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Orlando sees hope as the FHA lifts the 90-day seasoning requirement!

January 18th, 2010

Orlando Short sales, expert, specialist

The news is spreading fast…  As reported out from FHA on January 15, 2010

HUD TAKES ACTION TO SPEED RESALE OF FORECLOSED PROPERTIES TO NEW OWNERS

Measure to help bring stability to home values and accelerate sale of vacant properties, perhaps this will start clearing the glut of homes in the Orlando area.

In an effort to stabilize home values and improve conditions in communities where foreclosure activity is high, HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan today announced a temporary policy that will expand access to FHA mortgage insurance and allow for the quick resale of foreclosed properties.

The announcement is part of the Obama administration commitment to addressing foreclosure. Just yesterday, Secretary Donovan announced $2 billion in Neighborhood Stabilization Program grants to local communities and nonprofit housing developers to combat the effects of vacant and abandoned homes.

“As a result of the tightened credit market, FHA-insured mortgage financing is often the only means of financing available to potential homebuyers,” said Donovan. “FHA has an unprecedented opportunity to fulfill its mission by helping many homebuyers find affordable housing while contributing to neighborhood stabilization.”

With certain exceptions, FHA currently prohibits insuring a mortgage on a home owned by the seller for less than 90 days. This temporary waiver will give FHA borrowers access to a broader array of recently foreclosed properties.

“This change in policy is temporary and will have very strict conditions and guidelines to assure that predatory practices are not allowed,” Donovan said.

In today’s market, FHA research finds that acquiring, rehabilitating and the reselling these properties to prospective homeowners often takes less than 90 days. Prohibiting the use of FHA mortgage insurance for a subsequent resale within 90 days of acquisition adversely impacts the willingness of sellers to allow contracts from potential FHA buyers because they must consider holding costs and the risk of vandalism associated with allowing a property to sit vacant over a 90-day period of time.

The policy change will permit buyers to use FHA-insured financing to purchase HUD-owned properties, bank-owned properties, or properties resold through private sales. This will allow homes to resell as quickly as possible, helping to stabilize real estate prices and to revitalize neighborhoods and communities. “FHA borrowers, because of the restrictions we are now lifting, have often been shut out from buying affordable properties,” said FHA Commissioner David H. Stevens.

“This action will enable our borrowers, especially first-time buyers, to take advantage of this opportunity.” The waiver will take effect on February 1, 2010 and is effective for one year, unless otherwise extended or withdrawn by the FHA Commissioner.

To protect FHA borrowers against predatory practices of “flipping” where properties are quickly resold at inflated prices to unsuspecting borrowers, this waiver is limited to those sales meeting the following general conditions: * All transactions must be arms-length, with no identity of interest between the buyer and seller or other parties participating in the sales transaction.

* In cases in which the sales price of the property is 20 percent or more above the seller’s acquisition cost, the waiver will only apply if the lender meets specific conditions.

* The waiver is limited to forward mortgages, and does not apply to the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) for purchase program. Specific conditions and other details of this new temporary policy are in the text of the waiver, available on HUD’s website.

If you enjoy reading legalese, the waiver of 24 CFR 203.37a(b)(2) may be found here:

http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/waivpropflip2010.pdf

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Jerry LaRose is an Orlando Area Residential Real Estate Expert, who can assist you with the purchase and/or sale of Real Estate in Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden Florida or any place in the country. Jerry has created a team of professionals throughout Orlando and the country to ensure that you enjoy a smooth transition to your new area. Please visit http://OrlandoShortSaleExpert.com or www.JerrySellsOrlando.com for your real estate needs.  Please give me a call if you have questions about the Orlando and Central Florida real estate market.

P.S. If you are listing your home as a short sale in Orange or Osceola County Florida and Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden,  Kissimmee or Ocoee Florida make sure you hire an agent who knows how to do short sales and has the experience to get the job done. We are doing successful short sale packages. Call us at 407-580-7011 to find out more about Orange County Short Sales and Orlando Area Short Sales.

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Orlando Short Sale Sellers Need To Guard Against “Double Whammy” By Banks and I.R.S.

December 29th, 2009

Orlando short sales, expert, taxes, realtor, money changing hands

Orlando Short-sale sellers and their agents have plenty to think about, and it is understandable if they are annoyed by the reams of paperwork that may come their way. Nonetheless, it really is important not only to pay attention to what is in the paperwork but also to be sure to retain it for possible future use. This is because of bad consequences that the seller may experience sometime after the sale has taken place.

Bad enough that a Orlando short sale involves the loss of one’s home with no equity to show for it, and a credit negative that may last for years; it also has the potential to produce two very bad after-effects. One is that the lender, or the lender’s assignee, may continue to pursue the beleaguered seller for the remainder of the debt. The other is that the I.R.S. may come knocking on the seller’s door, seeking tax on the amount of debt that was unpaid.

The first possibility is often contained in the paperwork that goes along with the seller’s ok of the short sale. The borrower may be required to sign a promissory note for the difference between the debt owed and the short sale proceeds received by the lender. Or, a lender may require the borrower to sign a paper acknowledging that the lender reserves its right to pursue the borrower for this amount.

The second possibility resides in the fact that, if a debt is forgiven, the borrower may be taxed on the amount he didn’t have to pay back. (see I.R.S. publication 4681). To be sure, there may be short sales where the debt that is unpaid is not taxable. For those exemptions, see a tax accountant.

The point here is that the short-sale seller may suffer one of those unpleasant consequences; but he ought not to suffer both.

The point is raised because here is what can happen: In allowing the short sale, the bank requires the borrower to sign a note for the difference, or to acknowledge that the bank has the right to take action to collect that amount. Also, probably sometime later, the bank sends out a 1099-C, informing the I.R.S. that a certain amount of debt had been cancelled.

NO ONE who has dealt with a short sale would raise the question: “How could this happen? The two actions contradict each other!” That is because anyone who has been through the process knows that it is common for the right hand of the bank not to know what the left hand is doing. Indeed, it is not uncommon for the right hand not to know what the right hand is doing.

This is why it is important for the seller to be sure to keep his paperwork. If he signed a document to the effect that the bank was going to pursue its unpaid interest, he should hang on to that. Then, if he receives a 1099-C saying that the debt was forgiven (and, therefore, taxable), he will have support for the claim that the 1099-C is incorrect.

Conversely, suppose that there was no specific release of the debt and that the paperwork contained no reference to it. Then, if the seller receives a 1099-C, saying the debt was cancelled, he should keep that, just in case the bank, or its assignee, comes calling a year or so later, trying to collect the debt.

None of what has been said here should be construed as tax or legal advice. I am not certified to do that sort of thing. But I hope this little piece will encourage short-sale sellers to consult with their appropriate advisors about these matters.

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Jerry LaRose is an Orlando Area Residential Real Estate Expert, who can assist you with the purchase and/or sale of Real Estate in Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden Florida or any place in the country. Jerry has created a team of professionals throughout Orlando and the country to ensure that you enjoy a smooth transition to your new area. Please visit http://OrlandoShortSaleExpert.com or www.JerrySellsOrlando.com for your real estate needs.  Please give me a call if you have questions about the Orlando and Central Florida real estate market.

P.S. If you are listing your home as a short sale in Orange or Osceola County Florida and Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden,  Kissimmee or Ocoee Florida make sure you hire an agent who knows how to do short sales and has the experience to get the job done. We are doing successful short sale packages. Call us at 407-580-7011 to find out more about Orange County Short Sales and Orlando Area Short Sales.

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jerrylarose Seller Advise, Short Sale Tax Consequences, Short Sales

Military Personnel Receive Federal Help on Short Sales

December 28th, 2009

Orlando Short Sales, expert help for military, flag-eagle

Members of the military who find themselves in a short-sale situation now have a new tool via the Homeowners Assistance Program (HAP) through the Department of Defense (DoD).

Congress expanded HAP when they passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009; and now nearly every military personnel involved in a short sale can get financial help through HAP if they find themselves upside down when they must sell because of a mandatory permanent transfer.

The HAP website (http://hap.usace.army.mil) contains several brochures for military personnel and for real estate professionals to help understand the expanded guidelines for those using the program.

Authorized under Section 1013 of the Demonstration Cities and Metropolitan Development Act of 1966, HAP is a law that is managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers “to assist eligible homeowners who face financial loss when selling their primary residence homes in areas where real estate values have declined because of a base closure or realignment announcement.” The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act expands the legislation temporarily for DoD employees caught up in the mortgage crisis. Those who can apply for assistance include:

  • service members and DOD employees who are wounded, injured or become ill when deployed;
  • surviving spouses of service members or DOD employees killed or died of wounds while deployed;
  • service members and civilian employees assigned to BRAC 05 organizations; and
  • service members required to permanently relocate during the home mortgage crisis.

The assistance is limited to employees who were reassigned within about a 5-and-a-half year period between 2006 and 2012 and the house being considered must have been the applicant’s primary residence. Some of the criteria for eligibility include:

  1. Permanent reassignment requires move of more than 50 miles.
  2. Reassignment ordered between 1 February 2006 and 30 September 2012.
  3. Property purchased (or contract to purchase signed) before 1 July 2006.
  4. Property was the primary residence of the owner
  5. Owner has not previously received these benefit payments.

An online brochure, which can be printed via a PDF file, is available here.

This next paragraph is very important for purchasers of houses where the HAP program is being used.

The execution of this program requires the assignment of the contract to the Department of Defense, via the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. In essence, the seller conveys the house over to the USACE and then the purchaser buys the house from the USACE all at the same time at the same settlement or escrow table. Your state laws may require a few differences, but this is how it’s executed on the ground level.

Many Realtor contracts contain paragraphs that will not allow the assignment of a contract, so military sellers using HAP may need to strike this paragraph to allow the contract to go through without any hiccups.

An “assigned” contract is one where one party in a sales contract can assign their interests over to a third party before settlement. It would say something like: “this contract is between ‘Mr. and Mrs. Seller’ and ‘Mr. and Mrs. Buyer and/or assigns.’”

With this language, it allows Mr. and Mrs. Buyer to slip in Mr. and Mrs. Buyer-2 at some point in the performance of the contract. It’s legal, and is usually used via a pre-foreclosure contract where one party is finding houses for sale and selling them to a secondary buyer once they get the terms of the contract in place.

Thus, in the use of the DoD’s HAP program, the purchaser needs to understand that at the end of their contract, before they go to settlement, the seller will no longer be Mr. and Mrs. Seller, but the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

For details on how the HAP program works, visit here.

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Jerry LaRose is an Orlando Area Residential Real Estate Expert, who can assist you with the purchase and/or sale of Real Estate in Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden Florida or any place in the country. Jerry has created a team of professionals throughout Orlando and the country to ensure that you enjoy a smooth transition to your new area. Please visit http://OrlandoShortSaleExpert.com or www.JerrySellsOrlando.com for your real estate needs.  Please give me a call if you have questions about the Orlando and Central Florida real estate market.

P.S. If you are listing your home as a short sale in Orange or Osceola County Florida and Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden,  Kissimmee or Ocoee Florida make sure you hire an agent who knows how to do short sales and has the experience to get the job done. We are doing successful short sale packages. Call us at 407-580-7011 to find out more about Orange County Short Sales and Orlando Area Short Sales.

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Orlando Real Estate sales continue to increase, Short Sales & Foreclosures lead the way!

October 16th, 2009

 

Orlando Real Estate Sales

Orlando Real Estate Sales

 

Members of the Orlando Regional REALTOR® Association in September sold 54.30 percent more homes than in September of last year, contributing to the area’s year-to-date sales increase of 50.69 percent. The most recent statistics show a continuing broad improvement in the area’s housing market, but ORRA President Les Simmonds, L.G. Simmonds Real Estate Corp., says economists expect a rise in foreclosures over the next 12 months and that it is important to maintain a healthy level of ready buyers to absorb the resulting increase in inventory.  The median price of all existing homes sold in September declined 2.34 percent to $125,000 from the $128,000 recorded in August. That same median price is a decrease of 31.32 percent compared to September 2008’s median of $181,995. 

 

 

 

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Jerry LaRose is an Orlando Area Residential Real Estate Expert, who can assist you with the purchase and/or sale of Real Estate in Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden Florida or any place in the country. Jerry has created a team of professionals throughout Orlando and the country to ensure that you enjoy a smooth transition to your new area. Please visit http://OrlandoShortSaleExpert.com or www.JerrySellsOrlando.com for your real estate needs.  Please give me a call if you have questions about the Orlando and Central Florida real estate market.

P.S. If you are listing your home as a short sale in Orange or Osceola County Florida and Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden,  Kissimmee or Ocoee Florida make sure you hire an agent who knows how to do short sales and has the experience to get the job done. We are doing successful short sale packages. Call us at 407-580-7011 to find out more about Orange County Short Sales and Orlando Area Short Sales.

 

Jerry LaRose, P.A., ABR, GRI, e-PRO, CLHMS, REALTOR® 407-580-7011

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Orlando sales continue to increase

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 
 
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IRS Continues to fine tune Tax Code for Short Sales of Homes and how it may affect you here in Orlando

October 8th, 2009

 

 Orlando Real Estate, Short Sales, Home ownership Tax Credit

Congress continues to make changes in the tax code in response to the housing crisis. A key change helps millions of homesellers who owe more on their mortgages than their dwellings are worth. These sellers have negative equity — a condition known colloquially as being upside down or underwater. Legislation that went on the books at the start of 2007 significantly benefits some upside downers and does absolutely nothing for others.

This is how the break works. Suppose Jane Sellers disposes of her residence in a lender-okayed short sale that erases the unpaid part of her mortgage. Or suppose the lending company forecloses on the dwelling, subsequently sells it and cancels a portion of her debt. Generally, the tax code calls for Jane to report partially or entirely forgiven amounts on her 1040 form. Not any more. The Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act of 2007 includes a provision that allows homesellers like Jane to exclude as much as $2,000,000 of canceled debt.

Jane excludes (sidesteps) taxes only if she satisfies two stipulations. First, the security for her mortgage is her principal residence, meaning the place she ordinarily lives most of the year. Second, she incurs the debt to buy, build or substantially improve her principal residence. There is no relief for Jane’s home equity loans or cash-out refinancings, except to the extent that she uses the proceeds to make improvements. Other fine print prohibits relief if her lenders forgive debts on vacation homes and other second homes or rental properties.

Long-standing rules generally require debtors to report all forgiven debts on their 1040 forms, just the same as income from salaries or investments. The Internal Revenue Service taxes forgiven amounts at the rates for ordinary income from sources like salaries. Some forgiven debts sidestep taxes. The law specifies several carefully hedged exceptions. They include bankruptcies and insolvencies.

The exception introduced in 2007 benefits people whose debts are reduced or cancelled in arrangements that are known as loan modifications, foreclosures, deeds in lieu of foreclosure and short sales. This last category is the term for an owner who — with lender approval — sells for a net sales price (gross sales price minus legal fees, broker’s commission and other costs) that is insufficient to cover all of the outstanding debt.

In tax lingo, the exclusion is for income from the discharge of QPRI, short for qualified principal residence indebtedness. This means mortgages taken out by owners to buy, build, or substantially improve their principal residences. And the residences are the securities for the debts.

There also is an exclusion for debt reduced through mortgage restructuring, as well as for debt used to refinance QPRI. Here, there is relief, but only up to the amount of the old mortgage principal, just before the refinancing.

Another constraint is that the exclusion does not help homeowners who took advantage of the run up in real estate prices to do “cash-out” refinancing, in which they did not use the funds for renovations of their primary residences. Instead, they used the funds to pay off credit card debts, tuition charges, medical expenses, or certain other expenditures.

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Jerry LaRose is an Orlando Area Residential Real Estate Expert, who can assist you with the purchase and/or sale of Real Estate in Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden Florida or any place in the country. Jerry has created a team of professionals throughout Orlando and the country to ensure that you enjoy a smooth transition to your new area. Please visit www.JerrySellsOrlando.com for your real estate needs. Please give me a call if you have questions about the Orlando and Central Florida real estate market.

P.S. If you are listing your home as a short sale in Orange County Florida and Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden, or Ocoee Florida make sure you hire an agent who knows how to do short sales and has the experience to get the job done. We are doing successful short sale packages. Call us at 407-580-7011 to find out more about Orange County Short Sales and Orlando Area Short Sales.

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Orlando Buyers of Real Estate Foreclosures and Short Sales, Now is the Time to BUY!

September 22nd, 2009

Orlando Short Sales

Current market conditions offer a fleeting window of opportunity for buyers and investors.

Prices are down 50 to 70 percent from their highs but are beginning to stabilize and even tip higher in some markets.

 

Interest rates remain artificially low, but most economists predict this can’t last much longer.

 

The $8,000 first-time homebuyer tax credit and many local foreclosure buying incentives are still in effect, but only temporarily.

 

This means you can own for less than it costs to rent and find solid cash flow investment properties in many areas – even if the real estate market hasn’t completely bottomed out.

 

Momentum matters. Existing home sales have increased over the last four months as buyers jumped back into the market.

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Jerry LaRose is an Orlando Area Residential Real Estate Expert, who can assist you with the purchase and/or sale of Real Estate in Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden Florida or any place in the country. Jerry has created a team of professionals throughout Orlando and the country to ensure that you enjoy a smooth transition to your new area. Please visit http://OrlandoShortSaleExpert.com or www.JerrySellsOrlando.com for your real estate needs.  Please give me a call if you have questions about the Orlando and Central Florida real estate market.

P.S. If you are listing your home as a short sale in Orange or Osceola County Florida and Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden,  Kissimmee or Ocoee Florida make sure you hire an agent who knows how to do short sales and has the experience to get the job done. We are doing successful short sale packages. Call us at 407-580-7011 to find out more about Orange County Short Sales and Orlando Area Short Sales.

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Orlando Short Sale, Orlando Foreclosure, or Deed in Lie: Which is Best for the Borrower?

September 10th, 2009

 Orlando Real Estate Foreclosures

If only the President’s foreclosure-prevention plan worked as well as “cash for clunkers”. But it hasn’t. When the Administration announced the Making Homes Affordable plan in February of 2009, officials said they hoped it would help 4 million distressed homeowners to stay in their homes and we all know that we need much of that help here in Orlando. The Administration has acknowledged that there are only 200,000 trial loan modifications under way.

Clearly, lenders have been reluctant to modify loans. (Moreover, there are good reasons for their reluctance according to a recent study by the Boston Federal Reserve.) Also, many borrowers have turned out to be ineligible for the programs or – because they are so far ‘under water’ – uninterested, especially in the Central Florida / Orlando area. Whatever the cause, the result is the same: a distressed borrower typically needs to choose between (1) a short sale (where the lender agrees to take less than the amount owed) in which, among other things, a commission (paid by the lender) is generated. (2) a foreclosure, or (3) a deed in lieu of foreclosure (where the borrower ‘gives back’ the property to the lender without a foreclosure proceeding). Which is better for the borrower?

Many real estate agents will say and advertise that a short sale is clearly preferable. In support of this view, two claims are usually asserted. (1) A short sale is less damaging to the borrower’s credit than a foreclosure. (2) A short sale provides the borrower with a shorter ‘waiting period’ until the borrower will be able to purchase a home again.

It is important to note that these are two different claims. For example, in a period of time a borrower could become eligible for a purchase loan under Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac guidelines, but he or she might still not have sufficient credit or income to qualify for the loan.

While many say that a short sale is less damaging to one’s credit than is a foreclosure, documenting that claim is another story. I can’t find any verification from Fair Issac (the developer of the FICO scoring system) or any of the major credit providers. That is probably no surprise, because their systems are proprietary. Nonetheless, one wonders what might be the source of the claim.

Moving on from the credit score issue, there is the question of being again eligible to buy. More precisely, it is a question of when, in the future, the defaulting borrower could get a loan that would be purchased by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. The issue is dealt with in Fannie Mae Announcement 08-16, released June 25, 2008.

When it comes to foreclosures and deeds in lieu of foreclosure, the policy distinguishes between events that were precipitated by extenuating circumstances (e.g. job loss, major illness) and those that were not (e.g. financial mismanagement). If you’ve had a foreclosure without extenuating circumstances, you can’t purchase with a Fannie Mae – backed loan for five years. However, if there were extenuating circumstances, it drops to three years. Suppose you chose the deed in lieu of foreclosure option. If there were no extenuating circumstances, the period would be four years, but with such circumstances, it drops to two. Fannie Mae doesn’t draw the distinction when it comes to short sales: the period is two years, the same as doing a deed in lieu with extenuating circumstances.

May 15, 2009, the Treasury Department issued an update to the Making Home Affordable plan. Among other things, it provides for financial incentives (e.g. a $1,500 moving allowance) to distressed borrowers who meet the general eligibility requirements for a loan modification and who will engage in an approved short sale or who will give a deed in lieu of foreclosure.

Distressed and underwater borrowers face a minefield of options for resolving their problems. Not the least of their problems is the vast amount of misinformation floating around. They need to step very carefully.

For further details on this issue please feel free to e-mail me or give me a call at 407-580-7011.

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Jerry LaRose is an Orlando Area Residential Real Estate Expert, who can assist you with the purchase and/or sale of Real Estate in Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden Florida or any place in the country. Jerry has created a team of professionals throughout Orlando and the country to ensure that you enjoy a smooth transition to your new area. Please visit www.JerrySellsOrlando.com for your real estate needs. Please give me a call if you have questions about the Orlando and Central Florida real estate market.

P.S. If you are listing your home as a short sale in Orange County Florida and Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden, or Ocoee Florida make sure you hire an agent who knows how to do short sales and has the experience to get the job done. We are doing successful short sale packages. Call us at 407-580-7011 to find out more about Orange County Short Sales and Orlando Area Short Sales.

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Orlando, Certified Distressed Property Expert, CDPE certified in Short Sales in FLorida specializing in the Orlando area

September 4th, 2009

CDPE, Certified Distressed Property Expert, Orlando short sales

I am very happy and proud to announce that I have completed today ny certification in CDPE.

I have worked and closed dozens of short sales over the past 2 years and this training only enhances what I already know. I feel even more equipped in handling these short sales.

What is a CDPE?

A Certified Distressed Property Expert® (CDPE) is a real estate professional with specific understanding of the complex issues confronting the real estate industry, and the foreclosure avoidance options available to homeowners. Through comprehensive training and experience, CDPEs are able to provide solutions for homeowners facing hardships in today’s market, specifically short sales.

The prospect of foreclosure can be financially and emotionally devastating, and often homeowners proceed without guidance of any kind. The developers of the CDPE Designation believe that the best course of action for a homeowner in distress is to speak with a well-informed, licensed real estate professional. They have the tools needed to help homeowners find the best solution for their situation. Often, when other options have been exhausted, CDPEs can help homeowners avoid foreclosure through the efficient execution of a short sale.

While enduring financial difficulties is challenging for any family, the process of finding a qualified real estate professional should not be. Selecting an agent with the CDPE Designation ensures you are dealing with a professional trained to address your specific needs. For more information, contact a CDPE in your area.

CDPEs don’t merely assist in selling properties, they serve and help save their clients in need.

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Jerry LaRose is an Orlando Area Residential Real Estate Expert, who can assist you with the purchase and/or sale of Real Estate in Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden Florida or any place in the country. Jerry has created a team of professionals throughout Orlando and the country to ensure that you enjoy a smooth transition to your new area. Please visit www.JerrySellsOrlando.com for your real estate needs. Please give me a call if you have questions about the Orlando and Central Florida real estate market.

P.S. If you are listing your home as a short sale in Orange County Florida and Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden, or Ocoee Florida make sure you hire an agent who knows how to do short sales and has the experience to get the job done. We are doing successful short sale packages. Call us at 407-580-7011 to find out more about Orange County Short Sales and Orlando Area Short Sales.

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jerrylarose CDPE, Certified Distressed Property Experty, Foreclosed Homes & Renters, Foreclosures, Short Sales , , ,

Should I Short Sell my Orlando Home or Not?

August 20th, 2009

Orlando Short Sales

I get numerous questions weekly in regards to whether or not to Short Sell a property in the Orlando area. So, I want to post the latest question I just received and the response that I sent. Perhaps that will help when you are considering short selling your Orlando area property.

Question:

            Our hardship is that my husband and I wanted to sell the house and we can’t due to the drop in price. Our mortgage is for $242,000 and our house is currently value at about a third or a fourth of the mortgage we owe. I am still making payments on the house but we do not need the house anymore as we are not living in Florida. Due to the drop in price, we are unable to sell it, but since we do not want to ruin our credit, we are still making payment on the house. Is there a way I could short sale the house, without stop making payments on the house?

 We are current in our payments. We pay about $1700 a month, but my loan is 5/1 ARM Interest only. We have had the mortgage for 3 years (Since 7/2006), so until 7/2011, it will be interest only and I do not want to imagine what will happen, once the mortgage changes to a variable rate.

 Financially speaking, we can afford the monthly payments for now, but within the next year or so, we will be buying a house in NY and we wont be able to pay 2 houses.

 

Please advise.

 Answer:

One of the main considerations for a short sale is the fact that you can’t afford it. If your monthly debt’s outweigh your monthly income then you should qualify. If they aren’t then they’ll probably say no to it. You did not indicate the lender. You’ll probably want to call them and ask them their advise. Every lender that I’ve dealt with will not consider a short sale if you are current on your payments. They essentially will not accept a short sale if you’re current. again, call your lender and try to find out. My experience is no.

              In regards to not wanting to ruin your credit, well if the lender will not accept a short sale if you’re current, then you have no other option. I do not know exactly how it will affect your credit score, my previous clients are telling me between 100 – 200 point drop in score.

However, since a short sale will eventually be settled and sold this will be recorded on your credit score as settled debt for less than full  amount. I am hearing that your credit score will probably rebound to it’s current level in as short as 2 years. Also fannie mae says that you can purchase another home after approx. 2 years vs. a foreclosure it’s 5 years.

So, you have to ask yourself, do you want to take a hit for 2 years on your credit score and be done with this property or do you want to hang on to it for the next 10-15 years until such time that the market recovers to a point where you can breakeven.  That’s your ultimate question. You decide. Please let me know if I can answer any other questions.

Thanks

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Jerry LaRose is an Orlando Area Residential Real Estate Expert, who can assist you with the purchase and/or sale of Real Estate in Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden Florida or any place in the country. Jerry has created a team of professionals throughout Orlando and the country to ensure that you enjoy a smooth transition to your new area. Please visit http://OrlandoShortSaleExpert.com or www.JerrySellsOrlando.com for your real estate needs.  Please give me a call if you have questions about the Orlando and Central Florida real estate market.

P.S. If you are listing your home as a short sale in Orange or Osceola County Florida and Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden,  Kissimmee or Ocoee Florida make sure you hire an agent who knows how to do short sales and has the experience to get the job done. We are doing successful short sale packages. Call us at 407-580-7011 to find out more about Orange County Short Sales and Orlando Area Short Sales.

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Orlando Foreclosures hit another record for foreclosures in July

August 13th, 2009

Orlando Real Estate Foreclosures

The number of properties subjected to foreclosure-related filings grew 7 percent from June to July, with one in 355 homes being hit with an initial default notice, notice of foreclosure sale, or foreclosed on and repurchased by a bank, data aggregator RealtyTrac reported today.

The 367,198 foreclosure-related filings tallied by RealtyTrac in July represented a 32 percent increase from a year ago, and the third record in five months.

“Despite continued efforts by the federal government and state governments to patch together a safety net for distressed homeowners, we’re seeing significant growth in both the initial notices of default and in the bank repossessions,” RealtyTrac Chief Executive Officer James Saccacio said in a press release.

 

Florida Trends

JUL.

YTD.

New Foreclosure Filings

56,486

367,198

Foreclosure Sales

4,383

42,326

Avg Sales Price

$ 372,574

$ 234,664

 

 

 

 Avoid Foreclosure and call Jerry today to learn how we can help you through this down market and help sell your home through a Short Sale.

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Jerry LaRose is an Orlando Area Residential Real Estate Expert, who can assist you with the purchase and/or sale of Real Estate in Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden Florida or any place in the country. Jerry has created a team of professionals throughout Orlando and the country to ensure that you enjoy a smooth transition to your new area. Please visit http://OrlandoShortSaleExpert.com or www.JerrySellsOrlando.com for your real estate needs.  Please give me a call if you have questions about the Orlando and Central Florida real estate market.

P.S. If you are listing your home as a short sale in Orange or Osceola County Florida and Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden,  Kissimmee or Ocoee Florida make sure you hire an agent who knows how to do short sales and has the experience to get the job done. We are doing successful short sale packages. Call us at 407-580-7011 to find out more about Orange County Short Sales and Orlando Area Short Sales.

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