If you are one of the smart homeowners who were involved in mortgage restructuring or a short sale in 2012, tax time is an IMPORTANT season for you. There are tax implications associated with debt cancellation/mortgage forgiveness. For those who have been involved this year, here are instructions and tips from Seattleshortsaleblog on how to take advantage of the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act that was extended until 1/1/2014!

Here is an example of your liability if the debt relief act did not get extended or if you do not follow tax instructions posted here: Example: If you owe $150,000 on your home and it sells in a foreclosure auction for $100,000, the amount remaining of $50,000 would be taxable income. If you are in the 25% tax bracket, you will have to pay the IRS $12,500 in taxes on the foreclosure.

The Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief act allows you to exclude this income on your taxes but you must take action.

Here are instructions directly derived from the IRS Website. Read the full page HERE

If the forgiven debt is excluded from income, do I have to report it on my tax return?
Yes. The amount of debt forgiven must be reported on Form 982 and this form must be attached to your tax return.

Do I have to complete the entire Form 982?
No. Form 982, Reduction of Tax Attributes Due to Discharge of Indebtedness (and Section 1082 Adjustment), is used for other purposes in addition to reporting the exclusion of forgiveness of qualified principal residence indebtedness. If you are using the form only to report the exclusion of forgiveness of qualified principal residence indebtedness as the result of foreclosure on your principal residence, you only need to complete lines 1e and 2. If you kept ownership of your home and modification of the terms of your mortgage resulted in the forgiveness of qualified principal residence indebtedness, complete lines 1e, 2, and 10b. Attach the Form 982 to your tax return.

TIPS For Mortgage Forgiveness from TurboTax: Dealing with incorrect 1099-C forms
If your lender has reduced or eradicated your debt under a short sale or mortgage restructure, it will send you IRS Form 1099-C at the end of the year, showing the amount of the debt forgiven and the fair market value of the property. Review the document carefully and compare it to your own figures. If it contains misstatements, contact the lender and attempt to have it correct the form. If it is not able, or not willing, to do that in a timely manner, recalculate the correct figures and provide the IRS with documentation showing how you arrived at your figures when you file your income tax return.

It is vital to follow these steps after any type of mortgage forgiveness. Please read through these instructions & tips. Also, make sure you are reboosting your credit!

Feel free to contact me at Peter@seattleshortsaleblog.com

Good luck!

Peter

Advice About Purchasing Your First Rental Home/Property
(Investment Properties: Part 1 of 5)

Before buying that first piece of rental property it is important that you answer a single question. This question has nothing to do with your credit score, your experience with real estate or how much money you can gather for the purchase. The question is quite simple: WHY are you buying an investment home?

The answer to this question will guide you towards the right kind of property and the right type of financing. Let’s look at some examples to get a better idea of reasons people use to start investing in homes.

Saving for College Tuition

This type of goal usually involves a term over a few years. Couples with young children will buy a home in an area that has shown signs of appreciating. A year or two before the child enters college the family will sell the home and use the profit to pay for tuition, books and other expenses.

In this particular scenario the couple is not concerned with making a large profit each month on the rent. They simply want to break even while keeping the home in tip-top shape to maximize the potential appreciation.

Using Cash Flow to Increase Monthly Income

Some individuals invest in rental homes because they want to earn a profit each month from the rent. In these cases it is extremely important to buy a home either for all cash or at a deep discount from the market price. Foreclosures and vacant homes are common for this example. Buying the home for cash or at a deep discount allows the landlord to charge a fair rent based on the current market conditions and pocket most of the money each month as profit.

Speculation about Future Values

Sometimes people simply buy a property at a slightly discounted price in hopes that the property value will escalate quickly due to a future event. For instance, a new shopping mall, new school or a new factory can greatly improve the value of homes in the immediate area. Buying a home in such a location and holding on to it for a few months to a year can yield a high profit.

Career Change

Some people want to begin their property investment as a means to escape their current full time job and start a new career. It is possible for people to invest in real estate as their main source of income. However, it is not a get rich quick scheme.

The most successful investors have clear goals and follow a proven formula. They buy homes in particular areas that exhibit desirable qualities. They only buy when the price is discounted heavily and they have favorable financing for the transaction. They also understand the rental rates for the area in comparison to the financing costs.

Buying a rental home can be lucrative and lead to good fortune. However, it must be approached with diligence and hard work, not pie-in-the-sky dreams.

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)

Rock Realty Client Testimonials

"This was a great effort from Mike Collins. He did a super super job with the selling of our home in Wisconsin. I could not ask for more from him as he kept me well informed of things going on and we are 1200 miles apart. He did more than a 110 percent job on everything. Even removing snow and whatever it took to have our home ready to show. Again, THANKS Mike for everything. Great Job!!!!!!"

Phyllis Pearson (Rock River, WY)
Rock Realty Seller Client

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

How to Purchase a Home in 2013

As this new year begins many people are setting goals, making resolutions and generally planning for a better year. If you are one of the people considering a home purchase in the upcoming year there is some sound advice to follow in order to make the process smoother and ensure that you get in to a home that truly makes you happy.

Be Realistic About Your Finances

If you are currently renting a nice place for $650 a month then it would seem unreasonable to think that you could afford a home with a loan payment of $1,000. WHY, you may ask? Because the expense of owning a home goes well beyond the monthly payment. There are other things like mowing the lawn, keeping the furnace and air conditioner maintained, repainting every few years, updating the bathroom, replacing an appliance or two, and the list goes on. Understanding the expense for these items will help you set your budget accordingly and hopefully prevent you from getting in to a home that you cannot afford.

Talk to an Experienced Mortgage Broker

After determining how much you can comfortably afford for a home, it is time to chat with a mortgage broker. The broker can look over your finances, your credit history, employment history and the length of time you have lived at your current address and determine the best loan for your needs. A broker can also get offer from multiple lenders in order to get the best rate for your mortgage.

It is wise to let the broker know how much you are comfortable paying each month so that they can use this information to establish a price range for your home. Most people can financially afford more than they are willing to pay. Having the right budget amount will help when you begin looking at homes.

Talk to an Experienced Real Estate Agent

Now that you are firm in the amount you can afford monthly for a payment and you have an approval from a mortgage lender it is time to talk to an experienced real estate agent. A good agent will sit down with you and listen to your wishes in order to decide which homes could meet your needs. Using the price range provided by the mortgage lender, the agent can focus on homes that fall in your budget and prevent wasting time on homes that are too expensive. An agent can also focus on other parameters such as a specific school zone, homes with particular features, size of the home and other things that are important to you.

Don’t put it off any longer. Sit down with a calculator and decide how much you can afford. Then make the decision to make 2013 the year that you become a homeowner!

Related posts:

1. Getting Pre-Approved for a Mortgage Before Looking for a WI Home 
   
   
2. Using FHA 203K Loan to Purchase a Fixer-Upper
   
   
3. 4 Tips to Determine How Much Mortgage You Can Afford
   
   
4. Keep Your Home Purchase on Track
   
   
5. Tips on Buying Your First Wisconsin Home

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is finalizing the “Ability-to-Repay” rule which requires lenders to obtain and verify information to determine whether a consumer can afford to repay the mortgage. Our belief is the 2013 ATR final rule will dramatically alter the residential mortgage market making it more difficult to obtain another mortgage.

"It should be emphasized that a mortgage loan that is not a "qualified mortgage" and that does not meet the ability-to-repay requirement would subject the creditor and subsequent assignees to, among other things, civil liability under TILA and provide the borrower with a defense to foreclosure. In addition to actual damages, statutory damages in an individual or class action, and court costs and attorneys fees, the Dodd-Frank Act also amended TILA to include special statutory damages for a violation of the ability-to-repay requirement equal to the sum of all finance charges and fees paid by the consumer, unless the failure to comply was not material.^2"

Based off this information, we can infer that lending practices will be tighter and obtaining another mortgage will be more difficult for most to-be homeowners. If creditors now have penalties in the event that they do not fully qualify the borrower, then we can reasonably assume they will shift their lending to only those who they deem are “low risk.”

"A creditor shall not make a loan that is a covered transaction unless the creditor makes a reasonable and good faith determination at or before consummation that the consumer will have a reasonable ability to repay the loan according to its terms."⁴

To be clear, we are not criticizing or opposing this new rule as we don’t want to see another subprime mortgage crisis on our hands. However, current homeowners need to understand that their actions with their current home will determine their ability to obtain another mortgage in the future.

Rather than going through the whole foreclosure vs short sale debate, we’ll make this simple. Put yourself in the underwriters shoes and the new ATR rule now passed. You have two applicants with one credit report showing a Foreclosure and another showing “Paid for less than original amount.” According to Experian, most lenders typically report a short sale as a “settled” account.

Who do you think will obtain the loan and get to live in their new house?

Feel free to comment on what you think about the new Ability to repay rule. Thanks!

Peter

Rock Realty Client Testimonials

"Approx 4 years ago.. I was having some financial strain. I wasn't able to keep up with a first and second mortgage alone as a single mom.

Through friends and family, I was introduced to Mike and Matt.

I didn't want to have to go through the foreclosure process, because I knew that I would be able to pull through the mess I was in within a few years and I didn't want to have that looming over me.

Matt and Mike were able to take over and help me with a short sale. They worked with me directly. They both came to my home, sat down, helped me understand this delicate process (which remains total Greek to me), and they were extremely efficient. My bank worked with me and these gentlemen, and withing approx 3 months, my home was sold in a short sale.

I remain amazed at their abilities and their continued efforts to help me.

Now, 3 years later, I'm looking to purchase... I have looked them up again... and they are helping me find a home that I'm looking for within my specifications and they also have resources to assist with lending.

Couldn't ask for more!!

Thanks so much my friends!! you do an awesome job... Keep up the great work!"

Kari B.(Cross Plains, WI)
Rock Realty Seller & Buyer Client

Thanks for the kind words Kari! We look forward to finding you the home perfect for you!

Inexpensive Ways to Boost Your Home’s Value

Although mortgage rates are still at an all-time low, there are lots of homes on the market for potential buyers to choose. This makes competition tougher for sellers. If you are in the market to sell a property, it might be wise to take some time and spend a few dollars on simple things that will yield great results.

Choose the Right Agent

Sometimes the most important thing for a home seller is the most overlooked. Get a real estate agent that is good for you. There are numerous agents available, all with various personalities, strengths and weaknesses. Here are some tips for finding an agent that you are comfortable with and can help move your property.

* Visit a few open houses: This will give you a chance to see the agent interact with other interested buyers. You can gauge their professionalism, demeanor and overall knowledge of the market.

* Ask your friends and family members for a referral: This can be an easy way to find a Realtor®, but use a bit of caution. An agent that has lots of experience selling country homes with acreage may not be the best choice to sell your suburban 3 bedroom home. Make sure to check out their other sold listings and see how many are comparable to your place.

* Do an online search: Check out agents online. Look for their website and do a little research. Is their site professional looking? Is it updated with current listings? How well do they explain the homes they are trying to sell now? Are there lots of pictures? Once you have found someone you like, give them a call and do a brief interview over the phone.

Paint

One of the quickest and cheapest ways to alter a room's appearance is by simply adding a fresh coat of paint. Most any able bodied person can work a roller and a brush. Choose a color that is a bit neutral but also bright so that it will make the room livelier.

Clean up and Streamline

Obviously, you want the home as clean as possible. Take extra care to clean the bathrooms and kitchen. Also spend some time organizing and getting rid of clutter. Remove any excess wall hangings. This will make the room feel more open and larger. Making a home inviting and spacious will attract more buyers.

Improve the Curb Appeal

Like painting, this will likely involve more sweat than money. If you have shrubs make sure they are trimmed and neat. Give the lawn a fresh cut. Put a new welcome pad by the front door. Also, include some type of attractive plant near the front door. Since this area will likely be prominent in pictures that are trying to sell the home you want it to look inviting.

Bridging Outdoor Areas with Inside Areas

Use decorative plants around the patio and deck as well as inside the home. Use comfortable furniture outside that has soft cushions. This makes the home feel bigger with more usable space outside that can be used in a number of situations.

Changes in Popularity of Features in New Homes

The national economy runs through cycles similar to the fashion industry. Things that seem irresistible and trendy this year may be old news by the time next year rolls around. As a result of the economic down turn from the past few years most home builders are turning their attention to items that are practical instead of luxurious.

Sunrooms

As a whole, sunrooms are declining in popularity. According to Rose Quint, a representative of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) “Builders are focusing on features that add immediate value and make a home more practical.” For example, most builders are choosing to add linen closets and walk-in closets in place of a sunroom.

Separate Living Room

Most builders feel that a formal living room will not be very prevalent in new construction for the upcoming year. Families would prefer to have one giant open area that encompasses the living room, dining room and kitchen.

Media Room

Along with the living room, the media room will also likely disappear. The extra cost of the equipment, along with heating and cooling another room that is used sparingly, is just not appealing at this time. What is more likely to appear in new homes is a hidden away station that holds all of the DVD players, cable controls and charging stations for cell phones, tablets, and other media devices.

Two Story Family Room and Foyer

Since builders are approaching new homes with more practicality, it makes sense to cut down on unused space. While a family room may be bigger in new homes to include the dining and kitchen areas, it is unlikely to be two stories tall. The same goes for the elegant foyers that stretch toward the sky with large windows. Both of these features of a home may be lovely in appearance, but they each have a lot of space that is not used by a family of four or more.

Whirlpool Bathtubs

A large tub designed for relaxation and luxury is less likely to part of a new construction in the upcoming year. A separate tub laid out in a classic style is more useful and can be used to make a fashion statement while also having an everyday use.

Luxury Bathroom

Large bathrooms that include walk-in showers and multiple shower heads, as well as lots of floor space, will be harder to find in a new house. Instead, the shower will be smaller, with a single head, and the kitchen will likely include a double sink.

Outdoor Kitchen

The outdoor kitchen will probably disappear from lots of new homes. While it can be a nice place to gather with friends or family for a birthday party or to watch a football game, it also requires having an extra appliance or two. Most families would rather prepare the food inside and simply transport it to the patio and save on the cost of the additional appliances.

VA Mortgage Program Has Good News for Veterans and Their Families

Photo credit: Tony Fischer Photography via photopin cc

Many years ago the United States decided it was a good idea to offer housing benefits for our veterans that were not attainable to other classes of people. The men and women who sacrificed time away from their families and risked their lives in defense of our country deserved the chance to buy a home with attractive features. As time has marched on and the needs of veterans have changed, the VA Mortgage program has made some changes to appeal to even more qualified borrowers.

Spouses of Deceased Veterans

Before the new law, spouses of deceased veterans could only apply for a VA mortgage if the veteran passed away during active duty defending our country or if the veteran passed away due to a disability sustained during duty. However, if the spouse can show that the veteran suffered from a disability sustained during duty for a minimum of 10 years prior to their death, the spouse can now apply for the VA mortgage.

Funding Fee for Certain VA Loans Waived

People in the military are no stranger to paper work. With every VA loan that is approved there is a fee associated with the loan. This funding fee provides money for the new crop of loans, avoiding the use of taxpayer's money.

If a veteran learns that they are eligible for disability pay due to their physical exam prior to discharge then they are allowed to waive the funding fee from the VA mortgage. Previously, a veteran had to receive actual disability pay on a regular basis before the fee could be removed.

Beyond Fixed Rate Loans

Fixed rate mortgages are great for people who are reasonably confident that they will stay in a certain home for many years. Having the mortgage payment set in stone offers stability for the homeowner. However, there are some people, such as veterans and active duty personnel, which may be on the move in a few years. For these people, getting an Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM) can make sense. They save money by getting a slightly lower interest rate that is fixed for 3 or 5 years. The new law makes it possible for eligible borrowers to apply for an ARM through the VA mortgage plan.

More Flexibility for Military Families and Individual Parents

For as long as the VA mortgage program has been around, one of the main requirements to the loan has been the veteran's occupancy. A VA loan states that the veteran must live in the home as their primary residence after the loan is completed. The veteran is given some time to move in to the new home, but the requirement is there. For military families in which both spouses are active duty, this can be impossible. Even harder for families that have only one parent who is serving in the military.

The Camp Lejeune act makes it possible for the children of the veteran to meet the requirement of occupancy. This means that dependents can live in the home purchased by their parent or parents through the VA mortgage while the parents sacrifice their time away from loved ones serving our country.

The SMART Way to Buy Your First Short Sale

Buying a short sale in Madison Wisconsin is quite common right now. The impact of the financial recession has resulted in numerous foreclosures and has left some people with no option but to sell their home for less than the mortgage balance. Buying a Madison area Wisconsin short sale will require a bit of patience and a smart plan.

Understanding the Short Sale

Obviously, the best reason to buy a short sale is for the savings. Most of these properties are discounted as much as 20% off the market price. Buyers can save a considerable amount of money by negotiating the right deal with a motivated seller. However, a good price should only be one consideration. There are other things for the buyer to be aware of such as:

* In order to get a contract on a short sale, it is best to be the first person to contact the seller or selling agent. Being first puts you in more control of the transaction.

* Just because a property is being offered as a short sale does not make it a great deal. Some properties may need extensive work before they can be deemed a safe living environment.

* Banks typically frown on ridiculous low offers. A successful short sale will require you to offer a reasonable amount. This is where an agent can really come in handy.

* Based on the current number of short sales, banks are swamped with these requests. The process for moving the offer through the chain of command does not always progress in an orderly fashion. This requires the buyer to be flexible about a closing date.

All of this means that buying a short sale requires a solid plan; a plan that will get you in front of the right seller, with the right offer.

Putting Together a Good Plan

Follow this outline to help you develop a plan for buying your first short sale.

1. First and foremost, you need to meet with a real estate agent that has experience in short sale transactions. This will save you lots of time and trouble throughout the process. The agent can have a conversation with you to determine the type of house you need and look for possible short sale targets.

2. Determine a plan for responding when a short sale becomes available. Decide with your agent how the information will be communicated to you and how soon you can look over the home.

3. Set up a meeting with a local mortgage lender. Getting the financing secured ahead of time will help get your offer approved. A lender that is familiar with short sale transactions would also be beneficial since the closing may happen at any time and the lender will need to be prepared.

Understand that a short sale which seems like a good deal will likely draw attention from several buyers. The person that responds the quickest, with the best offer and the best plan in place, will likely win the bidding war.

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

Glendale Short Sale Help

Glendale, California – Is your loan with a large Bank/Lender, for instance Chase, Well Fargo, Bank of America or Citibank? In contrast, these Banks/Lenders usually do not make the FINAL decision on your Glendale Short Sale.

Here are the reasons why:

The vast majority of the time, the banks/lenders are working as a just the servicing company. They’re handling the loan for an “Investor” or third party.

Click here to discover how other sellers successfully did a short sale and avoided foreclosure.

The third party owner will most likely be a corporation, a pension fund, a Wall Street firm, or split up amongst sometimes thousands of individuals in what’s called MBS (Mortgaged Backed Securities)

The owner, or Investor, can also be a government backed or sponsored entities…for instance, Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac. These entities are called GSEs (Government Sponsored Entities).  This is essential, in most cases, because you can contact these entities if your servicer refuses your short sale.

What to find out if Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac own your mortgage loan? Click here! We have ways to find out who the Investor is on your mortgage loan if your home is NOT owned by Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac. Click Here, and fill out the short form to the right of the page and one of my team members will give you a call…we have multiple ways of figuring out who the investors are and how to get a hold of them. Usually, they will reassess your short sale…all you have to do is present your case and make sure that they are aware of your concerns and let them know absolutely why they should accept the short sale offer.

I’ve noticed that the Investor will generally do a much better job of assessing the short sale offer…especially, because it’s their money. Once their review is complete, they will usually approve the short sale offer and make sure that the servicing company is well aware of the acceptance. This has been especially helpful when the servicing company has asked for a contribution from the buyer and/or seller, when they want to issue the seller a promissory note or a deficiency judgment.

There has been many times where the negotiator at the servicing company will just reject the short sale for no good reason. There have been other times where the negotiator has asked for irrational demands…like an offer on the home for above fair market value.

You may ask why in the world someone would do this. Well? It could be multiple reasons…for instance; they may get compensated with a bonus for obtaining an offer and successfully closing the short sale for a higher price than what the property is worth.

Do to this, they might turn down a short sale offer that otherwise might have been approved. When this happens and the property forecloses, the Investor usually nets a much lower amount back, once the home is sold as a REO.  It becomes a lose, lose situation for all parties involved including the investor. The servicing company is the only one that usually wins regardless of the property foreclosing or closing through a short sale. Their servicing agreement allows them to collect everything that’s owed to them by the investor on the property; which puts a lot less money into the investor’s pockets.

This might be a surprise to many of you, but this does happen quite often. If you feel like this is happening to you, find out who the investor is and make sure they are aware of what’s happening with the servicing company. I’ve personally been able to get multiple short sales approved by bypassing the servicing company and going directly to the investor when the servicing company does not cooperate.

I can help you short sale your property and never pay the bank another penny. Send me an e-mail at CMe4Homes@JenniferEscobar.com will contact you for a free consultation.

When we talk, I will explain how the process works in detail and answer any questions you may have. Or, if you prefer, you can call me at (818) 335-7078

Discover how other sellers successfully completed a short sale and request a free consultation by clicking here.

Want more information about a California Free Loan Modification? Our FREE Loan Modification Services will help you get a loan modification approved with your lender.

Click Here for more information regarding my FREE LOAN MODIFICATION SERVICES!

Thanks for reading my blog post, Jennifer Escobar.

The Jennifer Escobar Team @ Qwest Real Estate

Phone: 818-335-7078              Email: CMe4Homes@JenniferEscobar.com

Website: www.TheJenniferEscobarTeam.com

Glendale California Real Estate | Short Sale Specialist | Short Sales | California Free Loan Modification Los Angeles Short Sale Specialist | Los Angeles Short Sale | When to short sale in Los Angeles | Los Angeles Short Sale Taxes | Why Short Sale in Los Angeles | Los Angeles Short Sale Requirements | Los Angeles Short Sale Guidelines | How does short sale work in Los Angeles | Los Angeles Mortgage Short Sale

Jennifer Escobar Specializes in FREE California Loan Modification Help to Southern California distressed homeowner’s who are seeking FREE CA Loan Modification assistance in their pursuit of a Loan Modification in Southern California. Furthermore, Jennifer Escobar also Specializes in Short Sales and has successfully listed, marketed and successfully negotiated hundreds of short sales in Southern California. Jennifer Escobar is a Short Sale Specialist successfully negotiating short sales in Glendale, Burbank, Granada Hills, North Hollywood, Sunland, Tujunga, Sylmar, Van Nuys, Valley Village and Lake Balboa. Glendale Loan Modification Help, Glendale Short Sales, Glendale Short Sale Realtor, Short Sale Realtor. Glendale CA Short Sales. Glendale Realtor. North Hollywood Loan Modification Help, North Hollywood Short Sales, North Hollywood Short Sale Realtor, North Hollywood Realtor. Granada Hills Loan Modification Help, Granada Hills Short Sales, Granada Hills Short Sale Realtor, Granada Hills Realtor. Burbank Loan Modification Help, Burbank Short Sales, Burbank Short Sale Realtor, Burbank Realtor. Van Nuys Loan Modification Help, Van Nuys Short Sales, Van Nuys Short Sale Realtor, Van Nuys Realtor.

Bad Choices People Make When They Buy a Home

By now you are probably telling yourself, having an investment property is not as easy as you thought. To make matters worse, your property is now underwater and it shifted from an Asset to a Liability. It is a liability because you may be dealing with negative cash flow, accruing repair costs, vacancy, and most importantly, it is underwater meaning you owe more on the home than it is worth. Let’s explore some options.

No Credit Ding Options

• Option #1 – Ride It Out

If you have sufficient income to support your investment property, you can ride the market out in hopes of selling it at a higher price point.

• Option #2 – Improve The Property

You can improve the property by getting a fresh coat of paint or getting landscaping work done. However, this is very risky and rarely works in these types of situations.

• Option #3 – Lease Option Sale

This is an option where you can negotiate a lease option with your tenant/buyer. This way, the tenant can improve their credit, increase their savings, and eventually purchase the property.

• Option #4 – Pay The Difference

You can sell the property and pay the difference in the amount owed and the amount you can sell it for. Some ways you can pay this difference are, out of pocket or if you have other investment properties, you can borrow the difference amount against your other rental property.

Credit Ding Options

• Option #5 – Foreclosure

If your bank does not accept your hardship letter and short sale request, you can default on your payments and allow the bank to repossess your home. This last resort option will hurt your bank(s) and yourself. This option can leave you vulnerable to a deficiency judgment(s) depending on whether your state is a recourse or non-recourse state. For more information, read my previous article here.

In this situation, your credit score will receive an 85-160 (varies upon situation) point reduction and you will have a foreclosure stamped on your credit report. With a foreclosure, you will not be able to obtain another mortgage for at least a few years or typically, a 7 year period.

• Option #6 – Short Sale

This has been the most popular option for investors. If you can show legitimate hardship or foreseeable hardship, your bank may allow you to short sale where you can sell your property for less than what is owed, avoid foreclosure and walk away from the property with little to no remaining debt. The key is to find a pro negotiator in your area who is well connected with banks and can negotiate the deficient amount despite having other assets.

This is preferable by banks and the short sale is translated on your credit report as “paid for less than original amount.” You will be able to obtain another mortgage in some cases immediately or on average, 24 months.

Tax implications

One of the most important factors when walking away from your investment property whether it is via short sale or foreclosure, are the subsequent tax implications. The IRS deems the forgiven amount (deficiency) as “taxable income” unless it is your primary residence in which you would be able to exclude the income through the mortgage forgiveness debt relief act.

If however you are able to show insolvency where your total liabilities exceed your total assets or if the debt was discharged in a Title 11 bankruptcy, you can exclude the forgiven amount regardless of it being a second home.

Short selling your rental property with little liability is difficult to do if you do not have an experienced agent who is well connected with banks. Our agents have been VERY successful in getting our investors out of their bad investment situations. If you are in Washington State, connect with our experts today to discuss your best option for your situation.

Hope this helps

Peter

     If you are a Realtor or short sale negotiator who has done a short sale with Fannie Mae as the investor during the last few months, this blog post will likely raise a question or two.  For everyone else, it will definitely also raise an eyebrow or two. Government conspiracy theorists are certainly not a rarity in this day and age. Depending on who you speak to, many of our fellow citizens can come off as paranoid and irrational when speaking about all the secret plans they seem so sure our government and those in power are plotting and planning. While the theory I'm proposing on here is certainly not up to par with the New World Order, Illuminati, One World Government folks, it is certainly some concerning and valid food for thought, especially for those of us in the Real Estate and Mortgage industry.  Take a few minutes to read this blog post, and you'll likely agree and come to find that this really isn't about a conspiracy theory, but a very real and disturbing trend that is happening in our housing market right now.

     Lets take a step back here and set the stage.  Over the last five to six years, we have seen real estate prices plummet in virtually every market across the country. This reality of the depressed housing market is certainly no secret. In many areas, prices have declined to as low as thirty cents on the dollar. Several years ago, As things became more and more depressed, our government stepped in.  Both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, who back the majority of our residential mortgage loans, were completely bailed out by the US government.  This forced overtaking was something that our government had to do, as the imminent collapse of Fannie and Freddie would have meant the complete collapse of the housing and finance industry, likely permanently.  This was extremely important, as instead of giving bailout loans to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, like the auto industry or the banks, they actually took complete control of these organizations.  Our government then established the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) to "oversee" these organizations which are now referred to as Government Sponsored Enterprises, or GSE's.  Since then, the FHFA consistently dictates policy to these Government Sponsored Enterprises that still back most residential mortgage loans and completely control the secondary mortgage market.

     Now back to the present.  Fantasic news headlines in much of the country that in many of the markets that were hardest hit, prices now seem to get going up almost as quickly as they were once declining. Inventories are low, demand is high, properties are getting multiple offers from buyers paying over list prices the minute they come on the market.  But for those in the industry such as myself who are active in the short sale and distressed property niche, an interesting and disturbing practice that has been taking place.

     In very recent times, just in the past few months, short sale agents across the country have been having difficulties with Fannie Mae short sales.  To be more specific, the difficulty has been with wildly inflated appraised property values that Fannie Mae has been insisting on for short sale properties. For those who may not know, we are not talking about regular appraisals, traditionally ordered by a buyers lender in order to justify a purchase price.  In this case, we are talking about appraised values that Fannie Mae places on properties, ordered by them and completed by their own appraisers, utilizing their own appraising and property valuation methods.  Utilizing these over inflated appraised values, Fannie Mae then demands more money for these short sale properties from patient buyers.  Anyone starting to smell the stink yet? Does this stink smell a little similar to the stink we all experienced several years ago with inflated buyer appraisals from before the housing market collapse?

     For the most active short sale agents across the country, the past few months have produced quiet a few headaches with Fannie Mae.  It seems virtually every property valuation and appraisal done by Fannie Mae for a short sale is at least 10% or more above current market value.  Values so inflated, that there are typically no comparable sales at all to come remotely close to justifying their prices.  Prices so high, that it most cases it would be virtually impossible for a buyer to find a loan and get an appraisal that would match the property values and prices that Fannie Mae is demanding.  The ironic part, is that these same buyers' loans who are purchasing these properties would of course eventually be sold off to... You guessed it, Fannie Mae! Because of the massive number of loans backed by Fannie Mae, this is widespread and is effecting a very high percentage of current sales.  And when it comes to disputing these inflated values, it can be quiet a challenge for real estate agents and short sale processors to convince Fannie Mae to change their mind and sell the properties for actual market value.

     Put two and two together, read between the lines, and it makes perfect sense that this is just Fannie Mae's and our policy dictating governments' valiant and likely effective attempt at mass, government controlled real estate price fixing.  Control the supply (market inventory), control the demand (interest rates ect), and then control prices and force up property values by demanding more money.  Fannie Mae and Government controlled real estate price fixing.  The tail wags the dog, and the dog has no clue what is going on.  A perfect example of the reality that housing has become completely socialized, but with the illusion that its just all part of the market cycle.  Just my two cents, for what its worth.
Click Here for my original article on Government Real Estate Price Fixing

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% 

The Wisconsin housing statistics are now in for August of 2012. Here is an excerpt from what the Wisconsin Realtors Association (WRA) had to say:

The home sale recovery began last summer, and sales have grown 20.7 percent year-to-date. “It’s great to see these sales so strong during the peak sales period in the state.”  said Renny Diedrich, chairman of the WRA board of directors. He noted that in a typical year, about a third of Wisconsin closings take place between June and August.

The median price rose at an annual pace of 2.9 percent in August 2012, and this continues the pattern of modest price appreciation statewide for each of the last six months. “It’s clear that in spite of slight upticks in the state unemployment rate over the last two months, the housing market continues to grow, and it’s growing at a brisk pace” said WRA President and CEO, Michael Theo.

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 have been increasing substantially all year. Both Dane and Rock counties are showing marked improvements in the number of homes sold. Prices have bounced in Rock County, while in Dane County WI they appear to now be stabilizing.

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. Has your home value fallen below what you currently owe? A short sale may be right for your situation. Visit the following page on Wisconsin Short Sales.

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The Wisconsin housing statistics are now in for April of 2012. Here is an excerpt from what the Wisconsin Realtors Association (WRA) had to say:


“The strong pace of existing home sales continued, with 10 straight months of double-digit sales growth. Home sales rose 19.5 percent in April 2012 compared to April 2011, according to the most recent monthly report by the Wisconsin REALTORS^® Association (WRA). Home prices were also up for the second straight month, rising 2.4 percent to $128,000 in April compared to April 2011."


“After several years of a stagnate housing market, it’s encouraging to see sustained growth in home sales, especially as we enter the summer, which is the prime season for home sales in the state,” said Rob Keefe, Chairman of the WRA board of directors.


The WRA says an improving state jobs market is helping home sales. Since December, the state has added nearly 18,000 nonfarm private jobs even as government employment fell by 3,400 based on seasonally adjusted estimates.


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 can see, home sales have been increasing substantially this year. The median sale price in Dane County has risen approximately $8,500 year over year. In Rock County Wisconsin, the median sale price has fallen, $2,450, year over year.


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. Has your home value fallen below what you currently owe? A short sale may be right for your situation. Visit the following page on Wisconsin Short Sales.