes for Sale

For a new subdivision that is under construction it is common to see multiple signs indicating new homes for sale. However, for an established neighborhood, a high number of for sale signs is a kiss of death. This typically indicates that the area is on the decline. An even worse condition is the presence of several vacant homes. These are homes that have been abandoned for various reasons. Steer clear of these areas in your own best interest.

Be on the Lookout for Problems from Mother Nature

Some areas are more prone to natural problems than others. Issues like flooding, mud slides and tornadoes seem to be attracted to certain areas. The insurance for properties in these areas can be quite high and chip away at the monthly cash flow for the property.

Finding a good property based on these guidelines does not automatically mean that your home will be a cash cow. However, it should increase your chance for success in a very lucrative type of investment.

Investment/Rental Properties (5 Part Series)

• Preparing to Purchase that First Rental Home (Part 1 of 5)
• Adding the Title of Landlord Behind your Name (Part 2 0f 5)
• Rental Property is Still a Safe Investment (Part 3 of 5)
• How to Pick Profitable Rental Properties (Part 4 of 5)
• Success Plan for Investing in Rental Property (Part 5 of 5)

In my previous blog post, I estimated that in 2014, home prices were expected to rebound. 2012 however surprised all of us with sharp price increases. What is causing this price increase? A number of factors may play into it but one of the main variables is the lack of supply thus increasing demand and prices. It is a seller's market and will probably remain until the latter half of this year. However, I don't believe this will last.

Based off our research, there is a artificial lack of inventory meaning, home prices may very well halt its increase and decline for some time. Let's explore why short selling now would be in your best interest.

What will the status of the housing market be in the next couple of years? Only time can tell. What we can investigate are the factors that led to the volatile home prices.

We are seeing large hedgefund investors like blackstone and other cash investors, buy out most of the inventory. Concurrently, new legislation as seen in California, Oregon, Nevada, and Washington, are slowing down the foreclosure flow in those areas which according to Daren Blomquist, VP of RealtyTrac, will result in a backlash of foreclosure activity at the end of this year and into 2014. RealtyTrac is still expecting to see about 600,000 REO's enter the market in 2013. This indicates a hit on home prices to come.

At the same time, homeowners are vulnerable to a large tax liability at the end of this year. The mortgage forgiveness debt relief act is set to expire Dec. 31, 2013. For more information, please read our previous blog post.

A short sale is when you sell your home for less than what is owed. The remaining balance owed is negotiated so if home prices decrease, the difference between the sale price and the amount owed will only grow meaning you have a higher risk of owing more to your lender after you short sell your home.

Moral of the story, no one can fully time the housing market but the uncertainty should create urgency this 2013 year.

Hope this helps

Peter

 www.seattleshortsaleblog.com

The Winchester, Virginia real estate market is showing signs of good health.  The first quarter of 2013 has had a radical decline in foreclosures and short sales compared to the first quarter 2012.  In the 2012 first quarter, 276 properties closed.  Of those properties, 50 were short sales and 76 were foreclosures.  That means 45.7% of that 2012 first quarter was made up of distressed properties.

The 2013 first quarter is painting a different picture.  Of the 271 properties that closed in the first quarter, only 82 were distressed properties.  That is only 30% of the overall properties were in that distressed category.  Short sales were down 52%, and foreclosures were down 24% in the first quarter.

Another positive note is that of the current available listings of 465 only show 9% distressed properties.  There are 26 short sales and 22 foreclosures.  This could mean two things for the local market.  One, the market is truly rebounding, foreclosures are legitimately dropping and fewer homeowners are having to sell at a short sale.  That might also signal that the job market is becoming stable again.

The second thing that the new market could mean is that people who have sat on the fence expecting the short sale and foreclosure market to continue are likely to miss a great opportunity to get a good deal.  Sellers are starting to take control of the local market again, and buyers are starting to get involved in bidding wars.  Sale prices are closing with smaller percentages +- of list, discounts are fading and the local inventory is shrinking.

The market may be truly recovering, but let's give it another quarter or two to make sure of that optimistic hope.  The current signs all point that way.  This might be the year that sanity returns to the real estate market in Winchester, VA.

The Winchester, Virginia real estate market is showing signs of good health.

According to the Obama Administration’s October (2012) housing scorecard and “[…]the FHFA housing price index posting its largest annual gain in five years and new home sales at its fastest pace since April 2010” (Erika Poethig, assistant secretary for policy development and research at the Department of Housing and Urban Development) as well as numerous other sources, we can confidently say we have a recovering housing market. Even Warren Buffett, deemed as one of the greatest investors of all time, is bullish on the US housing market recently purchasing multiple real-estate brokerages including Prudential and his partnership with Brookfield Asset Management, a Canadian real-estate investor, to more than double his size of his brokerage business.

Our housing market is rebounding slowly due to various factors such as tight lending practices, fluctuations of supply & demand, and just the general current economic health but it is on its way to recovery. Will your client be ready to secure their next home investment and cease this opportunity?

Clear Capital exposed a sobering point: “Prices are 37.6 percent below the peak. This means a home bought for $200,000 in 2006 would be worth somewhere in the range of $124,800 today.” (source: dsnews.com) Prices were up 4.6% annually in October and as I have stated multiple times in previous articles, prices will not rebound in a U-shape but rather similar to a NIKE symbol. Concurrently, mortgage interest rates have remained at all-time lows with the latest report from Freddie Mac announcing a 15-year fixed-rate at 2.66% and 30-year fixed averaging 3.37%.

The opportunity is there and will be there for some time but are your clients preparing themselves to be able to jump on the bandwagon of nationally appreciating housing values?

A recent report shows that 23 percent of consumer mortgage requests were turned down by banks and I know from several sources around the Washington state that it is increasingly difficult to obtain a loan due to the fact that mortgage rates are so low that they aren’t incentivized to generously hand them out to just anyone.

I'm an agent. How do I prepare my client(future)? If your client had a short sale and got a significant ding on their credit score but want to prepare their credit situation to qualify for loans for their next home purchase, by the end of this article, have them talk to a Lexington Law credit specialist. I have personally researched and found them to be the absolute best company to work with in rebuilding credit scores. Here is a direct number provided through the seattleshortsaleblog for a free consultation: 888-586-6113 or you can apply through their website.

Hope this helps

Peter

Communities in Beaumont CA

According to a real estate study conducted by USC, the Southern California commercial real estate market is on the rise, which could include the Banning CA commercial real estate market as well.

According to the article:

"The office and industrial real estate sectors continue to improve for Southern California landlords, a report said, but high office vacancy will remain common for the foreseeable future as businesses put more workers into less space.
The regional economy has strengthened the past year and enabled some businesses to hire more workers, according to USC’s annual Casden office and industrial property forecast.

That has resulted in higher occupancy and rising rent for industrial buildings, while office landlords are seeing rising occupancy and smaller declines in the amount of rent they can charge.

“We predict office market rents to stabilize in as little as six months, but a sustained recovery could be many years off,” said Casden report author Tracey Seslen.

Office occupancy probably won’t return to pre-financial crisis levels until some of the region’s office buildings are taken out of commission or converted to other uses.

“A paradigm shift in the way tenant firms use office space will force landlords and developers to rethink their investment strategies even as the economy improves,” she said.

-----------------------------

If you're interested in buying, selling, renting or leasing Banning CA commercial real estate,

call us and let's talk: (951) 490-3698.

Or visit our website: Banning CA Commercial Real Estate

Although home prices have not returned to the average of $196,000 like it was last year, it is getting close. When comparing home prices at different tiers, Madison is staying ahead of the rest of the state in all three tiers.  The following charts are from Zillow.  This first chart points out two facts.  First, the average price for a home in Wisconsin in the upper tier is around $232,000.  However, for Madison the price is approximately $295,000.  This points to the continued growth in the Madison area.  Secondly, while the average price in this tier only increased 0.2% for the state of Wisconsin, in Madison the price improved by 1.6% 

Are you in the market to purchase a home this year? Homebuyers and investors are now presented with prices at unprecedented lows and interest rates that have never been so desirable. For those who are now “looking,” the big questions to ask would be, did our housing market really hit rock bottom and should I look into these cream of the crop deals AKA short sales, reo’s & foreclosures?

So, have we hit rock bottom? 

The housing market showed signs of improvement this 2012 year. Non-distressed properties show on average a 1.7% increase in prices according to a recent HousingPulse survey and experts are optimistic for the latter half of 2012.

Does this mean the only direction house prices can go is up from here on out? Not necessarily. One of the key factors that result in house prices increasing is the decrease of supply in the market (less supply, more demand). Although it may seem our nations shadow inventory is decreasing as investors are rapidly buying homes at all-time low prices, a new wave of foreclosures are set to flood the market again as a result of the robo-signing scandal. This incident caused many lenders to lag behind in listing their foreclosure properties and ultimately pushing them through. One could reasonably presume prices to halt its gain again or drop even lower.

However, this does not mean that now is not a good time to purchase a home.  If your financial status suffices to buy, looking into short sales and REO properties can win you an outstanding deal in today’s market. Mortgage rates recently hit another all-time low. According to Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey released on July 5^th, 30-year fixed-rate mortgages sunk down to 3.62 percent which is a considerable decrease from a 4.6 percent just one year ago. Concurrently, rent prices have gone up on an average of 5.4 percent over the last 12 months according to real estate website, Trulia.

Washington State (Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA), is in the top 20 nationwide for rising short sale discounts. The average sales price is $224,294 with an average discount of 31.35 percent.

*Before you begin putting offers on properties, I highly recommend following Dave Ramsey’s guide prior to purchasing a home.

Our team of agents specialize in short sale and reo properties and have been extremely successful in helping clients purchase discounted homes in the Washington State area. If you are looking into purchasing a home this year, contact our team of local agents to find the best deals in your desired location(s).

Peter

Many homeowners are now capable of purchasing a home with the all-time low home prices and interest rates. Short sales and Foreclosure/REO properties offer cream of the crop deals that are difficult to simply pass by. If you are looking into the housing market, it is wise to adequately educate yourself especially when looking into distressed properties.

The big question we’ve been getting is, is a short sale or a foreclosed property the better deal? Below is a large pros and cons list for both short sales and REO properties.

*Information derived from Foxbusiness, ABC ActionNews, RealtyStore, WhisselRealty

Pros

• The seller of the property is a bank that has no emotional attachment to the property…they are all about the numbers.
• They are often priced aggressively as the bank wants to sell the property as quick as possible.  They want to stop the business of managing and selling property, and get back to the business of lending money.
• These homes are typically vacant and are very easy to show.
• The banks will usually respond to your offer in 3-5 business days.
• If the home is owned by Fannie Mae, it may qualify for HomePath financing which only requires 3% down and does not require an appraisal or mortgage insurance (MI).

Cons

• Because these homes are aggressively priced, they often received multiple offers.  This is where it becomes important to work with an agent that has a strong understanding of how to write your offer to make it stand out from the competition.
• These homes are sold as-is and the bank will often make no repairs.  As you have probably seen in the news, many of these homes have been stripped by the previous owner and/or vandalized by criminals.  Because of this, they may not qualify for FHA or VA financing.
• You will also have no disclosure forms from the previous owner with REO properties, nor will you be able to get good answers about the neighborhood with repossessed homes as simply as you would through the normal process with a realtor and private seller.
• In these post-bubble days, a bank may also not own the repossessed homes as cheaply as was the norm in previous economies. They may also try to recoup some of their expenses from the foreclosure process as well as the monthly costs of owning and carrying REO properties.

Short Sale Properties: Homeowner sells for less than what is owed.

Pros

• Many agents will not show short sales due to the long response time which opens up opportunities for those buyers that are not in a hurry to buy.
• These homes are typically in better condition than bank owned homes because the homeowner is usually still occupying them and taking care of the home.
• The banks will often accept less than market value because they do not want to foreclose on the home and take on the task of managing and selling the home.

Cons

• The process of negotiating a short sale with the mortgage bank typically takes 1-6 months.
• The bank is under no obligation to approve a short sale offer.  Less than 50% of short sales that are submitted to banks are approved.
• Often times the banks will not pay off all of the liens against the property (HOA dues, property taxes, ….) and the buyer may be asked to pay for these items.

In conclusion, one of the main discrepancies between a short sale vs an REO property can be described by the scenario of buying a used car either from a dealer or from a private owner. If you get it from an owner (REO), you may get the vehicle at a more discounted price but the quality of the asset is a gamble. You may end up spending a lot in repairs because the vehicle’s engine hasn’t been maintained.

In many cases, an REO property is vandalized and/or the previous owner out of spite, trashes the property prior whereas in a short sale, the property is significantly less likely to be vandalized or mistreated prior to transferring the home.

What do you think? Which would be the better deal? Short sale vs Foreclosure

May 2012 Could Signal a Turn Around for Housing Market

There is some hope for the real estate market. According to a report published by the Commerce Department the number of homes purchased in May of 2012 was the highest number in over two years. The number of purchases increased from April to May by 7.6%. That number is the best increase since April of 2010 when the tax credit for purchasing a home was still in effect.

Areas of Highest Growth

The places that saw the largest increases were the South and Northeast. The number of homes purchased in the South grew by 12.7% while the growth in the Northeast was 36.7%

Although the total number of sales across the country seems to be off pace from the 700,000 transactions favored by economists, the market is showing other signs of improvement.

Strong Signals from the Market

First and foremost, builders have begun to increase production. More construction is always a positive sign, no matter how small the increase. Second, interest rates for mortgages are still at historically low levels making it easy to afford a home. Third, and this is important too, is the stabilization of home values. Most regions around the country have noticed home values finally holding steady. All of these factors have lead to people buying up existing homes, paving the way to build more properties.

More than Just Statistics

The main reason why economists and financial analysts pay so much attention to new construction comes from their overall economic impact. Building a new home normally produces about three new year-long jobs. It also leads to an increase in taxable revenue by an average of $90,000. Although new homes are only 20% of the entire housing market, the numbers above show how constructions helps the economy thrive.

Supply is Down

At the end of May it was reported that a total of 145,000 new homes were on the market throughout the entire country. Based on current sales numbers the market should go through the existing inventory of new homes in about 4.5 months. Economic experts feel that a 6 month supply of new homes keeps the economy healthy. With a lower than average supply it is possible that home prices could go up simply because demand will be higher.

Prices Already Higher

Speaking in general averages, the price of a home bought in May of 2012 was down ever so slightly from the average price in April. However, when looking at sales from one year ago shows that average prices have gone up by 5.6%.

Tips for Buying Your First Short Sale

A short sale is a fairly simple procedure, at least in theory. A homeowner sells their home for a price below the current mortgage balance. The bank agrees to take this lesser amount as payment in full of the mortgage in order to avoid the heavy cost of a foreclosure. Here are some tips for buying your first short sale.

Short Sale prices are determined by the Market

Banks determine which offers to accept by reviewing the current market conditions. They will look at the prices of homes that have recently sold in the nearby area. This information will provide the lender with solid data for the average price of a home in that vicinity. How low will they go? This depends on how quickly they would like to sell the home. If they determine that they would prefer to sell the home now, and not proceed to foreclosure, they may agree to sell the home at below market value.

Ask your Realtor® for their Price Opinion

Before you submit a low-ball offer to the seller, ask your Realtor® for their price opinion. This is a good way for a prospective buyer to find an appropriate price range for an offer. Your agent can look at recently sold comparable homes and give an opinion on what they feel the home should sell for. This is similar to a Comparative Market Analysis, or CMA.

Multiple Mortgages Can Cause Problems

When a home has a 1st mortgage and 2nd mortgage that are held by separate lenders then a short sale could take a very long time, if it gets approved at all. Unfortunately, this type of scenario is out of the hands of the real estate agent and the seller. Whether or not the two lenders agree to the short sale offer is totally up to them.

Approved Prices are Usually Processed Faster

If a lender has already determined a price that they will accept, this can speed up the process. Usually, this is an indication that the seller has been in contact with the bank to discuss the possibility of selling the home. If an offer within that price range is submitted to the bank, the short sale is far more likely to be approved quickly.

Prepare for the Bank to say No

While short sales can help buyers get a home at a discounted price, the process can stretch out over time. The sale can get turned down by the bank for a number of reasons. This is why people looking to buy a short sale should be prepared to move on to a different property in the event that the bank denies the short sale. Keep an eye open at available homes during the short sale process. If the bank does say no, you will then have a list of potential houses that may also be an option.

While a short sale transaction may span a few months, it is a good way to buy a home at a friendly price. Talking to an experienced Realtor® about the available short sales in your area could put you in line to get a good home at a great price.

Buying a Short Sale - Original Post

The Winchester, VA real estate market is predominately made up of three types of real estate sales.  There are fair market (straight seller sales), short sales and foreclosures (also known as REOs or bank owned properties).

The Winchester, VA real estate market report for 1/24/2012 - 2/24/2012 consisted of 62 sales.  Of that number, 31 were fair market, 12 were short sales and 19 were foreclosures.  Even though the current active listings show that only 20% of the listings are made up of foreclosures and short sales, the most recent 30 day sales report tells a different story.  Fifty percent (50%) of sales were made up of foreclosures and short sales.  

The price ranges for each category varies substantially.  Fair market sales range from $77,150 - $470,000.  Foreclosure sales range from $42,000 - $285,000, and Short Sales range from $76500 - $370,000.

The "list to sold price" also swung sharply from one group to the other.  The market data shows that a buyer is better off to buy a short sale than either of the other two types of sales. Short sales on average sold at 84.36% of list.

Fair market sales sold at 95% of list, and foreclosures sold at 91.42% of list.  The advantage of buying a foreclosure during this period is the days on the market.  From list to close, foreclosures averaged 45 days.  Short sales, which are notorious for taking forever to get to closing, actually only averaged 93 days on market to close.  Fair market sales averaged 139 days on the market.  

A buyer was likely to pay more for a fair market property during this period, but in most cases, the fair market property offered less potential problems getting to closing.  That's not always true, but it often is the case.  Short sales and foreclosure properties have potential issues getting to closing due to the circumstances which brought them to market. 

All three types of properties offer Winchester VA real estate buyers great options.  When you're ready to start your real estate search, give Cornerstone Business Group, Inc., a call and we'll help you find the right house at the right price.  

 Winchester, VA real estate market report for 1/24/2012 - 2/24/2012 

The foreclosure market in Winchester, VA has been changing this year.  The current market has 544 properties listed and available as of March 10, 2012.  Of that group of available listings,only 35 are foreclosures.  That brings the current foreclosure listings down to 6.65% of available listings.

If a buyer is looking for a great deal on a foreclosure, he better act fast.  The foreclosure market in Winchester, VA is contracting at a rapid rate.  How do the current available listings compare to pending sales? 

There are 253 sales pending the Winchester market.  Of that group, 41 properties are foreclosures.  That's 16% of the current pending sales.  That's a substantial drop from the February 4 - March 4 closings.  During that period 29% of closings were foreclosures. When you add short sales into that period, total distressed home sales made up 51% of total homes sales.

It's hard to say at this point if this is trend or a positive bump in the road, but no matter how you spin it, it's good news.  As foreclosures and short sales decline, property values have an opportunity to recover.  Will they see the values of the 2005-2008 market?  That is unlikely to happen for many years, but any improvement in home values is a plus.

Homeowners who still need to do a short sale may be able to redeem more of their equity for their lenders.  That puts them in a better position to execute a short sale. Short sales are another chapter in the local market.  The decline in available foreclosures in the Winchester, VA market is a good sign, and hopefully, a new trend. 

Available Foreclosures in Winchester, VA - March 2012

I have read several news and Blog pieces about 2012 being the bottom of the market and how the best time to purchase a home is now. In good conscious I cannot sit idly by without voicing my opinion.

The news and columnists have based their analysis on the low number of inventory currently on the market for sale and the fact that it is 22% less than this time last year. They further site a 30% increase in property searches on Realtor.com which is one of the top search websites where consumers make purchase decisions. The reporters further substantiate their point by stating that interest rates are the lowest they have been since the great depression. Well folks, I am here to let you in on a few things. I am a distressed property real estate broker and live in the numbers and happenings on the ground. Last year alone I personally closed $17 Million in real estate. More than three quarters of my sales were short sales and bank owned property sales. My job revolves around tracking properties that have defaulted on their mortgage payments and listing the property for sale before it ends up in foreclosure. When properties do end up going to foreclosure the banks also contacts me to sell the properties back into the marketplace as a bank owned property. This is also known as a REO (Real Estate Owned) property.

In dealing with the lenders on a daily basis I have the ability to see how many mortgages are current or behind in any part of California. The numbers are staggering! One in three properties in San Diego County is currently underwater (owe more than what the property is worth).
Many of you may have heard of the “Mortgage Debt Relief Act of 2007” which is set to expire at the end of 2012. This means that anyone wanting to do a short sale has until the end of this year to get it done to avoid the enormous tax and deficiency implications. As homeowners scramble to do short sales, the banks are absolutely inundated with files. Banks have increased their loss mitigation departments to handle the amount of short sale requests as the deadline draws near.

So to shed further light on the subject of a “recovery,” I would have to say that the reason there is a 22% decrease in inventory on the market for sale is due to the “Robo-signing” debacle which simply held up the foreclosure process for a few months. Furthermore, the lenders have started issuing three month extensions to foreclosure sale dates rather than the standard 30 day extensions. The numbers are artificially adjusted to modify the supply and demand ratio. Also, the news columnists have stated that the average nationwide sales price has started increasing and the market is recovering. This is not quite correct because the number of higher end distressed sales has dramatically increased. In other words, if 100 homes sell at $200K and 900 homes sell at $500K, the average home price may have increased.  However, what they are not saying is that the home that is currently selling at $500K was purchased in 2005 for $900K.  See how they are messing with the numbers. Just because the average nationwide sales price has increased, does not mean we are recovering.

So I would maybe agree that the lower end has reached the bottom whereas the middle and higher end have room to fall.  Far be it from me to state that 2012 is the “Big Housing Recovery.” New young families or recent college graduates will also add to the lower end recovery as they will need to purchase in this range.

The number of Baby Boomers now wanting to downsize will further hamper the prices of the middle and higher end as they add to the supply. There are currently 30 million Americans in this segment of the market.

The FED made an error in judgment a month ago when they stated interest rates would remain low through the end of 2014, which took away the immediate driving force to purchase now. If interest rates would remain low for an extended period of time, why would anyone be in a hurry to purchase when they know how much shadow inventory the lenders are sitting on?

As the world has become a global economy, few have shed light on the fact that China has begun their housing crisis with more than half the cities reporting huge decreases in home prices. This may have an influence on our economy further down the road as this may affect the cost of consumer goods locally.

Gas prices are at an all-time high and could further contribute to inflation and gyrations in the consumer price index.

Unemployment is still stubbornly above 8% and steam rises from the printing presses at the Fed.

I don’t know folks. Recovery 2012?  I am not so sure. And over the years I have learned that in the long run it pays to be honest rather than bending a situation for personal gain. There is a reason I am renting right now. Though the rents are higher, cash will soon be back on the thrown to be crowned King. Don’t be in any hurry to purchase unless you find a great deal.

This is my honest humble opinion.

Brentwood Governors Club Seeing More Distress Sales
Well Known Gated Brentwood Tennessee Neighborhood Experiencing Increased Short Sale and Foreclosure Activity

Per my previous blog posts, Financial Distress Hitting Affluent Towns and Neighborhoods, Brentwood Distressed Sales Activity Increasing and Franklin Distressed Sales Activity Increasing, it is clear that exclusive, affluent, executive, luxury, gated, high-end and golf course neighborhoods are experiencing increased levels of Distress Sales (short sales and foreclosures). However, even with this information it is still surprising to such a prominent Brentwood Tennessee neighborhood like the Governors Club be hit with so many distress sales. Please consider the following sales figures which I obtained from the Middle Tennessee RealTracs MLS:

• There are currently 35 Active Listings (i.e. homes that are actively being marketed for sale) in the Governors Club. Out of those 35 Active Listings 4 are Distress Sales (i.e. short sales and foreclosures account for over 11% of the Active Listings in the Governors Club).
• There are currently 4 Pending Sales (i.e. homes that are under contract with buyers and are probable to close) in the Governors Club. Out of those 4 Pending Sales, 1 is a Distress Sale (i.e. short sales and foreclosures account for 25% of the Pending Sales in the Governors Club).
• Since 1/1/2010 there have been 31 Closed Sales in the Governors Club. Out of those 31 Closed Sales, 4 were Distress Sales (i.e. short sales and foreclosures account for almost 13% of the Closed Sales in the Governors Club).

While the numbers above are not staggering when compared to other parts of the country and even other parts of the Nashville Tennessee, for a neighborhood like the Brentwood Governors Club to have 11%+ distress sales in every sales category is really bad. It is clear that even ultra exclusive, affluent, executive, luxury, gated, high-end and golf course neighborhoods are not immune to the economic and housing market collapse, and, as a result are seeing increased levels of short sales and foreclosures. I highly recommend that these homeowners seek qualified professional real estate, legal and financial advice right away to avoid foreclosure. Since I understand that many homeowners do not want their neighbors to know about their financial hardship, I generally do not use For Sale signs on my listings. I also use short sale pre-qualification techniques to minimize the marketing period of my short sale listings by thoroughly researching the financially distressed homeowners' loan type and actual lender (i.e. the loan owner or loan investor) and communicate with my clients via their cell phone (calls and text messages) and personal email to avoid embarrassment. In short, I market my listings as the "Discreet Short Sale and Foreclosure REALTOR and Real Estate Expert".

Free* Short Sale and Foreclosure Help and Assistance for Nashville, Brentwood, Franklin, Nolensville, Spring Hill, Murfreesboro, Smyrna, La Vergne, Columbia, Mt. Juliet, Springfield, Gallatin and Middle Tennessee Financially Distressed Homeowners and Property Owners. Stop the Bank from Foreclosing with a Quick Cash Offer or Short Sale. If you are a Nashville Tennessee, Franklin Tennessee, Brentwood Tennessee, Nolensville Tennessee, Spring Hill Tennessee, Murfreesboro Tennessee, Smyrna Tennessee or La Vergne Tennessee homeowner, property owner, condo owner, real estate investor, home builder or real estate developer who cannot pay your mortgage payments (due to losing your job, having your income reduced, illness, health problems, adverse business conditions, slow sales, loss of investment property tenants, vacancy issues, lack of funds to complete the project, feuding business partners, etc.), know that you will not be able to pay your mortgage, have defaulted on your mortgage, are already in foreclosure, or owe more than your home is worth, please contact Jim to discuss a short sale (when the real estate sale proceeds are not sufficient to pay off the mortgages and liens on the property). Jim helps sellers (homeowners, property owners, condo owners, owners of high end homes and properties (estate homes, luxury homes and executive homes), real estate investors, home builders and real estate developers) of distressed real estate, short sales, pre-foreclosures, foreclosures, investment properties, failed new construction projects and struggling commercial real estate developments located in any Middle TN County (Rutherford, Williamson, Davidson, Maury, Sumner & Robertson). If you need to short sell your house or property, or you need a quick sale to stop a foreclosure sale, you can Get Free* Short Sale and Foreclosure Help and Assistance from a Nashville Tennessee and Middle Tennessee Short Sale and Foreclosure REALTOR, Real Estate Expert and Real Estate Investor. (*Free: In a real estate short sale, the bank or mortgage company usually approves and pays all of Jim's commissions and fees.)

Per my previous blog posts, Brentwood Distressed Sales Activity Increasing and Franklin Distressed Sales Activity Increasing, there are now larger numbers of short sales and foreclosures in wealthy areas as such as Brentwood Tennessee and Franklin Tennessee (both are located in Williamson County Tennessee). Both of these affluent towns were previously immune to the effects of the failing economy and housing market decline. The primary cause of these increased real estate distress sales are homeowners suffering from financial distress (i.e. job layoffs, and long-term unemployment). Recently, I have been contacted by two financially distressed homeowners who previously were earning in excess of $100,000 per year working in the health care industry. I say "previously" since both homeowners were recently laid off from their high paying jobs in an industry that was once thought of as a safe haven for employees. This is proof that almost no job is really "safe".

I think many financially distressed homeowners who are well educated and were formerly high income earners try to handle their mortgage delinquencies without the help of a real estate professional since they think that the bank will work with them at first. Of course, many will find out the unfortunate truth about how little the banks will do for them despite their once stellar payment history and credit. I think embarrassment is another reason why financially distressed homeowners who live in executive, luxury or otherwise high-end towns and neighborhoods delay seeking out professional real estate assistance from a short sale expert. In short, they do not want their neighbors to know about their financial hardship. This desire for discretion is fully understandable. The good news is that I am keenly aware of this concern. For example, several short sale sellers have asked me not to use a For Sale on their home. As a result, I don't use For Sale signs on my short sale listings. I also use short sale pre-qualification techniques to minimize the marketing period of their home by thoroughly researching their loan type and lender. Another way I keep the circumstances of my financially distressed seller clients as quiet as possible is communicate with these clients via their cell phone (calls and text messages) and personal email. In short, you can call me the "Discreet Short Sale and Foreclosure REALTOR and Real Estate Expert".

Free* Short Sale and Foreclosure Help and Assistance for Nashville, Brentwood, Franklin, Nolensville, Spring Hill, Murfreesboro, Smyrna, La Vergne, Columbia, Mt. Juliet, Springfield, Gallatin and Middle Tennessee Financially Distressed Homeowners and Property Owners. Stop the Bank from Foreclosing with a Quick Cash Offer or Short Sale. If you are a Nashville Tennessee, Franklin Tennessee, Brentwood Tennessee, Nolensville Tennessee, Spring Hill Tennessee, Murfreesboro Tennessee, Smyrna Tennessee or La Vergne Tennessee homeowner, property owner, condo owner, real estate investor, home builder or real estate developer who cannot pay your mortgage payments (due to losing your job, having your income reduced, illness, health problems, adverse business conditions, slow sales, loss of investment property tenants, vacancy issues, lack of funds to complete the project, feuding business partners, etc.), know that you will not be able to pay your mortgage, have defaulted on your mortgage, are already in foreclosure, or owe more than your home is worth, please contact Jim to discuss a short sale (when the real estate sale proceeds are not sufficient to pay off the mortgages and liens on the property). Jim helps sellers (homeowners, property owners, condo owners, owners of high end homes and properties (estate homes, luxury homes and executive homes), real estate investors, home builders and real estate developers) of distressed real estate, short sales, pre-foreclosures, foreclosures, investment properties, failed new construction projects and struggling commercial real estate developments located in any Middle TN County (Rutherford, Williamson, Davidson, Maury, Sumner & Robertson). If you need to short sell your house or property, or you need a quick sale to stop a foreclosure sale, you can Get Free* Short Sale and Foreclosure Help and Assistance from a Nashville Tennessee and Middle Tennessee Short Sale and Foreclosure REALTOR, Real Estate Expert and Real Estate Investor. (*Free: In a real estate short sale, the bank or mortgage company usually approves and pays all of Jim's commissions and fees.)

Here are some current comments and trends which one of an industry lead online articles inspired some thoughts and feedback which you as readers repositioning your business strategies may find insightful to current local, regional, and national market conditions that we are tracking for our clients around short sales acquisition both one off and bulk asset acquisition.

I wish what you reported in your article on short sales gaining momentum was occurring in the NY Metro area? In spite of all the reports that shorts are gaining traction we are seeing the opposite. A recent interview with an investment company we are working with tied to the Treasury reported a pull through rate on short sales at a meager 7-13% of actual files in the pipeline vs approved and closed shorts.

In an environment like a Chase for example where you may have 30-50 thousand requested short sales I am not sure where the amount collection level supports the cost containment justification to cover the head count and operational cost investment to support short sales at the present level? Another area which seems to be behind so many issues sited on the SSS Site has to do with the lack of trained and qualified personnel,not to mention the readiness of the supporting team members, at all levels necessary to keep the disposition process moving. The ROI to the organization based on the sizeable investment being made to staff vs the value returned to shareholder value has to be another emerging problem and which is also not calculated in the loan losses building another case for streamline short sales to emerge- but how soon? The Short Sale scaling up trend seems to be emerging but the business metrics and pull through on closed loans seems to be one of the great mysteries of our current industy?

In spite of growing inventory we are still butting heads on appraisal value and determination of actual true distressed fair market value which is used normally to negotiate actual settlement value. In spite of slowing market conditions investors generally are looking for better then 90% settlements of inflated values which seem to be reached in a declining % of deals as buyers are being more sophisicated after making too high a buy on this first short sale acquisition that can't cash flow or be resold now that the title has become marketable.

I further asked the author on the Short Sale Trend Article tp please convey in future writing that distressed valuation and retail stated fair market value are two different and distinct values which if denied by services, common, will result in higher loan loss levels which is the baseline for hopefully more services waking up to this reality. An area where professional value create value is through the process of clearing and negotiating liens and clouds on title which is something we handle ever provide credit to investors. Without this layer in the supply chain these untold millions of properties will not be absorbed in many markets as the 1.5 million properties were absorbed in 2009.

We are also seeing the some major delegated services are in fact re-tooling to do short sales however we have not seen number of short sale approved units pop. In spite of data supporting market stability or growth many markets are on the decline partially due to clouds on title comon with transaction worked out as a short sale.

A call to one of our realtor partners in the Fort Meyer area revealed that now as oil is hitting the beach fewer people will be thinking about visiting or owning in Florida which will also add salt to the wound in the florida real estate market as yet another issue concerning declining real estate value is starting to hit the west coast of Florida coast?

What I am seeing in an increase in interest in one off note purchase transactions to avoid the delays, frustration, and head butting rampant when 3rd party negotiation company, title, realtors, or others attempt to negotiate a short sale settlement are delayed or outright fail. Education at all levels is still a problem on both the side of servicers, institutions, and agents attempting to obtain a short sale approval as advanced understanding of investor regulations is broadly unknown by most practioneers and which must change to have the same transparency that the institutions expect from the prospective buyers.

Please post your market conditions and trends you are seeing in your market so we can leverage these conditions and trends and hopefully all lobby to our local legislatures education to support better practices to help people sustain the dream of home onwership in the US which is under attack and will not be as strong without your help. Think Global and react locally. Happy Selling- Craig

T. Craig Barry

http://www.lossmitigationsvcsnj.com

LossMitigationSo@aol.com

D (614) 404-9622

F (973) 900-8798

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