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Short Sale Real Estate Agents in Pleasant Springs, WI 53589  Are you looking for a Pleasant Springs Wisconsin Short Sale Realtor® or real estate agent? Rock Realty is a real estate brokerage that specializes in Short Sales and Bank Owned Foreclosures in the Pleasant Springs WI area.   My name is Michael Collins, broker for Rock Realty. I have completed the Short Sales and Foreclosure Resource training and have been given the SFR designation through the National Association of Realtors®. Feel free to contact me directly at 608-921-8536 for help with any of your short sale questions. I have helped many home owners with their distressed property needs.

REALTORS® who have earned the SFR certification know how to help sellers maneuver the complexities of short sales as well as help buyers pursue short sale and foreclosure opportunities. The certification program includes training on how to qualify sellers for short sales, negotiate with lenders, protect buyers, and limit risk. 

A Certified Distressed Property Expert® (CDPE) is a real estate professional with specific understanding of the complex issues confronting the real estate industry. Through comprehensive training and experience, CDPEs are able to provide solutions for homeowners facing hardships in today's market. 

What is a Short Sale? A short sale occurs when a lender agrees to take less than the amount owed to payoff a loan as an alternative to foreclosure. Lenders know that it will cost them a significant amount of money to take a property back. The Realtors® at Rock Realty can often convince them that they will be better off financially if they sell the property now rather than taking the home through foreclosure and trying to sell it later. So, a short sale can actually be good for the bank. It can also be good for the home owner, as it is typically better to perform a short sale on their Pleasant Springs property instead of letting it proceed to foreclosure. If you are considering the possibility of a short sale for your Pleasant Springs Wisconsin home and have further questions, feel free to visit the information page below. 

Wisconsin Short Sale Information

Additional Short Sale Information

• What is a short sale?
• Is a Short Sale right for my home?
• Half of Homeowners Underwater on their Mortgage
• Buying a Wisconsin home after a Short Sale or Foreclosure
• Benefits of Buying an Owner-Occupied Wisconsin Short Sale
• Tips for Buying a Wisconsin Short Sale

Rock Realty SOLD Short Sale Listings

514 S Jackson St, Janesville WI | 900 King Street, Stoughton WI 105 W Main St, Brooklyn WI | 408 S Academy Street, Janesville WI 449 Farnham St #2, Marshall WI | 1117 Ontario Dr, Janesville WI 4602 N Katherine Dr, Janesville WI  

The Wisconsin housing statistics are in for July of 2013. Here is an excerpt from what the Wisconsin Realtors® Association (WRA) had to say:

Wisconsin home sales and prices both grew in July, outpacing the solid rate established for the first half of 2013. Sales of existing homes for July increased 17.3 percent over July of 2012, which is stronger than the 11.4 percent rate of growth established in the first six months of this year over the first half of last year. Home prices also continued their strong rate of appreciation, increasing 9.0 percent in July over last July, to a statewide median of $155,299. Prices for the first six months of the year were up 7.7 percent.

“It’s clear that 2013 is shaping up to be a very strong year for Wisconsin housing and the indications are that these trends will continue,” said Renny Diedrich, chairman of the WRA board of directors. "We’re at the peak of the Wisconsin home selling season, with nearly 43 percent of all sales taking place between May and August in a typical year,” Diedrich said.

“This is very strong median price appreciation and it’s consistent with national trends,” said WRA President and CEO Michael Theo. Theo said statistics from the National Association of REALTORS® show that the median sales price of single-family homes nationally increased 12.2 percent in the second quarter compared to the second quarter of 2012, which represents the strongest year-over-year increase since the fourth quarter of 2005.

Below are the number of Home Sales and Median House Prices for the state of Wisconsin, Rock County, and Dane County. These stats include Janesville and Madison. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions pertaining to these figures. As you probably have heard, home sales & prices have been increasing over the past few years. Both Dane and Rock counties are showing marked improvements in the number of homes sold and the price at which they are being sold at. This summer has been really hot for the properties that are priced right! There's been a large increase in sale prices, as you can see below.

I'd be happy to show you any homes currently listed for sale. Feel free to visit: WISCONSIN HOMES FOR SALE to search for current properties listed on the MLS.

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.

Good morning Superstars.

We had a good turnout for our last webinar. Everybody I talked to thought it was helpful… So, I wanted to get your feedback as what the next marketing topic should be… Please reply to brokerbryant@gmail.com with the #1 thing that you need help with when it comes to marketing.

And here are this week's Superstar discussions:

Discussions	Replies	Latest Activity
Promissory Note Settlement post Short Sale Closing Part of my short sale agreement included a promissory note through United Guarantee for $18k. The short sale negotiator recommended making… Started by Roger Monaco	2	yesterday Reply by Roger Monaco
Are Short Sales Changing ??? We process lots of short sales here in Central Ohio. Recently in about the past 4 months we have seen the landscape of short sales changing… Started by Scott Marvin	12	yesterday Reply by Jeff Payne
Connect the dots... Altisource Detail by Entity Name Foreign Profit CorporationALTISOURCE SOLUTIONS, INC. Filing InformationF1100000405526445065110/10/2011DEACTIVE Princ… Started by Jeff Payne	6	yesterday Reply by Jeff Payne
Altisource acquires Equator, just in! Just got this email...... We are excited to announce that Altisource®, a premier marketplace and transaction solutions provider for the rea… Started by Jeff Payne	13	yesterday Reply by Wendy Martin
Just submit any offer or wait for the RIGHT offer? I've had MY way of doing short sales for the past 7 years. I think my way works, but I am always open to new ways of doing things, and new… Started by Drew Ludlow	13	on Friday Reply by Tara Semtner
Economic Stabilization Project Has anyone done a deal with "Economic Stabilization Project"? They (Jay Grant) have joined Short Sale Superstars and are proposing that the… Started by Barry Levy CDPE	15	on Friday Reply by Nicole Pitteloud
Has anyone had a short sale not go through after closing escrow for any reason? A true nightmare to be sure, but has anyone ever made a mistake of some sort where they go through the entire close of escrow, money is wir… Started by Donna McClelland	4	on Friday Reply by Tara Semtner
Short Sale Can anyone help answer this question?? Can anyone help me to understand why Wells Fargo would approve a short sale to the sellers and also foreclose simultaneously? The short sa… Started by sandra McCumber Join our referral program	5	on Friday Reply by sandra McCumber

I have receive an approval letter from CitiMortgage that states the purchase price ($45K)and buyer as well as a substantial smaller pay off amount that they will take to settle the debt ($6K). Similarly to what a second mortgage letter would say... but the catch is that this property only has one lien.

What do I do?

Any advice will help at this point LOL

Good Afternoon fellow Superstars

Does anyone have a short sale package for Beneficial Florida Inc.

I have read on your blogs that they cut commission but are fast.  I can deal with 5% as long as they don't drag it out forever like some lenders I'm working with.

Any information is much appreciated.

Thanks

just received this email today...We are excited to announce that Altisource®, a premier marketplace and transaction solutions provider for the real estate, mortgage and consumer debt industries, has announced it will acquire Equator. We expect to close within 30 days

sounds like Monopoly to me

We don't want anyone to lose their home. We don't want anyone to be forcibly displaced. There is no place for foreclosures and evictions in an intelligent society. They are symbols of moral, economic and social corruption. Unfortunately, they are of our own making. Our own craving for materialistic pleasures leads to consumerism and a system of governance that is more concerned about the health of its financial institutions than the health of its citizens.

In order to help home owners facing foreclosure,  the government of United States introduced HAMP. As of 04/30/2013, 18% of the home owners offered permanent modifications under this program had redefaulted and many were on the brink of default. The program itself is only available until 2015, so it does not really provide us a viable long term alternative to foreclose. 

Some market partipants have, however, come up with some options that look like viable long term alternatives to foreclosure. I would like to discuss three of them.

The first one is an Assisted Short Sale program offered by Ocwen Loan Servicing in association with Altisource. The purpose of this program is to help fetch the best price for the property while ensuring that only minimum costs are incurred, encouraging the first mortgagee to approve the short sale instead of foreclosing on the loan. As a part of this program Altisource work on reducing costs by negotiating liens, judgements, HOA dues and other encumbrances and let the seller list the property on their online platform HUBZU.COM. This program is viable long term alternative to foreclosure because it addresses three major concerns of associated with a short sale - time, financial viability and finding a buyer. A short sale can be completed, in most cases, in less than two months from the date the seller opts for this program. Many short sales fail because the costs associated with them are high compared to a foreclosure (particularly in non-judicial foreclosure states). This generaly happens due to junior liens, HOA dues, judgements etc. The major strength of this program lies in the way it is able to deal with these issues. Finally,  HUBZU tries to find buyers. In case the seller already has offers, this a good opportunity to see if it is possible to find better offers. Overall, this looks promising and has folks at Altisource very excited about it. I hope firms other than Ocwen also get together with Altisource to design similar programs. 

The second viable long term alternative comes courtesy real estate agents. Wherever and whenever possible a realtor may get an investor to buy the home through a short sale and rent it out to the seller with an option to buy. This would have to be disclosed to the lender at the very beginning. I understand that some lenders may not allow this. However,  wherever possible, this is a great way of letting the distressed home owner continue living in his home. This prevents foreclosure and displacement.

The third option is what can roughly be termed as "a deed in lieu of foreclosure in exchange for contract to rent". The first and the second options are great if you can find a buyer. However, there may be properties which may not find a buyer but have a home owner not wanting to be displaced. In such cases, wherever and whenever feasible, the home owners should have the option of offering the property via a deed in lieu of foreclosure to the lender or an REIT/investor (through the lender) in exchange for being allowed to rent the home. 

The only fool-proof way to avoid losing material possessions is to not have them in the first place. Its not the loss of possessions that causes stress but our attachment to them. However, since we all have material desires ourselves, we can understand the stress others undergo when they are on the verge of losing material possessions. It is with this understanding that we must help others. Let us get together and end foreclosures. Let us say no to forced displacement. Let us push for viable alternatives to foreclosure.

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Saurabh Singh is a student of the Vietnamese monk Thich Nhat Hanh and is currently employed with Altisource. All views expressed here are his personal views and are not necessarily  endorsed by his employer. The author does not guarantee the accuracy of any information contained in this post. Real Estate, finance, banking and online transactions are complicated and governed by various regulations and readers are advised to consult with certified professionals before making any decision. 

Hello - Thank-you already to this community, as I recently fell apon your site, and this will be my first blog post here !

You can see my entire blog through my portal here !

Having been though this mess several times beginning n the late 2007's, it was pretty clear that we were in for the long hall. 

Now, why is it that most agents steer away from "short Sales"? And even still - How come the perception for the consumer is not there.....at least not in my area. 

My first Short Sale closing happened in 2008, with a property in Southbury, one town south of our home base of Woodbury, CT.

At that time, I must admit, I was not too up on what and how this thing was getting done. But knew the concept behind it all.

So as I leap forward to today with confidence to rally the consumer, and rally our fellow Realtor - to take advantage of this opportunity to help those that need it. 

It is truly amazing, how even today, if a consumer walks into a bank or home, for either a loan or to apply for a rental - and they don't meet there criteria - its ends there. 9 times out of 10. Our local bankers doing there job? Or should we look at each and every consumer and look to do what would be best for them. We can! And I do. As a Licensed NMLS Originator & Branch Manager, it is our duty to do so. 

Short Sale attempt day one - I head up to the home, spend a few hours cleaning and get picture and show ready. Look at the comps, and make an attempt to see just how and what Flag-star will require. So with some help from this community already, I have my Flagstar "guns a blazing" & ready to "get er done".

Helping a home owner prevent foreclosure is a noble cause. Those realtors who wish to commit themselves to this cause are entering the path of Enlightened activities. However,  not everyone will be a success. It is more profitable to flip homes than work on a short sale for months only to see your efforts fail.

There are many challenges like negotiating liens, voluminous documentation, high wait time and an aggressive first mortgagee trying to foreclose the property. Such challenges do not exist on a normal real estate transaction. A reator entering this path will need to not only familiarize themselves with the technical aspects but also train their mind to develop certain special qualities.

This website does a good job of helping realtors with the technical aspects through a course and through the forum. When like minded people get together, they can encourage each other. However, I want to talk about training the mind to develop special qualities so we don't abandon our cause.

First,  we must try to remember that many people have helped us when we have been in distress and the high esteem in which we hold such individuals. Compare them with selfish individuals you have come across. You can then see clearly that you'd rather be the former than the latter. This is the first training.

Second, we develop the understanding that this could happen to anyone. Many people experience financial difficulties due to poor economy or not being able to work due to illness etc. Loss of job or reduction in income are the most common reasons due to which  people are unable to make  their mortgage repayments. This can happen to anyone. We must develop the understanding that this can easily happen to us.

Third, we develop a commitment to the cause. We must not look at a short sale transaction as just another transaction. We do not want to just go through the motions. Having realized that we want to help others and having understood that this could happen to us, we must seize the opportunity to rescue the home owners from their plight. This happens when we have committed ourselves to the cause. Every morning when you wake up tell yourself that today you will save homes from being foreclosed. You will save a family from the social and financial trauma brought about by a foreclosure.

Fourth, is awareness. Aware of the stress that such transactions can cause we can be better prepared. We have all experienced stress and if we did not like the experience chances are that somebody else will not like it either. By offering our presence to our clients we put them at ease by bringing them in contact  with our solidity.

Fifth, we must be vigilant. Many things can go wrong. By being vigilant we can prevent that from happening. Always keep an eye on the foreclosure clock. Check if you have standard documents like hardship letter, pay stubs etc. Some lenders frequently lose items or may deny having ever receiving them. Know where you are with each transaction at all times.

Sixth is developing the very valuable quality of patience. We have to tell ourselves that this will take time. You can negotiate a lien for 30% quicker than for 10% but that can kill the short sale. Be patient and help others do the same.

Seventh is perseverance. Perseverance is the ability to overcome difficulties that come our way. No agreement between the first and second lien holder. Unrealistic timelines set by the first mortgagee. Non responsiveness. These are commonly encountered challenges that we must overcome.

Eight is meditation. Take a glass of water. Add a few spoons of sand in it and stir it. That is the state of our mind. Now wait for the water to be still. The sand settles at the bottom and you can see clear water. This is a mind post meditation. By meditating we create conditions for wisdom to arise. We stop negative seeds like selfish desires, greed and frustration from germinating and we remind ourselves of these nine qualities and improve every day.

Finally, the ninth quality is wisdom. The understanding that we are all connected to each other and no one can do anything arbitrarily. While one idiot with poor knowledge can ruin it for others, this also means that we can make it a success. Make sure that you drive the transaction. Be clever. This realization will help you take almost every transaction to the desired conclusion.

Helping others is an activity of the Enlightened. Welcome to the path of Enlightened activities!

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Saurabh Singh is a student of the Vietnamese monk Thich Nhat Hanh and is currently employed with Altisource. None of the views expressed in this post are endorsed by his employer.

The most valuable gift you can give others is your presence. This is the perfection of giving. When we are present we are practicing the perfection of giving. When we are present and mindful we can touch life. We can truly be of service to others.

Working for a real estate service provider I come across many people experiencing great anxiety and stress. Some buying a home for the first time. Some desperate to save their homes. Some trying to prevent a foreclosure.

People rely on real estate professionals to help them through what can easily turn into a nightmare. Most real estate agents are quick to highlight their achievements, their qualifications, the number of deals they have completed etc. Only a few say, "Don't worry. I will be there. It can get complicated and frustrating but I'll help you cope with it."

Being there we can do more. We do not have to be Governors or Presidents to make a difference. We don't have to be the CEO to bring about transformation. We just need to be present and mindful. When we are present and mindful we can penetrate the moment. We can heal. We can transform.

Your presence reassures a first time home buyer. Your presence gives confidence to someone trying to prevent a foreclosure. Offer your presence, your serenity, your freshness. These are more valuable than you can imagine.

I am happy to be with you. Lets see what comes along. When we are present, we are aware. We can experience. The food, the music, the love. We can experience life. We can touch happiness. “The most precious gift we can offer others is our presence. When mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers.”

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Saurabh Singh is a student of the Vietnamese monk Thich Nhat Hanh and is currently employed with Altisource. None of the views expressed in this post are endorsed by his employer.

Good morning Real Estate Pros!

Does anyone have the phone number for Bank of America "Cash for Keys" department, or the phone number for the correct department for "cash for keys?"

Julie Lyons

The auction completed yesterday (8/13/2013) and the bank (BOA) was the only bidder. The commissioner said it will take 30-45 day’s for the sell confirmation hearing.  

Does anyone know if I can still initiate the property for short sale in equator or do I chalk this one up as a loss?

Thanks in advance for your comments.

I am heated up and ticked off at the recent merger and bullying of Ocwen.  I want contact information for every Florida litigating attorney.

I am the listing agent on a short sale that I have worked for over a year. The first contract would not meet Ocwen's non-provided counter.  All that was stated is that the buyer must come up significantly but would not state to what price.  Let's just say the buyer walked, who wouldn't with those kind of pricing games. 

So I instantly receive an offer at market value from an investor willing to pay cash. 

I submit the offer and about a week later I receive an email from AltiSource stating I and the seller must sign authorization paperwork allowing Altisource to act as the processor on behalf of the seller and that we must submit the property to auction on HubZu for additional bidding.  The seller already signed off on an offer!  Furthermore, I am told unless we sign this paperwork the buyers offer will not even be considered and the application to short sale will be denied.  So this puts the seller in a legal bind.  Oh by the way buyer, seller is not breaching contract with you, Ocwen refuses to look at your offer and even though it has been signed off on you must go through an open bidding process.  Please understand the seller's hands are tied and we request you do not find the seller at fault or cause seller additional financial distress by going after any legal outlets.

In the paperwork form Altisource it states that I must provide the processor RSHH a portion of the monies received, buyer's agent a less than average of monies received and I myself will get what I do not bargain for.  Next it states that if I represent both sides of the transaction I must provide the buyer agent's portion to the net indebtedness instead of receiving it myself.

Are you kidding me.....The short sale lender is supposed to be subject to the contract and the owner of the property is still the owner who signed a listing contract with me, not Ocwen. The seller has the right to choose who to go into an offer with. Neither I nor the seller are willing to sign the paperwork and are inquiring on the legalities of this bullying. 

Where does Ocwen get off acting as the seller and dictating who the seller can go into contract with.  These banks need to have additional regulation.  They cannot just arbitrarily insert themselves into the contract acting on behalf of the owner and deciding who the seller gets to go into contract with. This is strong arming.  They also cannot dictate to the seller who they choose to use to process the short sale and dictate I must pay this group.  This is not in the best interest of the seller and in my opinion violates Respa. 

Does anyone else have input on this?  If you have some hotlines I can call and file formal complaints please pass them on. We have submitted to 3 trial attorneys and have placed a call with FAR.

My client, whose property went to foreclosure unfortunately, has received a request for completion of information about his employment and salary from a company called Digital Risk.  They included an authorization allowing verification of information signed by the seller in 2008.

A Google search revealed this company as a data gathering one which examines credit risk.  Have any of you heard about clients receiving something like this?  Do you know anything about this company?  Is it legit?  An authorization from 2008 seems pretty old to use now.  Thoughts?  thx!

Escalation help!

I have a Bank of America short sale that I initiated and uploaded the offer in Equator on 7/20/13. It is in “Held under Review” status. The commissioner told me that the auction is moving forward on 8/23/13 because it is not in “Closing Status” in equator. The Asset Manager assigned is Carlton Smith with REDC. I have tried to escalate to Short Sale Customer Service but they said that the Negotiator needs to push the offer through. I do not get any response from the Negotiator or the team leader in Equator. Any suggestions to 1. push the file through and to 2. Stop / postpone the auction?

Also BOA Customer Service said that the file is a traditional Short Sale because Fannie Mae (Investor) does not participate with HAFA if the file is initiated within 60 days of the auction.  Has anyone herd of this?

Thanks for your help on all 3 questions.

I have not had an active military lead for a while, but I have a family that has been renting but they are at the end of their rope with dealing with tenants. They are upside down on both the mortgage and rent. They didn't fall within the parameters of HAP when they PCSed. Is there anything out there that I am missing that won't hurt their credit?

I just got an amazing approval on a Crestview Florida VA Compromise Sale from BB&T!  You know the Veterans Administration requirement that the net proceeds of the sale be no less tham 88.13% of the appraised value? And the requirment that the VA Compromise Sale appraisal is firm for six months? This was a breakthrough approval that was about $25,000 less than 88.13% of the appraised value!  How did I achieve this?

First, some background. The Crestview Florida home on a few acres needed work. There were signs of a previous roof leak and rodent damage. This was detailed in a home inspection report for a buyer who had "walked".  His offer was the one that triggered the VA liquidation appraisal that was ordered by BB&T.  I had noted the problems in the MLS, including a copy of the inspection report with the buyer's permission. These facts were apparently ignored by the VA appraiser.  

After three months, and excellent communication with the BB&T negotiator, I precariously lowered the price. Yes, LOWER than what would net the holy 88.13%. She said she was a firm believer in doing anything you could to help the military servicemember and she would fight for an approval even if we were low. (Go BB&T!) Finally, an offer came in.  To support our case of lower value, I provided the negotiator with a report of all the feedback from showings, such as:

5/16/2013 There seems to be quite a bit of water damage to the ceiling in the front bedroom. This buyer is retiring and does not want to "fix anything up". I don't think we will be writing an offer

4/29/2013 the house smells like animal pee and it's strong. This turned the buyer off and he's looking elsewhere. I've shown this house twice now and it does not show well. Not sure what can be done other than sealing the floors and putting in new carpet.

4/18/2013 their concern is the roof it appears there is an active leak and erosion

In addition, I provided a copy of the previous buyer's home inspection. The BB&T rep sent that along with the contract, HUD and buyer pre-approval and home inspection to the VA. She said the VA tech replied "Rodents! This cannot be good!".  72 hours later, the VA Compromise Sale was APPROVED.

Many short sale lenders don't assign a "permanent" negotiator like BB&T to a VA Compromise Sale. This direct line of communication and caring representative was critical in getting the approval. What can you do if you are dealing with any other lender, such as Bank of America or Wells Fargo, who are much more dogmatic about VA Compromise Sales? You can try as I did, or speak directly with the VA. Email vastaffappraisers@va.gov.

It's Wendy!

- See more at: http://activerain.com/blogsview/3804884/how-to-get-a-va-compromise-sale-approved-netting-under-88-13-#sthash.XeXwm44v.dpuf

Picture it....Georgia 2013......

The real estate market across the State is experiencing some major transformations. Buyers are scrambling to find homes and Sellers are once again in the driving seat! We're seeing lower Seller paid closing costs contributions and home prices are steadily increasing. Multiple offer situations on well priced normal market sales are becoming the norm....it's definitely a change from two years ago.

Now....please don't mistake me for someone whose too afraid to push the envelope when it comes to pricing. In fact, I think that this market is PERFECT to test the waters a bit....for properties that are WELL WORTH IT!

On the contrary......

Just when is it too much????

I went on a listing appointment on yesterday and visited quite a charming home. It had been fully renovated and included an upstairs loft bedroom, another full bath with a jacuzzi tub, hardwood and natural tile floors EVERYWHERE, a detached man cave that actually looked like a quaint little pub, and 8+ sprawling (mostly wooded) acres! This home has it all.....now for the "iffy" items. Although the pattern on the tile flooring was consistent throughout, there were many types of different hardwoods elsewhere. I think I counted at least four different types. There were quite a few large separation gaps in the floors and three leaks in two separate sky lights (one in the detached mini pub). The bathroom with the jacuzzi tub was actually included in one of the secondary bedrooms. The master bedroom did not have an associated bath (you'd have to use the one downstairs) and the secondary bedrooms were dated. Pushing the envelope on this property would be around $185k. The seller wants to list at $200k.

My philosophy has always been to list what I honestly believe that I can sell....without having the owner want to physically beat me. So, having said that....I tucked my tail and walked away. I surely loved the character that this home has, but some relationships are simply not meant to mesh.....*tear*