Wow, this is what I like to see! The following info is from the home page of their website:

http://earthfriendlymoving.com/greenbox/

Why are we cutting down our trees to make a cardboard box that's used once, maybe twice, to just throw it away in a landfill?

It doesn't make any sense, when over 20 percent of the American population packs and moves each year- generating massive quantities of waste, that ultimately ends up in a landfill. It's a huge problem and we haven't had a choice or a gree sustainable solution in over 230 years.

New or used cardboard boxes are just too expensive, very inefficient, extremely wasteful and really bad for our planet; as you'll learn in the following pages.

The more you learn about Rent A Green Box and our Zero Waste Solution, the more you'll see that we really need to RETHINK how we pack and move in America.

We have a solution that's a win for you, a win for the environment and a win for the economy. Rent A Green Box is cheaper, faster and easier than using a new or used cardboard box. We're in business to help you green your move. Move Green and Save Green with our zero waste alternative.

Our idea is remarkably simple. Spencer Brown, the founder and brain child behind Rent A Green Box has re-invented the cardboard moving box from 100% hard to recycle plastic trash mined from local landfills.

His invention is called The Recopack and it stands for [recycled ecological packing solution]. Available in 3 sizes and delivered direct to your door on our fleet of super green eco-trucks powered by waste vegetable oil and bio-fuel.

We deliver them a week before you move and pick them up a week after giving you 2 full weeks (14 days) to pack and move. Delivery and Pickup are included in your price. Think about all of the time and effort it takes to build all of those cardboard boxes. No handles and messing with that fussy tape. We have re-invented a better, faster, easier and cheaper way to pack and move.

All you need to do is make one call and we'll drop off your Recopacks on the delivery date. You pack, stack and move. When the Recopack are empty, just call us and we'll come over to your new place and pick them up. It's just that simple. It's moving made simple for a Happy Planet!

No more confusion on how many boxes you really will need, fussing with that messy tape, building boxes late into the night, exhaustion, stress and then breaking them down after your move. No more guilt from tossing all of those boxes in the trash.

Why waste your time and money using a new or used cardboard box when you can Rent-a-Green Box? We have the solution that's changing the way America packs and moves anything.

Welcome to the first, comprehensive, zero-waste, environmentally friendly, super simple, no hassle packing and moving system developed entirely from 100% recyclable trash, mined from local landfills.

Are you ready to green your move, save a lot of time and money... are you tired of the stress and aggravation with using new or used cardboard boxes....Are you ready to green your move and make a difference? We're here to help!

As of July 1, 2010 PNC REO is using offersubmission.com for buyer agent's to submit offers directly to asset manager, by passing the listing agents. I think this will bring more transparency to transactions. With this buyer's agents wont blame LA for not presenting offers, and they will be responsible to submit a complete offer. in the other hand the buyer must pay $300 at closing for the service. This will definitely expedite the offers and counteroffers, and will level the playing field for buyer and their agents. I will keep you posted how it works for me soon.

The good:

To the Listing Agent:

• No more wasted time receiving, entering and submitting unacceptable offers on behalf of other agents
• No more telephone calls from cooperating agents seeking status of offers.
• Reduced paperwork
• You will still see all of the offers received on your listings in real-time, and you will always know what offers have been accepted, rejected or countered.
• Increased marketability of properties for faster sales and quicker commissions.
• The only offer you ever need to deal with is an accepted offer.

To the Buyer’s Agent:

• Agents receive an immediate confirmation that their offer has been received 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.
• Agents receive notification of acceptance/rejection or a counter-offer by the next business day.
• Buyer’s Agents negotiate online directly with a decision-maker for the selling financial institution.
• Agents can include comments regarding the property or the buyer and be assured that the decision-maker considers them when evaluating the offer.
• Agents download all of the required addendums themselves once an offer has been accepted. :

BUYER PAYS $300 FEE AT CLOSING”

Well everyone.

I recently engaged a discussion on Linked In about flaky REO agents and some of it was pretty heated...you know agents pointing fingers at one another...so I have reproduced some of my thoughts here because they were revelant and I beleive propel us agents (none of us are flaky agents here!) to a higher level.

...THE DISCUSSION STARTED LIKE THIS:

More REO Listing Agent Lies, BS & Laziness!

I have consistently given credit to REO Listing Agents for earning their lofty position. Now the other side of the coin! "Homes listed in the MLS that show active are active" Lie! Unreachable and lazy REO Listing agents have the rest of us running around in circles and taking their word only to find out an offer has been accepted. How about the geniuses that put only a combo box on the home and don't answer their phones? And don't most REO listing agents give their clients the best chance to buy the home? Even if it calls for (nod and wink) exchanging information about other offers?

What do you think?

Tony Lewis RE/MAX of Valencia, Ca. www.TonyLewis tonyglewis@yahoo.com 661-702-4720

AND I RESPONDED IN THE COURSE OF THE DISCUSSION:

Well I always enjoy these heated discussions and time for me to weigh in as a buyer's agent:
Price your listing correctly...if it sells more than 103% of list you did't price it correctly and it deceives my buyers...they get frustrated.
Price it with the notion that an FHA buyer wants to buy it...that means closing costs too...offer a cash discount or something like that.
Please keep the bugs out of it and I mean roaches...this looks bad and it reflects on me too.
Yes...you MUST know if the condo is FHA approved...the health of the association, etc...you want to sell it right?
While you get 40- agents calling you on it...I have one buyer that easily gets frustrated when we put in an offer and never get an official rejection. They think its my fault and want to use another agent...just think of that!
Don't require cross preapproval...by the time your LO gets with my client...the property is gone anyway...(see above). All that exists anymore are direct lenders.
Please learn something about the property you list...all 100 of them!
Answer your phone or email rapidly... my buyer wants to know....if you need to have a contact person listed for this.
Yes, I want to know how many lenders you have and who is the bank...it lets me know what the process will be like.
Put a Supra Box on...always...combo locks and me do not get along always.

There it is...apply this to be a listing agent and you have it.
Be QSC certified... I am and clients know I am quality.
Asset managers...if you are reading this...this is just a glimpse of the superior service some of us agents perform to. Maybe we didn't take you class or sell lots of listings but what you get is dedication!

the discussion went on and I concluded with some more info:

Christine, I guess life is different in Texas. Based on that concluding commentary about LOSING money on a listing, I wonder why anyone would want to manage it? I would think that in any case about being party to a contract...you are representing the interests of the seller (investor or AM) and at least out here I have run into a few that run their operation like a machine in a factory and I do not think that has changed anything...and yes I imagine the AM's are just like any other seller...I have had them dispute my BPO a time or two before (why do they need my opinion if they think they know better anyway?)
Among the more glorious things I have noted in my REO travels,is that one agent uses a message board: upon offer submission, he gives a logon and password and we can view a message board that has commentary about the process at any given time...never a need to call.
Another uses something called RapidLInk that gives us the code to any of her listings...we just register once on her website and after our info is verified, we can type in the listing address and get the code asap!...again no phoning or texting! I would never report someone to their AM because I feel that at one time justice will serve itself acccording to one's merits.
I sometimes too, Christine would like not to be a buyer's agent since we are glorified tour guides at times and I would rather have a professional realtionship with A person. Yet AM's always ask " how many properties you have listed?" Apparently selling them doesn't count and that is part of my frustration. For the record Chrsitine,I am sure you are one of the good ones that actually do what you are supposed to do as I imagine it is a struggle to just 5 REO' to list consistently.

In summation we can tell this:
Communication is paramount between agents on both sides of a transaction.
Don't bother the other agent for obvious information.
Seek feedback about your listing
Be diligent even as a buyer's agent when in escrow (real life: had an investor/agent tell me he appreciated how diligent I was and was more than willing to advise me of his current and upcoming inventory and have priority on open houses..looks forward to my next offer!)
Can anyone add something?

YES CAN ANYONE HERE ADD SOMETHING?

Re-blogged by 1 agent

• I posted this blog on some public websites and ws surprised at how many people were unaware of this option for distressed homeowners that is quick, clean, and relatively hassle free.

An Interesting Alternative to Foreclosure: A Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure (edit/delete)

I think this is a good option for banks and homeowners. Wouldn't you enjoy not having to kick someone out of their home?

Today I was doing a few more drive bys, and I noticed sooo many for sale signs and foreclosed properties literally in just one street. Then about 2 blocks down only a few signs were visible.

Sometimes I think these mortgage companies prefer to hit one specific area and just wipe them out all at once. Is there an advantage for them when they do this?

Are they trying to get rid of the current homeowners to bring in a whole new different type of community?

If this is the case, then how are the realtors supposed to market these homes when their clients come to the neighborhood and see all these signs up?

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This may be of interest to a great deal of people.

If you have not received this yet, I hope it helps.

To: ORDMS/REO Valued Listing Partners

From: Rick Snoke Vice President, Real Estate Operations

Re: ORDMS REOVM & RTS Deadline

FINAL NOTICE



Over the last quarter, ORDMS has issued important reminders regarding partnerships with REO Vendor Manager (REOVM) and REO Solutions (RTS).



No later than July 1, 2010, ORDMS will be migrating to those agents fully registered with REOVM for the assignment of new REO listings and will move current inventory for non-performing agents / brokers.



This will serve as our final announcement and we encourage you to act immediately.



It is the desire of ORDMS to continue our relationship and that you remain eligible to receive listings from ORDMS. However, to move forward in maintaining your eligibility and to allow us to enhance the valuable partnerships we've developed with both you and our clients, the requirements outlined must be met:



ü You must register with REO Vendor Manager. Log on to: https://www.reovm.com and follow the registration instructions. Any questions during registration should be directed to an REO Vendor Manager Representative at 1-800-318-1REO (1-800-318-1736); refer to the FAQ section of REO Vendor Manager or email info@reovm.com.



This registration will satisfy the REOVM registration requirement for any client utilizing this service.



ü You are required to successfully complete the Accredited REO Agent Program, including the ORDMS specific to be an Accredited REO agent. If you have already completed the REO Training Solutions Accredited REO Agent Program and you are currently an Accredited (A-REO™) agent, you need only complete the ORDMS specific lessons. To take the courses, log on to: www.a-reoagent.com/oldrepublicdefault. Should you have questions or technical issues during the course, contact Technical Support at (877) 446-9329 or email customercare@reotrainingsolutions.com .



Any questions regarding these programs may be directed to the REO Vendor Manager Representative at 1-800-318-1REO (1-800-318-1736).

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No matter what camp you are in, tax the rich or cut taxes to small business, the sad reality is that with a national debt of over 13 Trillion and an unfunded liability of over 70 Trillion, we are all going to see tax increases at some point, liberal, conservative and libertarian alike.

I would like to take the housing conversation past the money and focus more on where you stand on the moral and ethical questions. Granted, when we talk about hosing, we can never get rid of the money issue however, just follow me on this.

I have heard some people say that Americans are going to have to sacrifice, pay for their mistakes, get out of the homes, sell them off, write off the losses and get on with your lives.

I have heard some people say that we can’t throw these people out on the street, it’s cruel. People are humans and deserve a home and since most of these people have legitimate hardships or were victims of predatory lending, we should help them.

So, what argument is the correct argument? Which one is right and which one is wrong? Better yet, do we have to have a right and wrong answer? Can we just say we should take each situation on a case by case scenario?

Personally, I don’t think it’s fair for anyone to have to pay for another’s mistakes. I feel this way because as a kid, whenever my siblings did something wrong, guess who got in trouble……….me! Why, because I was the eldest. For whatever reason, my mother saw it as my responsibility to ensure my sister and brother were doing things correctly. In fact, I remember a specific time when my sister went into my room, took out my Star Wars actions figures, played with them, didn’t put them back and my mom walked into my room, stepped on Darth Vador, screamed out an explicit word and yanked me off the bed and ordered me to clean my damn room. No matter how many times I told her that my sister made the mess and should be responsible for cleaning it up, she insisted I do it. In fact, the more I mentioned this wasn’t fair, the more in trouble I got. The whole time, my sisters is outside my window in the back yard playing, never once aware that I got in trouble and had to pay the price for her bliss.

I once heard a man say something to the effect that we as Americans should all be willing to step up, pay our fair share of taxes and help these people out who are struggling to keep their homes. Ok, great, so why don’t we all step up, pay our “fair” share of taxes and help people keep their automobiles, furniture the paid for on credit from Rooms to Go, the 42 inch plasma flat screen, the high end Create & Barrel cook wear. In fact, I have a better plan…..why don’t I go out, get a credit card in my name, head down to the projects, hand it over to any Joe Blow I see and say…….go get what you need because I think it’s the right thing for every American to give their funds over to the less fortunate.

My point is, if I am going to be forced to hand over my hard earned cash to the less fortunate, I would much rather do it directly than handing my money over to the Government and letting them making the decision on what is best for Joe Blow.

People who don’t want to pay taxes aren’t because they are cruel, mean, wealthy, conservatives who don’t want to help the less fortunate. Most of us are people who grew up with nothing, were on food stamps, AFDC, Medicaid and knew what it was like to go to a local Church’s clothing closet, had free lunches at school and love Government grill cheese, who can’t now imagine simply giving our money over to a corrupt government who has moved away from our GOD giving liberties outline in our divinely inspired constitution because they want more power over those who don’t have the means to make decisions for themselves.

Government is not the source of charity, our neighbors, churches, friends and family are.

A tax hike to help out Joe Blow through a government program isn’t utopia, it’s communism.

If you want the people to give more and help more, take the shackles of government regulation off the community church and let the God fearing, God loving, Gospel preaching, Bible toting, Spirit filled, WWJD masses step up to the plate…………………because they will!

Raising taxes to pay for the mistakes of others through a corrupt government is theft by any other definition.

Did your buyer's miss the first time hombuyer's tax credit? Well worry no more! My association has initiated a program that is unique to any Realtor association in the country. It provides grant money upto $7500 for your downpayment and /or $3000 HOA assistance for qualified buyers. Basically if you make less than $100000 and can get a bank loan through a direct lender, you qualify. You must also attend a homebuyer class but a little education always is good insurance. The process is similar to the information needed for a loan and although you need 3 years of tax returns, that is easy if you request them from the IRS using a special form.

Here is the 411 on the program:

• Maximum income levels (1-2 buyers) $111,480 for Orange County & $99,360 for Los Angeles County.
• Maximum purchase prices is $637,645 for Orange and Los Angeles Counties
• Buyer must contribute 1% of the sales price from their own funds towards the down payment
• Buyer may not have owned any residence within the past 3 years
• Minimum credit score of 620
• Pre-approval from a direct lender, not a broker
• Minimum five-year fixed-rate loan, full documentation (no stated income)
• Applicants must be represented by a PWR REALTOR® member
• Property must be located within PWR's jurisdiction
• Short-sales must have written bank approval.

The Opening Doors program is available to any qualified buyer who purchases a property located in PWR's jurisdiction, which represents 26 cities in Central/Northern Orange County and the Southeast Los Angeles County.

Including:
Anaheim/Anaheim Hills, Brea, Buena Park, Cypress, Fullerton, Garden Grove, La Habra/La Habra Heights, La Mirada, La Palma, Lakewood, Long Beach, Los Alamitos, Norwalk, Orange, Pico Rivera, Placentia, Rossmoor, Santa Ana, Seal Beach, Signal Hill, Stanton, Tustin, Villa Park, Westminster, Whittier, and Yorba Linda.

Sorry I would love to help those in the Inland Empire with this but my association limits this to its service area.

I can help you obtain the reqired documentation as well as the form which I can email you. You just need to ask me for it! If you are an out of the area realtor, we can work togther for the benefit of your client!

Funds for this program are limited so lets's get this process going now!

Be bold enough to ask?

I know for many of you reading this blog, you may suspect me to be some crazed wacko blogging away in his underpants in his mothers basement but, that image is far from the truth. When reading what I have to write, just keep an open mind and simply ask, “What If?”

A History Lesson-

Franklin Roosevelt Democratic Nominee for President 1932

“Throughout the nation men and women, forgotten in the political philosophy of the Government, look to us here for guidance and for more equitable opportunity to share in the distribution of national wealth…. I pledge myself to a new deal for the American people. This is more than a political campaign. It is a call to arms.”

The New Deal wasn’t a “deal” at all. More so, it was the foundation of a Progressive agenda to move the nation further and further away from our constitution of individual liberties to a centralized large Government who knows best.

In a “Government Knows Best” effort, the New Deal encouraged private home building and sought to grow the number of people who owned homes. In this effort, the creation of the Home Owner’s Loan Corporation (HOLC) and the Federal Housing Administration (FHA).

Among the many mandates of the HOLC, the one I am going to focus on is the mandate to “Facilitate nationwide lending”. So, what exactly did “Facilitating Nationwide Lending” mean, what influence did it have on America?

It’s very important to understand that HOLC did not lend money. The HOLC bought and refinanced mortgages in default directly from the lenders by issuing bonds that paid out 3 or 4 percent. The HOLC had made 1,021,587 loans, essentially making it the owner of approximately 1/6^th of the urban home mortgage debt in the United States.

Doesn’t sound too bad…right? Well, here is where the problem comes into play. It is only successful when the people you refinance can afford the home at the new payment. In a jobless recovery like the one many say we are in now, if you refinance a struggling homeowner’s mortgage but, they have no income to pay for it, you end up back at square one, a foreclosure.

Sounds simple enough….right? Not really because with the HOPE and HAMP programs our government is essentially securing or backing the loan and if the homeowner defaults off the program, guess who is stuck with the bill………………………………….(keep guessing)………………………………….(DING,DING,DING)……….TIME IS UP.

It’s the American Taxpayer!

So, here is the question that I am bold enough to ask.

Why would anyone lawmaker get behind any “bail out” program for the homeowner if in the end, the homeowner still can’t afford the home, it still goes to foreclosure and the tax payer ultimately ends up paying the tab?

By the way, just to be clear, 73%-75% of HAMP / HOPE participants default off the program and end up in foreclosure in the first 3-5 months of participating.

I have been happily sitting in a rural/resort area on Lake Oconee and have counted blessings that the subprime was not nearly as devastating as in other parts of the country. What I have feared was coming is starting to show up now though. Alt-A & Option Arm loans made in 2006 - 2007 & on are starting to make their way to the legal ads. This area has many upscale, gated, golf communities on the waterfront and a large proportion of those are 2nd/vacation homes. This month, I have seen more than ever before being advertised in the foreclosure papers and I don't think it's stopping anytime soon if the BPO orders are any indication.

Florida is by far the closest to my kind of market as so many homes there are not primary residences- lots of vacation homes, condos & the like. There is virtually NO help for this market as there is no incentive for loan mods and these are not homeowners that will be put on the street - they are investors who bought a 2nd home and now can't keep up with the payments or refinance because the payment has gone up while the value has gone down. I can't help but think that the 2nd home market will be on the ropes for some time to come. Not much finance-not many qualified buyers with enough cash to buy the mid-level homes coming to market & priced too high for investor flipping. I think it may be a rocky ride for a while.

Is anyone else seeing this type loan predominate? LPS analytics has a report that paints a pretty grim picture of where 'prime' loans may be going as well as 'mini-jumbo'. Owners are hanging on but the question I ask is 'how long can they last?"