Lisa and Jim's Northern Nevada Real Estate Blog

Via Mimi Foster - Colorado Springs Realtor (EPIC Real Estate Group Colorado Springs Real Estate):

ActiveRain HINTS

This morning I was talking with someone about how I felt like a blind pig finding an acorn when I started on ActiveRain.  After someone had told me about AR, I thought, "I'd like to blog someday," so I signed up for a year. 

Several months later, after having received a few emails from AR, I wrote my first blog post, and was so excited that I got four or five comments on it.  I kept wondering where in the world those people had seen it to comment on it.  I was in awe, but could never figure out how to do it again.  I often imagined it as a party behind closed doors, and I was standing in the entryway waiting for someone to open the doors so I could see what was going on.

Months would pass before I would write again.  Karli at ActiveRain called me one day last March and held my hand and talked me thru it, and it has been a whirlwind of writing since then.  Being creatures of habit, we do what we know.  Sometimes we will venture out and find new things, but for the most part, it is often an AHA moment when we stumble upon something we didn't know in our comfortable venue.

Often I will get phone calls from AR friends who will say, "Well, if you go (here) you can do (this)."  Kathy Streib has been the best at teaching me tricks that really aren't tricks, basics that probably everyone else knows.  But since I didn't know them, there may be a few others that don't know some of them either.  

The feel and look of ActiveRain is going to be changing (dramatically) soon, including our logo (so says our Fearless Leader).  We are going to have to learn new things to be able to navigate (I will not resist change, I will not resist change, I will not resist change).  So before that happens, I wanted to share some basics that I recently learned.  (Old timers will know these things . . . )

• When you want to comment on someone's post, hit the "END" button on your computer keyboard to get to the end of the comments.  This is helpful if it is a Featured post and you don't want to read all of the comments.  Conversely, you can get back to the top by hitting the "HOME" button on your keyboard
• To activate additional points on your posts, you need three comments from others and you need to respond with at least one comment
  
• Your comments that you make on other people's posts must be at least 50 CHARACTERS (not words) for you to receive your 25 points for the comment, up to 250 points per day (10 comments).  You may, of course, comment on as many as you would like per day, but only get points for 10
  
• Your blog POSTS must be at least 50 WORDS to get credit for the post
  
• The ActiveRain logo in the upper left corner of the page is a link to the Feature Board (am I the only one here who didn't know that?)
• If you click on "BLOGS" in the blue AR toolbar at the top, you get links to the people to whom you are subscribed down the right column.  BUT if you hit "MY SUBSCRIPTIONS" on the upper left side under "BLOG POSTS," then you get a three-line summary of the current post of the people you follow (again ~ DUH)
• The "CHANNELS" arrow in the blue tool bar allows you to study areas of expertise more thoroughly.  From Training to Tactics to Technology to Tools, there are wonderful things to be discovered there
• If you want to know how many Featured Posts someone has, hover your cursor over the Gold Star under their picture in their signature (or comment).  The number will become visible 
  
• If you suggest someone who gets Featured (little SUGGEST button at the top of their post), you get a Called SHOT but no points.  You can only suggest up to 5 posts per day.  After you get 5 Called Shots, you get a Purple Star as a CALLED SHOT MASTER
• So now that I've been here for almost ten months, I won't even begin to tell you the convoluted trails I have followed to find people to whom to send referrals.  The little "STATES" button in the blue upper toolbar breaks down Agents by not only States, but also by Cities!  Double Duh!
• If you want your blog to stream down the middle of the page and not run from side-to-side across the page, making it more difficult to read (yes, Fearless Leader's blog is an example :) ~ all in good fun, Niki, all in good fun), then go to your Home Page, upper left corner under BLOGS > ActiveRain > (Customize) and insert any color or picture as your Background Image.  If you don't want fru-fru, just make the Background Image WHITE and it will at least narrow up your writing, making it easier to read
• When you comment on posts, the author will often respond.  On the lower left of your home page you have a link called "MY COMMENTS."  If you click on the link, it will take you to a list of where you have commented, and then when you click on each one, they are anchored to take you to exactly where in the post you commented so you can see if the author has replied (My Comments for Your Comments)
  
• Inviting others gets you lots of points when they join, and 10% of everything they make while they're here.  Towards the bottom of the Home Page on the left side is an "INVITE OTHERS" link.  Here's the kicker ~ be sure to use the LINK so that you get points when they sign up.  Joe Cuchiara got me involved, but because he told me about it over the phone and I didn't know to link to him, he is not reaping the rewards :( (Sorry, Joe, I've tried several times to rectify it!)
• Did you read a post today that you really liked?  At the very bottom of the post under where it says who the article was written by is a little link that says "BOOKMARK."  You can click that to save the post for future reference.  When you want to read your BOOKMARKS at a later date, the link is towards the bottom left of your Home Page entitled "BLOG BOOKMARKS"
• OH! And when you are writing your (at least 10) comments on posts each day, or in writing your own posts, in the upper part of your Comment Box where you have the options for making your writings BOLD or Italics or Underlined or Striking Through, on the RIGHT SIDE of that bar is a SPELL CHECK (ABC with a checkmark).  Who Knew???? :)
  

 I feel somewhat silly in even sharing some of these things, but I figured if I wasn't aware of them, this may help someone else.  And if you are looking for a safe haven to share real estate stories, life lessons, and learn new things, be sure to SUBSCRIBE to my blog. :) 

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If you would like to Search for Homes for sale in Colorado Springs, CO, or for any of your other real estate needs, please contact your Colorado Springs Realtor

 

 

                                                                  

   

Selling homes throughout Colorado Springs, Old Colorado City,

Manitou Springs and surrounding areas with a

Specialty in Victorian and Vintage Homes in
Downtown Colorado Springs

 

 

Via Pamela Seley, REALTOR® Temecula Valley California Homes (REALTY EXECUTIVES):

Why the Arm’s Length Affidavit Protects Short Sale Sellers

On the surface, the arm’s length affidavit appears biased (some may say unfair) because the short sale seller’s lender prohibits the homeowner to rent or buy back their home. The lender is taking less than what is owed on the mortgage, so the condition is the homeowner is not to benefit in any other way, such as renting or buying back the home. The benefit to the short sale seller is forgiveness of mortgage debt.

If the arm’s length affidavit is in favor of the lender, how can it protect the homeowner, or short sale seller? From making financial decisions that could potentially end up costing more money and legal troubles in the future.

Renting after short sale

More than once the question has come up when an investor would like to rent the property back to the short sale sellers, or the homeowners. It may seem convenient to both buyer and short sale seller. Buyer has a built-in tenant, and seller gets to stay in their home.

If an arm’s length affidavit is a condition of the short sale, then it is recommended a short sale seller rent a home elsewhere. It’s not worth the trouble this could bring later to both the homeowner and the investor/buyer.

The best part of a short sale is mortgage debt forgiveness and the chance to start over. Many homeowners who have sold their homes as a short sale are able to buy 2-3 years later.

Another Nefarious Plot – Sell Back

I have heard from homeowners of being approached by investors (usually these are the LLC investors) to buy their home as short sale, and then after the short sale transaction closes, the LLC investor will sell back to the homeowner. Usually the investor plans on selling back far above market value and offers up a lease/purchase option to the homeowner.

There are benefits of convenience to this because obviously (1) the short sale seller has less than perfect credit and will not be able to qualify for a traditional mortgage loan, and (2) although the price is higher than market value it will most likely be considerably lower than what they owed and will seem like a “deal," although the home would never appraise at the inflated purchase price.

A short sale seller’s lender would never approve short payoff if they knew a sell back to the homeowner were to take place after close of escrow.

As a Temecula real estate agent who lists homes for short sale and negotiates short payoff, I would never recommend a short sale seller to participate in a scheme to buy back their home.

The most important reason is the arm’s length affidavit the short sale seller signed. If it were ever found out the short sale seller bought back their home, this could cause legal problems far worse than only the financial troubles of not being able to pay a mortgage.

Mortgage fraud comes with a penalty of jail time and fines.

Second, the sell/buy back defies logic. Why buy back a home at a price that is far higher than market value? Especially since it will be decades before home prices reach the pre-great-recession prices that buying at a price above fair market does not make financial sense. What does make sense is for the short sale seller to rent for a couple of years, and then buy another home at fair market value.

It may seem the arm’s length affidavit is punitive to the short sale seller, but ironically, it also protects a short sale seller from taking an action that would be impossible to undo and could potentially get them in legal and financial trouble. The whole point of a short sale is to help a homeowner, not hinder them.

Most lease/purchase options favor the seller, not the buyer. A home buyer considering a lease/purchase option should consult with an attorney before signing a lease/purchase option contract.

Note: Broker/agents are not qualified to give legal or tax advice. It is broker recommended that a homeowner, when considering to short sale, get legal and tax advice from a qualified attorney or licensed tax preparer for tax consequences of a short sale.

Pamela Seley, REALTOR®
Short Sale Resource | CA DRE lic # 01824145
www.searchtemeculavalleyhomes.com | Dir 951.491.4063 | 

Serving Southwest Riverside County California| Temecula, Murrieta, Menifee, Winchester, Lake Elsinore, Canyon Lake, Corona, Wildomar | Temecula short sale agent

Find out what your home is worth, or sign up to search homes in your neighborhood.

What is an Arm's Length Affidavit?

What is a Third-Party Authorization Letter?

What's a Short Sale Package?

Is Your Real Estate Agent Licensed in the State of California? 

Pamela Seley, REALTOR® has helped homeowners in SW Riverside and San Bernardino Counties, California, by negotiating short payoffs with the following lenders and servicers:

Bank of America * Chase * CitiMortgage * EMC Mortgage * GMAC * HSBC * Indymac (now known as, One West Bank) * Midland Mortgage * SLS Specialized Lending Servicing, LLC * Wachovia Mortgage * Wells Fargo * World Savings Bank  

All information deemed reliable, but not guaranteed. Copyright © 2009-2011 by Pamela Seley, REALTOR® | CA DRE Lic # 01824145

Real estate transactions involve the highest levels of money and emotion. Typical to arenas of money and emotion, there are many opportunists in the field that prey on the vulnerable buyer or seller.  Their fraudulent or self-serving behavior is the stuff of legends making it an even scarier endeavor to buy or sell a home.

A trustworthy agent makes the transaction comfortable for the participants.  A trustworthy agent transitions a highly charged emotional event into something the customers can tolerate because they trust what is being told to them.  Trust is earned through actions and thoughts.  An agent that tells the truth, works for the clients best interest, and is diligent in their daily efforts finds themselves trusted. 

Yes, there are ways to establish confidence, the gateway to trust, but that doesn’t make one trustworthy.  If we act from our hearts in an honest, caring, compassionate way we will be an individual that can be trusted … the best of humanity.

When it comes to trust, it is black and white, there is absolutely no gray area.  Real Estate Professionals … We Are Trustworthy or We Are Not!

This post is a submission to the ActiveRain / Adobe EchoSign Trust Contest. I could possibly win a prize. You can find out about the contest by clicking here

When it comes to choosing professionals to assist you with your real estate needs ... Experience is Priceless! Lisa Wetzel and Jim Valentine, CDPE, SFR, RE/MAX Realty Affiliates, 775-781-5472 carsonvalleyland@hotmail.com, www.carsonvalleyland.com

Via Bryant Tutas-Tutas Towne Realty, Inc:

How do we get the banks and asset managers to notice us?

This was a question asked on the CDPE forum site from this morning. It was part of a forum post wanting to know if the Short Sale lenders prefer the CDPE designation over the NAR SFR designation.

Here’s a clue: The lender doesn’t give a squat about your designations! Nor should they.

So.....how DO we get the banks and asset mangers to notice us?

Here are a 10 tips that will help.

 

1. Submit complete and organized short sale packages with contracts that make sense.

 

1. Fully understand the Short Sale process and treat the negotiators with respect.

 

1. Only escalate when all other avenues have been exhausted.

 

1. If you are a blogger, or spend time on Facebook or Twitter, be sure to write POSITIVE stuff about short sales. Lenders do “Google” agents. If you are constantly writing about negative short sale experiences they will notice you...just in a bad way.

 

1. Be a “step above”. Help the negotiator have a good experience working with you. If you do have to escalate don’t bash the negotiator. Make them look good in the eyes of their superiors.

 

1. Be a problem solver not a problem creator.

 

1. Be able to support your stance with facts and in writing.

 

1. Work WITH the lenders to get the short sale approved.

 

1. Build a reputation as one who gets deals closed.

 

1. Never stop learningand being open for new ways to handle short sales. Know the difference between a regulation or law and a rule or company policy. And know why this matters.

Remember, contrary to popular belief, Lenders prefer doing a short sale over foreclosing. Our job is to make sure we are giving them what they need to make the decision we want them to make for the advantage of our sellers.

If you do these things often enough you WILL get noticed by the banks and asset managers. And when they start dishing out short sale listing this year you will be in a better position to get you some of that business. I know I will.

Do you need Advanced Short Sale Training?

 

Are you facing foreclosure in Florida?

 

 

Do NOT be foreclosed on! Avoid foreclosure. Short Sales DO close.

Want to find out more? www.CentralFloridaShortSales.com

***I am NOT an Attorney nor do I play one on TV. Click the button below for my Bio.

Copyright © 2011 http://www.brokerbryant.com/ | All Rights Reserved

 

 

Customer Testimonials

Tutas Towne Realty has already successfully negotiated Short Sales with the following Lenders and Investors.

Chase Short Sale,Sun Trust Short Sale, GMAC Short Sale, Wells Fargo Short Sale,Bank of America Short Sale,USA Bank Short Sale,PNC Bank Short Sale,Citi Short Sale,HomeEq Short Sale,Fifth Third Bank Short Sale,ING Direct Short Sale,GreenTree Short Sale,Capital One Short Sale,ASC Short Sale,First Horizon Short Sale,E-Trade Short Sale,Transland Financial Short Sale,US Bank Short Sale,IBM LBPS Short Sale,
Nationstar Short Sale,BAC Florida Short Sale,Real Time Solutions Short Sale,Fannie Mae Short Sale
FHA Short Sale,Selene Finance Short Sale,DTA Solutions LLC Short sale,Flagstar Short Sale,IndyMac Short Sale

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Tutas Towne Realty, Inc handles Florida real estate sales, Florida short sales, Florida strategic short sales, Florida pre-foreclosure sales, Florida foreclosures in Kissimmee Florida Short Sales, Davenport Florida Short Sales, Haines City Florida Short Sales, Poinciana Florida Short Sales, Solivita Florida Short Sales,  Orlando Florida Short Sales, Celebration Florida Short Sales, Winderemere Florida Short Sales. Serving all of Polk, Osceola and Orange Counties Florida. Florida Short Sale Broker. Short Sale Florida.

Via Scott Godzyk, One of Manchester NH's Leading Brokers (Godzyk Real Estate Services):

I have run into a bit of a problem and need your opinion. If you have a Listing and a potential buyer sees your ad, calls for an address to drive by or simply drives by from seeing the address online... Are they actually YOUR customer yet? The easy answer is No, Obviously you have not signed them up as a Buyer Broker as they just called, you have not met them yet...They are however potential customers as they are driving to that listing becuase of your ad. 

Now the PROBLEM part... Say another agent from another company lives near your listing, then they allegedly stop a lot of the cars driving by or people walking around looking at the property and hand out their card and offer to represent them as a buyer agent.

Is this alright?

We have Procurring cause VS. Ethics VS. The Law which all are different. Is this breaking any of them? Not the law, maybe not procurring cause but it depends on whose ethics we are quoting.

The only reason that buyer is their was becuase of the listing agents ad after all?

Reading a featured blog this morning where an agent was showing a home with their buyers and another set of buyers showed up for an open house. The agent holding the open house had not showed up. So the buyer agent offers to represent them and brings them through the house. Again a gray area. Does it violate any rule, law or ethics?  It did show me that this happens more than one thinks.

 The agent allegedly is using a "dragnet" to gather up my potential customers outside my own Listing does not seem right. To some it may not seem wrong and to others it is very wrong. What are they violating? they would be violating similar rules towards these buyers if they are representing several buyers showing the same listing to each buyer without disclosure.   

I work hard to List new properties, I work hard to get these properties under contract and closed.  I work hard to market and advertise my Listings to potential Buyers. In NH I can show buyers my listings after they sign the agency disclosure form knowing I represent the seller, but will work honestly and ethically during the transaction. with all parties involved.  

Although it may not be illegal, it may not be against the ethics rules but is at the botton end of being ethical and is down right unprofessional.  

 ---------------------------------

If you need to sell your home and you owe more than your house is worth, i may be able to help. I specialize in working with home owners to get your home sold. There are many options such as a short sale whcih may be able to help you.

Please try and avoid out of state or out of town agents and companies that make "out of this world promises". We are local agents with experience who never charge any up front fees. WE GET RESULTS!!!

If you need to sell a home in New Hampshire I can be that agent for you. I strive to provide the best personal and professional service through each step of the selling process.

We stand by you through every step in selling your home.

 It does not take magic to turn your "For Sale" sign into a "Sold" sign. it takes a full time Local Agent who specializes in Listing homes like yours.

We offer * FREE * BUYER REPRESENTANTION - ask us how we can help you buy a home here in New Hampshire. (*please contact us for details and conditions*)

If you are looking to buy or sell a home in New Hampshire, please call us first. We strive to provide the best in personal and professional service through each step of the buying and selling process.

 

PLEASE SEE SOME OF MY MOST POPULAR BLOGS

 

1. TOP 5 TIPS For Buying a Bank Owned Home
2. TIPS AND ADVICE For buying a Short Sale
3. Should a Buyer Use more than 1 Agent to help then buy a home?
4. Can I Purchase a home that is in FORECLOSURE?
5. Are Buyers waging WAR on SELLERS?
6. Do you owe more than your house is worth?
7. Can a Listing Agent submit an offer to a Seller that is "TOO LOW?'
8. THE TOP 5 MYTHS about Todays; REAL ESTATE MARKET
9. THE TOP 5 WAYS to know if "NOW IS THE TIME TO BUY A HOME."
10. THE "SECRETS" to getting a SHORT SALE approved

 

 

ONE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE'S LEADING AGENTS FOR SHORT SALES AND BANK OWNED HOMES...

If you are Looking for a Real Estate Agent you have come to the right place. Scott Godzyk is a Full Time and Local agent ready to serve all of your Real Estate needs through each step of the buying or selling process. We are proud to be locally owned and operated.

If you owe more than your house is worth, If you are behind in your payments, I may be able to help. Call me to find out how you may be able to sell your home at no additional cost to you.

Scott Godzyk is the Owner/Broker of The Godzyk Real Estate Services located in Manchester NH. With 25 years of Real Estate experience Scott specializes in Listing and Selling Bank Owned Homes, Short Ssles, Residential Properties, Condominiums, New Construction and Investment Properties. Scott services the counties of Hillsborough, Merrimack, Rockingham and Belknap. To contact Scott Godzyk please call 603-661-2121 or email sctprop@aol.com. his website is www.ScottSellsNH.com.

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