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New grant for military first-time home buyers

Eyal Harel — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 19:24:12 +0000

New grant for military first-time home buyers

WASHINGTON – July 27, 2011 – A new program offers financial assistance to first-time homebuyers who are veterans or active-duty military members. The Pentagon Federal Credit Union Foundation, a nonprofit national organization, offers the program through its Dream Makers program.

Active duty personnel, veterans, retired members of the military and employees of the U.S. Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security may be eligible for a grant up to $5,000 to use toward downpayments and closing costs if buying their first home. The grants can be applied to a mortgage issued by any financial institution.

“Members of the military often put off buying a home early in their careers because they’re moving around the country a lot,” says Kate Kohler, chief operating officer for the PenFed Foundation. “We want to make sure they have resources to add immediate equity into their home when they decide to buy.”

Requirements:

Military affiliation – (active duty, reserve, National Guard or veteran) – a Department of Defense employee or a Department of Homeland Security employee.
First-time homebuyer or not owned a home for the last three years; or a home has been lost through divorce or disaster.
Gross household income, including allowances, used to qualify for a mortgage loan is a maximum of $55,000 per year, or 80% of a community’s median income based on family size.

To view eligibility requirements, visit www.pentagonfoundation.org/dreammakers.

Please contact G&E Realty Group, Inc. for all of your real estate needs.

Source: “Veterans and Active Duty Can Get Financial Help When Buying Their First Home,” Pentagon Federal Credit Union Foundation (July 25, 2011)

Gov’t in talks to rent out foreclosures…

Eyal Harel — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 19:14:30 +0000

Gov’t in talks to rent out foreclosures

WASHINGTON – July 25, 2011 – The Obama administration is considering a plan that would take foreclosed homes off the market and rent them out – in a move aimed at clearing the glut of unsold foreclosed homes and preventing home values from falling any more, The Wall Street Journal reports.

The talks come at a time when national rents are on the rise and home prices have been falling. By taking advantage of higher rents, lenders would be able to cover the costs of holding the properties until the homes can be resold after the market stabilizes – and maybe even make a profit on it later, experts note.

Nationally, sales of distressed homes, which are often sold at steep discounts, continue to pull down home values. Removing some of the high number of foreclosed homes for sale is “worth looking at,” Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said last week in testimony to Congress.

Just reducing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s foreclosed property sales from its current rate of 50,000 each month to 30,000 could lessen total distressed sales by one-third and help avoid a further 3 percent to 5 percent decline in home prices, analysts at Credit Suisse estimate.

However, turning foreclosed homes into rentals could place lenders and the government in an unknown role of playing landlord.

Another idea being tossed around, according to The Wall Street Journal: Federal officials selling thousands of foreclosed properties to private investors who would agree to rent them out, and who could then work with property management firms and handle the day-to-day tenant demands.

Contact G&E Realty Group, Inc. for all of your real estate needs.Source: “Uncle Sam Weighs Landlord Role to Ease Housing Slump,” The Wall Street Journal (July 22, 2011)

Fla.’s existing condo sales, price up in June

Eyal Harel — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 19:40:36 +0000

ORLANDO, Fla., – July 20, 2011 – Florida’s existing condo sales rose 8 percent in June with a total of 7,941 units sold statewide compared to 7,330 sold in June 2010, according to the latest housing data released by Florida Realtors®. The statewide existing condo median sales price last month was $93,900; a year earlier, it was $92,300 for a 2 percent increase. The national median existing condo sales price was $165,400 in May 2011, according to the National Association of Realtors® (NAR).

“Promising signs continue for a slowly strengthening economy and housing market,” said 2011 Florida Realtors President Patricia Fitzgerald, manager/broker-associate with Illustrated Properties in Hobe Sound and Mariner Sands Country Club in Stuart. “Mortgage interest rates remain historically low and affordability conditions are strong.”

Nine of Florida’s metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) reported higher existing condo sales in June; six MSAs had higher existing home sales.

In Florida’s year-to-year comparison for existing home sales, a total of 17,597 homes sold last month compared to 18,402 homes sold in June 2010 for a decrease of 4 percent. The statewide median sales price for existing homes last month was $138,000; a year earlier, it was $141,200 for a 2 percent decrease.

However, June’s statewide existing home median price was about 1.8 percent higher than it was in May. Sales of foreclosures and other distressed properties continue to downwardly distort the median price because they generally sell at a discount relative to traditional homes, according to NAR analysts. The median is the midpoint; half the homes sold for more, half for less.

The national median sales price for existing single-family homes in May 2011 was $166,700, down 4.5 percent from a year ago, according to NAR. In Massachusetts, the statewide median resales price was $300,375 in May; in California, it was $291,760; in Maryland, it was $233,568; and in New York, it was $211,900.

NAR’s latest industry outlook points to the still-sluggish job market and overly restrictive lending requirements as factors constraining housing’s recovery. “The job market has sputtered recently, and because variations in local job creation impact housing demand, markets will recover unevenly around the country,” said NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun. “If banks would simply return to normal sound underwriting standards and begin lending to more creditworthy borrowers, we’d get a much faster recovery in the housing sector.”

The interest rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 4.51 percent in June, significantly lower than the 4.74 percent averaged during the same month a year earlier, according to Freddie Mac. Florida Realtors’ sales figures reflect closings, which typically occur 30 to 90 days after sales contracts are written.

Short Sale Homes Help for homeowners

See Original Source — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 21:43:39 +0000

Did you know that short sale can help stop foreclosure?

While foreclosure and short sale homes are often in disrepair thanks to neglect or vandalism by the evicted previous owner, they can often present a great bargain opportunity. The supply and demand will be a factor in pricing and of course the number of bank owned or short sale homes are also a factor as these tend to be the ones that are hurting the market and driving prices down at this time in several areas around the country. Short sale homes are usually offered at a discount and will be sold for any amount that the lender will take, so it can be an amazing deal.

A short sale can be a win/win for everyone. If a homeowner falls behind in his mortgage payments, the idea of a short sale can seem pretty attractive. In this real estate environment, selling at a short sale can help both the banks and owners unload a property and receive a fair price, and avoid taking the mortgage through foreclosure and having it sit on the open market for months. For some lenders, approval of a short sale can take up to 3 months or more and if you can get the process going before you even receive an offer on your home, can cut back this timeframe considerably. However, the process of waiting for a lender to decide whether to agree to a short sale can make a lengthy home-buying process longer and more arduous.

A short sale can be a good deal for a buyer, and it can help the seller avoid having a full foreclosure on his or her credit record. But if you do get pre-approved and are looking for a short sale, it may help your search and eventual purchase if you are aware why some short sale homes are more difficult to buy than others.The short sale will usually appear as a pre-foreclosure in redemption.
Applying for a short sale will take several things, you will need to give them a hardship letter explaining the reason you are requesting a short sale as well as debt to income statement and bank statements as well as w2 forms.

For the homeowner, there are three big advantages to a short sale: short sales appear on your credit report as “pre-foreclosure in redemption,” not as “debt discharged due to foreclosure”; a short sale will probably not damage your credit, as much as a foreclosure; and, in many cases, the lender will agree to forgive the remainder of the loan.While a short sale will have a negative impact on credit in many cases it is the only opportunity a seller may have to avoid foreclosure and will potentially afford the short sale seller the opportunity to qualify to purchase a new home sooner. Could consider debt forgiveness as income, and there is no guarantee that a lender who accepts a short sale will not legally pursue a borrower for the difference between the amount owed and the amount paid. Now the seller and the buyer can rest assured the short sale will be completed quicker and close sooner because the federal government has stepped in to assist.

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Do You Need A Real Estate Agent?

See Original Source — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 22:28:48 +0000

Do You Need A Real Estate Agent?

Real Estate business has seen tremendous growth and so has been the need of Real Estate agent. Today more and more people are getting interested to become home owner and as the demand for real estate need increases the role of Real Estate Agent becomes more important. In the past one agent use to provide services to both seller and buyer but as the real estate market changed people started to realize that specialized service is more logical and beneficial. In Real Estate industry now buyer/seller are looking for specialized agents who can provide specialized related expertise, information and services required to complete the process. When a real estate agent represents both buyer and seller it really restricts agents to provide impartial service to either party.

Let’s look at the both (Seller/Buyer) scenario separately. A real estate agents who is a listing agent of seller has a fiduciary, ethically and moral duty to represent seller only.

By getting Exclusive Right to Sell Listing, the real estate agent is promising seller that he will live no stone unturned to market the home and find the best buyer at maximum possible market value for the home.

As a Buyer’s real estate agent he need to find the right home for buyer along with should all information of the community. When a buyer is exploring to buy a real estate property in new community, he is very much interested to find out several information related to that particular community such as population, crime, climate, schools, traffic, living standards etc. Buyer’s real estate agent should be well informed with all these information so that he can provide that information to buyer. It will be easier for buyer to make the decision based on these information. Once the buyer is ready to buy real estate property in the community then other part of the real estate agent’s duty starts. As buyer’s agent it is his responsibility to find a real estate property, as per buyers requirement. It is also buyer’s real estate agents duty to negotiate the best market price with seller.

So if seller and buyer are represented by their own specialized agent then both agents can play a partial and specialized role for their client..

So it is quite clear that one real estate agent representing both seller and buyer can not justify providing specialized service to both party. Both buyer and seller are in different need of services. That’s why specialized real estate service has become more in demand where buyer/seller can get impartiality specialized service during the process.

Never before has the role of specialists in the world of real estate been more important. With buyers and sellers requiring more services, the industry has seen an explosion of agents who specialize in either the representation of sellers or buyers. These specialist agents can provide a wealth of services and maintain a complete impartiality during the sales process as there is only one client to concern them.

Historically the sales transaction and the concerns of the buyer were the purview of a single realtor. However, as the industry has progressed so have the needs of each party and so the specialist arose. Buyers have some very particular needs, and specifically the need to feel that their best interests are seen to. Listing agents are representatives of the home’s owner and in that role they have a primary responsibility to that owner. How could they properly look after the needs of an interested buyer as well?

So what is it that a buyer’s agent does? Primarily the buyer’s agent will begin with the location of suitable properties for their clients. This is usually based upon a list of requirements and desires that the client has communicated to the agent. They will then arrange viewings and recap their findings with their clients and assist in deciding upon a good candidate for an offer. This will be based on the wealth of community information that a buyer’s agent commands. As specialists, they are experts on their given area which is critical in the education of clients on the areas that they are considering. Once a property is decided upon, the buyer’s agent changes significantly, evolving into an overseer-negotiator role. They will typically coordinate the inspections and conduct the negotiations with the listing agent. This includes the execution of the buyers subjects and the closing of the actual contract.

There is an art to representing a buyer. It is a role that has become ever more crucial in an industry where customer service is the single most important thing that an agent can offer. If you are in the market for a home then the buyer’s agent is the friend that you need to make sure that you are given the service that you deserve.

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For more information about buying or selling Real Estate in South Florida contact G&E Realty Group, Inc at www.gandehomes.com 954-450-1174

We are specialize in Foreclosure and Short Sale In the south Florida market

Strong rebound in pending home sales

Eyal Harel — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 21:03:45 +0000

Strong rebound in pending home sales

WASHINGTON – Dec. 2, 2010 – Pending home sales jumped 10.4 percent in October, showing another positive uptrend since bottoming in June, according to the National Association of Realtors®.

The Pending Home Sales Index (PHSI), a forward-looking indicator, rose to 89.3 based on contracts signed in October from 80.9 in September. The index remains 20.5 percent below a surge to a cyclical peak of 112.4 in October 2009, which was the highest level since May 2006 when it hit 112.6.

The latest surge also reflects market strength, since buyers had an additional push to close quickly in October 2009 to qualify for one version of the first-time homebuyer tax credit that expired in November. The data reflects contracts and not closings, which normally occur with a lag time of one or two months.

The data also surprised economists who had expected a decline in pending home sales given current troubles within the housing market. However, Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, says excellent housing affordability conditions drew in more homebuyers.

“It is welcoming to see a solid double-digit percentage gain, but activity needs to improve further to reach healthy, sustainable levels,” Yun says. “The housing market clearly is in a recovery phase and will be uneven at times, but the improving job market and consequential boost to household formation will help the recovery process going into 2011. More importantly, a return to more normal loan underwriting standards and removal of unnecessary underwriting fees for very low risk borrowers is needed and could quickly help in the housing and economic recovery.”

Recent loan performance data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac clearly demonstrates very low default rates on recently originated mortgages – much lower that the vintages of 2002 and 2003 before the housing boom.

The PHSI in the Northeast jumped 19.6 percent to 71.3 in October but is 27.3 percent below the tax credit peak in October 2009. In the Midwest, the index surged 27.3 percent in October to 81.7 but is 24.8 percent below a year ago.

Pending home sales in the South rose 7.1 percent to an index of 93.8 but are 18.4 percent below October 2009. In the West, the index slipped 0.4 percent to 104.3 and is 15.6 percent below a year ago.

Near term, Yun expects home sales to continue climbing from their cyclical low this past summer.

“Even so, we now have some consumer concerns regarding the mortgage interest deduction, an important component in housing affordability,” Yun says.

For more information about buying or selling Real Estate in South Florida contact G&E Realty Group, Inc at www.gandehomes.com 954-450-1174

We are specialize in Foreclosure and Short Sale In the south Florida market

Economic factors impact Florida’s housing market in October

Eyal Harel — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 17:45:22 +0000

ORLANDO, Fla. – Nov. 23, 2010 – Statewide year-to-date existing home sales in Florida showed positive momentum in October: 143,398 single-family existing homes sold for a 7 percent increase over the same period a year ago, though uncertainty over job growth, restrictive credit and foreclosure issues had a dampening effect on housing activity last month, according to industry analysts. The latest housing data released by Florida Realtors® also reported a 33 percent rise in statewide year-to-date condominium sales compared to a year ago, with a total of 59,966 units sold.

In the latest industry outlook from the National Association of Realtors® (NAR), Chief Economist Lawrence Yun said several factors are slowing the housing market’s recovery, including the recent foreclosure moratorium. “Nonetheless, there appears to be a pent-up demand that eventually will be unleashed as banks resolve their issues with foreclosures and the labor market improves,” he said. “However, tight credit and appraisals coming in below a negotiated price continue to constrain the market.” Yun called for a gradual rise in home sales as buyers respond to historically low mortgage interest rates and favorable affordability conditions.

A total of 5,147 existing condos sold statewide in October compared to 5,398 units sold during the same month a year earlier for a decrease of 5 percent. Nine of Florida’s metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) reported higher existing condo sales last month, according to Florida Realtors. The statewide existing condo median sales price last month was $82,400; in October 2009 it was $105,200 for a 22 percent decrease. The national median existing condo price was $165,400 in September, according to NAR.

Meanwhile, in the year-to-year comparison for existing home sales, a total of 11,888 single-family existing homes sold statewide last month compared to 14,980 homes sold in October 2009 for a decrease of 21 percent. Florida’s median existing-home sales price in October was $136,600; a year earlier, it was $140,900 for a 3 percent decrease. The median is the midpoint; half the homes sold for more, half for less.

The national median sales price for existing single-family homes in September was $172,600, down 1.9 percent from a year earlier, NAR reported. In California, the statewide median resales price was $309,900 in September; in Massachusetts, it was $295,000; in Maryland, it was $243,134; and in New York, it was $229,102.

In October, the interest rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 4.23 percent, significantly lower than the 4.95 percent average during the same month a year earlier, according to Freddie Mac. Florida Realtors’ sales figures reflect closings, which typically occur 30 to 90 days after sales contracts are written

For more information about buying or selling Real Estate in South Florida contact G&E Realty Group, Inc at www.gandehomes.com 954-450-1174

We are specialize in Foreclosure and Short Sale In the south Florida market

Florida’s Existing Condo Sales Up in 3Q 2010

Eyal Harel — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 15:11:34 +0000

Florida’s Existing Condo Sales Up in 3Q 2010

ORLANDO, Fla., Nov. 11, 2010 – Sales of existing condominiums in Florida rose 15 percent in third quarter 2010 compared to the same period a year earlier, according to the latest housing statistics from Florida Realtors®. A total of 16,938 existing condos sold statewide in 3Q 2010; during the same period the year before, a total of 14,793 units changed hands.

Fourteen of Florida’s metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) reported higher existing condo sales in the third quarter, according to Florida Realtors. The statewide existing-condo median sales price was $84,000 for the three-month period; in 3Q 2009, it was $106,000 for a decrease of 21 percent.

“A healthy housing market is built on the foundation of a robust economy,” said Dr. Sean Snaith, director of the University of Central Florida’s Institute for Economic Competitiveness. “As the economic recovery continues in Florida – and in particular as the labor market improves – the housing market will follow suit. The price decline in the condo market continues to attract domestic and foreign buyers to Florida to take advantage of this buying opportunity.

“The third-quarter single-family and condo Florida resales data reflect a slowdown relative to second-quarter data as the expiration of the first-time homebuyer’s tax credit in April pulled future demand into the second quarter,” Snaith said, adding that the drop-off was expected.

Meanwhile, in the year-to-year quarterly comparison for existing single-family home sales, 41,122 homes sold statewide for the quarter compared to 44,451 homes in 3Q 2009 for a 7 percent decrease. The statewide existing-home median sales price was $135,200 in 3Q 2010; a year earlier, it was $145,300 for a decrease of 7 percent. Sales of foreclosures and other distressed properties continue to downwardly distort the median price because they generally sell at a discount relative to traditional homes, according to the National Association of Realtors® (NAR). The median is a typical market price where half the homes sold for more, half for less.

The University of Florida’s Bergstrom Center for Real Estate Studies’ latest quarterly survey of real estate trends reports that the jobless rate remains a top concern for the future outlook of the state’s real estate industry. The survey polls market research economists, industry executives, real estate scholars and other experts.

Timothy Becker, the center’s director, noted that investment in real estate continues to flow into Florida, though investors are wary about the economy. “The apartment sector is the stellar performer,” he said, adding that conditions continue to improve in the commercial sector. “We’re starting to see stabilization across property types in occupancy, with respondents saying they feel better about what rents are going to look like in the near future.”

Low mortgage rates continued to be available during the third quarter of the year. According to Freddie Mac, the national commitment rate for a 30-year conventional fixed-rate mortgage averaged 4.45 percent in 3Q 2010; one year earlier, it averaged 5.16 percent.

Two charts showing statistics for Florida and its MSAs are attached. One chart compares the volume of existing, single-family home sales and median sales prices in the third quarter of 2010 to the third quarter of 2009, based on Realtor closed transactions from local Realtor boards/associations within the MSAs. The second chart compares the volume of existing condo sales and median sales prices in third quarter 2010 to third quarter 2009, based on Realtor closed transactions from local Realtor boards/associations within the MSAs.

For more information about buying or selling Real Estate in South Florida contact G&E Realty Group, Inc. at: www.gandehomes.com phone: 954-450-1174

We are specialize in Foreclosure and Short Sale In the south Florida market

9 Ways Virtual Assistants Can Help Real Estate Agents Who Negotiate Short Sales

See Original Source — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 14:12:33 +0000

9 Ways Virtual Assistants Can Help Real Estate Agents Who Negotiate Short Sales

9 Ways Virtual Assistants Can Help Real Estate Agents Who Negotiate Short Sales

The “short” in short sale simply means that the amount paid at the sale of a property on behalf of the borrower for an outstanding mortgage is less than the amount owed. But there is nothing “short” about the process. In fact it should be called “long sale” because real estate professionals who specialize in short sale transactions are well aware that – patience, diligent follow up and a long wait – is the name of the game.

The current Real Estate Market

Due to the increasing numbers of distressed homeowners, there has been an upsurge in the number of potential short sales available to real estate agents. Many of these homeowners need someone to negotiate their short sale once they have decided that it is the best option for them to use to avoid foreclosure. The sheer amount of documents to be prepared as well as the time spent on the phone going back and forth with lenders makes investing in a Virtual Assistant (VA) a strategic decision.

Now, “How can hiring a VA ensure that each short sale negotiation is carried out more efficiently and effectively?” To answer this question, let’s go through the entire process and then point out crucial areas where a virtual assistant can complement the agent’s efforts.

The Short Sale Process

Short sales usually follow the same sequence of steps for those real estate agents who handle the entire process from start to finish; it begins with the agent marketing for prospective clients, screening them, signing up the listings, getting the lender’s specific requirements and instructions, sending in the Authorization to Release Information document to the lender, listing the property on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), scheduling showings and following up with potential buyer agents, preparing and submitting the short sale packet, following up with the lender once it has been initiated, getting the short sale approved by the lender and finally, getting the buyer to close on the transaction.

1 – Marketing for clients: Agents have various ways to find clients such as sending out direct mails, going door knocking, internet marketing and so on. The VA can assist the agent by handling all the calls that come in as a result of the marketing effort. The VA can also schedule time for the prospects to speak with the agent in order to get all their real estate specific questions answered as well as follow up with them prior to an appointment to confirm their availability.

2 – Screening potential clients: To start off the process, agents usually have to screen potential clients to find out if they meet certain conditions that qualify them to sell their property as a short sale. These conditions are:

a. The home owner is experience a financial hardship.

b. The current value of the property is less than the amount owed to the lender.

The VA can do the screening process for the agent, so the agent only spends time explaining the entire short sale process to the client and the steps to be taken. This allows the agent to save time.

3 – Preparing the listing documents: Once the homeowner has decided to move forward with a short sale, the VA can then prepare the listing documents. This step frees the agent from to spending time putting together the required paperwork. Once the paper work is done, the agent can meet with the homeowner to sign them up as a client.

4 – Getting the lender’s short sale requirements: During the first call to the lender the VA can get all the necessary information such as the fax number to send the authorization, the fax number to send the complete short sale packet, the status of the loan and pending foreclosure and so on. Since the lender may not have already received the “Authorization to Release Information” document from the homeowner giving them the authority to speak with the agent and the VA, hence the VA can set up a three-way call whereby the lender gets to speak with the VA while the homeowner is on the line. The agent doesn’t have to be on the phone to do all this because it’s usually the same set of questions that each lender will be asked so this can be systemized and delegated to the VA.

5 – Sending in the Authorization to Release information: After the first call to the lender the VA can immediately get this document from the homeowner and send it in to the lender’s designated fax number. The authorization has to state that the homeowner has given both the agent and the VA the authority to talk to the lender on their behalf, its also necessary for the VA to send it in as soon as possible because it takes time for the authorization to take effect with the lender.

6 – Placing the property on the MLS: This step is self explanatory; essentially the VA enters in the listing information into the MLS along with the pictures of the property in order for it to be exposed to buyer for offers. The agent sets the property price at a level that will bring in a flood of buyer quickly, while the VA can takes care of all the time consuming data entry required to list the property on the MLS.

7 – Scheduling showings and following up with potential buyer agents: Assuming the agent listed the property at the right price, it won’t take long for buyer agents to start calling to take their buyers to see the property. The VA can take these calls and give the buyer agent all the necessary information for them to get access to the property. If the property is not vacant, the VA can find out from the homeowner the best time for the buyer agent and their client to come out to see the property. If the selling agent needs to be at the property during the showing, then the VA can make sure that the showing is scheduled at a time that is convenient for all parties. Also the VA can follow up with buyer agents after the showings to get instant feedback from them to see if their client is interested in buying the property.

8 – Preparing and submitting the short sale packet: Once the agent gets a suitable offer from a buyer and the homeowner accepts it, the VA can prepare all the necessary documents required by the lender for the short sale and then send it to the designated fax number. This process can be very time consuming because it is of utmost importance that the complete short sale packet is turned in. Hence it can be a benefit to the agent to know that they don’t have to be bugged down by this task because the VA can handle it.

9 – Following up with the lender once the short sale has been initiated: A couple of days after the short sale packet is submitted the VA can begin the process of regularly calling the lender to find out the status of the short sale. This is a very monotonous process because it involves being on hold for quite some time until someone picks up the phone. When this happens the VA can then transfer the call to the agent to find out the current status of the short sale. The initial follow up process continues for another period of time until the lender assigns a Loss Mitigation officer to the case. It is at this point that the agent actually begins the negotiation process. The loss mitigator then orders a Broker Price Opinion (BPO) to determine the value of the property and establish the amount the lender is willing to net as a result of the short sale. The entire short sale negotiation process can take typically between one month to four months (or more) depending on the lender hence the VA can handle all the follow up calls so the agents only gets on the calls once someone representing the lender is available.

Conclusion

As an agent, the most productive activities is getting new listings, negotiating contracts and closing transactions. As a short sale specialist two additional activities needs to be added to the three above which is ethically influencing the BPO so that the final value reflects the the current value of the property and also negotiating with the loss mitigator to approve the short sale in a timely manner in order for the buyer to close on the deal. Everything else in the short sale process can and should be delegated to the Virtual Assistant. By dividing the short sale process into those task that are most important and those that the VA can handle, it allows the agent to focus on what matters most – developing a track record as the “go to” agent for getting short sale negotiated and approved successfully.

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Owen McGab Enaohwo provides Realtors® with trained Real Estate Virtual Assistant who assist agents with getting their time consuming tasks done. To subscribe for more free tips and advice on how to hire the right VA or to watch the video and download the audio of this particular article then please go to: http://www.HireYourVirtualAssistant.com/blog

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short sale, short sale process, short sales, virtual assistant, realtor, negotiate, real estate agents, outsourcing, real estate

Florida Real Estate – Incompetent Florida Landlords Ruin Things for the Rest of Us

See Original Source — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 19:50:30 +0000

As a Florida landlord I have several homes currently for rent in the South Florida real estate market.

Each day, phone calls come in from Florida tenants asking about one of the homes for rent. With each new phone conversation, prospective tenant provide shocking revelations about how clueless some Florida real estate investors are when they purchase a Florida rental home but don’t have the background or experience to rent the home to others as a landlord.

Here are some of the inappropriate business practices employed by Florida landlords in the distressed Florida real estate market:

Collecting advance rent and security deposits while concealing the fact that their Florida rental home is in foreclosure – leaving the tenant without any deposit money to use on another home

Offering below market rent to attract Florida tenants with full knowledge that they intend to let the home slip into foreclosure

Combining security deposits and advance rent in their own personal bank account

Not collecting any security deposit

Failing to pay their Florida property taxes on time

Allowing trampolines, above ground swimming pools, and vicious dogs on the property – dramatically increasing their liability for risks that might not be covered by Florida home insurance

Not having enough or the wrong kind of Florida landlord insurance

Last but not least, not maintaining their Florida rental home

With all of this going on, it is no wonder that Florida tenants seem to have the edge over their Florida landlord when a dispute with their lease arises and the case is heard by a judge in court. If you were a judge hearing a case in your court where a Florida landlord had demonstrated the kind of incompetence and mismanagement described above, wouldn’t you be inclined to be on the side of the Florida tenant and not allow that tenant to be evicted?

So what can you do as a Florida landlord to protect yourself in today’s volatile Florida real estate market?

Here’s how smart Florida landlords manage their rental homes:

Always collect a security deposit that is equivalent to two months rent at a minimum. In most Florida counties it will take almost two months to evict a tenant that is behind on the rent. Having one additional month of security deposit will provide you with an additional cushion to cover the time required to evict and will give you some additional cash to cover damage to your Florida home. Keep tenant security deposits and advance rent in a separate non-interest bearing bank account

Let current and prospective Florida tenants know if you fall behind on your mortgage payments for any reason. A sheriff showing up at your Florida rental home demanding that your tenants collect their belongings and be out of the house in 15 minutes is not the way your tenant should find out that your rental home is being foreclosed on.

Whether you are paying your Florida property taxes directly or into escrow, make sure they are paid by November 30th each year to get the maximum discount. If your Florida property taxes are paid from escrow, contact your Florida mortgage company and make sure they’ve received the bill and have it scheduled to be paid on time.

Talk to a Florida home insurance agent about the right kind of insurance to have on your Florida rental home. Usually a rental home will require dwelling fire or Florida landlord insurance.

Put at least 0,000 worth of liability coverage on your Florida dwelling fire insurance policy. Require your tenant to carry Florida renters insurance with another 0,000 worth of liability coverage. That will put 0,000 in total between a lawsuit and your own personal assets.

If your Florida insurance policy prohibits certain high risk activities such as trampolines, spell them out clearly in your lease.

Put all maintenance and rental home safety instructions in writing for your Florida tenant. Provide your tenants with a written manual that explains how to operate everything in your Florida rental home.

Document and respond immediately to all maintenance requests. If you can’t fix the item promptly, send your tenant written updates on the status of the item and when you expect the repair to be completed.

Every Florida landlord should become familiar with Florida Statutes Chapter 83 which covers landlord/tenant relationships in Florida.

As the Florida real estate market continues to be depressed, savvy Florida landlords will follow these principles – not just to protect themselves in case they ever have to appear in court, but because it is the right thing to do.

Don’t be the kind of rental home investor that give all Florida landlords a bad reputation!

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Michael Letcher -
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