By RealtyTrac Staff

Average REO Discount 35 Percent; Foreclosure Discount Drops to 9 Percent
Average Time to Sell at 176 Days for REOs; 228 Days for Pre-Foreclosures

IRVINE, Calif. – May 26, 2011 — RealtyTrac® (http://www.realtytrac.com/gateway_co.asp?accnt=137300), the leading online marketplace for foreclosure properties, today released its Q1 2011 U.S. Foreclosure Sales Report™, which shows that sales of bank-owned homes and those in some stage of foreclosure accounted for 28 percent of all U.S. residential sales in the first quarter of 2011, up slightly from 27 percent of all sales in the fourth quarter of 2010 and the highest percentage of sales since the first quarter of 2010, when 29 percent of all sales were foreclosure sales.

The average sales price of properties in some stage of foreclosure — default, scheduled for auction or bank-owned (REO) — was $168,321, down 1.89 percent from the fourth quarter of 2010 and down 1.46 percent from the first quarter of 2010.

The average sales price of foreclosure properties was nearly 27 percent below the average sales price of properties not in foreclosure, unchanged from the 27 percent foreclosure discount in the fourth quarter and up slightly from the 26 percent foreclosure discount in the first quarter of 2010.

Third parties purchased a total of 158,434 U.S. bank-owned homes and those in some stage of foreclosure during the first quarter, a decrease of 16 percent from a revised fourth quarter total and down 36 percent from a revised Q1 2010 total. Bank-owned properties that sold in the first quarter had been repossessed by the bank an average of 176 days prior to the sale, while properties that sold in the earlier stages of foreclosure in the first quarter were in foreclosure an average of 228 days before selling.

“While foreclosure sales continue to account for an unusually high percentage of all residential home sales, sales volume is well off the peak we saw in the first quarter of 2009, when nearly 350,000 foreclosure properties sold to third parties,” said James J. Saccacio, chief executive officer of RealtyTrac. “While this is probably helping to keep home prices relatively stable, it is also delaying the housing recovery. At the first quarter foreclosure sales pace, it would take exactly three years to clear the current inventory of 1.9 million properties already on the banks’ books, or in foreclosure.”

Foreclosure sales by type
A total of 107,143 bank-owned (REO) residential properties sold to third parties in the first quarter, down 11 percent from the previous quarter and down nearly 30 percent from the first quarter of 2010. REO sales accounted for nearly 19 percent of all sales in the first quarter, up from 17 percent of all sales in the previous quarter and up from 18 percent of all sales in the first quarter of 2010. REOs sold for an average discount of 35 percent, the same discount as in the previous quarter and up from an average discount of 33 percent in the first quarter of 2010.

A total of 51,291 pre-foreclosure properties — in default or scheduled for auction — sold to third parties in the first quarter, down nearly 26 percent from the previous quarter and down 45 percent from the first quarter of 2010. Pre-foreclosure sales accounted for nearly 9 percent of all sales, down from 10 percent of all sales in the fourth quarter of 2010 and down from 11 percent of all sales in the first quarter of 2010. Pre-foreclosure sales, which are often short sales, sold for an average discount of 9 percent, down from an average discount of 13 percent in the fourth quarter and an average discount of 14 percent in the first quarter of 2010.

Nevada, California, Arizona post highest percentage of foreclosure sales
Foreclosure sales accounted for 53 percent of all residential sales in Nevada during the first quarter, the highest percentage of any state but down from nearly 54 percent of all sales in the previous quarter and down from 59 percent of all sales in the first quarter of 2010. The average foreclosure sales price in Nevada during the first quarter was nearly 18 percent below the average sales price of homes not in foreclosure. Bank-owned properties that sold in the first quarter had been repossessed by the bank an average of 130 days prior to sale, while properties that sold in the earlier stages of foreclosure were in foreclosure an average of 135 days before selling.

California foreclosure sales accounted for 45 percent of all residential sales in the state during the first quarter, up from 43 percent of all sales in the fourth quarter but down from nearly 48 percent of all sales in the first quarter of 2010. The average foreclosure sales price in California was nearly 34 percent below the average sales price of homes not in foreclosure. California bank-owned properties that sold in the first quarter had been repossessed by the bank an average of 164 days prior to sale, while properties that sold in the earlier stages of foreclosure were in foreclosure an average of 156 days before selling.

Foreclosure sales also accounted for 45 percent of all residential sales in Arizona during the first quarter, down from 50 percent of all sales in the previous quarter and down from nearly 47 percent of all sales in the first quarter of 2010. Arizona bank-owned properties that sold in the first quarter had been repossessed by the bank an average of 129 days prior to the sale, while properties that sold in the earlier stages of foreclosure were in foreclosure an average of 176 days before selling.

Other states where foreclosure sales accounted for at least one-quarter of all sales were Idaho (33 percent), Florida (32 percent), Michigan (32 percent), Oregon (32 percent), Virginia (30 percent), Colorado (30 percent), Illinois (29 percent), Georgia (27 percent) and Ohio (25 percent).

Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky post highest foreclosure discounts 
Ohio foreclosures sold for an average discount of 41 percent in the first quarter, the biggest discount percentage of any state. Ohio’s average foreclosure discount was down slightly from 42 percent in the previous quarter but up slightly from 40 percent in the first quarter of 2010.

The average foreclosure discount in Illinois was nearly 41 percent in the first quarter, up from an average discount of 38 percent in both the previous quarter and the first quarter of 2010.

Kentucky foreclosures sold for an average discount of 39 percent, down from an average discount of 42 percent in the fourth quarter but up from an average discount of 37 percent in the first quarter of 2010.

Other states with average foreclosure discounts of more than 35 percent were Maryland, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma and Louisiana.

Report methodology
The RealtyTrac U.S. Foreclosure Sales Report is produced by matching national address-level sales deed data against RealtyTrac’s foreclosure database of pre-foreclosure (NOD, LIS), auction (NTS, NFS) and bank-owned (REO) properties. A property is considered a foreclosure sale if a sales deed is recorded for the property while it was actively in some stage of foreclosure or bank-owned. The foreclosure discount is calculated by comparing the percentage difference between the average sales price of properties not in foreclosure to the average sales price of properties in some stage of foreclosure or bank-owned. States without sufficient foreclosure sales data to calculate average prices are not included in the report.

Glossary of Terms
Foreclosure (FC) sale: a sale of a property that occurs while the property is actively in some stage of foreclosure (NOD, LIS, NTS, NFS or REO). This includes only sales to third-party buyers or investors not involved in the foreclosure process. It does not include property transfers from the owner in default to the foreclosing bank or lender.

REO sale: a sale of a property that occurs while the property is actively bank owned (REO).

Pre-foreclosure sale: a sale of a property that occurs while the property is actively in default (NOD, LIS) or scheduled for foreclosure auction (NTS, NFS).

Pct. of all sales: total number of Foreclosure Sales (or Pre-Foreclosure Sales or REO Sales) as a percentage of all residential sales during the quarter or year.

Avg. FC sales price: the average sales price of Foreclosure Sales (or Pre-Foreclosure Sales or REO Sales) during the quarter or year, excluding sales with no sales price.

Avg. FC discount: the percentage difference between the average sales price of foreclosure sales and the average sales price of non-foreclosure sales during the quarter or year.

Avg. REO discount: the percentage difference between the average sales price of REO sales and the average sales price of non-foreclosure sales during the quarter or year.

Avg. pre-foreclosure discount: the percentage difference between the average sales price of pre-foreclosure sales and the average sales price of non-foreclosure sales during the quarter or year.

Report License
The RealtyTrac U.S. Foreclosure Sales Report is the result of a proprietary evaluation of information compiled by RealtyTrac; the report and any of the information in whole or in part can only be quoted, copied, published, re-published, distributed and/or re-distributed or used in any manner if the user specifically references RealtyTrac as the source for said report and/or any of the information set forth within the report.

About RealtyTrac Inc. 
RealtyTrac (http://www.realtytrac.com/) is the leading online marketplace of foreclosure properties, with more than 1.5 million default, auction and bank-owned listings from over 2,200 U.S. counties, along with detailed property, loan and home sales data. Hosting more than 3 million unique monthly visitors, RealtyTrac provides innovative technology solutions and practical education resources to facilitate buying, selling and investing in real estate. RealtyTrac’s foreclosure data has also been used by the Federal Reserve, FBI, U.S. Senate Joint Economic Committee and Banking Committee, U.S. Treasury Department, and numerous state housing and banking departments to help evaluate foreclosure trends and address policy issues related to foreclosures.

By: RealtyTrac

Overview

Foreclosure is a process that allows a lender to recover the amount owed on a defaulted loan by selling or taking ownership (repossession) of the property securing the loan. The foreclosure process begins when a borrower/owner defaults on loan payments and the lender files a public default notice. The foreclosure process can end one of four ways:

1. The borrower/owner pays off the default amount to reinstate the loan during a grace period known as pre-foreclosure.
2. The borrower/owner sells the property to a third party during pre-foreclosure, allowing the borrower/owner to pay off the loan and avoid having a foreclosure on his or her credit history.
3. A third party buys the property at a public auction at the end of the pre-foreclosure period.
4. The lender takes ownership of the property, usually with the intent to re-sell. The lender can take ownership through an agreement with the borrower/owner during pre-foreclosure or by buying back the property at the public auction.

1. Buying during pre-foreclosure (NOD, LIS)
2. Buying at public auction (NTS, NFS)
3. Buying bank-owned properties (REO, GOV)

Read our Foreclosure Overview for more detailed information about the foreclosure process, or go to our foreclosure state laws section.

5 Steps to Buying a Foreclosure

STEP 1. Find a Property

Buying a home in foreclosure can begin with you logging into RealtyTrac and decide where you want to search for property. RealtyTrac allows you to search by county, city or zip code. We recommend starting with a broader search (like county or city) and narrowing the search later if necessary.

Decide the status of foreclosure for which you want to search. You choose the status under Property Status on the Property Search page.

1. Select Pre-Foreclosure for Default Notices or Lis Pendens.
2. Select Auction for Trustee Sales or Sheriff's Sales.
3. Select Bank Owned or Government Owned for REOs (repossessions).

See Step 4 in this guide for more about the different property statuses.

The Advanced Property Search allows you to enter other search criteria, such as price range and number of bedrooms and bathrooms. We recommend that you leave all those other criteria at “no minimum” to “no maximum” when you first search to get the best results. We also recommend you don’t change the Recording Date Range when you first search.

If you use the Advanced Search, leave the search Sort by “Entered On” and the Basic Property Type as “Residential,” unless you are specifically looking for Commercial property.

If you want to receive daily e-mail alerts of new properties posted on RealtyTrac that match your search criteria, follow these instructions.

On the Search Results page, you can sort your results by date, address, price or number of bedrooms or bathrooms. You can also view the results on a map by clicking the "View Map" button at the top of the search results. Click “Get Details” on any property to see the detailed information for that property. On the property details page, you can click the “Save Listing to My RealtyTrac” link to save the property to the My RealtyTrac page.

Property Details

The Property Details page should always include the address of the property and the name of the owner, trustee or lender involved with the foreclosure, depending on the property status. Also included should be an estimate of the unpaid loan balance, which will appear either as the Balance, Opening Bid or First Loan Amount.

The Estimated Property Market Values provided are based on comparable sales. Click on Comparable Sales to view a report that includes up to 15 recently sold neighborhood properties and an analysis of property values in that neighborhood.

The Trans Date and Trans Value represent the date and purchase amount the last time the property changed ownership.

The Balance or Opening Bid provides a good estimate of the amount owed on the loan in foreclosure. The Default Amount (usually only relevant for Pre-Foreclosure properties) is the amount the owner/borrower is behind on payments. Click on Lien & Loan History to view a report that lists additional debts encumbering the property.

The Recorded date is the date when the document with the foreclosure information was recorded with county records. The Entered On date is the date RealtyTrac entered the foreclosure information on the website. You can also click on most of the field names on the Property Details page for a definition.

Some fields of information are missing simply because the field is not relevant to the status of foreclosure. For instance, you will never see a sale date on Pre-Foreclosure properties because the auction date has not been scheduled yet. When the sale date is set, the property will appear with Auction status.

Some fields of information are missing because they were not available from the recorded document that has the foreclosure information. This usually applies to property details such as photo, year built, bedrooms and bathrooms and square footage. RealtyTrac continues to search other data sources to find as much of this information as possible on each property.

STEP 2. Get Financing

Obtaining financing not only gives you an estimate of what you can afford, it also enables you to move quickly once you locate a property that interests you. When you approach a borrower/owner or a foreclosing lender about a property, secured financing will demonstrate that you are a serious buyer and are ready to buy quickly.

You can apply for financing with RealtyTrac’s financing partner. The application is free. Subscribers can click on the Get Financing tab on any member page after you log in or click on financing links on the Search Results or Property Details pages. You will be able to apply online or by phone.

STEP 3. Contact an Agent

If you're a first-time homebuyer and you've never purchased a home, let alone a foreclosure property, it is beneficial to contact a local real estate agent who can guide you through the process of buying a foreclosure. If you work with an agent, make sure they know your priorities. Ask any potential agents if they have experience with foreclosures. Especially for first-time buyers, a good agent can be a comforting and helpful resource.

You can contact an agent using the RealtyTrac Agent Network. There is no cost to contact an agent, although you should ask the agent how much he or she charges for commission. Subscribers can click on the Contact An Agent tab on any member page after you log in or click on any corresponding links on the Search Results or Property Details pages.

STEP 4. Contact Owner

Depending on the property status, the seller will be the owner in default, the trustee or the foreclosing lender. To determine the property status on RealtyTrac, look at the Foreclosure Status gauge on the Property Details page.

Buying a property in pre-foreclosure involves approaching the borrower/owner and offering to buy the property. The borrower/owner can walk away with something to show for any equity in the property and avoid a bad mark on his or her credit history. The buyer has time to research the title and condition of the property and can realize discounts of 20 percent to 40 percent below market value.

If the loan is not reinstated by the end of the pre-foreclosure period, potential buyers can bid on the property at a public auction. Buyers often are required to pay in cash at the auction and may not have much time to research the title and condition of the property beforehand; however, a public auction offers some of the best bargains and avoids the unpredictability of dealing directly with the borrower/owner.

If the lender or government agency takes ownership of the property, either through an agreement with the owner during pre-foreclosure or at the public auction, the lender usually sells the property to recover the unpaid loan amount. The lender typically clears the title for any buyer, but the potential bargain is often less than a pre-foreclosure or auction property.

Contact Owner: Pre-Foreclosure

When a property is in pre-foreclosure (NOD, LIS), the owner still has a chance to stop the foreclosure process by paying off what is owed or by selling the property. The pre-foreclosure period can last several months, so you may need to be patient when trying to contact the owner in default.

The first step is to call the trustee or attorney listed on the Property Details page to confirm if the property is still in foreclosure. The trustee or attorney has the most up-to-date information if the owner has sold or reinstated the property. The trustee or attorney cannot answer other questions about the property.

If you haven’t done it already, you’ll want to evaluate the property’s value and check for any additional loans or liens encumbering the property so that you can make an informed decision about whether the property is a wise investment. On the Property Details page, click on the Comparable Sales section to view a report that evaluates the home’s market value based on comparable sales in the neighborhood. Click on the Loan & Lien History section to view a report that lists additional encumbrances on the property.

If the trustee confirms the property is still in foreclosure, and you believe the property could be a wise investment, you should contact the owner in default as soon as possible. The quickest way to make contact with the owner using RealtyTrac is to click on the “Contact Owner” link on any Property Details page to send a postcard to the owner. You can print a postcard and mail it yourself or have RealtyTrac mail a postcard for you. You can choose pre-written wording for the postcard or type your own wording. If you save a property to My RealtyTrac, you will be able to view a record of when you sent a postcard for the property.

If the owner does not respond to a postcard you can try to send another postcard (the owner may have a change of heart as the end of the pre-foreclosure period approaches) or you can wait to see if the property is scheduled for auction and attend the auction.

One option is to call the owner if you can track down the phone number. Another option is to go to the property and try to contact the owner in person, as long as you recognize the ownership rights of the owner. We don’t recommend either of these options if you don’t have previous experience.

Contact Trustee: Auctions

Before the auction, you may have a chance to work out a last-minute deal with the owner in default. Usually a property is scheduled for auction just a few weeks before the auction occurs, so you may have to move quickly if you want to contact the owner.

Auctions can be postponed or canceled anytime, so no matter what the auction date listed on RealtyTrac (even if it’s in the past), it’s always a good idea to contact the trustee or attorney to confirm. We recommend you call when you first locate the property and the day before the property is scheduled for auction. The trustee/attorney has the most up-to-date information if the auction has been canceled or postponed. The trustee/attorney cannot answer other questions about the property.

Some auction properties on RealtyTrac allow you to bid online for the property. If this is the case, you'll see a "Bid Now" button on the search results page and "Bid Now" links on the property details page. Just click on any of those to be taken to a bidding page where you can see more details about the bidding and submit a bid if you wish.

If you haven’t done it already, you’ll want to evaluate the property’s value and check for any additional loans or liens encumbering the property so that you can make an informed decision about whether the property is a wise investment. On the Property Details page, click on the Comparable Sales section to view a report that evaluates the home’s market value based on comparable sales in the neighborhood. Click on the Loan & Lien History section to view a report that lists additional encumbrances on the property.

If you believe the property could be a wise investment, you can attend the auction to bid on the property. RealtyTrac usually has the auction date, time, location and opening bid. If any of this information is missing, you can often get it from the trustee or attorney. If you’ve never bought at auction before, we recommend you attend several auctions just to observe before you attend an auction to bid.

View our State Foreclosure Laws Overview for more details.

Contact Owner: Bank Owned

If the property is Bank Owned (REO), your first step is to contact the lender, whose information is usually on RealtyTrac's Property Details page. You should contact the lender directly and ask for their REO or asset management department to find out how you can view and possibly make an offer on the property. REO means "Real Estate Owned" by the lender. It's another way to say the property has gone through the foreclosure process and has now been repossessed by the foreclosing lender.

If you haven’t done it already, you’ll want to evaluate the property’s value and check for any additional loans or liens encumbering the property so that you can make an informed decision about whether the property is a wise investment. On the Property Details page, click on the Comparable Sales section to view a report that evaluates the home’s market value based on comparable sales in the neighborhood. Click on the Loan & Lien History section to view a report that lists additional encumbrances on the property.

Some bank-owned properties on RealtyTrac will give you the option to contact the property's listing agent directly. You'll see a link to do this either at the top of the property details page or in the Contact section of the property details page.

RealtyTrac usually has the name of the lender/bank listed on the property, but if you have trouble finding a phone number or address for them through the Internet or otherwise, below are suggestions for tracking down the lender.

1. Contact an Agent to find a local real estate agent in the RealtyTrac Agent Network who can help you contact the lender and who can check if the property is already listed on the market with a real estate agent.

2. Use the History of Notices tool to check if RealtyTrac has any further information on that property. To use this feature, click on the "History of Notices" link on the Property Details page (under property photo). This feature will give you a list of records RealtyTrac has for the property. Other records may have more information, such as the lender name, address and phone number that was missing on the original property record.

3. You can use RealtyTrac’s Xamine tool to check if the property is listed with a real estate agent. RealtyTrac's Xamine tool can be accessed by clicking "What's Next>Evaluate The Property" on any Property Details page. On the Xamine worksheet, select the MLS tab and click "Search" at the bottom of the page. If the property is not listed with an agent, then you will need to contact the lender directly.

4. You can contact the local property assessor to find out the owner’s name and mailing address. Since the property is bank owned, the property assessor should have the bank or lender listed as the owner. Go to statelocalgov.net to find the local property assessor in your area.

Contact Owner: Government Owned

Many government-owned properties are already listed with a real estate agent, and you should see a link to contact that agent in the Contact section of the property details page. If the listing agent's information is not available, you can contact a local agent using RealtyTrac's Agent Network (click on the "Contact an Agent" tab at the top of any member page on the website). Or you can try to contact the government agency listed directly.

STEP 5. Make an Offer

If you have never purchased a foreclosure property before, we recommend that you have a real estate agent help you prepare and make an offer. Contact an Agent to find a local real estate agent in the RealtyTrac Agent Network.

To get an estimate of the potential bargain for any property, you need to find out the estimated market value of the property, how much is owed on the property and if the owner has any other loans or liens encumbering the property. On the Property Details page, RealtyTrac usually provides the estimated market value and the estimated balance of the loan in foreclosure, called either the Balance, Opening Bid or First Loan Amount.

Click on the Check Loan & Lien History section to view a report that lists additional loans or liens on the property. Click on "Check Comparable Sales" to view up to 15 recently sold neighborhood properties and an analysis of property values in that neighborhood.

Add together any outstanding loans and liens and estimated repair costs and subtract that total from the estimated market value of the property. You can plug the numbers into RealtyTrac’s Xamine tool and it will calculate the potential bargain for you. RealtyTrac's Xamine tool can be accessed by clicking "What's Next>Evaluate Property" on any Property Details page.

Based on your research of the potential bargain, you can make an offer. Usually the offer amount is somewhere below the market value but above the total outstanding liens and estimated repair costs. If the property is a pre-foreclosure or bank owned, you could prepare an offer similar to a typical purchase offer, contingent on a full inspection and title search.

If the property is selling at auction, you will need to make your offer, or bid, at the auction. In many states, bidders are required to pay in cash in the form of a cashier’s check at the auction. You probably won’t be able to conduct a full inspection and title search when you buy at an auction, so it’s important to do careful research before attending an auction.

Are you interested in buy a house? Well, if you are then, here are some pointers that might help you go through the process easily. More and more people are dealing with bad debts these days. This might be a result of over spending and uncontrolled self-discipline. If you are suffering from having bad debt ratings, you probably know that you cannot buy a house if you have a bad debt; they go along together so you cannot buy a house if you have a bad credit rating.

Although there are some instances when people can still apply but this is just under certain circumstances. A lot of homeowners pauses their plan of applying for a mortgage loan because they fear that their debts will prevent them from being approved. This is true at times but there is certain condition that still helps some people to acquire a house. Since you are the bearer of the debts, you are in a better position to tell if you are qualified or not but there are also ways to do that and among those ways is pre-qualifying for it. There is a process one must go through to be able to know if they are qualified or not. This process is called pre-qualification.

Being in this position is not easy. There are some people who go through the same process because they are thinking that they are being prevented from taking a step forward. With all the uncertainties happening everywhere, deciding and asking yourself thousand times will be very helpful in buying a home process. Getting a mortgage loan is not a joke, there are lots of responsibilities accompanied by it so deciding first what will be the best thing you can do to prevent mortgage related trouble will be helpful to you. Here are some helpful tips you can use:

Analyze your debt to income ration –this should be the first on your list to be able to find out what are the risks that are visible. If you are an over spender, you might be using credit cards to shop all the time, chances are you might not be able to pay for your mortgage loan in the long run because of certain debt issues. Checking and noting down the amount of mortgage loan you are seeking and list your income and budget. This way, you will be able to know if you can afford it or not.

Front and back ratio and their difference –analyzing front and back ration is also essential because you will be able to know the right computations regarding your expenses and obligations you must pay regularly. It’s hard to deal with certain issues especially if it is related with money.

Debt income ratio –reducing your debts and being able to qualify for a mortgage is hard to do especially now that there are lots of temptations that are scattered everywhere. Getting another job to fit for your lifestyle is also a solution but you should be able to know that you cannot handle everything so one of the best things to do is to manage your finances appropriately.

"Virginia was here on this day." 

On this Memorial Day weekend, I would like to thank all of the men and women who have defended this country from its inception to the present day. It is not without great sacrifice and dedication that you have put your lives in harm's way for the promise of a peaceful return to a more simple life. Those of us who have benefited from your commitment salute you and humbly thank you for your selfless acts.

One of the greatest conversations transcribed during war came at the battle of Gettysburg between Colonel Arthur Freemantle and Brigadier General Lewis A. Armistead (a notable Virginian). That conversation is played out in the movie, "Gettysburg." Armistead reveals, in this short discourse, the very heart of Virginia. But, this dialog could have played out on a hundred battle fields since the Revolution. One of the reasons America is great is reflected in the great men and women who have sworn to defend her.

Col. Arthur Freemantle: I'm told you're descended from an illustrious military family.

Brigadier General Lewis A. Armistead: Who told you that? Kemper?

Col. Arthur Freemantle: He tells me it was your uncle who defended Fort McHenry during the War of 1812, and that he was therefore the guardian of the original "Star-Spangled Banner." I must say, I do appreciate the irony of it all.

Brigadier General Lewis A. Armistead: Colonel Freemantle... it does not begin or end with my uncle... or myself. We're all sons of Virginia here.

Brigadier General Lewis A. Armistead: That major out there, commanding the cannon... that's James Dearing. First in his class at West Point, before Virgina seceded. And the boy over there with the color guard...

Brigadier General Lewis A. Armistead: ... that's Private Robert Tyler Jones. His grandfather was President of the United States. The colonel behind me... that's Colonel William Aylett. Now, his great-grandfather was the Virginian, Patrick Henry. It was Patrick Henry who said to your King George III, "Give me liberty, or give me death." There are boys here from Norfolk... Portsmouth... small hamlets along the James River. From Charlottesville and Fredericksburg... and the Shenandoah Valley. Mostly, they're all veteran soldiers now; the cowards and shirkers are long gone. Every man here knows his duty. They would make this charge, even without an officer to lead them. They know the gravity of the situation, and the mettle of their foe. They know that this day's work will be desperate and deadly. They know, that for many of them, this will be their last charge. But not one of them needs to be told what is expected of him. They're all willing to make the supreme sacrifice... to achieve victory, here... the crowning victory... and the end of this war. We are all here, Colonel. You may tell them, when you return to your country... that all Virginia was here on this day.

By: MARYANN HAGGERTY

FORECLOSED homes don’t show very well — financially strained borrowers may ignore maintenance; lenders turn off the water and power to cut the cost of letting the place sit. A poor appearance can complicate financing, but it doesn’t prevent sales.

Most of what people call foreclosed homes are being sold by lenders saddled with a property because there were no other takers at the foreclosure auction. The borrower on such a house owes more on it than the house is worth. These are known as R.E.O. houses, short for “real estate owned” on a bank’s balance sheet.

Distressed properties — those sold at a discount — made up 40 percent of resales in March, up from 35 percent a year earlier, according to the National Association of Realtors. (That includes not only R.E.O. but also short sales, in which a buyer pays less than the loanbalance, once it gets the bank’s blessing.) Though not a record, it is a huge portion of sales compared with what used to be considered normal.

Where the money comes from depends on the buyer and the property. If a house was in relatively good physical shape — with water and power turned on — it could be eligible for standard financing.

Otherwise, right now, all-cash sales are at their highest level ever — 35 percent of total sales, according to the Realtors. Cash buyers, often investors who don’t plan to live in the home, “are a major player in the R.E.O. market,” said Tom McGiveron of Realty Connect in Hauppauge, N.Y., a real estate agent who specializes in foreclosures on Long Island. “Asset managers want to move their portfolios as fast as possible,” he added.

For would-be owner-occupants without cash, the federally insured 203(k) loan is key, said Mark Yecies, the president of SunQuest Funding in Cranford, N.J. Borrowers can roll projected rehab costs into the loan.

As Mr. McGiveron put it, “Since most R.E.O.’s are as is, and the heat, plumbing and electric are turned off frequently, a 203(k) loan is necessary to cover the borrower and the lender — a lender will not lend money on a home where the major heating and electrical systems are not operable.”

Buyers generally hire an independent consultant certified by the Federal Housing Administration to review contractor cost estimates and architectural plans for things like whether the work will bring the property up to minimum standards while not going overboard on improvements.

“In other words,” Mr. Yecies said, “if you’re buying a home in Newark and you want to put in a Viking range, it’s not going to happen.”

Yet in a higher-priced neighborhood like Short Hills, N.J., he added, you probably would be able to borrow for more upscale appliances. The F.H.A. appraiser takes the consultant’s report into account when reviewing a property and determining how big the loan can be.

Not all R.E.O. properties are eligible, Mr. Yecies pointed out. For instance, a partially built house that has never had a certificate of occupancy requires a construction loan of the kind that a commercial developer would use.

Mr. Yecies estimated that an F.H.A-certified consultant would cost $500 to $1,200, depending on the extent of the repairs and the number of units in a property.

The interest rate on a 203(k) loan is about a quarter of a percentage point higher than on a standard F.H.A.-insured loan, and a buyer also can expect to pay 1 or 2 points, he said. (A point is an upfront charge equivalent to 1 percent of the loan amount.)

As with other F.H.A.-backed loans, down payments may be as low as 3.5 percent, and loan limits apply. Currently, most F.H.A. loans in the area are capped at $729,750. (Energy-efficient rehabs may be eligible for more.)

Despite the extra steps, these loans work, Mr. Yecies said. “We’re doing a half dozen a month here,” he said. “They can be done in a normal period of time, as long as everyone cooperates.”

Earlier this year I had a scare when my 3yr old daughter started sneezing and later coughing up blood. I did my best to keep my cool, but I inside I was freaked out. What I needed as I drove to Kaiser was an accurate diagnosis of what was wrong so we could make the best decisions possible.

Later this got me thinking about blast BPO companies (don’t ask me why). These blast BPO companies are paid by their client to compile the most accurate information possible, but instead send the order to the first person that raises their hand. What if instead of going to a qualified pediatrician for my daughter, I sent out a blast message to anyone who had taken a science class? What if I didn’t choose the person with the most experience, or the person that had performed well in this area in the past, but rather I chose the first person to respond??

That would be STUPID!! I’d probably end up with some college dropout who took a semester of biology instead of a trained physician. Isn’t it just as STUPID though when we’re talking about a family’s home? This BPO can decide whether that family gets a needed loan mod or gets rejected; whether they successfully short sale their home or go to foreclosure? Whether the underling investor loses 150k or 225k?

Just a thought, who do you think is more likely to be sitting in front of their computer all day fondling the refresh button hoping to capture an order? The successful broker who has sold tons in the area, or rather the lame-brain agent who last sold a home when Reagan was in office?

Anyone else have a different take on this? Which BPO companies have you had the worst experiences with?

http://agentacceleration.com/blast-bpo-companies-%E2%80%93-are-you-really-surprised-your-bpos-are-crap/

I loved Debe Maxwell's post "The Longer the Shelf Life, The Less Chance You Have of Selling Your Home".  I wish I could send it to a couple of my sellers (previous and present).  In that post she demonstrated how a seller can inadvertently derail his own sale by trying to stick to an unrealistic price.  I have that same client today. 

Last year I listed a house that was what I call, "Basic Vanilla."  There wasn't anything special about the house.  It was in an average neighborhood.  It had basic features and no pizazz, but that's OK because there are a lot of people out there that can only afford a basic vanilla house.  No problem.

I receive a very generous offer in  the first 5 days, and I was elated!  The seller countered with a higher price and the buyer countered that with a slightly lower price.  At this point, I'm yelling, "Take the money and run!"  My seller, for some unknown reason, decided he wanted an extra $500.  Deal over!

He called over the weekend asking me to go to the buyer and coach him back into the deal.  The buyer would have nothing to do with it.  He was so aggravated the just wanted to move on.  Deal over, dead, blah! 

Now, 18 months later, he has another  opportunity.  This offer is 20% below the last one.  What will the end result be?  A year and a half has past with no offers.  Will history repeat itself, or will he realize that his rigid attempt to stick with his unrealistic asking price could derail another deal?  I'll let you know, but this time I'm going to be a little more emphatic about the deal. 

I've been questioning if I should attend REO EXPO this year. There's also the 5 Star Conference that I really was planning on attending. If anyone is going or has been to either convention please share your experience.

Will The New "Point of Contact" Plan Fix The Mortgage Mess?

Washington is at it again.  If you've ever worked with HAMP or HAFA, you already know that sometimes the cure may be worse than the disease.  Now, the U.S. Treasury is pushing a "single contact" initiative to the largest mortgage lenders using the HAMP,  HAFA and Up programs.  On the surface, it sounds like a good idea.  Once a borrower is in the process with the lender he is handled off to one person who handles his file throughout the process.  Borrowers are assigned to one person, one point of contact.  That point of contact makes sure the borrower has two methods of contact for him.  He explains all of the possibilities available to the borrower, and they work together to solve the borrowers mortgage issue.

At first glance, I thought, "This is great.  It will make things so much easier for both borrower and lender."  And then, reality settled in.  Wait a minute.  This is the same lender that loses your short sale file on 3 out of 4 attempts to submit.   It's the same lender that pays the current contact $10 an hour to answer the phone, answer your questions from a script and transfer your call to the next person who is going to hear your story.  What could go wrong?

Think about it.  This point of contact will need to understand the mortgage process from loan commitment through loss mitigation.  He will need to know state laws concerning bankruptcy, foreclosure, short sales and deed in lieu of foreclosure.  Most of the current asset managers I deal with handle up to 300 files at one time.  This person will need to handle an insurmountable number of borrower files, as well as, be the one "expert" dealing each one of those borrowers.  He will need to be available throughout the business day to any and all borrowers on his current file list.  Call centers will need to be divided to accommodate this new division for these consenting lenders.  Most mortgage providers don't consolidate bankruptcy, loan modification, short sales, foreclosure or even delinquent borrowers in the same department. That will mean more hires, more equipment, more locations and more overhead. 

I certainly don't want to pour cold water on an attempt to help with the mortgage mess we're in, but I'm not sure going back to the same people who already make problem loan issues miserable is a good fix.  I definitely agree that somewhere along the line a more streamlined process must be initiated, but is this it?  Beyond the challenges we already face with lenders, is their partner, the US government, who is on the verge of their own bankruptcy the best formulator of a sophisticated mortgage banking shift?  If they can't pay their own bills maybe they need a single point of contact in China.  I guess time will tell.

How is a Mountain View Probate Sale Different From a Regular Sale

A probate sale is not the same as a regular sale,  but unless court confirmation is required the differences are not that great. It is a world away from a short sale or foreclosure.

In a probate sale, the owner of a property has passed away and the home is being sold to settle an estate.  The owner may have had a will, or may not have had a will, but definitely did not put the house in personal or family trust.  The seller of the house is the personal representative of the deceased and is charged with disposing of the assets of the estate to be distributed to the heirs.  The personal representative can be anyone the owner requested if their was a will, a child or other relative, a trust department from a bank, a professional like a lawyer or accountant, or  a Public Administrator. This person must be appointed by the court and will get his or her authority from the probate court. 

The personal representative can request full authority to sell the estate, meaning they do not have to get the offer confirmed by the probate court or in certain circumstances they do not have full authority and must have any offer confirmed by the probate court and leave open the possibility of over bids to the original offer.

Certain rules apply:

1. The house is sold “As Is”
2. Disclosures are limited.  You will not be given a transfer disclosure statement, a seller’s supplemental disclosure, an earthquake hazard report, or a signed Natural Hazard Disclosure. You will be given the report, but the successor trustee does not have to sign it.
3. The water heater needs to be strapped but there is no smoke detector requirement for a trust house.
4. If the Personal Representative has information about the house they have to give it to you, but they may not know much.  For example, if the Personal Representative is a child of the owner and was involved in repairs on the house they will need to disclose that.
5. All heirs to the estate are given a Notice of Proposed Action to sell the home.  If this is not done until after an offer is accepted by the successor trustee then they have 45 days to return the notice or any objections, so escrow can not close before then. 
6. If the offer needs court confirmation then things can get tricky.  After an offer is accepted the court sets a confirmation date and a minimum over bid amount.  On that day another potential buyer can purchase the house if they offer the amount of the overbid or higher and the first buyer does not want to offer more.  At that point the subsequent buyer can not have any contingencies and must accept the house the way it is.

If you have any questions about buying or selling a home in a trust please feel free to contact me.

Marcy Moyer

Keller Williams Realty

www.marcymoyer.com

marcy@marcymoyer.com

650-619-9285

D.R.E.  01191194

How is a Palo Alto Short Sale Different From a Regular Sale

A short sale is not the same as a regular sale and the differences are very significant. It is not a simple process and if you are buying or selling a short sale you should be working with an agent who knows what her or she is doing.

In a short sale the seller owes more on the home than it is worth. The seller needs to ask the lien holders if they will accept less than the amount owed to them.  There can be one or more lenders, and there can also be liens from other places, tax liens, personal loan liens, etc.  Every lien holder has to agree to agree to take less, and the first lien holder gets to say how much they are willing to give to the other lien holders. If everyone can come to an agreement then the sale can proceed.

Certain rules apply:

1.     The house is sold “As Is”

2.     Disclosures are the same as in a regular sale.

3.     The water heater needs to be strapped and smoke detectors are required.

4.     The home goes on the market and one or more people can make offers on the property.  The seller accepts one offer, and that offer is sent to the first lien holder for approval.  All other offers and any subsequent offers can be back up offers, but they are not supposed to be sent to the bank unless the accepted offer drops out.

5.     The buyer must include a proof of funds for the down payment, a pre-approval letter, and if the first lien holder requests it, their social security number.  They must not have any relationship to the seller.

6.     The first lien holder will look at the seller’s financial information and the strength of the buyer’s offer and determine if they will accept, reject, or counter the offer.  They also determine how much money they are willing to give to any other lien holders to settle the debt. This can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months.

7.     Once the first lien holder has made a decision they put it in writing and the seller and buyer have to accept the terms of what the first lien holder is offering.  If everyone agrees and there are no other liens then the sale can proceed.

8.     The buyer has their contingency period, gets a loan, and closes escrows.

9.     If there are other liens the same process occurs for those loans.

If you have any questions about buying or selling a home in a short sale please feel free to contact me.

Marcy Moyer

Keller Williams Realty

www.marcymoyer.com

marcy@marcymoyer.com

650-619-9285

D.R.E.  01191194

Federal Government Disclaimer (MARS): 1. You may stop doing business with us at any time. You may accept or reject the offer of mortgage assistance we obtain from your lender [or servicer]. If you reject the offer, you do not have to pay us. If you accept the offer, you will have to pay us commission as agreed to in listing contract for our services.
2. Marcy Moyer of Keller Williams Realty is not associated with the government, and our service is not approved by the government or your lender; and 
3. Even if you accept this offer and use our service, your lender may not agree to change your loan.

I just sat through a 30 minute presentation from a company called Smart Targeting.  They use high-end analytics to measure the Seller's in your farm who are more likely to become Seller's supposedly focussing your farm down to the top 20% of Seller's rather than blasting information to the entire farm.  Has anyone heard of this company and/or used it and what kind of success did you have?  

Thanks for any feedback you can provide.  

John Wise

2ci Direct

818-391-4131

jwise@2cidirect.com

Things Your Mother Said . . .

Most of us have a list of things our mothers said to us when we were kids.  Some of those things came to pass and some didn't.  Here's a short list of the ones I've heard from my mother and the mothers of my childhood friends.

• Don't go outside without your coat on.  You'll catch your death of cold.  Mom 0 / Kids 1  (Shivered a few times, but no death.)
• Don't climb that tree you'll fall and break your neck.  Mom 0 / Kids 1
  
• If you fall out of that tree and break your leg don't come running to me.  Mom 0 / Kids 1
• Don't run in the street, you'll get run over!  Mom 0 / Kids 1
• Don't go outside with wet hair.  You'll catch pneumonia.  Mom 0 / Kids 1
• Put that BB gun down.  You won't be happy until you shoot somebody's eye out.  (Well, I never shot anybody's eye out, but I was never really happy either.  Just kidding.)  Mom 0 / Kids 1
• Don't make that face.  It'll freeze that way.  Mom 0 / Kid 1
• If all your friends were jumping off a cliff, would you jump off a cliff?  (And bungee jumping was born.  Thanks, Mom) Mom 0 / Kids 1
• Wait till your father gets home.  Mom 0 / Kids 1 (Whew!)
• You've got enough dirt behind those ears to grow potatos. Mom 0 / Kids 1  (Not a single spud.)
  
• When you grow up I hope you have kids just like you.  Mom .5 / Kids .5   (At least they've been entertaining.)
  
• Close that door.  Were you born in a barn?  Mom 0 / Kids 1 (Weren't you there?)
• If you swallow that watermelon seed you'll grow watermelons in your stomach.  Mom 0 / Kids 1   (And I thought I was just fat.)
• If you keep playing with it, it will fall off!  Mom 0 / Kids 1 (I'm not really sure what "it" was, but I'm glad to report that I still have all my parts.)
• Don't ever let me catch you doing that again!  Mom 0 / Kids 1 (Change in venue.)
  
• You should go into Real Estate.  I think you would be good at it.  Mom 100 / Kids 0  Thanks, Mom!

By ERIC DASH

Published: May 22, 2011

EL MIRAGE, Ariz. — The nation’s biggest banks and mortgage lenders have steadily amassed real estate empires, acquiring a glut of foreclosed homes that threatens to deepen the housing slump and create a further drag on the economic recovery.

All told, they own more than 872,000 homes as a result of the groundswell in foreclosures, almost twice as many as when the financial crisis began in 2007, according to RealtyTrac, a real estate data provider. In addition, they are in the process of foreclosing on an additional one million homes and are poised to take possession of several million more in the years ahead.

Five years after the housing market started teetering, economists now worry that the rise in lender-owned homes could create another vicious circle, in which the growing inventory of distressed property further depresses home values and leads to even more distressed sales. With the spring home-selling season under way, real estate prices have been declining across the country in recent months.

“It remains a heavy weight on the banking system,” said Mark Zandi, the chief economist of Moody’s Analytics. “Housing prices are falling, and they are going to fall some more.”

Over all, economists project that it would take about three years for lenders to sell their backlog of foreclosed homes. As a result, home values nationally could fall 5 percent by the end of 2011, according to Moody’s, and rise only modestly over the following year. Regions that were hardest hit by the housing collapse and recession could take even longer to recover — dealing yet another blow to a still-struggling economy.

Although sales have picked up a bit in the last few weeks, banks and other lenders remain overwhelmed by the wave of foreclosures. In Atlanta, lenders are repossessing eight homes for each distressed home they sell, according to March data from RealtyTrac. In Minneapolis, they are bringing in at least six foreclosed homes for each they sell, and in once-hot markets like Chicago and Miami, the ratio still hovers close to two to one.

Before the housing implosion, the inflow and outflow figures were typically one-to-one.

The reasons for the backlog include inadequate staffs and delays imposed by the lenders because of investigations into foreclosure practices. The pileup could lead to $40 billion in additional losses for banks and other lenders as they sell houses at steep discounts over the next two years, according to Trepp, a real estate research firm.

“These shops are under siege; it’s just a tsunami of stuff coming in,” said Taj Bindra, who oversaw Washington Mutual’s servicing unit from 2004 to 2006 and now advises financial institutions on risk management. “Lenders have a strong incentive to clear out inventory in a controlled and timely manner, but if you had problems on the front end of the foreclosure process, it should be no surprise you are having problems on the back end.”

A drive through the sprawling subdivisions outside Phoenix shows the ravages of the real estate collapse. Here in this working-class neighborhood of El Mirage, northwest of Phoenix, rows of small stucco homes sprouted up during the boom. Now block after block is pockmarked by properties with overgrown shrubs, weeds and foreclosure notices tacked to the doors. About 116 lender-owned homes are on the market or under contract in El Mirage, according to local real estate listings.

But that’s just a small fraction of what is to come. An additional 491 houses are either sitting in the lenders’ inventory or are in the foreclosure process. On average, homes in El Mirage sell for $65,300, down 75 percent from the height of the boom in July 2006, according to the Cromford Report, a Phoenix-area real estate data provider. Real estate agents and market analysts say those ultra-cheap prices have recently started attracting first-time buyers as well as investors looking for several properties at once

Lenders have also been more willing to let distressed borrowers sidestep foreclosure by selling homes for a loss. That has accelerated the pace of sales in the area and even caused prices to slowly rise in the last two months, but realty agents worry about all the distressed homes that are coming down the pike.

 “My biggest fear right now is that the supply has been artificially restricted,” said Jayson Meyerovitz, a local broker. “They can’t just sit there forever. If so many houses hit the market, what is going to happen then?”

The major lenders say they are not deliberately holding back any foreclosed homes. They say that a long sales process can stigmatize a property and ratchet up maintenance and other costs. But they also do not want to unload properties in a fire sale.

“If we are out there undercutting prices, we are contributing to the downward spiral in market values,” said Eric Will, who oversees distressed home sales for Freddie Mac. “We want to make sure we are helping stabilize communities.”

The biggest reason for the backlog is that it takes longer to sell foreclosed homes, currently an average of 176 days — and that’s after the 400 days it takes for lenders to foreclose. After drawing government scrutiny over improper foreclosures practices last fall, many big lenders have slowed their operations in order to check the paperwork, and in two dozen or so states they halted them for months.

Conscious of their image, many lenders have recently started telling real estate agents to be more lenient to renters who happen to live in a foreclosed home and give them extra time to move out before changing the locks.

“Wells Fargo has sent me back knocking on doors two or three times, offering to give renters money if they cooperate with us,” said Claude A. Worrell, a longtime real estate agent from Minneapolis who specializes in selling bank-owned property. “It’s a lot different than it used to be.”

Realty agents and buyers say the lenders are simply overwhelmed. Just as lenders were ill-prepared to handle the flood of foreclosures, they do not have the staff and infrastructure to manage and sell this much property.

Most of the major lenders outsourced almost every part of the process, be it sales or repairs. Some agents complain that lender-owned home listings are routinely out of date, that properties are overpriced by as much as 10 percent, and that lenders take days or longer to accept an offer.

The silver lining for home lenders, however, is that the number of new foreclosures and recent borrowers falling behind on their payments by three months or longer is shrinking.

“If they are able to manage through the next 12 to 18 months,” said Mr. Zandi, the Moody’s Analytics economist, “they will be in really good shape.”

by JACOB GOLDSTEIN

Or, to re-phrase the headline in a more boring way: What, if anything, should replace Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac?

It's a hugely important question. The bailout of the two companies has cost taxpayers well over $100 billion.

And the mortgage market is still being propped up by the federal government. For roughly 90 percent of the new mortgages being issued in this country, taxpayers are on the hook if borrowers don't pay.

Specific ideas about what to do next have been scarce in Congress. But a bill introduced today has bipartisan support, and lays out a clear plan.

 The plan resembles the world of Fannie and Freddie in some key ways.

Private companies would buy mortgages from banks, bundle them into securities, and sell them to investors. This is exactly what Fannie and Freddie did, and they were also private companies.

But there would be some important differences as well.

Under the new plan, the mortgage securities would be explicitly guaranteed by the federal government. (Fannie and Freddie didn't have an explicit guarantee, but their implicit guaranteeallowed them to make huge profits.)

The private companies selling the securities would pay into an insurance fund that would cover mortgage losses. So taxpayers would only be on the hook if the insurance fund got wiped out. This is the same model used by the FDIC, which guarantees money in ordinary savings and checking accounts.

What's more, the private companies would be required to hold more capital then Fannie and Freddie — in other words, they'd have a bigger financial safety cushion.

The idea behind the new bill is to split the difference between those who want the government entirely out of the mortgage market, and those who want the government to stay in the market in a big way. It's sponsored by Rep. John Campbell, a Republican from California, and Rep. Gary Peters, a Democrat from Michigan.

I didn't want to say it, but "Your baby is ugly!" 

We've all had that client who truly believes he can defy the market and list his home for 20-40% over a solid CMA value.  I get one (or more) every year who thinks there is something so extraordinary about his home that savvy buyers will simply ignore the obvious and pay too much.

When negotiating with that client you've got to be honest and tell him that "his baby is ugly." Be easy.  I know, it's painful to hear, but it's true.  Then, while he is gasping for air you can give him a list of things that may not make up that 20-40% difference in CMA values, such as:

• The love that went into the wall coverings.
• The plants his aunt Sally planted out front before she passed.
• The living room where the firstborn learned to walk.
• All of the time he spent mowing, manicuring and improving the yard.
• The pool.
• A partially finished basement with convenient drop ceiling and fluroescent lighting.
• The dog kennel out back.
• The bus stop at the end of the street.
• The hot tub.
• The neighbor who got his asking price just a short time ago (five years).
• The friend who is an expert and is advising him on housing values.
  
• Etc., etc., etc.

We all have our own list, but trying to convince an overpriced seller that his price is never going to bring a buyer is like getting a pacifier out of the mouth of a four year old.  It has the potential to be ugly, but it has to be done.  Be honest, even if it costs the listing.

Language Makes All The Difference 

I recently worked with a foreign couple, and we had moments where the language barrier between us brought everything to a crawl. It wasn't that we  were having problems with each other, but the differences in language and customs  caused us to have to take a much slower pace when communicating.

Language is important in real estate. Actually, language is important in all affairs in life, but I wonder if we take our language for granted when speaking to people from other countries.  Let me give you a simple example.   Let's take the word "Time."

We all know that we have limited time, but then again we say, "Don't worry, we have all the time in the world!" How much is that?  What about when your time is up?  Does that mean you're suspended in time?  Can time stand still?  If time stops, how can it speed up?  Or does time really fly? But, I've heard that time can slow to a crawl.  Is something really "only for a time?"  Or does it stand the test of time?  If so, who is doing the grading?  Is it possible for it to sit the test of time?  If we save time, can we use it later?  What about when we make up time?  Is that like 26 o'clock?

When we play sports we have time outs, but when that's over it's time in. We have time on the clock, but where else would it be?  Sports have time keepers.  Does that mean they get to take it home with them, and if so, do they get to keep it for a time?  Or do they have to give it back?  If they keep it, do they store it in a time capsule for a later date?  Or do they save time in a bottle?

We have daytime, but we also have nighttime. Somehow we have figured out how to have daylight savings time, but we haven't figured out how to have nightlight savings time.  Maybe that's because there is no light at night, and you need light to save time.  Is one time more important than another?  Because we have prime time.  Is that daytime or nighttime, or is it neither?  If it's neither, what is it? And, what about when we punch a time clock? Is that some sort of numerical schism between people and time.  I've also heard that time is money.  I thought time was time.  So, which is it?

It's easy to figure out what Summertime, Wintertime and Springtime are, but why don't we call the fourth season Fall-time? Is it because it sounds like an injury?  We all know when it's Christmas time, because it always follows the beginning of Wintertime.  But, Spring break doesn't always follow Springtime. There are time zones.  Does that mean there are zones without time, and if there is no time in some zones does that mean they have no time for you?  Is that a bad time?  Or is it a good time?

We're familiar with Father Time, but I've never heard of Mother Time. Is time sexist?  I know there is a delivery time which would correspond with Father Time, so there must be a mother who doesn't know what time a baby is going to arrive, but she's happy just as long as the doctor is on time and not taking time off.

Well, you see the dilemma I sometimes face when dealing with foreign clients who don't understand our use of language.  It can be real challenge.  I guess I'll stop wasting your time with this blog.  But, I hope you had a good time reading it. Hopefully, it has been time well spent, because time management is important!

Have you ever gotten a Save the Date invitation for an upcoming event? They are great because they help you plan for the future, and bring excitement for the future into the mix. I got a lovely e-mail today from my negotiator on a Santa Clara Short Sale Listing.  He said that he was just waiting for management to approve his approval and he should have something in writing to me in a few days.  This was very nice for a number of reasons:

1. Everyone involved is looking forward to getting approval and moving forward. The buyer and seller need to know things are moving forward.

2. After short sale approval there is a lot that needs to be done. The buyer's loan gets initiated, appraisal is ordered, and the property inspections are completed. The HOA docs also need to be ordered if the home is a condo and they have not already been ordered.

Knowing that approval should be coming in a few days (baring any management hiccups) means we all have a heads up to get ready to roll.

If you have any questions about short sales in Santa Clara or San Mateo Counties please feel free to contact me.

Marcy Moyer

Keller Williams Realty

www.marcymoyer.com

marcy@marcymoyer.com

650-619-9285

D.R.E.  01191194

Federal Government Disclaimer (MARS): 1. You may stop doing business with us at any time. You may accept or reject the offer of mortgage assistance we obtain from your lender [or servicer]. If you reject the offer, you do not have to pay us. If you accept the offer, you will have to pay us commission as agreed to in listing contract for our services.
2. Marcy Moyer of Keller Williams Realty is not associated with the government, and our service is not approved by the government or your lender; and 
3. Even if you accept this offer and use our service, your lender may not agree to change your loan.