estate - Blog - REO Pro Network2024-03-29T11:54:11Zhttps://www.reopronetwork.com/profiles/blogs/feed/tag/estateRenting to Students in Santa Cruz, Ca: Pro's and Conshttps://www.reopronetwork.com/profiles/blogs/renting-to-students-in-santa-cruz-ca-pro-s-and-cons2017-10-01T19:09:07.000Z2017-10-01T19:09:07.000ZMarcy Moyerhttps://www.reopronetwork.com/members/MarcyMoyer<div><div class="featured-image"><img alt="Featured Image" src="http://activerain-store.s3.amazonaws.com/blog_entries/269/5119269/original/1313_high_front.jpg?1506884479" /></div><div class="blog-content style-reset-for-user-content user-content addthis-image-container"><p>I am a realtor and a <a href="http://marcymoyer.com/investmentandrental" target="_blank">Santa Cruz rental property investor</a> since 2000. There are many reasons to <a href="http://marcymoyer.com/investmentandrental" target="_blank">invest in Santa Cruz rental properties</a>, some of which I have discussed in <a href="http://activerain.com/blogsview/5118169/santa-cruz--ca--is-a-great-place-for-real-estate-investors" target="_blank">this article</a>. Today I want to talk about what the pros and cons are in renting to UCSC students. </p><p> </p><p>Here are the pros that I have experienced.</p><p>1. Vacancies are virtually non existent: There are almost $18,000 UCSC students and in any given year there is only room to house about 8,000 of them on campus. There are always many thousands of students looking for a place to rent, so the potential pool leaves no vacancies in your <a href="http://marcymoyer.com/investmentandrental" target="_blank">Santa Cruz investment rental properties</a>.</p><p> </p><p>2. Students pay more money: They frequently will pay more per bedroom and sleep 2-3 in a room just to have a place to stay. Here is a link to what students expect to pay from the UCSC community housing page. <a href="https://communityrentals.ucsc.edu/cost/index.html" target="_blank">https://communityrentals.ucsc.edu/cost/index.html</a></p><p> </p><p>3. The rent money is very secure: The students get financial aid and/or are supported by their parents. In 17 years and 4 rental properties as a <a href="http://marcymoyer.com/investmentandrental" target="_blank">Santa Cruz rental home investor</a> I have only had a problem getting paid once.</p><p> </p><p>4. UCSC makes the rental process very easy for a<a href="http://marcymoyer.com/investmentandrental" target="_blank"> Santa Cruz rental investor</a>: They give workshops to the students on what they need to do to look attractive to a <a href="http://marcymoyer.com/investmentandrental" target="_blank">Santa Cruz rental investor</a>. They come to you with complete rental applications, credit reports, references, and certificates saying they understand what it takes to be a good renter. The university posts your rental for free so you have a large pool of possible renters.</p><p> </p><p>5. Students replicate themselves making the rental process even easier: My experience has been when one student moves out they have another take their place making the process seamless for the<a href="http://marcymoyer.com/investmentandrental" target="_blank"> Santa Cruz rental investor</a>.</p><p> </p><p>6. Santa Cruz students are often long term renter: If you get the students early, in their sophomore or junior year they often stay for 3-4 years or more. making the cost of turnover very low.</p><p> </p><p>7. Santa Cruz students can vacate in the summer if you want a summer beach home that is rented for 9 or 10 months: If you are a <a href="http://marcymoyer.com/investmentandrental" target="_blank">Santa Cruz rental property investor</a> who wants a place in the summer for yourself you can rent to students during the school year and keep it for yourself in the summers. Many students go home in the summers, and the ones who don't can always find a sublet from another student who is going home. It is a way to have a vacation home that more than pays for itself.</p><p> </p><p>Cons of renting to UCSC students:</p><p> </p><p>1. Insurance on the house can be tricky: Recently many insurance companies, including the one I have always used, State Farm have decided they do not want to insure homes that are filled to the brim with students in college towns. They see them as Frat houses and won't write new policies. You can get commercial insurance, which is more expensive than residential or find the rare insurer who will do it. I found that CIG insurance out of Monterrey was willing to write a residential policy at competitive prices.</p><p> </p><p>2. Large homes can be a hot bed of petty emotional issues for the <a href="http://marcymoyer.com/investmentandrental" target="_blank">Santa Cruz rental property investor</a>.: If you are the owner of a large home with 6-10 students they may turn to you when there is a spat between the tenants. It is a time and emotional drain. I put one person in charge and have that person deal with issues like who is going to clean the house, noise complaints, bullying, etc. They have the final say. It works pretty well.</p><p> </p><p>3. Students are often unaware of what it takes to take care of a house: Students do not always understand what it takes to care of a home and things can be damaged by mistake, even without large parties or Frat behavior. The way to ameliorate this is to buy a house that does not have delicate finishes and educate the students on basic home maintenance. My tenants know they need to call me right away if something is wrong and not let a small problem get out of hand. I would rather be over called than under called, and they know it.</p><p>So as a long time owner of <a href="http://marcymoyer.com/investmentandrental" target="_blank">Santa Cruz rental property</a> I can enthusiastically say that renting to Santa Cruz students is a good thing from an investor perspective and not something to be afraid of.</p><p> </p><p>If you have any questions about becoming a <a href="http://marcymoyer.com/investmentandrental" target="_blank">Santa Cruz rental property investor</a> please feel free to contact me.</p><p>Marcy Moyer</p><p>eXp Realty of California</p><p>650-619-9285</p><p><a href="mailto:marcy@marcymoyer.com">marcy@marcymoyer.com</a></p><p><a href="http://www.marcymoyer.com/">www.marcymoyer.com</a></p><p>Specializing in Probate, Trust, and Investment Properties</p></div></div>Santa Cruz, Ca. Is A Great Place For Real Estate Investorshttps://www.reopronetwork.com/profiles/blogs/santa-cruz-ca-is-a-great-place-for-real-estate-investors2017-10-01T19:07:13.000Z2017-10-01T19:07:13.000ZMarcy Moyerhttps://www.reopronetwork.com/members/MarcyMoyer<div><div class="featured-image"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /><img alt="Featured Image" src="http://activerain-store.s3.amazonaws.com/blog_entries/169/5118169/original/001_719_pine.jpg?1506615953" /></div><div class="blog-content style-reset-for-user-content user-content addthis-image-container"><p>Santa Cruz, known for the beach, the boardwalk, Pacific Ave, hippies, and organic food, along with University of California Santa Cruz is also probably the best place for <a href="http://marcymoyer.com/investmentandrental" target="_blank">investors looking for rental properties</a> right now. Here are some reasons why.</p><p> </p><ul><li>62% of Santa Cruz <a href="http://marcymoyer.com/investmentandrental" target="_blank">residents live in rentals</a>, compared to a ntional average of 43%</li><li>Average sale price of <a href="http://marcymoyer.com/investmentandrental" target="_blank">Santa Cruz homes</a> has doubled in the last 5 years</li><li>Cap rates for <a href="http://marcymoyer.com/investmentandrental" target="_blank">Santa Cruz rental properties</a> are between 3.5-4% very easy to obtain, as opposed to 2.5-3% in The Silicon Valley</li><li>No rent control but there is a one year moratorium on <a href="http://marcymoyer.com/investmentandrental" target="_blank">Santa Cruz short term rental permits</a> so Air B&B investments not the way to go now.</li><li>While the market is apprectiating the competition for <a href="http://marcymoyer.com/investmentandrental" target="_blank">investment homes in Santa Cruz</a> is not as great as in Silicon Valley</li><li>There are still <a href="http://marcymoyer.com/investmentandrental" target="_blank">Santa Cruz home sales</a> contingent on the sale of another property, making 1031 exchanges much easier.</li><li>Accepted offers almost always have contingnecies so you have time to figure out if the property makes sense for your portfolio.</li><li>Would you rather visit your <a href="http://marcymoyer.com/investmentandrental" target="_blank">rental property in Santa Cruz</a> or Milpitas? I would pick Santa Cruz any day.</li><li>UCSC only guarentees housing for students for 2 years. They have over 18,000 students. The housing shortage is so acute that students are living 3 to a room or in their cars, not because they don't have the money for housing, but because there is such a shortage.</li></ul><p> </p><p><a href="http://marcymoyer.com/investmentandrental" target="_blank">Smart Silicon Valley investors</a> should look at Santa Cruz as a place where your money goes further and the cash flow is so much better. </p><p>I have put my money where my mouth is and own 3 <a href="http://marcymoyer.com/investmentandrental" target="_blank">Santa Cruz rental properties</a> myself.</p><p>I encourage you to contact me if you have any questions about how and why to buy a <a href="http://marcymoyer.com/investmentandrental" target="_blank">rental property in Santa Cruz</a>.</p><p>Marcy Moyer</p><p>eXp Realty of California</p><p>650-619-9285</p><p><a href="mailto:marcy@marcymoyer.com">marcy@marcymoyer.com</a></p><p><a href="http://www.marcymoyer.com/">www.marcymoyer.com</a></p><p>Specializing in Probate, Trust, and Investment Properties</p></div></div>Secrets to Real Estate Success for Newbieshttps://www.reopronetwork.com/profiles/blogs/secrets-to-real-estate-success-for-newbies2017-09-21T19:25:42.000Z2017-09-21T19:25:42.000ZNicole Oceanhttps://www.reopronetwork.com/members/NicoleOcean<div><p style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;text-align:center;"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:Calibri;font-size:medium;"><span style="color:#008080;font-size:12pt;"><strong>Secrets to Real Estate Success for Newbies</strong></span></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;text-align:left;"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:Calibri;font-size:medium;"><span style="color:#008080;font-size:12pt;"><img width="340" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}4359200250,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="4359200250?profile=original" /></span></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:Calibri;font-size:medium;">Getting started in real estate can be tough is almost like trying to learn a brand, new game. It comes with its very own set of special rules, laws, systems, standards and guidelines that you must learn. While you are trying to become more competitive in an already over-saturated field where everyone knows someone who is a real estate agent or broker, you must be able to figure out a way to hustle and be different than your competition.</span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:Calibri;font-size:medium;">As you try to balance your new career and all the responsibilities that come with us, the real test of success is seeing if you can really juggle everything in the air at once, keep it moving smoothly so you don’t drop any balls and come out making enough money to maintain the lifestyle that you desire.</span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:Calibri;font-size:medium;">All of this is possible and I know because I’ve “been there, done that” myself. I’ve been a new real estate agent and quickly learned how to carve out a niche for myself so that I could not only stay in real estate and keep practicing it but also to see to it that I was thriving in my career. The same is possible for you, even though nothing is promised to you, you have the same opportunities to succeed as everyone else, IF you are willing to work for it, learn how to play the game and keep up with your duties on a daily basis.</span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:Calibri;font-size:medium;">For me, I found out about a way to make supplemental my income by doing CMA types of reports for banks called, broker price opinions. It saved me in more ways than one, in fact it helped pull me out of poverty as a single Mom to a young, bright-eyed and very loveable boy. And I’ve never looked back!</span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:Calibri;font-size:medium;">I’m very vocal about the BPO industry and I’m in love with it. I live to help real estate professionals around this great nation of ours that want to also carve out a niche for themselves in their real estate business by doing BPO’s. I also live for coaching and teaching, it’s what makes me happiest at my core on a professional level.</span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:Calibri;font-size:medium;">If you are curious to learn more about anything related to BPO’s, I’d love to be your guide, your coach and hopefully someone that you look up to.</span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:Calibri;font-size:medium;">Learn more about my newly updated “Broker Price Opinion Basics 101” video course here:</span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:Calibri;font-size:medium;"><a href="http://bpo-university.com/courses.html">http://bpo-university.com/courses.html</a></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:Calibri;font-size:medium;">If you already know the basics about BPO’s then I’d like to invite you to learn more about how to double and triple your BPO income by using BPO AutoFill software here:</span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;text-align:justify;"><span style="color:#000000;font-family:Calibri;font-size:medium;"><a href="http://bpo-automation.com/">http://bpo-automation.com</a></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 8pt;text-align:justify;"></p><p>Your BPO Coach,</p><p>Nicole Ocean</p><p style="text-align:center;"> </p><table width="645"><tbody><tr><td class="center"><p class="center" style="text-align:center;"><strong>BPO AUTOMATION GROUP-CLEARLY THE LEADER IN THE BPO SOFTWARE INDUSTRY!</strong></p><p class="center" style="text-align:center;">Finish Your BPO Orders Faster With The Industry Leader Since 2009.</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><table width="643"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align:center;"> BPO Automation Group</td><td><p style="text-align:center;">Phone: (360) 223-2482<br /><a target="_blank"><span style="color:#228cd3;">E-mail: sales@bpo-automation.com</span></a><br />495 Grand Boulevard Suite #206</p><p style="text-align:center;">Miramar Beach, FL 32550<br /><a href="http://www.bpo-automation.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#228cd3;">www.bpo-automation.com</span></a></p></td><td class="center"><table width="171" border="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td width="20" style="margin-top:4.32pt;margin-bottom:0pt;vertical-align:baseline;"><a title="Facebook" href="https://www.facebook.com/bpo.automation"><span style="color:#228cd3;"><img width="20" alt="icon" src="http://www.reoprofessional.com/temp/fbookico.png" /></span></a></td><td width="20"><a title="Twitter" href="https://twitter.com/bpoautomation"><span style="color:#228cd3;"><img width="20" style="text-align:left;margin-top:4.32pt;margin-bottom:0pt;vertical-align:baseline;" alt="icon" src="http://www.reoprofessional.com/temp/twitterico.png" /></span></a></td><td width="20"><a title="YouTube" href="http://www.youtube.com/user/bpoautomation"><span style="margin-top:4.32pt;margin-bottom:0pt;vertical-align:baseline;"><span style="color:#228cd3;"><img width="20" alt="icon" src="http://www.reoprofessional.com/temp/ytubeico.png" /></span></span></a></td><td width="20"><a title="Google+" href="http://emailmarketer.bpo-automation.com/admin/index.php?Page=Newsletters&Action=Edit&SubAction=Step2&id=121"><span style="margin-top:4.32pt;margin-bottom:0pt;vertical-align:baseline;"><span style="color:#228cd3;"><img width="20" alt="icon" src="http://www.reoprofessional.com/temp/gplusico.png" /></span></span></a></td><td width="20" style="text-align:justify;margin-top:4.32pt;margin-bottom:0pt;vertical-align:baseline;"><a title="ActiveRain" href="http://activerain.com/blogs/nicoleocean"><span style="color:#228cd3;"><img width="20" alt="icon" src="http://www.reoprofessional.com/temp/rainico.png" /></span></a></td></tr></tbody></table> </td></tr></tbody></table></div>Seller Must Dos --Before Listinghttps://www.reopronetwork.com/profiles/blogs/seller-must-dos-before-listing2017-03-15T20:06:32.000Z2017-03-15T20:06:32.000ZKAREN WATKINShttps://www.reopronetwork.com/members/KARENWATKINS<div>1. Clean, clean, clean. Be sure to clean every nook and cranny in the house.2. Pay attention to smells. Sellers should not smoke in the House or exits duringthe listing period. If pets are allowed in the home, refresh the home daily withair freshener - like Glade.3. Clear out the clutter in the closets, in the bookcases, on the tables, in walkways, on counters, orlaying on furniture. Your goal is to make the house neat and attractive.4. Boost the curb appeal - by trimming bushes, shrubs, pulling weeds, cutting grass, andedging around driveways and islands.5. Freshen up the decor with a new coat of paint in a neutral color and update curtains and bedding.6. Remove bulky couches or arrange furniture to make home look spacious and inviting.7. Last -remember to repair or replace broken lighting or fixtures so buyers feel the houseis well maintained.</div>Selling A Palo Alto Home In Probate or Trust With or Without Tenantshttps://www.reopronetwork.com/profiles/blogs/selling-a-palo-alto-home-in-probate-or-trust-with-or-without2017-01-08T15:52:43.000Z2017-01-08T15:52:43.000ZMarcy Moyerhttps://www.reopronetwork.com/members/MarcyMoyer<div><p><img src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/agents/marcymoyer/files/315%20melville%20front%20night.jpg" alt="Palo Alto Probate Home" width="700" height="467" /></p><p>This is a question I get asked all the time. When an owner has passed and has rental property should the heirs sell the <a href="http://www.marcymoyer.com/trustandprobatesales" target="_blank">Palo Alto probate or trust home</a> with the tenants in place, or wait until the lease is up?</p><p> </p><p>While most years I would say wait until the tenants are gone but with the uncertainty of how interest rates will affect prices and what will happen to a Palo Alto market that has already shown signs of slowing, even with very tight inventory, the answer is not clear cut.</p><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.marcymoyer.com/trustandprobatesales" target="_blank">Sell Palo Alto Probate or Trust Home</a> With Tenant: Pros:</p><p> </p><ol><li><span> </span>Palo Alto school Priority 1 Registration goes from Jan 12 thru Feb 15th. That is the best chance of getting your child in the school closest to you. There is always a space in a Palo Alto school for a resident, but getting the one closest to you is best obtained if you are a resident during this period. Selling with tenants in a <a href="http://www.marcymoyer.com/trustandprobatesales" target="_blank">Palo Alto probate</a> rental may allow the buyer to get a leg up on school registration for the next year.</li><li><span> </span>Interest rates are lower now than they will be next summer, or even in March and maybe Feb. A 3 million dollar <a href="http://www.marcymoyer.com/trustandprobatesales" target="_blank">Palo Alto probate home</a> has a very good chance of having a loan on it so the less a buyer has to pay for the mortgage the more they can afford for the home. For every 1 point increase in interest rates there is a 10 % increase in payment.</li><li><span> </span>The inventory is very low and the Palo Alto housing is market still active. It is unknown what will happen as the year goes on. The market could go down as interest rates go up, or if there is a natural disaster, a world event, or terrorist attack.</li><li><span> </span>Some people who buy <a href="http://www.marcymoyer.com/trustandprobatesales" target="_blank">Palo Alto homes in Probate or Trust</a> early are happy to rent the house out until the end of the school year because they do not want to move until school is out if they are relocating.</li></ol><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.marcymoyer.com/trustandprobatesales">http://www.marcymoyer.com/trustandprobatesales</a><a href="http://www.marcymoyer.com/trustandprobatesales" target="_blank">http://www.marcymoyer.com/trustandprobatesales</a> With a Tenant Cons:</p><p> </p><ol><li><span> </span>Harder to show house</li><li><span> </span>You will not be able to make interior upgrades or stage with a tenant in place so it may depress the price somewhat</li><li><span> </span>The tenant may be messy or say inappropriate things to potential buyers which could depress the price.</li><li><span> </span>If the tenant does not have beautiful furniture the professional pictures will not look as good.</li></ol><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.marcymoyer.com/trustandprobatesales" target="_blank">Sell Palo Alto Probate or Trust Home</a> After Tenant Lleaves Pros:</p><p> </p><ol><li><span> </span>You can have the interior painted, wood floors refinished, new carpet, and any other cosmetic upgrades you want that will help bring in more money.</li><li><span> </span>You can professionally stage the property and the photos will look much better.</li><li><span> </span>Much easier to show the house and have open houses which bring in more people and help bring in a better price.</li></ol><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.marcymoyer.com/trustandprobatesales" target="_blank">Sell Palo Alto Home in Probate or Trust</a> After tenant leaves Cons:</p><p> </p><ol><li><span> </span>Interest rates will be higher which will depress the price. It is unknown by how much because it also depends on how the stock market is doing, most likely for Apple, Google, Facebook, and Linkedin.</li><li><span> </span>If there is a trade war with China tech stocks could be hurt more than other sectors. This would make less money available for down payments for most of the buyers in the area.</li><li><span> </span>If the dollar continues to be strong foreign investors will be much less likely to be buying homes in Palo Alto.</li><li><span> </span>The best time to sell a home in Palo Alto in from Jan thru early June. The second best is the fall. If the tenants are out in June and the home is prepared in July and Aug and on the market in Sept you have missed the best time, but may get the second best time, but only by waiting until Sept to put home on market.</li></ol><p> </p><p>So as you can see the answer is not clear. No one can say for sure what will happen to the real estate market in 2017. If you are in this situation now it is probably a good idea to add your own Pros and Cons to this list to get a feel for what may work best in your situation.</p><p> </p><p>If you have any questions about <a href="http://www.marcymoyer.com/trustandprobatesales" target="_blank">selling a home in Probate or Trust</a> please feel free to contact me.</p><p>Marcy Moyer</p><p>Keller Williams Realty</p><p><a href="http://marcymoyer.com/trustandprobatesales">Specializing in Probate and Trust Sales</a></p><p>650-619-9285</p><p><a href="mailto:marcy@marcymoyer.com">marcy@marcymoyer.com</a></p><p><a href="http://www.marcymoyer.com">www.marcymoyer.com</a></p></div>Buying A San Jose Condo That is in Litigationhttps://www.reopronetwork.com/profiles/blogs/buying-a-san-jose-condo-that-is-in-litigation2017-01-03T16:38:35.000Z2017-01-03T16:38:35.000ZMarcy Moyerhttps://www.reopronetwork.com/members/MarcyMoyer<div><p><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /><img src="http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/agents/marcymoyer/files/1060%20s%203rd%20131%20brickyard%20sign.jpg" alt="Brickyard San Jose" width="700" height="393" /></p><p>Developers don’t build condos with the intention of sloppy work that they hope no one will notice. But never the less, they almost always get sued in about year 8-9.</p><p> </p><p>In California, new construction comes with a 10 year warranty on latent defects on the structure. In plain terms home owners and homeowner associations have 10 years to sue a developer if they find problems with the structural components of a building such as the roof, walls, plumbing or electrical systems, garages, decks, etc.</p><p> </p><p>So, around year 8, if no problems have emerged, many HOA communities will hire a company to look at the building and see if there are potential problems that can happen due to faulty construction. If there are known problems they hire someone to try to figure out the fixes to the issues.</p><p> </p><p>The communities will approach the builder to fix the discovered issues, and if the builder does not feel there is a problem, or the problem is not their responsibility then a law suit may be filed.</p><p> </p><p>Once the suit is filed most lenders will not make loans on the property. The few who do will charge interest rates 1 to 2 pts higher than a traditional lender.</p><p> </p><p>This can put the brakes on sales in the development, and will temporarily depress the price.</p><p> </p><p>If you are a cash buyer, buying a <a href="http://marcymoyer.com/MapSearch?realtorId=1373539599&realtorId=1373539599" target="_blank">San Jose Condo in litigation</a> for a rental property can be a good idea if you follow these steps:</p><p> </p><ol><li><span> </span>Look at the report that explains what the problems are that need to be addressed. If the issues are ones that do not need immediate attention that is better. If the plumbing system has failed, or there is major water intrusion into the building the homeowners may be hit with a special assessment during the multi year lawsuit. Even if the HOA of the <a href="http://marcymoyer.com/MapSearch?realtorId=1373539599&realtorId=1373539599" target="_blank">San Jose condo in litigation</a> wins the individual homeowners may not be reimbursed.</li><li><span> </span>Find out what the estimated cost to repair the issues are for the <a href="http://marcymoyer.com/MapSearch?realtorId=1373539599&realtorId=1373539599" target="_blank">San Jose condo in litigation</a>. Take that number and divide by the number of units, or if available the percentage of ownership the condo in question has. So if the estimate is 10 million dollars, and there are 500 units with equal shares then each unit would be responsible for about 20 thousand in repairs if all units pay condo fees equally.</li><li><span> </span>Find the market value of the condo you are interested in by looking at the most recent sale of that model before the San Jose condo litigation.</li><li><span> </span>Subtract the amount of potential assessment.</li><li><span> </span>If the market is slowing down overall subtract more.</li><li><span> </span>Explain that you are taking the risk that the HOA of the <a href="http://marcymoyer.com/MapSearch?realtorId=1373539599&realtorId=1373539599" target="_blank">San Jose Condo in litigation</a> will not prevail in court, and even if they do the homeowners may be assessed before then. You are taking that risk, and buying when most others are not able. You are betting that you will not be assessed.</li><li><span> </span>Even in a very hot market, this is a good way to get a better price on a <a href="http://marcymoyer.com/MapSearch?realtorId=1373539599&realtorId=1373539599" target="_blank">San Jose condo in litigation</a> than you would otherwise be able to.</li><li><span> </span>It is safest to do it when the builder is a very large and stable company, rather than a less well capitalized entity that is more likely to go bankrupt.</li></ol><p> </p><p>There is obviously risk involved, but since such a large percentage of builders get sued, it can be a good long term investment. For example, <a href="http://marcymoyer.com/MapSearch?realtorId=1373539599&realtorId=1373539599" target="_blank">The Brickyard in San Jose</a> was in litigation in 2011-2012. During 2011 one bedroom condos sold for $140,000-$180,000. The litigation was setteled and in 2016 one bedrooms condos sold for $365,000-$395,000. If you bought a condo for at <a href="http://marcymoyer.com/MapSearch?realtorId=1373539599&realtorId=1373539599" target="_blank">The Brickyard</a> with cash in 2011 for you would have at least doubled your money in 5 years plus get an additional $800 to $1500 a month profit in rent over the last 5 years. And this was a building with serious problems that have now been fixed with proceeds from the successful law suit.</p><p>Most suits are settled, the deficiencies are fixed, and the <a href="http://marcymoyer.com/MapSearch?realtorId=1373539599&realtorId=1373539599" target="_blank">San Jose condos in litigation</a> go on to appreciate.</p><p> </p><p>If you have any questions about buying a <a href="/" target="_blank">San Jose condo in litigation</a> as a rental property please feel free to contact me.</p><p>Marcy Moyer</p><p>Keller Williams Realty</p><p><a href="http://marcymoyer.com/trustandprobatesales">Specializing in Probate and Trust Sales</a></p><p>650-619-9285</p><p><a href="mailto:marcy@marcymoyer.com">marcy@marcymoyer.com</a></p><p><a href="http://www.marcymoyer.com">www.marcymoyer.com</a></p></div>How Does Mountain View Just Cause Eviction Affect A Probate Sale?https://www.reopronetwork.com/profiles/blogs/how-does-mountain-view-just-cause-eviction-effect-a-probate-sale2016-12-17T15:30:00.000Z2016-12-17T15:30:00.000ZMarcy Moyerhttps://www.reopronetwork.com/members/MarcyMoyer<div><p></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}4359199280,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="750" src="{{#staticFileLink}}4359199280,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-full" alt="4359199280?profile=original" /></a></p><p></p><p>On Nov. 8th Mountain Voters approved Measure V, commonly known as the Rent Control Measure. If you are the Administrator of a <a href="http://www.marcymoyer.com/trustandprobatesales" target="_blank">Mountain View Probate Estate that has rental property</a> to sell this is a huge deal. You need to know the rules in order to make sure the property is sold without breaking any new laws.</p><p> </p><p>What does restricting rental price increases have to do with selling a <a href="http://www.marcymoyer.com/trustandprobatesales" target="_blank">Mountain View rental in Probate</a>you may ask? Well, I’ll tell you.</p><p> </p><p>The reason is <a href="http://www.mountainview.gov/depts/comdev/preservation/rentstabilization.asp" target="_blank">MOUNTAIN VIEW JUST CAUSE EVICTION</a>.</p><p> </p><p>Measure V relates to not only rent control, but also JUST CAUSE EVICTION.</p><p> </p><p>Just Cause Eviction means that tenants cannot be asked to vacate just because the lease is up or they are on a month to month rental and you give 30 or 60 days notice (if they have been there a year or more).</p><p> </p><p>Tenants can only be told to leave a <a href="http://marcymoyer.com/MapSearch?realtorId=1373539599&realtorId=1373539599" target="_blank">Mountain View Rental Property</a> under the following circumstances:</p><p> </p><ol><li><span> </span>Failure to pay rent or other breach of lease</li><li><span> </span>Continuing failure to give landlord access</li><li><span> </span>Repairs that will last over 30 days that are needed for code upgrades or health and safety reasons. NOTE: COSMETIC REPAIRS ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THIS EXEMPTION. This would include a kitchen or bath re-model to make the property more valuable.</li><li><span> </span>Owner or family member going to occupy the entire property</li><li><span> </span>Withdrawal from rental market with 120 day notice to tenant, unless over 62, disabled, or a tenant for 5 years or more. In these circumstances you need 1 year notice.</li></ol><p> </p><p>The good thing is that single family homes, condos, and duplexes are exempt from both rent control and Mountain View Just Cause Eviction. If you are an <a href="http://www.marcymoyer.com/trustandprobatesales" target="_blank">Administrator of a Mountain View Probate Estate</a> that has a four- plex or more units to sell Mountain View JUST CAUSE EVICTION rules will apply to the estate.</p><p> </p><p>Some things you should NOT do before selling the building are:</p><p> </p><ol><li><span> </span>Try to evict the tenants because they make the building look messy.</li><li><span> </span>Try to evict the tenants because the property is dated and you want to upgrade it before putting it on the market.</li><li><span> </span>Raise the rents above the allowable rent increase so the CAP rate looks better and makes the property more valuable.</li></ol><p> </p><p>Some things you can do when you are <a href="http://www.marcymoyer.com/trustandprobatesales" target="_blank">selling a Mountain View Four-Plex or larger building in Probate</a>.</p><ol><li><span> </span>Paint the exterior</li><li><span> </span>Make sure the tenants do not leave personal property outside the building</li><li><span> </span>Upgrade the landscaping</li><li><span> </span>Give the tenants an incentive to keep their apartments clean and allow showings.</li></ol><p> </p><p>This law is new, and takes effect Dec 23rd. There is an emergency ordinance that was passed Nov 16th to keep landlords from evicting tenants in order to raise rents on vacant apartments before that date, so if you are reading this before Dec 23rd you are out of luck anyway.</p><p> </p><p>Just remember the Mountain View rental market is strong, and even with rent control and Just Cause Eviction there will be buyers for your <a href="http://www.marcymoyer.com/trustandprobatesales" target="_blank">Mountain View Apartment in Probate</a> so relax, hire a great real estate agent who knows Probate (like myself) and let the process work itself out.</p><p> </p><p>If you have any questions about <a href="http://www.marcymoyer.com/trustandprobatesales" target="_blank">selling or buying Probate property</a> in Santa Clara or San Mateo County please feel free to contact me.</p><p> </p><p>Marcy Moyer</p><p>Keller Williams Realty</p><p><a href="http://marcymoyer.com/trustandprobatesales">Specializing in Probate and Trust Sales</a></p><p>650-619-9285</p><p><a href="mailto:marcy@marcymoyer.com">marcy@marcymoyer.com</a></p><p><a href="http://www.marcymoyer.com">www.marcymoyer.com</a></p><p></p></div>Buying Probate Property Where Animals Graze Without A Leasehttps://www.reopronetwork.com/profiles/blogs/buying-probate-property-where-animals-graze-without-a-lease2016-12-07T20:16:06.000Z2016-12-07T20:16:06.000ZMarcy Moyerhttps://www.reopronetwork.com/members/MarcyMoyer<div><p></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}4359198936,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="750" src="{{#staticFileLink}}4359198936,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-full" alt="4359198936?profile=original" /></a></p><p>Anyone who has looked for acreage in places like <a href="http://marcymoyer.com/MapSearch?realtorId=1373539599&realtorId=1373539599" target="_blank">Pescadero, Gilroy, or Morgan Hill</a> has probably come across a situation where a neighbor or friend has horses or goats or cows who graze the property. You ask to see the lease and the response you get is often, “There is no lease, they have an informal agreement that Ms X gets to keep her livestock on the property in exchange for the livestock grazing Mr Y’s land.</p><p> </p><p>Mr Y does not have to pay the high cost of keeping the grasses and weeds cut and Ms X does not have to pay the high cost of boarding and feeding her livestock. It is a win win, and for decades no one has formalized the agreement.</p><p> </p><p>Then, unfortunately Mr Y dies and his heirs need to sell the <a href="http://marcymoyer.com/trustandprobatesales" target="_blank">Probate acreage in Pescadero,</a> or Gilroy, or Morgan Hill. There is no documentation of the agreement and no one is sure what Ms X’x rights are, or what the estate has to do to terminate the relationship. Or maybe the <a href="http://marcymoyer.com/trustandprobatesales" target="_blank">buyer of the Pescadero Probate acreage’s</a> , Mr and Mrs Z’s don’t understand what their responsibilities are if they want Ms X to continue grazing, but don’t want her to have full tenant’s rights. In other words, Mr and Ms Z still want to use the land, so they do not want to <a href="http://marcymoyer.com/trustandprobatesales" target="_blank">lease out a portion of the Pescadero or Gilroy, or Morgan Hill</a> land. They just don’t want to have to pay someone to mow it.</p><p> </p><p>The answer to this dilemma is for Mr and Mrs Z to grant Ms X a license for Ms X’s horses to graze on a portion of the <a href="http://marcymoyer.com/trustandprobatesales" target="_blank">Pescadero Probate property they are buying</a>. The license can be terminated at any time by the owners of the property. There are no tenant’s rights for exclusive use and Mr and Mrs Z do not need to give any notice or have any cause to terminate the agreement. The right to graze horses is a personal privilege and is not tied to the property in question. The horses do not have any exclusive use and Mr and Mrs Z can use the grazed property any time they want.</p><p> </p><p>If Ms X had a lease then she and her horses would have exclusive right to use the property and Mr and Mrs Z would have to give notice to enter that portion of the property and could not tell Ms X to leave whenever they want.</p><p> </p><p>It is a distinction that is important to preserve the rights of Mr and Mrs Z to use their new<a href="http://marcymoyer.com/trustandprobatesales" target="_blank"> Probate property in Pescadero, or Gilory, or Morgan Hill</a>.</p><p> </p><p>I suggest if you are going to do this you consult a lawyer before closing escrow on that gorgeous <a href="http://marcymoyer.com/MapSearch?realtorId=1373539599&realtorId=1373539599" target="_blank">view property in Pescadero, or Gilroy, or Morgan Hill</a>, or anywhere else you may find it.</p><p> </p><p>If you have any questions about buying or selling property, especially in <a href="http://marcymoyer.com/MapSearch?realtorId=1373539599&realtorId=1373539599" target="_blank">Probate in San Mateo, Santa Clara, or Alameda County</a> please feel free to contact me.</p><p> </p><p>Marcy Moyer</p><p>Keller Williams Realty</p><p><a href="http://marcymoyer.com/trustandprobatesales">Specializing in Probate and Trust Sales</a></p><p>650-619-9285</p><p><a href="mailto:marcy@marcymoyer.com">marcy@marcymoyer.com</a></p><p><a href="http://www.marcymoyer.com">www.marcymoyer.com</a></p><p></p><p></p></div>What Do Rising Rates Mean For the Silicon Valley Real Estate Market?https://www.reopronetwork.com/profiles/blogs/what-do-rising-rates-mean-for-the-silicon-valley-real-estate2016-11-28T18:54:04.000Z2016-11-28T18:54:04.000ZMarcy Moyerhttps://www.reopronetwork.com/members/MarcyMoyer<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}4359199152,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="750" src="{{#staticFileLink}}4359199152,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-full" alt="4359199152?profile=original" /></a></p><p></p><p></p><p>After the election I started watching Bloomberg TV instead of the news/opinion channels I had been watching. I guess I just got tired of all the yelling, in addition to the fact that I felt the need to try and get some clarity on what might happen to the economy, and more specifically the <a href="http://www.marcymoyer.com/" target="_blank">Silicon Valley housing market</a>.</p><p> </p><p>Besides the much needed civility I found on Bloomberg, I quickly came away with the understanding that no matter who the different reporters and commentators said they thought would be winners and losers in a new political environment, there was one thing everyone agreed on. Interest rates are going up. PERIOD, end of story. Janet Yellen was going to raise interest rates anyway, due to the favorable economic environment. But added to what would have happened, regardless of the election outcome, everyone agrees that we appear to be headed for an inflationary period.</p><p> </p><p>I am old enough to have purchased my first home when interest rates were 19% and the most valuable homes were those that had assumable mortgages as 13% or less. Hopefully we are not going back to those days.</p><p> </p><p>But we are going from interest rates in low 3% to now over 4% and presumably still rising. So what does this mean to the <a href="http://www.marcymoyer.com/" target="_blank">Silicon Valley housing market</a>?</p><p> </p><p>Common wisdom is that as interest rates go up housing prices go down since the ability for a borrower to pay also goes down. We have seen this in the past, but the decrease in price is not always proportional to the increase in rate.</p><p> </p><p>Take this example.</p><p> </p><p>A Million dollar loan: 30 year fixed</p><p> </p><p>At 4.150%: $4861 a month</p><p> </p><p>At 5%: $5368</p><p> </p><p>At 6%: $5996</p><p> </p><p>At 7%: $6653</p><p> </p><p>The difference for each jump of 1% in interest translates into about a 10% increase in monthly payment.</p><p> </p><p>For a conforming loan of $400,000 30 year fixed</p><p> </p><p>At 4%: 1910</p><p>At 5%: 2147</p><p> </p><p>At 6%: 2398</p><p> </p><p>At 7%: 2661</p><p> </p><p>Again, the difference for each 1% in increased interest rates equates to about a 10% increase in monthly payment.</p><p> </p><p>So, in order to make waiting a money saver, If interest rates go up 1% pt. housing prices must go down over 10%. At a 2% pt hike housing prices must go down over 20%, and at a 3 pt climb they must go down over 30%.</p><p> </p><p>Do we expect this to happen in the <a href="http://www.marcymoyer.com/" target="_blank">Silicon Valley housing marke</a>t in the near future?</p><p> </p><p>No one can say for sure, but let’s look back at housing rate drops during the big crash of 2008-2010/2011 in some different neighborhoods.</p><p> </p><p>These are average prices for all residential real estate. Some segments fell more than others, but on average I looked at what the mean sale was for single family homes, town homes and condos in four locations: <a href="http://www.marcymoyer.com/" target="_blank">Palo Alto, East Palo Alto, 94087 (Sunnyvale west of El Camino), and Willow Glen</a>.</p><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.marcymoyer.com/" target="_blank">Palo Alto</a>: </p><p> </p><p>High before crash: $1.3 million</p><p> </p><p>Low after crash $1.2 million</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.marcymoyer.com/" target="_blank">East Palo Alto</a></p><p> </p><p>High before crash: $628,000</p><p> </p><p>Low after crash: $295,000</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.marcymoyer.com/" target="_blank">94087</a></p><p> </p><p>High before crash: $779,000</p><p> </p><p>Low after crash: $717,000</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.marcymoyer.com/" target="_blank">Willow Glen</a>: </p><p> </p><p>High Before crash: $793,000</p><p> </p><p>Low after crash: $637,000</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>What so these numbers tell me about the <a href="http://www.marcymoyer.com/" target="_blank">Silicon Valley housing market</a>, and by extension you?</p><p> </p><p>If you are planning on buying in one of the areas where prices held up fairly well during the crash, then waiting for prices to drop as interest rates rise may not be to your advantage.</p><p> </p><p>If you are planning on buying in a location that did not hold up well during the crash then an increase in interest rates may get you some savings in the long run or maybe bigger, better property.</p><p> </p><p>My only concern would be that places like <a href="http://www.marcymoyer.com/" target="_blank">East Palo Alto</a> that suffered so badly during the crash may not drop as much with higher interest rates since the location is so convenient to Facebook and Google. That may put enough pressure on these east of 101 neighborhoods to keep the prices supported more than they were in the crash.</p><p> </p><p>I believe the same may be true in San Jose as companies like Google and Apple move south where there is more available space. In neighborhoods like <a href="http://www.marcymoyer.com/" target="_blank">Alum Rock or South San Jose</a> where there is a lot of investor activity it may be better to wait until prices fall.</p><p> </p><p>If you have any questions about buying or selling a home in the Silicon Valley please feel free to contact me.</p><p> </p><div class="blog-content style-reset-for-user-content user-content addthis-image-container"><p>Marcy Moyer</p><p>Keller Williams Realty</p><p><a href="http://marcymoyer.com/trustandprobatesales">Specializing in Probate and Trust Sales</a></p><p>650-619-9285</p><p><a href="mailto:marcy@marcymoyer.com">marcy@marcymoyer.com</a></p><span><a href="http://www.marcymoyer.com">www.marcymoyer.com</a></span></div><p></p></div>Do You Have A Right To Sell That Half Moon Bay Probate Sale Part 3https://www.reopronetwork.com/profiles/blogs/do-you-have-a-right-to-sell-that-half-moon-bay-probate-sale-part2016-11-21T19:23:57.000Z2016-11-21T19:23:57.000ZMarcy Moyerhttps://www.reopronetwork.com/members/MarcyMoyer<div><p></p><p>As a realtor who specializes in <a href="http://marcymoyer.com/trustandprobatesales" target="_blank">Probate sales</a> I have recently been involved with a number of families were trying to sell homes they thought they inherited or had title to, but wound up <a href="http://marcymoyer.com/trustandprobatesales" target="_blank">in Probate</a> instead. Since the <a href="http://marcymoyer.com/trustandprobatesales" target="_blank">Probate courts</a> are backed up, this can cause delays, heartache, and tension for the families and were problems that probably could have been avoided.</p><p> </p><p>I want to say firmly, I am not a lawyer. I am a Realtor who specializes in <a href="http://marcymoyer.com/trustandprobatesales" target="_blank">selling homes in Probate</a> and this is not legal advice. If you are going to be involved in intra family title changes PLEASE get the advice of a lawyer. This is complicated stuff.</p><p> </p><p>I just want to give you a few examples so you can see that you should not assume anything when it comes to <a href="http://marcymoyer.com/trustandprobatesales" target="_blank">Probate sales</a>. To see First Example click <a href="http://activerain.com/blogsview/4979470/do-you-have-a-right-to-sell-that-half-moon-bay-probate-home-" target="_blank">here</a></p><p> </p><p>3rd Example:</p><p> </p><p>Mom and Daughter 1 own a home together. Both are on title as Joint Tenants and own it equally. They need cash so Daughter 1 gives her share to Mom and Mom gets reverse morgage.</p><p>Mom does not make a will leaving 1/2 the house to Daughter 1 and 1/2 the house to each of the 4 daughters including daughter 1. She plans on doing it, but never gets around to it.</p><p> </p><p>Mom dies unexpectantly, with no will, no trust, and only a verbal agreeement with Daughter 1.</p><p> </p><p>Reverse mortgage company tells Daughter 1 she needs to sell the house or pay back the reverse mortgage. Daughter 1 can not sell the house or do anything without Probate Court permission because she does not own the house any more and there is no will or trust.</p><p> </p><p>Daughter 1 calls me and give her a referral to a Probate lawyer who will get paid through the sale of the house since there is no cash in the estate.</p><p> </p><p>Daughter one will ask the court to appoint her Admistrator of the estate then ask the other 3 sisters to give up the half of the equity that was supposed to go to Daughter 1.</p><p> </p><p>Hopefully the Probate Court will agree to all of this. It is not guarenteed.</p><p> </p><p>As you can see, these are complicated issue, made more complicated by actions taken by owners and family members before the owners died. </p><p> </p><p>The moral, just because you think you have the right to sell a house in probate, that does not mean you do. Be sure and consult a <a href="http://www.watsonmachado.com/index.html" target="_blank">Probate Attorney</a> and a Realtor who understand <a href="http://www.marcymoyer.com/trustandprobatesales" target="_blank">Probate Sales</a> before you proceed.</p><p> </p><p>If you have any questions about selling a home in Probate or need a Probate Realtor in Half Moon Bay or anywhere else in the Bay area please feel free to contact me.</p><p> </p><p>Marcy Moyer</p><p>Keller Williams Realty</p><p><a href="http://marcymoyer.com/trustandprobatesales" target="_blank">Specializing in Probate and Trust Sales</a></p><p>650-619-9285</p><p><a href="mailto:marcy@marcymoyer.com">marcy@marcymoyer.com</a></p><p><a href="http://www.marcymoyer.com/">www.marcymoyer.com</a></p></div>Do You Have The Right To Sell That Half Moon Bay Probate Sale Part 2https://www.reopronetwork.com/profiles/blogs/do-you-have-the-right-to-sell-that-half-moon-bay-probate-sale-12016-11-15T15:58:49.000Z2016-11-15T15:58:49.000ZMarcy Moyerhttps://www.reopronetwork.com/members/MarcyMoyer<div><p><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />As a realtor who specializes in <a href="http://marcymoyer.com/trustandprobatesales" target="_blank">Probate sales</a> I have recently been involved with a number of families were trying to sell homes they thought they inherited or had title to, but wound up <a href="http://marcymoyer.com/trustandprobatesales" target="_blank">in Probate</a> instead. Since the <a href="http://marcymoyer.com/trustandprobatesales" target="_blank">Probate courts</a> are backed up, this can cause delays, heartache, and tension for the families and were problems that probably could have been avoided.</p><p> </p><p>I want to say firmly, I am not a lawyer. I am a Realtor who specializes in <a href="http://marcymoyer.com/trustandprobatesales" target="_blank">selling homes in Probate</a> and this is not legal advice. If you are going to be involved in intra family title changes PLEASE get the advice of a lawyer. This is complicated stuff.</p><p> </p><p>I just want to give you a few examples so you can see that you should not assume anything when it comes to <a href="http://marcymoyer.com/trustandprobatesales" target="_blank">Probate sales</a>. To see First Example click <a href="http://activerain.com/blogsview/4979470/do-you-have-a-right-to-sell-that-half-moon-bay-probate-home-" target="_blank">here</a></p><p> </p><p>Second Example:</p><p> </p><p>Mom owns home in Pacifica in a trust free and clear after Dad passes. She needs money for daily living expenses so she takes out a reverse mortgage.</p><p> </p><p>Eventually she is unable to care for herself. She takes the house out of the trust and gives half to Daughter 1 as joint tenant so daughter has right of survivorship and right to sell house to pay Mom’s assisted living expenses.</p><p> </p><p>Mom’s health gets worse and she needs to be moved to assisted living. Mom and Daughter 1 decide to sell the house to pay for the finest assisted living they can find.</p><p> </p><p>Mom moves to assisted living and 3 days later dies.</p><p> </p><p>Daughter 1 wants to sell the house which has plenty of equity that was not used to take care of Mom, so she plans on splitting it with Daughter 2 and Son 1.</p><p> </p><p>Reverse mortgage company says “Hold Your Horses.” You had no right to change title of house without our knowledge. They claim:</p><p> </p><p>Reverse mortgages are for senior home owners only, not their children. Daughter 1 should not have been on title because she was not given permission by Reverse Mortgage Company.</p><p> </p><p>Joint Tenancy is an equal partnership between all parties. All partied must be equally responsible for any liens/mortgages on the home. Only Mom was on the loan so she should have been the only one on title. </p><p> </p><p>You can see the problem here.</p><p> </p><p>I suspect this one ends up in <a href="http://marcymoyer.com/trustandprobatesales" target="_blank">Probate Court</a> with <a href="http://marcymoyer.com/trustandprobatesales" target="_blank">Court Confirmation</a> needed instead of a fast, clean easy sale.</p><p> </p><p>Tomorrow I will give you details on other issues that have come up in my <a href="http://marcymoyer.com/trustandprobatesales" target="_blank">Probate sales</a>.</p><p> </p><p>If you have any questions about selling a home in Probate or need a Probate Realtor in Half Moon Bay or anywhere else in the Bay area please feel free to contact me.</p><p> </p><p>Marcy Moyer</p><p>Keller Williams Realty</p><p><a href="http://marcymoyer.com/trustandprobatesales" target="_blank">Specializing in Probate and Trust Sales</a></p><p>650-619-9285</p><p><a href="mailto:marcy@marcymoyer.com">marcy@marcymoyer.com</a></p><p><a href="http://www.marcymoyer.com/">www.marcymoyer.com</a></p></div>401k Solo Plans: Understand Mortgage Note Investmenthttps://www.reopronetwork.com/profiles/blogs/401k-solo-plans-understand-mortgage-note-investment2016-04-11T22:43:40.000Z2016-04-11T22:43:40.000ZDmitriy Fomichenkohttps://www.reopronetwork.com/members/DmitriyFomichenko<div><p><a href="http://www.sensefinancial.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/RealEstate-IRA.jpg"><img src="http://www.sensefinancial.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/RealEstate-IRA.jpg?width=178" width="178" class="align-center" alt="RealEstate-IRA.jpg?width=178" /></a>You attended a seminar on passive income generation with mortgage notes, learning how to enjoy high returns while sitting on your couch, and you are ready for your first purchase. But, hold on. Is this how you make your investment decisions? There is no doubt about the efficacy of mortgage notes, but you must understand them before buying your first note.</p><p>In this post, we’ll look at the basics of a mortgage note and the tax benefits of adding mortgage notes in <a href="http://www.sensefinancial.com/real-estate-investing-401k-self-directed-plan/" target="_blank">401k Solo retirement plans</a>.</p><p></p><p><strong>What is a mortgage note and how does it work?</strong></p><p>In simple words, mortgage note is a legal agreement, involving a lender and the borrower under which, the borrower agrees to repay the loan amount along with interest in a definite period. Every mortgage note must include the names of both the buyer and the lender, descriptions of the property, the term period of the loan, the interest rate, installment amount, any legal protections favoring the borrower in case of a default, and details of previous financing, if any. If this is your first purchase, try to include detailed descriptions of the legal terms of the loan and cover any loopholes in the process. Once a deal is struck, the borrower deposits monthly repayments along with the interest to your account. You can hire a service company to manage the note and send regular payments for a monthly fee of under $100.</p><p><strong>What are the different types of mortgage notes?</strong></p><ul><li>Fixed and adjustable mortgage rates: The most common types of mortgage notes are those with fixed and adjustable mortgage rates. As it sounds, a fixed mortgage rate comes with a fixed interest for the complete loan term, and the principal amount decreases after every single payment. On the contrary, adjustable mortgage notes have a varying rate of interest, which tends to be lower initially, and then changes in accordance with the economy.</li><li>FHA and VA loans: These are loans guaranteed by the government and are available through federally approved banking institutions. The credit requirements and down payment terms are strict in comparison with private lenders, although there is a guaranteed repayment, making them an attractive investment option.</li></ul><p><strong>Why invest in mortgage note through 401k Solo plans?</strong></p><p>Self directed Solo 401k retirement plans are retirement solutions for small business owners and self-employed individuals, offering privileged features such as self-directed investing, checkbook control, and participant loans. According to the current IRS guidelines, a Solo 401k plan holder can invest in a wide variety of investment assets including mortgage notes, tax liens, real estate, and other untraditional investments.</p><p>What gives Solo 401k an edge is the tax-deferred growth. You can purchase mortgage notes under the name of the plan, and redirect your repayments into the account, where they enjoy tax-deferred growth until distribution. In case of Roth Solo 401k, the taxes are paid upfront and there are no taxes upon distribution, offering completely tax-free growth.</p></div>Three reasons why to sell this spring In the Puget Sound are in WAhttps://www.reopronetwork.com/profiles/blogs/three-reasons-why-to-sell-this-spring-in-the-puget-sound-are-in2016-01-21T00:30:00.000Z2016-01-21T00:30:00.000ZGerhard Swiderskihttps://www.reopronetwork.com/members/GerhardSwiderski<div><p><span class="yui-tag-span yui-tag"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}4359186064,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="750" src="{{#staticFileLink}}4359186064,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="4359186064?profile=original" /></a></span></p><p></p><p><span class="font-size-4" style="color:#0000ff;">Hello,</span></p><div class="yui-wk-div"><br /><div class="yui-wk-div"><div class="yui-wk-div"><span class="font-size-3" style="color:#0000ff;"><font color="#444444" face="Calibri">This is really going to be good for home or condo sellers. Please contact me to get started and for more information.</font></span><div class="yui-wk-div"><br /><div class="yui-wk-div"><b>Three reasons why to sell this spring.</b><div class="yui-wk-div"><br /><div class="yui-wk-div"><p>Many sellers are still hesitant about putting their house up for sale. Where are prices headed? Where are interest rates headed? These are all valid questions. However, there are several reasons to sell your home sooner rather than later. Here are three of those reasons.</p><p><b>1. Demand is about to skyrocket</b></p><p>Most people realize that the housing market is hottest from April through June. The most serious buyers are well aware of this and, for that reason, come out in early spring in order to beat the heavy competition. We also have a pent-up demand as many buyers pushed off their home search this winter because of extreme weather. Sellers in markets where seasonal weather is never an issue must realize that buyers relocating to their region will increase dramatically this spring as these purchasers finally decide to escape the freezing temperatures of the winters in the north.</p><p>These buyers are ready, willing and able to buy…and are in the market right now!</p><h3><b>2. There Is Less Competition - For Now</b></h3><p>Housing supply always grows from the spring through the early summer. Also, there has been a growing desire for many homeowners to move as they were unable to sell over the last few years because of a negative equity situation. Homeowners have seen a return to positive equity as prices increased over the last eighteen months. Many of these homes will be coming to the market in the near future.</p><p>The choices buyers have will continue to increase over the next few months. Don’t wait until all the other potential sellers in your market put their homes up for sale.</p><h3><b>3. There Will Never Be a Better Time to Move-Up</b></h3><p>If you are moving up to a larger, more expensive home, consider doing it now. Prices are projected to appreciate by approximately 4% this year and 8% by the end of 2016. If you are moving to a higher priced home, it will wind-up costing you more in raw dollars (both in down payment and mortgage payment) if you wait. You can also lock-in your 30 year housing expense with an interest rate at about 4.5% right now. Freddie Mac projects rates to be 5.1% by this time next year and 5.7% by the fourth quarter of 2016.</p><p>Moving up to a new home will be less expensive this spring than later this year or next year.</p><p></p><p><span style="text-decoration:underline;">Stop by or contact us:</span></p><p>Mukilteo Executive Offices</p><p>8490 Mukilteo Speedway Suite 107</p><p>Mukilteo, WA 98275</p><p></p><br /><div class="yui-wk-div"><div dir="ltr" class="yui-wk-div"><div class="yui-wk-div"><b><i>Gerhard Swiderski </i>(</b><font>Real Estate Designated Broker/Founder<b>)</b></font><div class="yui-wk-div"><b>Phone:</b><font color="#1F497D"> </font><b>(206) 261-2440</b><b><font color="#17365D"> </font></b><b> FAX: </b><b>425-939-0820</b><div class="yui-wk-div">GPlus-Realty<div class="yui-wk-div"><div>Visit me at: <a href="http://www.GPlusRealty.com" target="_blank">http://www.GPlusRealty.com</a></div><div class="yui-wk-div"><div class="yui-wk-div"><div class="yui-wk-div"><b>Residential, Commercial, Relocation, Lots and Land, Investment Properties, REO, Short Sales, First Time Home Buyers and Luxury Homes.</b><div class="yui-wk-div"><b><br /></b><div class="yui-wk-div">I would greatly appreciate your referrals and recommendations to your friends, family, and business colleagues; they are a substantial part of my successful business services.</div><div class="yui-wk-div"></div><div class="yui-wk-div"><span style="color:#0000ff;" class="font-size-4">Our Video</span></div><div class="yui-wk-div"></div><div class="yui-wk-div"><a href="https://youtu.be/4MorczDurPE" target="_blank">GPlus-Realty in Mukilteo and Puget Sound Region</a></div><div class="yui-wk-div"></div><div class="yui-wk-div"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}4359186086,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><br /> <br /></a></div><p> </p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Divorce Real Estatehttps://www.reopronetwork.com/profiles/blogs/divorce-real-estate2016-01-15T15:32:53.000Z2016-01-15T15:32:53.000ZJames Rutkowskihttps://www.reopronetwork.com/members/JamesRutkowski<div><p><span class="font-size-4" style="font-family:helvetica;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}4359197842,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="750" src="{{#staticFileLink}}4359197842,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-full" height="443" alt="4359197842?profile=original" /></a></span></p><p><span class="font-size-4" style="font-family:helvetica;">It's been said that there are "riches in niches", and divorce real estate is one such area that savvy agents can get a competitive edge. Sadly, over half of marriages end in divorce and while the house is usually considered the biggest asset of the marriage, it can also be the biggest point of contention given the financial and emotional value. </span></p><p><strong><span class="font-size-4" style="font-family:helvetica;">How to establish yourself as the "go to" person in your market for divorce real estate? </span></strong></p><p><span class="font-size-4" style="font-family:helvetica;">The over-arching message is, <em>"now is not the time to hire a traditional REALTOR"</em>, that the decisions made during this trying period will have wide-ranging consequences that require the guidance of qualified professionals, including a real estate agent that understands the tax and financial implications of divorce. Moreover, you have the exceptional communication skills needed to facilitate negotiations between two spouses and represent both parties impartially. </span></p><p></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="font-family:helvetica;font-size:14pt;" class="font-size-4">Want to get some ideas on how to market yourself as a divorce expert? </span></strong></p><p><span style="font-family:helvetica;font-size:14pt;">To see the complete sites and other examples, you can visit <a href="http://www.jimrutkowski.com/portfolio" target="_blank">www.jimrutkowski.com/portfolio</a> to see a few example divorce sites. </span><span style="font-family:helvetica;font-size:14pt;"><br /></span></p><p><span class="font-size-4" style="font-family:helvetica;">In future posts, I'll delve deeper into divorce real estate marketing. Till then, A-B-C. Always Be Closing! </span></p></div>Amber Martin Alert | A thought-out scheme of lies, deceit & thievery – Amber Martin Exposed!https://www.reopronetwork.com/profiles/blogs/amber-martin-alert-a-thought-out-scheme-of-lies-deceit-thievery2015-10-19T23:30:00.000Z2015-10-19T23:30:00.000ZPam Maglionehttps://www.reopronetwork.com/members/PamMaglione<div><h1 class="h-custom-headline center-text h2 accent" style="text-align:center;"><span>Amber MARTIN Alert</span></h1><h2 class="h-custom-headline center-text h4" style="text-align:center;"><span>A thought-out scheme of lies, deceit & thievery – Amber Martin Exposed!</span></h2><p><img class="x-img x-img-rounded right align-center" src="http://www.pamsvas.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Fraud-Alert-Pams-VAS.jpg" alt="Fraud-Alert-Pams-VAS" width="154" height="154" /></p><p>I would like share a scenario with everyone so that no one else suffers the same consequences. A few weeks ago I was approached by a virtual assistant, who goes by the name “Amber Martin”. Amber had disclosed that she found me on <a href="http://activerain.com/profile/pamsvas" target="_blank">Active Rain</a>. Amber (I say the name lightly) had disclosed she was located in Texas. Her email signature reflected the same. After reviewing her resume, I brought her on for a trial period until I received her background check and finished completing other formalities.</p><p></p><p>After a week into the trial period, Amber failed to send me certain information; claiming she had a family emergency in Washington State. When she returned, she still failed to provide the requested information. I was not able to obtain a background check as Amber apparently did not exist. Another one of my VA’s then contacted me to tell me that when on a call with Amber, she sounded like a man. At this point I decided to end her trial period.</p><p></p><p>When I contacted ‘Amber’ and brought the issues to ‘her’ attention, I found out that ‘she’ is actually a ‘he’ and ‘Amber’ is really ‘Andy’ who lives in the Philippines. Yes, we found that “Amber Martin, A.K.A. Andy” is actually Andy Cano! Trying my best to remain professional, I explained I did not appreciate being lied to and that I can no longer have her perform any further work.</p><p>A few days later I received an email from Amber demanding payment for the little work “HE” completed. Included in the email was also a threat that if payment wasn’t remitted in 24 hours, Amber would contact my clients and disclose “he” wasn’t paid as well as contact the companies my clients work with.</p><blockquote><p></p><p>This person ANDY CANO cannot be trusted for he is a scammer and he has scammed me with Php 76,000 money… I have filed a complaint against this person with CIDG Philippines Cyber Crime Unit</p><p></p><p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/onlinebposervices/posts/617193498328947" target="_blank">-Roh Ramos-Tadina</a></p><p></p></blockquote><p>Long story short, I found a connection between Amber Martin and a company called Cano BPO Services. Cano is registered in Australia under the name Amber Martin; however, the soliciting emails my agents have been receiving from Cano, reflect the company is based in the Philippines. I also tried to locate people whose name is Amber Martin and found an agent who used to live in Texas, but has since relocated. Amber had said that she was located in Highlands, Texas and also provided phone number that would matched that area code. Come to find out found out, the address was a recently ‘for sale by owner property’ and the phone number was an invalid Google number. I am not sure how she goes about selecting her address, but the bottom line is that it is not her residence.</p><p></p><p>If you have been contacted by an Amber Martin, Andy Cano, Cano BPO Services, Online BPO Services and/or Meschelle VA, I advise you to perform due diligence. Not only because she/he is actually overseas, but because she is committing fraud by providing a fake name, fake address, claiming to be a women when ‘he’ is clearly a man, soliciting my clients, etc.. I cannot be certain she is using the identity of an agent either, but that is how it appears.</p><p>I would also like to point out that since Amber had mentioned she found me on <a href="http://activerain.com/profile/pamsvas" target="_blank">Active Rain</a>, I brought her on board under the impression that the site was safe. This just goes to show that you can’t even trust the reputable sites of which you think are safe. </p><blockquote><p>All info provided by Amber Martin, A.K.A. Andy Cano, was stolen – the name, the address, the phone number, and falsifying this info not just to me but also on LinkedIN, Active Rain, Paypal, Facebook, Trulia, Elance, etc. And the lineage that this was a thought-out scheme of lies, deceit & thievery. -<cite class="x-cite">Pam Maglione - Owner, CEO of Pam's VAS</cite></p><p></p></blockquote><p>This scenario has taught me a great lesson. I will now be performing pre-contracting formalities prior to having anyone perform work –even if it is only a trial period. If you have been a target of “Amber Martin”, please reach out to me and share your story. If you have dealt with a similar scenario, I would love to hear your story as well. These are things we shouldn’t feel ashamed about sharing. The problem with situations like these is that the perpetrator does not suffer any consequences for their actions. The only consequence someone like Amber could suffer, is losing their source of income. With that said, I think the more awareness we bring to these matters, the less chance there is of it happening to someone else, and the more difficult it makes for a fraud to get away with it.</p><p></p><p>♦ Upon further investigation, we found multiple profiles on multiple platforms linking to Amber Martin, A.K.A. Andy Cano. While some link Amber to Cano BPO Services, others link her to Online BPO Services as well as Meschelle VA. The email she contacted Pam’s VAS through was “Amber Martin [mechellemartin27@gmail.com]” I would also like to point out that each profile reflects a different location. Here are some of the sources:</p><p></p><p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/meschelleva" target="_blank"><span>LinkedIn: A. Meschelle</span></a><br /> Virtual assistant/Owner at Meschelle VA<br /> Houston, Texas AreaInternet</p><p><span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/meschelleVA/info/?tab=page_info" target="_blank">Facebook: Meschelle VA</a></span></p><p><a href="http://activerain.com/profile/amberbpo" target="_blank"><span>Active Rain: Amber Martin, I Help Real Estate Agents and Brokers on BPOs</span></a><br /> Services for Real Estate Pros / Highlands, TX<br /> Broker Price Assistance</p><p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pub/andy-cano/a7/2b0/963" target="_blank"><span>LinkedIn: Andy Cano</span></a><br /> Broker Price Opinion Analyst / RE Assistant<br /> Region X – Northern Mindanao, PhilippinesReal Estate</p><p><a href="http://activerain.com/profile/bposervices" target="_blank"><span>Active Rain: Andy Cano, Real Estate Assistant</span></a><br /> Services for Real Estate Pros / Auburn, WA<br /> Online BPO Services</p><h4 style="text-align:center;">♦ Please share and reply using #hashtag #AmberMartinAlert ♦</h4></div>Why Real Estate is a good investment for Solo 401k?https://www.reopronetwork.com/profiles/blogs/why-real-estate-is-a-good-investment-for-solo-401k2015-08-13T14:00:00.000Z2015-08-13T14:00:00.000ZDmitriy Fomichenkohttps://www.reopronetwork.com/members/DmitriyFomichenko<div><blockquote><p align="center"><i>“Real estate investing, even on a very small scale, remains a tried and true means of building an individual's cash flow and wealth.”</i></p><p align="center"><b>Robert Kiyosaki</b></p></blockquote><p>Real estate is one of the oldest and most trusted investment options. It offers decent returns and gives the owner a sense of satisfaction. Are you a small business owner? Investing for retirement is a wise decision and Solo 401k is one of the best available retirement plans for self-employed and small business owners.</p><p><i><a href="http://www.sensefinancial.com/services/solo401k/solo-401kadvantages/">Solo 401k is a qualified retirement plan</a></i> that allows investment in real estate, precious metals, private businesses, and also traditional stock and bond investments. One of the upsides of this investment plan is the freedom to choose your investment. It offers higher contribution limits of up to $53,000 in 2015 along with catch up contributions of $6,000 for professionals above 50 years of age.</p><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}4359195313,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="750" src="{{#staticFileLink}}4359195313,original{{/staticFileLink}}" height="388" alt="4359195313?profile=original" /></a></p><h1>Why investing in real estate is an excellent choice for small business owners?</h1><p>You can fund a real estate purchase through your Solo 401k retirement plan and if you do not have sufficient funds in your account, you can always use a nonrecourse loan. In regular transactions, the borrower has to pay a certain down payment and the rest is available through finance.</p><p>Real estate investments allow you to diversify your portfolio and look out for other investment opportunities in between. You can generate a continuous income stream by investing in rental properties or similar commercial properties.</p><p>Real estate does involve maintenance cost but you can write off wear and tear costs of a commercial property and apply for tax deductions in your income tax returns. In addition to it, you can sell the property through a 1031 exchange and save taxes against any capital gain. It is mentioned in IRS Section 1031 (a) (1):</p><p><i>"No gain or loss shall be recognized on the exchange of property held for productive use in a trade or business or for investment, if such property is exchanged solely for property of like-kind which is to be held either for productive use in a trade or business or for investment."</i></p><p>If you are planning to purchase a property through 1031 Exchange, make sure to consult qualified professionals and make a transaction with their consent.</p><p>When investing with a Solo 401k, you may be able to skip this step and still enjoy the tax benefits. All Solo 401k accounts are tax-deferred, so you will not have to pay taxes on the capital gain until years later. Better yet, if the property is purchased with fund from a Roth Solo 401k, all gains are automatically tax-free.</p><p>Another reason why you should prefer real estate investments in your Solo 401k portfolio is their limited lookout requirements. You do not have to check the value of real estate investments regularly, especially if you are investing for a prolonged period. </p></div>7 Tips for finding the perfect Real Estate agent for selling your propertyhttps://www.reopronetwork.com/profiles/blogs/7-tips-for-finding-the-perfect-real-estate-agent-for-selling-your2015-04-16T14:18:38.000Z2015-04-16T14:18:38.000ZPam Maglionehttps://www.reopronetwork.com/members/PamMaglione<div><p>Sometimes you have to search through the fog to find the best real estate agent you can. Here are seven key points you can look at to make sure you stand the best chance of finding that quality agent to help you sell your home. </p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}4359195989,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}4359195989,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="256" class="align-left" alt="4359195989?profile=original" /></a></p><ul><li><span>•</span>Look at Reputation – Ask your potential agent to provide evidence of previous listings sold in the past year with contact information. Find out what the asking prices were and what the final selling price was.</li><li><span>•</span>Check the licensing – all states will issue real estate agents with a license and it is these licenses which can reveal if there were any complaints or problems with sales in the past year.</li><li><span>•</span>Go for a winning team – Awards issued by peers are worth taking a look at: if the local or state branch of the NAR has awarded your potential real estate agent with “Realtor of the Year” then it’s worth possibly considering this agent</li><li><span>•</span>Make sure an agent has the right credentials – just as doctors have specialist fields they study in, real estate agents may specialize in certain products. A doctor may be an expert in glaucoma, chiropractic or cancer but there are real estate agents that specialize in selling (or buying) condos, expensive million dollar-plus homes or luxury tower condo properties.</li><li><span>•</span>Check the experience of your agent – Finding out how long a real estate agent has been in business is important. There are two places where you can find this information online – one is the agent’s own website and the other is Realtor.com. It should say the year in which the agency was established. Be very wary of those agents that don’t reveal this information.</li><li><span>•</span>Check out the current listings – This is one sure-fire way of checking that the agent is selling the type of property you are wanting to sell (or buy). If you are selling a small one-bedroom apartment and the agent is listing million dollar plus homes then he or she may not be the agent for you.</li><li><span>•</span>Check their local Listings – By finding out the local listings, you will get a good feel of the homes the agent is selling in your district. If there are no local listings, you may have the wrong agent for you.</li></ul><p></p><p>On a personal not, I have always found that just as important as the list above, is the potential agents personalities, professionalism and upfront honesty...even if it’s not something you want to hear. So don’t forget to see if you “click” with your new agent.</p><p></p><p><a href="http://www.pamsvas.com" target="_blank">www.pamsvas.com</a> - Real Estate REO and BPO Virtual Assistants</p></div>Home Staging for home sellers - Is my Real Estate Agent saying my home isn’t appealing?https://www.reopronetwork.com/profiles/blogs/home-staging-for-home-sellers-is-my-real-estate-agent-saying-my2015-04-09T00:01:18.000Z2015-04-09T00:01:18.000ZPam Maglionehttps://www.reopronetwork.com/members/PamMaglione<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}4359195749,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="500" src="{{#staticFileLink}}4359195749,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-left" alt="4359195749?profile=original" /></a></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>If you are selling a home, your real estate agent may often tell you the something like – “we have to sell it fast, it’s in your best interests”, “get rid of this chapter of your life and start anew”. “make sure you clean your home thoroughly and give it a fresh coat of paint on the inside and out, and watch it sell like a hot cake.”</p><p>Real estate agents often recommend that you make use of a professional home stager, a person who will evaluate your home and tell you what it takes to make it appealing to potential buyers.</p><p>A recent survey has found that more than 50% of agents who work with buyers say that staging has an effect on the buyer's view of the home. It does tell us that staging is one sure-fire method to get buyers interested in at least looking at your home.</p><p>There is little doubt that decorating a home before putting it out there on the market, really does attract more buyers. Especially if the home is vacant or out dated. So the million dollar question has to be: “what if I have decorated my home but not necessarily in a way that will please a potential buyer?”</p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}4359195795,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="500" src="{{#staticFileLink}}4359195795,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-left" alt="4359195795?profile=original" /></a></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>A bad paint job is as bad as not bothering to clean or decorate your home at all. If you really want to make that sale then you should be looking at spending a bit of money. Depending on the size of your home, If you look at a home staging budget of say around $700, spent wisely, then you may very well get an extra few thousand in sales price.</p><p>If you have a larger home – say a house with 5 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms, then expect that home staging budget to be higher but you can also expect a much higher return on the sale of your property when it closes and more immediate interest when it hits the market. The fact is you should be able to recoup costs associated with the decorating and paint work you do around the home, and most times, even more.</p><p>So make sure you at least consider your Realtor’s recommendation of home staging. It may shorten your time on the market and put more money in your pocket at closing.</p><p></p><p><span><a href="http://www.pamsvas.com/contact/">PamsVAS.com</a></span> - Real Estate Virtual Assistants</p><p></p></div>Cash purchases for Homes in December were at 35% – Will this continue?https://www.reopronetwork.com/profiles/blogs/cash-purchases-for-homes-in-december-were-at-35-will-this2015-04-02T17:44:36.000Z2015-04-02T17:44:36.000ZPam Maglionehttps://www.reopronetwork.com/members/PamMaglione<div><p> </p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}4359195806,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}4359195806,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="247" class="align-left" height="205" alt="4359195806?profile=original" /></a>In December 2014, national cash sales on single family homes made up for about 35% of the total of all home sales. WOW!! However, if we turn the clock back a year we find the cash sales in December 2013 made up 38.5% of the share; so why is this figure falling and should we be worried by it? Now, I’m not saying that this # is the best gage of the real estate market, but we definitely should watch it. </p><p>The percentage of cash sales on homes has been declining steadily since January 2013 and every month that follows the figure goes down a little more. Now, December 2014 was the 24<sup>th</sup> month on the bounce where cash sales – as a percentage of all home sales – were down. </p><p>Usually the drop each month would only be around half a percentage point but because there are seasonal variations, the figures should be taken as a year-on-year representation rather than a month by month one. If you are a real estate agent, you definitely understand that.</p><p>So, why are we still seeing a decline in the amount of cash sales. Turn the clock back just a little to January 2011 and you’d be amazed to learn that cash sales made up 46.5% of all home sales. </p><p>It has to be a strong possibility that mortgage lenders were tightening up and not loaning out to any Tom, Dick or Harry and that if you wanted to buy a home, you had to pay up, especially if you were a foreign buyer. </p><p>If we turn the clock back even further to the days before the housing crisis started, you will see cash sale figures of just 25%! Astonishingly low, but consider that these were the days when mortgage lenders were falling all over one another to lend money for home purchases. After the housing crisis hit in 2008, lenders were ordered and compelled to tighten up mortgage lending, leaving the majority of those home buyers post-housing crisis to stump up the cash, rather than getting a mortgage. </p><p>We are expecting the levels we saw in 2006 (approximately 25% cash sales of all home sales) to return again once more. We are not saying that irresponsible lending is likely to make any sort of quick return, (although look at Freddie Mac’s latest announcement of 3% downpayment loans back again), but we can expect the cash sales figures to dip back to somewhere around 25% over the next year or 2.</p><p><a href="http://www.pamsvas.com" target="_blank">pamsvas.com</a> - Real Estate REO Virtual Assistants</p></div>The Tiny House movement, what's all the hype?https://www.reopronetwork.com/profiles/blogs/the-tiny-house-movement-what-s-all-the-hype2015-03-20T14:43:45.000Z2015-03-20T14:43:45.000ZPam Maglionehttps://www.reopronetwork.com/members/PamMaglione<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}4359195621,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="550" src="{{#staticFileLink}}4359195621,original{{/staticFileLink}}" height="365" class="align-center" alt="4359195621?profile=original" /></a></p><p>Moving out of a huge house and into a property that is considerably smaller is taking off in the U.S. (as well as in many other countries) in an ever-increasing way. So why do people do it? The average floor space of the typical American home is approximately 2600 square feet, but compare that to a tiny house where the floor space can measure just 100 square feet and no more than 400 square feet, and suddenly you really are looking at a huge downsizing operation.</p><p>Put simply, the Tiny House Movement is a social networking group whose aim is to downsize the area they are living in and then broadcast their experiences in the transformation. Advantages include lower mortgage payments, less cleaning and maintenance, lower utility bills, lower taxes, environmentally friendly and simplified living.</p><p>So what is the main reason why so many people are flocking to join this new revolution in downsizing the amount of living space in their new homes? The main reason is definitely financial and the effect of the 2007 Housing Crisis still has a huge impact on the way we are all managing our money now.</p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}4359195646,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="550" src="{{#staticFileLink}}4359195646,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="4359195646?profile=original" /></a></p><p>Indeed, the real estate down turn has changed the way most people live – which is hardly surprising when you consider that an average of around 50% of the income a person earns, is set aside for that roof over our head. Downsizing, even just a little, can reduce the portion of income dedicated to housing to as little as 30 per cent, thus freeing up some 20 per cent of our salary to spend on other luxury items or necessities.</p><p>Just calculate how much 20% of your take home pay is and think what you could do with that money: take an exotic vacation overseas, buy a new car, pay for your child’s university fees or just invest in a small swimming pool to go in your much smaller back yard. It’s a shocking statistic that some 76% of all Americans are living from one pay check to the next.</p><p>Another appealing statistic is that 55% of all tiny house dwelling people have more money in their saving accounts than the average American has (average savings is currently $10,800), so you can really bank on having more disposal income than the people trying to get by in their huge homes.</p><p>A Tiny House may not be for you and your family, but many people are learning to adapt, especially with all the advantages of a Tiny House.</p><p></p></div>Is your Social Media interaction lower than it use to be? Your not alone.https://www.reopronetwork.com/profiles/blogs/is-your-social-media-interaction-lower-than-it-use-to-be-your-not2015-03-13T15:41:27.000Z2015-03-13T15:41:27.000ZPam Maglionehttps://www.reopronetwork.com/members/PamMaglione<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}4359195106,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}4359195106,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="400" class="align-left" alt="4359195106?profile=original" /></a></p><p>Are you like us? Seeing a decline in social media engagement over the last year? </p><p></p><p>I have heard many say "why is my social media traffic slowing down, specifically Facebook?" and I have noticed the same with my pages, that I have built slowly but surely over the last 5 years.</p><p></p><p>So on one hand, I'm relieved that it's not just me, that there are others in the same boat. On the other hand, I want to know why. Well, there are certainly dozens of opinions across so many social media news sites and platforms.</p><p></p><p>There seems to be a consistent theory out there, that it's due to Facebook's algorithm changes in 2013 and 2014? So many people don't know what an algorithm change (or update) actually is. Depending on who you ask, the answers can be quite different. If you ask Google, they might say that their algorithm updates are to provide a better user experience for you and more accurate search results. Ok, maybe!</p><p></p><p>If you ask Facebook, they may actually respond in the same way. But is there more to it?...There always is more to it. Especially when Facebook's brand pages have seen a decline in reach of around 44% late last year, with their paid exposure/posts bringing in over $6 Billion.</p><p></p><p>It's been documented that Facebook Brand Pages use to bring in a reach of approximately 16% of their page fans. Heres the bad news... that number has come down last year to around 3%. What? Thats about an 80% decrease in our posts being seen by people who have actually Liked our page and Follow us there.</p><p></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}4359195057,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="400" src="{{#staticFileLink}}4359195057,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-left" alt="4359195057?profile=original" /></a></p><p>We have all received those messages from Facebook about "Promoting our Posts" to increase our reach and our interactions, or even for more Likes. Have you tried paying to promote your posts? Did it work? Of course it did, because you paid to have people see your post.</p><p></p><p>Many Brand Page owners seem to be expanding their Social Media exposure to include Google+, Instagram and of course giving more attention to their Twitter accounts. </p><p></p><p>We would like to know what your doing to spice up your social media interaction and presence. Have you see a rise in interaction on other platforms? Which ones? </p><p></p><p>Mom always said to not put all your eggs in 1 basket, and I can't think of a better example of that old adage. </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Here is a great article that further explains some specialist's opinion on the current status and future of the big Social Media Platforms. "Is Social Media Dying a Slow Death?"</p><p></p><p><a href="http://enobytes.com/2015/01/05/social-media-dying-slow-death/" target="_blank">http://enobytes.com/2015/01/05/social-media-dying-slow-death/</a></p><p></p><p><a href="http://www.pamsvas.com" target="_blank">PamsVas</a> - Real Estate REO Virtual Assistant Services</p></div>Real Estate Agent Reviews and their Online Reputationshttps://www.reopronetwork.com/profiles/blogs/real-estate-agent-reviews-and-their-online-reputations2015-03-05T16:43:43.000Z2015-03-05T16:43:43.000ZPam Maglionehttps://www.reopronetwork.com/members/PamMaglione<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}4359194731,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}4359194731,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="236" class="align-left" height="177" alt="4359194731?profile=original" /></a></p><p>One key component to becoming a successful real estate agent is to start getting better reviews and more of them. How does a realtor get the reviews they so richly deserve? To convert a potential client to sign on the dotted line, often the defining factor is whether the agent must be well liked or well reviewed.</p><p>Most of the time the job of the potential client is to find that perfect real estate agent who retains the key qualities they want to see written on a resume are local knowledge, negotiation skills, responsiveness and process expertise. If you have those four qualities then you are probably a successful agent. Successful real estate agents have such qualities and the reviews will come if you can tick five stars in those fields.</p><p>You cannot expect that review to be completed automatically. In fact, eight out of ten clients won’t bother actually writing or completing a review unless they have been specifically asked. An agent can email, text or politely call the client after the sale and request that they write a review.</p><p>I knew one agent who would specifically ask their client, face to face for a written review or recommendation when dropping off a house-warming gift after the close. That way the gift would be a constant reminder to make sure the review is completed. So dangle that carrot. It is not as if an agent is buying a review, just thanking the client for their time and effort in completing the review.</p><p></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}4359194684,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}4359194684,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="248" class="align-left" height="169" alt="4359194684?profile=original" /></a></p><p></p><p>An agent should mention reviews from a very early stage. If you leave it until the day after a sale has been completed, the client may believe there is little importance attached to it. Make the request for the client to complete one, part of your business practice.</p><p>It is also worth the time and effort for real estate agents to help clients fill in their review forms. When someone looks at a blank screen and tries to think of the words that will form their review, often there is a moment of writer’s block or difficulty in coming up with the right words. It is not OK for a real estate agent to write a review for the client, but it is fine for them to cite examples.</p><p></p><p>So get out there and start asking for those reviews. With so many real estate agent websites out there, you are sure to improve your reputation and increase those sale.</p><p></p><p><a href="http://www.pamsvas.com" target="_blank">Pam’sVAS</a> – Real Estate REO and BPO virtual Assistant Services.</p></div>Real Estate Agents in the Dark about DVT Caused By Long Term Drivinghttps://www.reopronetwork.com/profiles/blogs/real-estate-agents-in-the-dark-about-dvt-caused-by-long-term2015-01-28T17:48:29.000Z2015-01-28T17:48:29.000ZPam Maglionehttps://www.reopronetwork.com/members/PamMaglione<div><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}4359194019,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}4359194019,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="399" class="align-center" height="268" alt="4359194019?profile=original" /></a></p><p></p><p>We have all heard by now of Deep Vein Thrombosis, a debilitating condition caused by sitting still in one position for hours on end, often in a plane on a long-haul flight and in a tight and cramped position. But just like air passengers, who are often cruelly crammed in to tight spaces by airlines getting as many of us travellers as possible into one plane (to maximize its own profits), long haul drivers are suffering similar fates. These include truck drivers, salesmen and real estate agents.</p><p>Real estate agents are often forced to drive from the office to the home that is up for sale (to show potential clients around) and back again several times a day. And the practice is playing havoc to those who suffer from DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis).</p><p>The news that drivers face the same medical issues as airline passengers has alarmed those working in the real estate industry. In fact, doctors have confirmed that it doesn’t matter where you are sitting – be it on a train, on a plane or in a car – a blood clot could occur if the person has been stuck in the same position for hours on end.</p><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}4359194061,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}4359194061,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="375" class="align-center" height="249" alt="4359194061?profile=original" /></a></p><p>One French cardiologist has termed the condition as “economy class syndrome” in reference to the confined space in which passengers are forced to endure long haul flights. But think about your long car journey and you will soon realize that long term driving is punishing your legs in much the same way as a cramped passenger aboard an economy airline.</p><p>DVT may occur when the legs are restricted in one tight position for long periods of time. The blood clots in the part of the leg below the knee. Some hours later, after the clots have formed, they will journey around the body after fragmentation. It gets worse as these fragments are liable to form in the lungs, head or even the brain – sometimes with fatal results.</p><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}4359194031,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="450" src="{{#staticFileLink}}4359194031,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" height="288" alt="4359194031?profile=original" /></a></p><p>A recent study of 160 patients who had suffered from DVT showed that 39 of them had acquired the condition after travelling for a period of more than four hours. 28 of the 39 had actually travelled by car. ..Thats almost 70%.</p><p>Doctors have advised that if you have a long-haul journey to make, it may be better to fly rather than drive, as this would involve less time sitting in one cramped position.</p><p>Also, don’t overlook the importance and success of compression socks. They certainly aren’t the most attractive accessory but definitely the most important if you fit the description of a potential DVT candidate.</p><p>Be sure to speak to your doctor for more information on the potential of DVT.</p><p></p><p><a href="http://pamsvas.com" target="_blank">PamsVAS</a> - Real Estate REO and BPO Virtual Assistant Services</p></div>New Fannie Mae Appraisal Program - Jan 26thhttps://www.reopronetwork.com/profiles/blogs/new-fannie-mae-appraisal-program-jan-26th2015-01-23T18:20:00.000Z2015-01-23T18:20:00.000ZPam Maglionehttps://www.reopronetwork.com/members/PamMaglione<div><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}4359193941,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}4359193941,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="450" class="align-center" height="213" alt="4359193941?profile=original" /></a></p><p>Is the new Fannie Mae Appraisal Program helping or hurting? What are the basics of the program? Well, the real estate giant is planning to offer mortgage lenders access to proprietary home valuation databases, so that they can use it to assess the “accuracy and risks posed by the reports submitted by appraisers.”</p><p>So this system will look closely at the work performed by the appraiser and flag any possible errors. This means the lender can ask for an appraisal to be looked at again, which could in turn lead the lender into reconsidering whether or not to go ahead with the loan.</p><p>This new step – to be added from January 26 – will mean the price a home is sold or bought at being determined more thoroughly and will undoubtedly add more time to the closing process and may ramp up the cost of the appraisal fees for doing all that extra work.</p><p>So why is this happening now? Well, Fannie Mae wants lenders to make more informed decisions when approving a loan to a home buyer for the mortgage. At present, a buyer will scour the internet and real estate listings and look for their dream home in the area of their choice. Then a buyer finds a home, makes an offer, agrees on a final price and then starts the home buying process.</p><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}4359193956,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}4359193956,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="449" class="align-center" alt="4359193956?profile=original" /></a></p><p>The price is at the very high end of their budget but that doesn’t matter because this home is in the area they have always wanted to move into, It has a number of A-listed schools nearby, great shopping malls and restaurants at their doorstep and a place where the crime rates are very low – so it’s got to be well worth it! Right?</p><p>But from January 26, the lender will submit the appraisal report to the new Fannie Mae Program and they will come back with “lower risks comps” that could value the home at a higher rate. The lender could then ask the appraisal team to look at the loan again and reconsider, adding time and money to the buying process.</p><p>The fear of many real estate agents is that if appraisers become concerned they are constantly being told its assessments are inaccurate, they will automatically be more conservative in their assessments, resulting in lower house prices and stalling the housing market growth considerably.</p><p>Only time will show the affects of the New Fannie Mae Appraisal Program. Let us know if you see any drastic changes in your transactions and listings.</p><p></p><p><a href="http://www.pamsvas.com" target="_blank">PamsVAS</a> - Real Estate Virtual Assistant REO and BPO Services</p><p></p></div>How to get more BPOs the Pam'sVAS wayhttps://www.reopronetwork.com/profiles/blogs/how-to-get-more-bpos-the-pam-svas-way2015-01-20T20:13:25.000Z2015-01-20T20:13:25.000ZPam Maglionehttps://www.reopronetwork.com/members/PamMaglione<div><h2>Part 1 of a series<span style="font-size:13px;"> </span></h2><p>Let’s be honest, how many of us can say that when handed a Real Estate manual, we jump for joy at the thought of having to actually read it –much less understand and retain what we’ve read? “Fifty pages on how to properly complete a real estate BPO . . I’ll just wing it.” Chances are we either end up skimming over the literature while thinking of all the other things we <em>could</em> be doing or we “shelf it” it and scram to find it when a situation arises. If you want to increase the size your wallet, then you need to increase your attention span –and that’s just the ugly truth! So, without further a due, let’s move on to the promised resolve. I am confident I can hold your attention; after all, it is <em>Pam’s Way</em>!</p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}4359193858,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}4359193858,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="225" class="align-left" alt="4359193858?profile=original" /></a></p><p></p><p><span>“How can I get more BPOs?”</span> Oh Boy, have I not been asked this question countless times! While I do have 25 years of Real Estate experience under my belt, my answer has remained the same from the get-go. <em>Adhere to the companies guidelines -literally to the “Tee”. </em>Yes, it’s really that simple. The guidelines are there for a reason; they spell out what each company wants and expects from you. “But Pam, why are they only assigning me rural BPOs? ‘The properties are so far apart that the fee barely covers my expenses.’ ” <span>Well you see, the competition between agents for BPOs is pretty cutthroat</span>. <span>Those who adhere to the company’s standards and guidelines are, in essence, giving the companies what they want; in turn, those agents get what they want. As for the slackers . . well, they get what the “model agents” don’t want.</span></p><h2>Mastering the Art of Taking Clear & Usable BPO Photos</h2><p>It always amazes me when I stumble upon botched BPO photos. You would think that with today’s technology as well as with the growing popularity of social media, one would be capable of delivering “clear and usable” photos. <em>Still</em>, a fair amount of agents submit less than satisfactory photos. <span>So, what deems a photo satisfactory?</span> Well, let’s take a look.</p><p>So, you’re browsing through the MLS search results…trying to find those perfect comps, when you stumble across a listing whose photo features the picture taker’s driver’s side wing mirror. Would you pause and question the use of the photo or would you continue on without even noticing? If you were a reviewer of a BPO whose subject photo featured the picture taker’s rear view mirror, hood, dirty windshield etc . . Would you think, “Wow, this person has really gone above and beyond our expectations! They are definitely someone I should delegate more orders to!”? Feel free to use the following photos as a reference.</p><p></p><p>Recap:<br />BPO Photos should NOT feature the following:<br />• Your limbs and/or extremities<br />• Any part of your vehicle<br />• Mirror Reflections<br />• Front yard BBQs<br />• A moonlit subject property<br />• Subject property in motion<br />• The mail service/carriers<br />• Pets/Animals<br />• Family pictures<br />• Billy’s “not-so-secret” magazine collection<br />• Timmy’s nasty addiction<br />(You get the idea)</p><p></p><p>Remember, this is your profession; not Instagram, where you gain likes for uploading photos worthy of “#photobomb”. Get yourself together. If you want to receive more BPOs, then give the companies a reason to assign you more.</p><p>I know . . time is money. You may think 1 botched batch of photos out of 5 isn’t all that bad. After all, you managed to make it to all five properties in one day; you’ve even made it home in enough time to complete data entry and submit the orders before dinner! Either you’ll luck out and they’ll let the photos slide or they’ll make you collect new photos. Regardless of the outcome, submitting botched BPO photos will definitely cost you money in the long run -so <em>take your time!</em></p><p>The agents who invest their time into providing quality service are the agents who receive the highest amount of BPOs; leaving those who compromise on quality in turn for getting the job done quickly, their leftovers. Apart from receiving a higher volume of BPOs, the model agents are also more likely to win the listings. I mean, come on, if you can’t take a picture properly (even after having been provided instructions), then one can only imagine what your completed transaction documents would look like.</p><p>So, I conclude the first part of my planned series with the following words of wisdom…</p><p>“Practice doesn’t make perfect. Practice makes permanent. Perfect practice makes perfect. So, every time you repeat an action, right or wrong, you will find it easier to repeat that same action, right or wrong. Develop a passion for obtaining your goals. If you do, you will never cease to grow.”</p><p>When one is truly passionate about something, it increases ones chance of success. Passion is what pushes one to give more than 100% of oneself, instead of simply putting forth the bare minimum.</p><p></p><p><a href="http://pamsvas.com/pams-blog/" target="_blank">Check out our full Blog HERE</a></p><p>Don’t forget to add us to your Social Media pages for more good reads!</p></div>BPO Simplified Course and REO Simplified Course's available!! Some states we offer CE credit for the courseshttps://www.reopronetwork.com/profiles/blogs/bpo-simplified-course-and-reo-simplified-course-s-available-some2015-01-06T17:51:24.000Z2015-01-06T17:51:24.000ZJames A. Browning "REOCertified"https://www.reopronetwork.com/members/JamesABrowningREOCertified<div><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:.5em;"></p><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:.5em;"><a href="http://reopro.ning.com/page/continuing-education?xg_source=msg_mes_network" target="_blank">Continuing Education</a> Classes start as low as $29.95 for 3 hours of continuing education credit. Some classes we offer are BPO Simplified, and REO Simplified. If you need CE credit for your license, why not get it through us? To learn more, visit REOPro's Continuing Education tab and follow the directions.</p><p>Visit REOPro Default Professionals at: <a href="http://reopro.ning.com/?xg_source=msg_mes_network" target="_blank">http://reopro.ning.com/?xg_source=msg_mes_network</a></p><p></p><p>Posted by: James A.Browning, Course developer and creator for BPO and REO Simplified.</p><p></p><p></p></div>New Jersey - Top of the Foreclosure states listhttps://www.reopronetwork.com/profiles/blogs/new-jersey-top-of-the-foreclosure-states-list2015-01-05T18:10:03.000Z2015-01-05T18:10:03.000ZPam Maglionehttps://www.reopronetwork.com/members/PamMaglione<div><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}4359193612,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}4359193612,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="424" height="264" alt="4359193612?profile=original" /></a></p><p>Most organizations, people and teams like to come first, but when you are top of the league in the foreclosure division stakes, it’s not a medal your team will be proud to wear. This is the wooden spoon prize, the unwanted accolade and a position not to be proud of.</p><p>CoreLogic is a leading provider when it comes to real estate charts and data, and it places poor old New Jersey at the top of this league for foreclosures. At 5.5 per cent, New Jersey has the highest percentage of foreclosures among mortgaged homes. And what makes that figure sound even worse is that in second place came New York and Florida, which both tied for the runners-up spot with 4.1 per cent. That’s quite a big difference!</p><p>Moreover, it seems to get worse when the figures released for the state’s delinquency rate is the highest of them all in the United States at 9.1 per cent. That figure is well in excess of both Florida and New York once again. Yet these figures come as the country as a whole seems to have falling rates of foreclosure.</p><p>Last October 2013, there were some 875,000 homes registered as in some form of disclosure across America. But overall things have gotten better because the rate of homes in some form of foreclosure in October 2014, exactly a year later, had dropped by a staggeringly impressive 30 per cent. Currently there is slightly more than 600,000 homes under the threat of foreclosure.</p><p>So what is behind the science and under the hood of these higher than average foreclosure rates in New Jersey? Well, for starters the entire process of foreclosure (from the very first payment missed to kicking the occupants right out of their home) takes much longer in New Jersey than it does anywhere else in the U.S. And it is this long drawn-out process that has contributed to a backlog in the county courts that get to ultimately deal with the foreclosure.</p><p>Many mortgage lenders in New Jersey decided to freeze the foreclosure process for thousands of households in the state. This meant many homes were effectively frozen in the foreclosure status, but Hurricane Sandy also helped to play a huge part in the process of adding new homes to the foreclosure lists, although this would have affected New York State just as much. The good news is that the process is moving swiftly along now.</p><p></p><p><a href="http://www.pamsvas.com" target="_blank">Pamsvas.com</a> - Real Estate REO and BPO Virtual Assistant Services</p></div>iForm & iFill Automation - Turbo-BPO.comhttps://www.reopronetwork.com/profiles/blogs/iform-ifill-automation-turbo-bpo-com2014-12-16T21:30:00.000Z2014-12-16T21:30:00.000ZJohn Gattingerhttps://www.reopronetwork.com/members/JohnGattinger<div><p>Discover the newest form of BPO automation to hit the market. Turbo BPO is no longer just an outsourcing destination, we now empower agents to work on their own orders more efficiently. This web software is built upon the trial and error of tens of thousands of outsourced orders to make the system as flexible, yet error free as humanly possible. Our products take an innovative approach to form fill automation by recreating your MLS grid in our system, uploading your MLS data, automatically calculating nearly every possible data field to generate a "Data Driven BPO", and then transferring the final data into the valuation forms. Theoretically you can complete up to 100% of a valuation form without even opening the company form, although you would still want to check the special instructions! Invest less than 30 minutes seeing an iForm demo (25 Minutes) and iFill demo (2 Minutes) and this product may just change the whole way you've ever looked at completing a BPO more efficiently and more importantly, of quality.</p><p></p><p>-> WARNING: THIS CAN COMPLETE A BPO FROM COMP SELECTION TO SUBMIT IN UNDER 10 MINUTES</p><p>-> NO SETUP FEES</p><p>-> 25 FREE CREDITS</p><p>-> ABSOLUTELY RISK FREE</p><p>-> PAY AS YOU GO SERVICE @ ONLY $2.50/ORDER</p><p></p><p></p><p>What is the iForm?</p><p>- A one size fits all BPO form which automatically calculates nearly every possible data field.</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymbLNziT1OE">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymbLNziT1OE</a></p><p></p><p>What is iFill?</p><p>- A web browser extension which enables 100% data transfer from the iForm into valuation company forms.</p><p></p><p>Compatible Companies</p><p>BPO Fulfillment: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWME37Q1pZU">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWME37Q1pZU</a></p><p>Clear Capital: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lY0DMR7P8Hc">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lY0DMR7P8Hc</a></p><p>CoreLogic: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCuKhEyGgIE">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCuKhEyGgIE</a></p><p>Emortgage: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjYgv4MfCD0">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjYgv4MfCD0</a></p><p>Equi-Trax: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSFz5YYKgAY">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSFz5YYKgAY</a></p><p>iMortgage: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3FHDl2W5Do">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3FHDl2W5Do</a></p><p>LSI/ServiceLink: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_TI6AKIZhI">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_TI6AKIZhI</a></p><p>Ocwen: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pujy-Ql43_4">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pujy-Ql43_4</a></p><p>Old Republic: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpysYnCH2T4">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpysYnCH2T4</a></p><p>Proteck: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fm3nukxRrCk">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fm3nukxRrCk</a></p><p>Realty Pilot: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiAYmNbBJHE">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiAYmNbBJHE</a></p><p>Real Estate Review: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRl4HKzfH3o">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRl4HKzfH3o</a></p><p>Single Source: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8fXIl6CDX8">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8fXIl6CDX8</a></p><p>Solution Star: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Dg2Zu_ncEE">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Dg2Zu_ncEE</a></p><p>Specialized Asset Management: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNITNLNLqKk">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNITNLNLqKk</a></p><p></p><p>Register a free account to get started immediately!</p><p></p><p>Regards,</p><p>John Gattinger</p><p>Turbo-BPO.com</p></div>Tackling the Question of Professionalism Goes Beyond Compliance Issueshttps://www.reopronetwork.com/profiles/blogs/tackling-the-question-of-professionalism-goes-beyond-compliance2014-12-05T13:11:30.000Z2014-12-05T13:11:30.000ZMichael Humphrieshttps://www.reopronetwork.com/members/MichaelHumphries<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}4359193230,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="350" class="align-left" src="{{#staticFileLink}}4359193230,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="4359193230?profile=original" /></a>Should newly-minted real estate licensees be required to go through an apprenticeship period?</p><p> </p><p>This is the question being discussed among real estate professionals across the county.</p><p></p><p>The topic in question is whether or not an initial license alone is sufficient for a person to practice the business of real estate. The solution suggested by professionalism advocates is to adopt legislation requiring an apprenticeship phase. Providing structured supervision and training to new licensees in an effort to elevate the character and professionalism throughout the industry.</p><p>In spite of the ongoing apprenticeship debate, most do agree that our industry is due for a "new development of professional consciousness and a higher standard of professional service", towards both consumers and practitioners alike.</p><p> </p><p>How many of you think our industry lacks professionalism amongst its peers?</p><p> </p><p>In a recent article written by Realty Times—California Real Estate Commissioner discusses "what makes a real estate practitioner a professional". </p><p>Read it here and honestly ask yourself how many of the 7 professional attributes you possess. </p><p><a href="http://realtytimes.com/todaysheadlines1/item/31818-20141202-real-estate-commissioner-seeks-greater-industry-professionalism">http://realtytimes.com/todaysheadlines1/item/31818-20141202-real-estate-commissioner-seeks-greater-industry-professionalism</a></p><p> </p><p>So, how many of the 7 did you claim?</p><p> </p><p><a href="https://plus.google.com/104941726969689783651/about/p/pub?hl=en"><i>Michael Humphries</i></a><i>, designated broker for Compass Roads Realty, Inc. and writer for iOn real estate covers local and national real estate news, industry trends and market analytics. Read more of his work</i> <a href="https://plus.google.com/104941726969689783651/posts/p/pub?hl=en">here</a><i>.</i></p><p>Search for thousands of homes in South Florida with direct access to the MLS. <a href="http://compassroadsrealty.com/">http://compassroadsrealty.com/</a></p></div>Rules Relaxed on Home Buys Following Foreclosurehttps://www.reopronetwork.com/profiles/blogs/rules-relaxed-on-home-buys-following-foreclosure2014-11-23T15:24:12.000Z2014-11-23T15:24:12.000ZPam Maglionehttps://www.reopronetwork.com/members/PamMaglione<div><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}4359193089,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}4359193089,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="400" class="align-center" alt="4359193089?profile=original" /></a></div><div>At last there may be some relief for those that have gone through the suffering of not being able to pay the mortgage and then finding eviction looms through the foreclosure process. If you have ever been in the unfortunate situation of being a homeowner that cannot keep up the monthly payments, you will know all too well how debilitating the process of eviction and foreclosure would have been.</div><div>You would also undoubtedly be thinking that any future home purchase is probably off the cards and something you’ll never be allowed to do again in the future. Well there may be some hope on the horizon for those that have gone through foreclosure but it’s not all good news, I’m afraid.</div><div>New rules are set to be introduced in the United States that will allow those that have gone through foreclosure to move back into home ownership far more quickly than previously allowed. But critics are suggesting the new relaxation on time is purely theoretical. This is because lenders are unlikely to go around grabbing any former homeowner that has gone through the pain and poverty of foreclosure and now wants to try the process all over again just months after losing their last home.</div><div style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}4359193153,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}4359193153,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="400" class="align-center" alt="4359193153?profile=original" /></a></div><div><div>Fannie Mae and the Federal Housing Association are certainly two entities that are on board with the idea but it’s not much good for a prospective homebuyer who wants to get their feet back in the property ladder following recent foreclosure if the lenders won’t play ball.</div><div>FHA rules have been changed to allow any potential homebuyer the opportunity to buy another home within 12 months of foreclosure providing two conditions are met: the first condition must be that when you lost your home it must have been due to economic conditions that were out of your control. Secondly, you must go through a program of housing counselling; this may be something like a week-long course where you will be made aware of the pitfalls of investing in a home that may or may not be able to afford.</div><br /><div>Mortgage lenders will normally keep you waiting seven years after foreclosure before even considering lending out more money. If you have been forced to a deed in lieu or a short sale, the wait is often only two years. However, you will still need low debts and a certain salary level before being considered for mortgage approval.</div><div>Credit: <a href="http://www.pamsvas.com/">www.pamsvas.com</a> - Real Estate Virtual Assistants</div></div></div>