Loan Mods Not Worth The Hype
We wanted to take some time to speak with you regarding loan mods. One of the more common questions we hear from property owners is "What should we do regarding our house?" The home owners do not want to leave their homes. However, they are either late on their payments or upsidedown with their mortgage. They usually consider doing a loan modification.
We simply want to let you know that the gov't and the media talk regarding loan mods regularly. However, they aren't nearly as valuable as the gov't or media would have you think. There are some good loan mods that happen. However, less than one in ten actually get approved. Some of you watching this may have already found this out by applying for a loan modification yourselves.
You should know that there are two types of loan modifications, principal reduction and change to rate or payment. A principal reduction is nearly non-existent. Perhaps one in 500 get approved. The principal reduction is where the lender says that your mortgage is worth $200,000, but your property is worth $150,000. So the lender redoes your mortgage for $150,000. However, be conscious that if you get a principal reduction you are accountable for the taxes on that $50,000 gift from the lender.
Payment reductions are seen sporadically. When they happen, they are good temporary fixes. However, most people discover that there comes a certain time when they choose to default it. It still doesn't address the fact that your property is not worth the value of your loan. We aren't saying that the loan modification option isn't for you. However, most people usually end up going to the short sale process. The short sale enables you to get a fresh start and meet the criteria to purchase a property in as little as two years.
Most people comprehend that the loan modification didn't help them after the first couple months. We would love to have the chance to speak with you. A short sale is the best alternative for most property owners looking for help.
If you have questions, get them answered here Fountain Hills - Short Sale Experts
For more videos on short sales check out Kevin and Fred on the Short Sale Power Hour. Video for Short Sale Specialists.
The Value of a Real Estate Agent in a BANK SHORT SALE Part I
The bank short sale is becoming a larger margin of the real estate market in the Phoenix Arizona area. Many real estate owners and home owners alike do not fully understand the bank short sale. Hence, one of the most challenging aspects of utilizing the bank short sale is to find a real estate agent that knows the ins and outs of the bank short sale. Many real estate agents in Tempe, AZ shy away from the bank short sale. The three factors that often keep real estate agents away from the bank short sale are the additional work involved, the lack of patience with potential buyers in a bank short sale, and the added stress of the situation that often leads to a bank short sale. Therefore, finding an agent in Tempe, Arizona that is willing to take on a bank short sale is vital to the process.
Here is an explanation of the three challenges above to give you a deeper understanding of just how unique real estate agents are that take on a bank short sale. First and foremost, the bank short sale is more challenging because often times the bank short sale takes what is normally a negotiation between two parties and makes it a negotiation between four parties, as two negotiators are often added to the mix. In a bank short sale, the seller and the banks involved do not proceed in the manner that one would in a traditional sale. Generally speaking, the home owner that is using the bank short sale process is upside down financially and their only goal is to get rid of the loan. The home owner doesn't generally care about getting the best price in a bank short sale. However, sometimes the home owner can work against the bank short sale process by not showing the house at all or showing it in a less than stellar condition.
To complicate the process, the negotiators are not the home owners. The must respect certain policies regarding a bank short sale and are sometimes very difficult to contact and even harder to negotiate with. Negotiators often use their power in the situation to maximize the difficulty of the bank short sale. Also, often times the two negotiators fight amongst themselves because when one gains, the other loses. Also, getting in communications with the negotiators often requires that the home owner has an offer from a potential buyer before they will ever start working on completing a bank short sale. Eventually, there must be an agreement reached on a bank short sale between the seller, the buyer, and both banks. All of these negotiator headaches are even more reason to ensure that you find a real estate agent to handle the bank short sale. Their knowledge and value to the bank short sale process is vital to your sanity if nothing else.
Watch Kevin and Fred, Short Sale Specialists, on the Short Sale Power Hour. Video for Short Sale Specialists.
LOSS MITIGATION, Get An Expert on Your Side
Are you facing foreclosure because your mortgage payment is too high? Are you searching for a form of loss mitigation in Phoenix, Arizona that can help you out with this problem?
Dealing with the bank's loss mitigation department is a very challenging thing to do. With the banks tightening their belts, the process of dealing with loss mitigation has gone from challenging to nearly impossible. Acting quickly in this crucial time of crisis is amazingly important to finding a loss mitigation situation that can work for you.
Loss mitigation can be found with the help of a real estate expert that deals in the short sale of homes. Because of their experience in loss mitigation and helping out people in your situation, they are the best experts to contact when you need to know how to negotiate with your lenders loss mitigation department.
A Short sale specialist in Phoenix, AZ, as a means of loss mitigation, can negotiate with the bank to facilitate a short sale on your behalf. With late fees mounting and a foreclosure notice potentially only weeks away, your loss mitigation needs to be kicked into high gear. The help of a short sale real estate expert can move the loss mitigation process along more smoothly and efficiently on your behalf. Being upside down in your mortgage (upside down refers to the fact that your property's value is less than the your mortgage loan) is not new to a short sale specialist.
Having dealt with your upside down situation several times before with home owners just like you, a short sale specialist can take you through the steps of dealing with the banks loss mitigation department during the short sale of your home. This is also the reason why loss mitigation departments don't mind working under the terms that a short sale provides. When they have the opportunity to deal with someone that understands the process from the home owners side, it makes the banks job much easier.
To be perfectly honest, taking a do it yourself approach to this situation should not even be considered. You would perform open heart surgery on yourself, would you? The same notion applies here. Leave the work to the experts.
Take a quick test to see if a short sale specialist can work for you in your loss mitigation needs.
Is your mortgage higher than the value of your home?
Do you want to avoid foreclosure and/or bankruptcy?
Have you missed payments or are you having trouble making payments?
If you answered "YES" to any or all of these questions, it is time for you to get your loss mitigation in high gear by contacting a real estate expert that deals with short sales. There knowledge of the loss mitigation process is keenly essential to your survival in this process.
Watch Kevin Kauffman and Fred Weaver of Group 46:10, Short Sale Specialists, on the daily Short Sale Power Hour.
The Most Important Thing in a Short Sale
The single most important thing to know is that you have the ability to sell your home in Tempe, AZ for less than you currently owe on your mortgage. After the sale you can simply walk away with no further concerns. The process is called a short sale, and with every passing day in this financial crisis of America, the short sale becomes more and more popular.
The financial situations that home owners in Tempe, Arizona are facing today create great concern. Several real estate experts estimate that more than half of all homes are currently upside down in their mortgage, meaning that the home is worth less than the mortgage. A lot of the blame can be put on poor lending practices, with ARMs and sub prime mortgages. The depreciation of home values has also been a major contributor.
With all of the turmoil, many home owners are facing foreclosure as the number of mortgages in default has skyrocketed. As a result, many people are using the short sale to avoid foreclosure and detach themselves from an upside down mortgage.
When a home owner decides to use a short sale, they must first get the approval of the bank. Because they intend to sell the home for less than the mortgage amount due, the bank can approve or deny the home owner's request to use a short sale. Additionally, the bank can elect to refuse any offer that is made on a short sale home. However, with the rise in foreclosures, very few lenders want to put more property on their books. So, your chances of getting an accepted offer are fairly high.
If your financial circumstances dictate that you should consider a short sale, you are not alone. It is often in your best interest to search out a real estate agent that is familiar with the short sale process and can facilitate your short sale. Several steps need to be done in order to complete a short sale. You first need to get the house reappraised. Given the changing economy and the drastically different housing market when compared to the market that you purchased your home in, the value may have dropped by forty percent or more. After appraisal, place your home on the market and hope for a quick sale.
When you receive an offer, the agent that you are working with will take the offer to the bank and ask them to accept it as payment in full on your mortgage. Although the offer will most likely not cover the entire mortgage payoff, many banks will forgive the remainder of the loan to complete the sale and avoid having to foreclose on your home. However, keep in mind that the lender has full legal right to require payment of the difference.
Homeowners Short On Cash Turn To Short Sale
Processing a short sale transaction in Tempe, AZ can take place for a multitude of reasons given the difficult economic times that we are in. The housing market has been hit hard by this recession. This has caused many home owners to face the fact that they now owe much more than their home is worth. Also, with the popularity of the adjustable rate mortgage over the past ten years, many mortgages have been revised to much higher interest rates.
It is because of these factors that many in Tempe, Arizona can not sell their home to pay off their existing mortgage and soon facing a mortgage payment that they can not afford (or already are facing that payment).
The result of these trying times is that many home owners are resorting to the use of a short sale to rid themselves of a mortgage that they can not or do not want to pay. The short sale has alleviated many headaches for people that have lost their jobs and can not pay the mortgage, or people that purchased more house than they could afford using a ARM. Because of the assumption that the housing market would rise forever, many holding ARMs thought that they could easily sell their home for a profit. However, the are now forced to execute a short sale transaction. With a short sale, the home owner does not get a profit from the sale of a home. Many consider a short sale, a simple way to essentially break even.
Many people facing foreclosure are now resorting to the short sale of their property to get out of their homes quickly. With a short sale, after you are granted the permission from your lender to use a short sale, the home will be priced to sell for less than is currently owed on your mortgage in an attempt to sell it quickly. The bank normally accepts this lower offer as payment in full and the seller can walk away from the transaction debt free.
The short sale has proven popular in large part because of the way that credit bureaus treat it. The short sale of your home will help you avoid a huge black mark on your credit history. This is clearly a better option than walking away from your mortgage obligations and having your house foreclosed on. A foreclosure can last as long as ten years on your credit report.
The short sale of a home in Arizona can be a quick and easily way to get released from the obligation that you have with your mortgage lender to pay off your mortgage. Remember that you first need your bank's approval to short sale your home. Because of the multitude of people facing foreclosure, your chances of getting approval from your bank are very high.
Closing in on a Foreclosure
Buying a foreclosure is much easier than you might think. Most people have the notion that dealing with banks will be a hassle, and bank officers are only looking to say "no" when ever they can. Not so. Banks are in the business of lending money for a return. Owning property is not part of their business plan. So don't be intimidated by dealing with banks.
Here are some things you need to consider as you pursue the purchase of a foreclosure.
First, foreclosed properties will be bought "as is". That is, what you see is what you get. The bank has not done any upkeep or fixed any parts of the property as, again, that's not the business they are in. So make sure you hire a reputable property inspector. And here's a hint: when you have found an inspector who will work for you, tell the bank you are willing to shorten the inspection period you require. Sometimes they will jump on this idea as they are just wanting to get rid of the property as quickly as possible.
Second, know the neighborhood. Even in these times, the standard real estate axiom applies: buy the worst property in the best neighborhood. Unless, of course, you plan on living on the property. But even then, you want to protect your investment by buying in a good neighborhood.
The bank will generally use two tactics when accepting offers. First, they will take offers up to an appointed time then toss out all but the top two. They will then ask you for your best offer and/or your final offer. The bank wants to get as much money from you as possible, like any seller. Second, they might accept the first decent offer they get.
Finally, there are real estate professionals in your town that have represented and sold foreclosed properties. Your agent should be able to get for you some critical information that you will need. Such as: comparable sales, pending sales, and the number of offers on the property. Of course, the number of offers on a property will impact the offer you come in with. And your real estate professional will submit your pre-approval letter to the bank so that they know your offer is legitimate. But, again, when finding a professional that you need to trust, ask around.
If you happen to live in the California's bay area there are many areas that offer great deals on foreclosed homes. Two of the areas I would recommend are Hollister Ca homes for sale and San Jose Ca homes for sale.
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STOP FORECLOSURE SALE BEFORE IT STARTS
There are numerous rumors and ideas in Phoenix, Arizona as to how you can effectively stop foreclosure sale. Some people will tell you to declare bankruptcy in order to stop foreclosure sale, but this is only effect in some states. Also, the states that allow you to stop foreclosure sale with bankruptcy filing don't give you the full truth as this will often times only delay the time that you may lose you home. Other experts out there cling to the belief that clever legal tactics can stop foreclosure sale, but once again, this is just a delay to the inevitable sale of your home. The truth is, as soon as the bank has foreclosed on your home, it is not your home anymore. There are certainly ways to regain possession, but foreclosure means that a judge has already ruled the property now belongs to the lender.
If you were to elect the bankruptcy route to keep your home, there is a possibility that you can have your loan considered for repayment in Phoenix, AZ. Then you and the lender would agree to a new payment schedule. Obviously, bankruptcy has some seriously negative consequences though. Your credit and ability to buy or do many things in life will be tarnished for at least seven years. Generally, bankruptcy should be a last resort. And we assure you, it is not the best option, nor is it even a good option to consider.
If your home has been foreclosed on, there are still options available to you to stop foreclosure sale. However, to stop foreclosure sale is a very difficult thing to do. Essentially, the power to stop foreclosure sale is in the hands of the lender or in some rare cases, a judge.
Basically, what we are trying to impress on you is that you do not want to be in a position to have to stop foreclosure sale. The key is to find a solution before you every have to figure out how to stop foreclosure sale. Foreclosure, or impending foreclosure, is often the result of your inability to pay the lender. So, chances are, without your aunt passing away leaving you a large sum of money or winning the lottery, you will not be able to make the loan current to stop foreclosure and in turn, stop foreclosure sale.
So, quite simply, there is one quality option available to you to stop foreclosure sale. Do not allow the lender to foreclose. How can you do that when you can't pay the lender? Find someone who is knowledgeable in short sales. The short sale is the SINGLE BEST OPTION available to you.
In a nutshell, a short sale is when you, as the home owner, put your house up for sale at a price for less than the value of the loan. Next, find a buyer at the lesser price. Then, the real estate expert works with you and the lender to convince the lender to take the lesser amount and forgive the remainder of the loan.
Why would the lender take a lesser amount and forgive the remainder of the loan? Because, lenders understand the economics of the situation. They realize that if they foreclose on the home, they will incur more cost and also get a lower price when they sell the home at foreclosure. So, it is in their best interest to take the offer that you are extending to them.
The Credit Problems of a Short Sale Vs Foreclosure
It seems that in some towns in California, Michigan and Florida, nearly one is three homes you drive by are for sale. Most likely these homes are not simply voluntary sales by sellers looking to simply move, but rather, a short sale or a foreclosure. More and more homes are going into foreclosure in this economy, or at least being sold short. A short sale is when a homeowner is under water and agrees with the bank to sell the home for less than what is owed on the mortgage. A Foreclosure is simply the bank repossessing your home.
So, what are the credit advantages of a Short sale over a foreclosure?
If you have to foreclose on your home, you will not only have the embarrassment of being kicked out of the place you are living, but also take quite a hit on your credit score. The average drop in your Credit score will be between 200-300 points. In addition to this, you will not be able to buy a new home on credit for 7 years. For a short sale, the credit score drop can still be up to 300 points, however, as of late it seems like the drop is more in the 100-200 point range. Unlike with a foreclosure, the person will be able to purchase a new home after a 2 year waiting period usually.
The one advantage of going the foreclosure route instead of selling your home short is that you can usually live in the foreclosed home for 4-12 months, mortgage free, in a foreclosure, until the bank forces you to vacate.
Neither option is something anyone ever wants to go through, however it's nice to know the positives and negatives of each, just in case you are in the ever growing group that has to make these decisions.
Check out more information on Credit scores and also the Credit Forum
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The Value of a Real Estate Agent in a BANK SHORT SALE Part III
The final challenge to overcome in the bank short sale process is the ever mounting stress. We've already touched on this a bit in the above concerns and also in Part I of this article. However, the bank short sale process brings stresses from several angles. There is undue stress from how the bank deals with the bank short sale process and stress from the loved ones around you that think they are helping by giving you advice. There is also stress from the time that it takes to complete a bank short sale. That is why a real estate agent, to deal with banks and negotiators, is so essential.
With the bank short sale becoming an increasing popular tool in Queen Creek, AZ to help home owners out of soe tight situations, the real esate agent is critical to making the process move smoothly All that being said, we could tell you to avoid the bank short sale, but that is not in your best interest if you find yourself in an upside down mortgage situation. The bank short sale is the best option for you if you have an ally in the battle with the bank and the buyer and the negotiator. Tackling this daunting process without the help of a supremely qualified agent can be enough to push you to the crazy house. So, why do we deal in bank short sale listings? The simply answer is this. The bank short sale can bring to fruition three happy parties. First, the bank, that gets more money for the property through the bank short sale process than they would if they had to foreclose on the home and sell it. Second, the current home owner wins by using the bank short sale to get themselves out of an upside down mortgage. And Third, the new home buyer uses the bank short sale as a way to get a great property at a reduced price.
Bank short sale listing can offer a buyer in Queen Creek, Arizona a great opportunity to get into a home that is ready to live in. It gives the seller a way out and the bank a little less loss. Also, because of the bank short sale process, they can be real winners in the negotiation process.
Currently, banks and home owners alike are having their cups run over with upside down mortgages. The bank short sale can help out all parties in making a bad situation a little bit better. Avoiding foreclosure in lieu of a bank short sale is in everyone's best interest and using an experienced real estate agent to facilitate the bank short sale is in your best interest.
Short sell your Home For Happiness
Everyone knows that the real estate market is in big trouble. People don't have the credit or money to qualify for a mortgage in Queen Creek, Arizona. And those that have mortgages and the homes that go with them are realizing that they have an upside down mortgage. This happens when a house is worth less than the mortgage that is owed. If you find yourself in that upside down situation, it would be a great time to consider a short sell in Queen Creek, AZ. When you short sell your home, you are able to avoid foreclosure and walk away from your home debt free.
There are lots of advantages to a short sell. First of all, the buyer is probably going to get a bargain price on your home. The seller can relieve themselves from a mortgage that they can no longer afford to pay, or that they may not want to pay. Most importantly, the short sell allows the home owner to avoid foreclosure.
A short sell is not a simple process. There are lots of things that need to be considered if you want to short sell your home. It is advised that you find a real estate agent to help you short sell your home. This will get your home sold quickly.
Because the short sell is unlike other real estate transactions, you should search out a real estate agent that has experience with the short sell process.
Determining the current market value of your home is critical. Find a qualified appraiser also. Your old appraisal will probably not be sufficient.
The next step is to put your home up for sale on the market and see how many offers come in. Having a buyer beforehand can speed up the short sell process quite a bit. It is important to remember that if you are going to short sell your home, the bank must approve of the offer and the sale is going to be on their terms. This shouldn't be a source of concern for you because the bank is in no position to foreclose on your home and take possession of it.
It is important to remember that the bank is in the business of making money. With every home they foreclose on, there are fees and legal hassles to contend with. Their goal, much like yours, is to avoid foreclosure.
If you have heard of others in your position that are using other options of avoiding foreclosure, the chance is great that they are only putting off a pending foreclosure. Short sell your home to alleviate the stress that your finances are putting on you.
You are not alone in this process. If a short sell works for others, it can work for you too.




Fred Weaver is a founding co-owner of Group 46:10. He has been working in the financing/real estate business for over 7 years. Fred began his real estate career by working for a large wholesale bank as a processor and rate/lock specialist for home mortgages. After 2 years in the business, Fred transferred from the banking side of home loans to the mortgage side. While on the mortgage side of financing, Fred gained experience originating mortgages and processing files for Morgan Capital of Arizona, Inc.
Kevin is a founding co-owner of Group 46:10. He began working in the real estate business in 2007 after spending 8 years working in the finance industry for companies such as Bank One, Green Tree Financial, & GE Capital.