The SMART Way to Buy Your First Short Sale

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

Understanding the Short Sale

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

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

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

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

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

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

Putting Together a Good Plan

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

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

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

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

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

Changes in Popularity of Features in New Homes

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

Sunrooms

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

Separate Living Room

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

Media Room

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

Two Story Family Room and Foyer

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

Whirlpool Bathtubs

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

Luxury Bathroom

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

Outdoor Kitchen

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

Buying a Foreclosure in Winchester, VA 

If you're thinking about buying a foreclosure in Winchester VA, there are certain things you should know.  Foreclosures can be great buys, and many of them are listed at bargain prices.  But, and there is always a but, foreclosure purchases do have characteristics that aren't always like fair market sales.

• A foreclosure becomes known as an REO (real estate owned) once the homeowner has lost it and the lender has taken control of it. Most consumers don't know the difference, so "foreclosure" is often used to avoid confusion.
• A foreclosure is typically sold "as-is".  That may mean that some repairs will NOT be made.  Lenders will usually take care of any problems that could be considered a hazard.  For instance, an electrical meter has been tampered with and someone could stick his hand inside of it and get electrocuted.  Water, air, mold, heating and structural issues also come to mind when considering repairs that are hazardous.  They may end up being negotiated.
  
• Lenders really don't care who you are.  They will not discriminate against you for any reason.  They view you from data on a piece of paper as a potential buyer who they will never see, hear from or get to know.  All they want to know is, "Can you buy the property?"  If they seem like they are being hard to get along with, it's not personal.  When a bank's asset manager has 200 files sitting on his desk, he doesn't have time to discriminate. 
• Banks who are trying to liquidate their REOs are not like a seller who has to sell.  You can't demand things from them.  Expecting the same level of response time, offerings of closing costs or just about anything else is more than likely going to frustrate you.  If you start demanding things during the negotiations, they will just say, "Next." 
• Threatening a bank with legal action because they are not responding to your demands will not win their favor, approval or respect.  Again, their response will be, "Next."
• When you buy a foreclosure, you normally buy caveat emptor.  Buyer beware.  That doesn't mean that all foreclosures are dumps in terrible condition.  It can be quite the opposite.  A bank in California may not have a clue what a house in Winchester, VA looks like.  So, they can't afford to make any disclosures or promises about a property they will never see.  You buy at your own risk.
• Some banks will work with you on closing costs and some will not.
• Banks may charge you a daily per diem if for some reason you cannot close on time.  I've seen it go up to $150 a day.  It's best to have all of your paperwork ready, as well as your loan approval done on time.  Make sure you're ready to get busy once the bank agrees to your offer to purchase.  You should already be pre-qualified for a loan before you start.  It's better to be pre-approved. 
• The less complicated your contract is, the better chance you have of getting the property.  Adding a bunch of contingencies or conditions only makes the next contract more attractive, and banks will gladly accept a pile of contracts before they make a decision.  Keep it simple.  Some things are unavoidable like a final loan approval, but you can skip some contingencies.  Talk to your Cornerstone agent. 

Don't give up on foreclosures because they're more work.  A foreclosure might be the buy of a lifetime.  It takes patience and understanding, and when you're ready to buy a Winchester VA foreclosure, give your Cornerstone agent a call.

Buying a foreclosure in Winchester, VA

What to look for when buying a foreclosure in Winchester, VA

How to Buy a Home Once You Have Completed a Short Sale

Tragedy strikes across the country every year.  People lose jobs, injuries are sustained from accidents and financial hardships cause tough decisions.  Fortunately, most things improve with the passage of time.  Read on to see how you can prepare for your next home purchase once you have sold a home via short sale.

Option 1: Big Down Payment

One constant that has remained in mortgage lending in many years is the power of a large down payment.  Although it is uncommon to see someone with a 30% or more down payment, it does happen.  Especially for people who are recipients of a windfall, such as payment on a judgment or an inheritance.  If you can rationalize the high interest rates, and you have the funds for the large down payment, then you can usually find a private lender to set up a mortgage for you.

If you choose this route, be alert to a few items.  First, the lender may have a stiff penalty for paying off the loan within the first few years.  Secondly, the lender may attempt to set up the mortgage with a balloon payment.  Avoid these two snags at all cost.

Option 2:  Wait a Few Years

If you don’t have the money for a 30% down payment you can simply wait for three years.  The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) will ask that a person who sold their home via short sale to wait for three years before applying for a new mortgage.  However, if your circumstances show that the short sale was beyond your control, and you kept your payments up to date right up to the sale date, then you may be able to get the loan sooner.

People who would prefer to use conventional loans offered by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac will have a similar wait.  Fannie Mae only asks that borrowers wait for two years if they are able to pay a 20% down payment.  For circumstances beyond your control Fannie may allow you a 10% down payment after a two year period.

Veterans who wish to use the VA loan will need to wait a full two years after their short sale to apply for a new loan.

Option 3: Lease with Option to Buy

It is not surprising that many home sellers have chosen to offer their homes with a lease and an option to purchase at a certain time and at a designated price.  Due to the economic slump over the past few years, home prices have dropped.  Sellers do not wish to sell their home at such a loss so many are willing to lease out the home in hopes that the market will rebound.  For buyers who are not quite ready to qualify for a traditional mortgage, buying with a lease-option could be the easiest way to get in to a home.

With a little planning and a little patience it is possible to find yourself holding the keys to your next home after you have made it through a short sale.

Original Post - Buying a Home after a Short Sale

FHA Financing Now Available For REO Properties

The Rental Sector Is Looking Up

New HUD Process

I had the opportunity to attend a webinar for new HUD listing brokers and there are somechanges, I think HUD is improving their customer service and their system, Ihave been selling HUD homes since I started in real estate 5 years ago, alwaysfrom the buyer side and sometimes it was very frustrating, and I think some ofthe new changes will make things easier.

I think the most important change is the time allowed for home owners to purchase FHA uninsurablehomes, in reality it is harder for a home owner to do all the renovations, andsome either don’t qualify or don’t care much about a renovation loan. Now withthe new deadline, it makes more sense for investors to start bidding earlier.

Well here is an overview of the changes.

· Separatecontractors responsible for property management and marketing/sales.

· HUDHomestore.comis a one national site for everything.

· Commissions,minimum $2,500 divided equally between listing agent and buyer’s agent. Maximum6% commission also split equally for both listing and buyer’s agent.

· NewBroker Registration Process.

· Earnestmoney (made out to HUD) submitted with the contract.

· ElectronicLock Boxes.

HUD has divided the country in 4 contract area and every region is divided in a smaller set ofsubregions.

HUD register, (no only listing agents) brokers may advertise, and hold open houseson HUD properties, however they must gain approval from the Asset Manager.

For agents to bid and sell HUD homes, their broker has to be approved by HUD and have a NAIDnumber and also both broker and agents must be register with HUDHomestore.com.About this site it is one site for the entire country, purchasers will see whatbroker see, bringing more transparency to the transaction, Asset Manager willlist properties on a daily basis instead of once a week. Also this website isthe only place to submit a bid.

House insurable or Insurable with Escrow will have an Exclusive “Owner Occupant”period of 30 days, a 10 day biding period and if no offer is accepted then bidswill be reviewed daily for another 20 days only for owner occupant.

For Uninsurable Properties there will be a 5 day exclusive Owner Occupant period, after thatbidding will be open to all purchasers on a daily basis if an acceptable owneroccupant offer was not received.

Also agents have to make sure they have complete sales contract HUD form 9548 andcertification of broker form, Lead Base paint, Radon and Mold, MED, ExtensionPolicy, Home Inspection, Owner Occupied (if applicable) and local requireaddenda, together with a pre-qualification letter form a certified, licensedlender if sale contains a mortgage contingency. Agents have 48 hours to submitall those documents to HUD after bid acceptance

Earnest money will be held by HUD’s designated closing agent, and they will notify thebrokers who will closing agent will be once the contract is ratified.

Important Reminders

Never take or give a property key to anyone, absolutely no repairs prior to settlement,remember that all HUD homes are sold ASIS, do a pre-settlement inspection, alldocuments and contracts have to be submitted to HUD with in 2 business days.