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Posts Tagged ‘Orlando Short Sales’

New Short Sale Bill Submitted to Congress – will it help us in Orlando?

September 28th, 2010 No comments

U.S. Representative Robert Andrews (D-N.J.) and Tom Rooney (R-Fla) offered up new legislation to Congress last week. H.R. 6133, “Prompt Decision for Qualification of Short Sale Act of 2010,” is an effort from Congress to help keep potential buyers from walking away from short sales, simply because lenders take months to respond to their offers.

The National Association of REALTORS are a strong supporter of the bill. Their President, Vicki Cox Golder, said, “The short sale, which requires lender approval, is an important instrument for homeowners who owe more than their home is worth. While the lending community has worked to improve the size and training of their short sales staffs, they still have a long way to go on improving response times.”

And in a sticky financial situation such as a short sale, where time really counts, this bill comes as welcome news to many homeowners and buyers.

This legislation aims to “require the lender or servicer of a home mortgage, upon a request by the homeowner for a short sale, to make a prompt decision whether to allow the sale.” (Library of Congress)

In this bill, the terms “short sale” means the sale of the dwelling or residential real property that is subject to the mortgage, deed or trust, or other security interest that secures a residential mortgage loan that:

  • will result in proceeds in an amount that is less than the remaining amount due under the mortgage loan; and
  • requires authorization by the securitization vehicle or other investment vehicle or holder of the mortgage loan, or the servicer acting on behalf of such a vehicle or holder.

Ms. Golder continued, “Unfortunately, homeowners who need to execute a short sale are severely hampered because lenders (loan servicers) are unable to decide whether to approve a short sale within a reasonable amount of time. Potential homebuyers are walking away from purchasing short sale property because the lender has taken many months and still not responded to their request for an approval of a proposed short sale price. Many consumers have mentioned that the delay in short sale price approval exceeds 90 days, and in many cases never arrives.”

Hopefully, if this bill passes into law, homeowners will find relief from their mortgage woes, and will be able to sell their home without having to be foreclosed upon.

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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, Kissimmee, St. Cloud, East Orlando, Longwood, Altamonte Springs, Maitland, Winter Park, Oviedo, Apopka, Lake Mary, Clermont, Ocoee  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.comhttp://OrlandoRealEstateVoice.com ,  www.JerrySellsOrlando.com, or http://InvestmentPropertyDealsOrlando.com for your Orlando 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, Seminole, Polk, Lake  or Osceola County Florida and Orlando, East Orlando, St. Cloud,  Davenport, Clermont, Longwood, Windermere, Winter Garden,  Kissimmee, Winter Park, Altamonte Springs, Maitland,  Apopka,  Lake Mary, Oviedo 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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FHA Mortgage changes and How it may affect us in Orlando Fl.

September 23rd, 2010 No comments

CHANGE #1

On September 1, 2010, HUD released Mortgagee Letter 2010-28 regarding changes to FHA mortgage insurance premiums. The letter states that, on August 12, 2010, the President signed into law new legislation which allows HUD to increase the amount of the annual mortgage insurance premiums charged for FHA single family housing mortgage insurance programs. For purchase and refinance transactions, HUD has decided to raise the annual premium which is collected on a monthly basis (the “monthly MI”) and simultaneously lower the upfront mortgage insurance premium (the “MIP” which is typically financed into the loan) “so that FHA is in a better position to address the increased demands of the marketplace and return the Mutual Mortgage Insurance (MMI) fund to congressionally mandated levels without disruption to the housing market.”

Effective for FHA loans with case numbers assigned on or after October 4, 2010, the upfront mortgage insurance premium for purchase and refinance transactions will change from 2.25% to 1.0%. The annual mortgage insurance collected on a monthly basis (the monthly MI) will change to the following:

LTV Annual Premiums for Loans > 15 Years
= or < 95% 85 basis points
> 95% 90 basis points

Let’s look at a scenario and see how this will affect a typical homebuyer. Let’s say a buyer is purchasing a home at a price of $150,000 with maximum FHA financing (meaning they’re only making the minimum 3.5% down payment) and they’re getting a 30-year fixed at 4.25%. Because they are making a 3.5% down payment ($5,250), their base loan amount is $144,750.

Scenario Calculated Using Current Guidelines Scenario Calculated With Upcoming Changes
Annual Mtg Ins. Premium: $3,256.88 Annual Mtg. Ins. Premium: $1,447.50
Total Loan Amount: $148,006 Total Loan Amount: $146,197
Monthly Principal & Interest: $728.10 Monthly Principal & Interest: $719.20
Monthly Mortgage Insurance: $66.34 Monthly Mortgage Insurance: $108.56
Total Payment Before Taxes & Insurance: $794.44 Total Payment Before Taxes & Insurance: $827.76

So as you can see, the borrower’s payment will be higher with the new changes but my take on it is: in the whole scheme of things, when buying a $150,000 home, it’s not as “major” as some may lead you to believe. Not a HUGE deal when you really look at he numbers.

CHANGE #2

On September 3, 2010, HUD released another mortgage letter (2010-29) and it is regarding minimum credit scores and loan-to-value ratios. The three main changes, also effective for case numbers assigned on or after October 4, 2010, are:

1)     Borrowers with a minimum decision credit score at or above 580 are eligible for maximum financing.

2)     Borrowers with a minimum decision credit score between 500 and 579 are limited to 90 percent LTV.

3)     Borrowers with a minimum decision credit score of less than 500 are not eligible for FHA-insured mortgage financing.

This is not a significant change because most lenders/banks/brokers) are not financing FHA borrowers with less than a 620 credit score anyway. I don’t feel that these changes will affect you or your buyers much at all. Again, nothing too “major”.

Some good news is: we’ve heard nothing else more about the maximum interested party contributions lowering from 6% to 3% since HUD’s mortgagee letter released 01/20/10. In this mortgagee letter, HUD stated that this change will be “posted in the Federal Register in February, and after a notice and comment period, would go into effect in the early summer.” We should all be glad that this hasn’t officially rolled out (yet) because I feel that this change would have a much greater impact on us and our clients than any of the above. If we hear something more about it, I’ll let you know.

If you have any questions or concerns or if you’d like to further discuss any of this, please let me know.

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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, Kissimmee, St. Cloud, East Orlando, Longwood, Altamonte Springs, Maitland, Winter Park, Oviedo, Apopka, Lake Mary, Clermont, Ocoee  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.comhttp://OrlandoRealEstateVoice.com ,  www.JerrySellsOrlando.com, or http://InvestmentPropertyDealsOrlando.com for your Orlando 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, Seminole, Polk, Lake  or Osceola County Florida and Orlando, East Orlando, St. Cloud,  Davenport, Clermont, Longwood, Windermere, Winter Garden,  Kissimmee, Winter Park, Altamonte Springs, Maitland,  Apopka,  Lake Mary, Oviedo 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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Number of underwater mortgages in U.S. fell in 2Q, Orlando Foreclosures still on the rise

August 28th, 2010 No comments

Real estate data provider CoreLogic says the number of U.S. homes with mortgages that exceed what the property is worth declined slightly in the second quarter versus the first three months of this year.

The firm said Thursday there were 11 million homes with so-called underwater mortgages at the end of June. That’s down from 11.2 million at the end of March.

The firm attributed the decline primarily to homes being repossessed by lenders.

In all, 23 percent of U.S. homes with mortgages were underwater at the end of June.

Nevada had the highest rate of underwater mortgages of any state at 68 percent, followed by Arizona at 50 percent and Florida at 46 percent.

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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, Kissimmee, St. Cloud, East Orlando, Longwood, Altamonte Springs, Maitland, Winter Park, Oviedo, Apopka, Lake Mary, Clermont, Ocoee  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 Orlando 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, Seminole, Polk, Lake  or Osceola County Florida and Orlando, East Orlando, St. Cloud,  Davenport, Clermont, Longwood, Windermere, Winter Garden,  Kissimmee, Winter Park, Altamonte Springs, Maitland,  Apopka,  Lake Mary, Oviedo 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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I have HAFA mind to never pay another mortgage payment again!

April 16th, 2010 No comments

HAFA (which means “I have HAFA mind to never pay another mortgage payment again!”) Kidding!!! Actually it is part of the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) that aims to help homeowners who are unable to qualify for a loan modification under HAMP by providing them with the option to pursue a short sale or deed-in-lieu. Under the program, financial incentives are provided to servicers (banks) and borrowers (now you’re talking!) who utilize these foreclosure alternatives.

As of April 5, 2010, the program is now in action and according to the guidelines, once a borrower is determined to be ineligible for a HAMP modification, the bank must consider that borrower for HAFA within 30 days. Every potential eligible borrower must be considered for the program before the borrower’s loan is referred to foreclosure or the bank allows a pending foreclosure sale to be conducted. If the bank determines that the borrower is eligible, the short sale or deed-in-lieu process will begin. Qualified borrowers will be given pre-approved short sale terms before the property is listed, and once an offer is made, banks/mortgage servicers will have 10 days to approve or reject the sale.

HAFA Government Program

HAFA+Brochure+Text+1 25 10

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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, Winter Park, Altamonte Springs, Maitland, Lake Mary, Oviedo 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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Gov’t to add consumer protections to mortgage plan, Orlando homeowners may see some help

February 23rd, 2010 No comments

The Obama administration is soon expected to unveil additional protections to ensure homeowners are treated fairly and consistently under its mortgage relief program.

The policies, outlined in a draft Treasury Department document obtained by the Associated Press, would address long-standing complaints from housing counselors. They have cited cases of lenders continuing with foreclosures while homeowners were being evaluated for help. That practice would be banned under the new rules.

Government officials acknowledge treatment of homeowners has been a problem under the $75 billion mortgage relief effort.

Some lenders, for example, continue foreclosure proceedings while evaluating a borrower for help under the program. Under the new policies, mortgage companies would have to stop all legal action once a borrower enrolls in the program.

Borrowers rejected from the program would also have 30 days to appeal the decision. In that time, lenders could schedule a foreclosure sale but not conduct it.

And mortgage companies would be required to consider applications from homeowners in bankruptcy. That’s optional under the current rules.

Treasury spokeswoman Meg Reilly confirmed the document was authentic, but wrote in an e-mail that it “has not been approved and there are no immediate planned announcements on the issue.”

The $75 billion program is designed to lower borrowers’ monthly payments by reducing mortgage rates to as low as 2 percent for five years and extending loan terms to as long as 40 years.

To complete the process, homeowners need to make three payments and provide proof of their income, plus a letter documenting their financial hardship.

But experts warn that hundreds of thousands of borrowers will not be eligible or will not complete the process. So far, only 116,300 borrowers out 1 million enrolled have had the terms of their mortgages changed permanently.

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

January 18th, 2010 No comments

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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Military Personnel Receive Federal Help on Short Sales

December 28th, 2009 No comments

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

September 22nd, 2009 No comments

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 No comments

 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 No comments

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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