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Why are banks and PMI companies trying so hard to make people jump through their hoops? I have a closing that was supposed to happen yesterday, but since it's a foreclosure, docs were supposed to be turned in by last Friday. It's a week later and they're still twiddling their thumbs.These buyers have great credit and are putting down 20%. Model borrowers.Wanna know what they want today?? They want MY social security number!! Yes, Mine! What do I have to do with this transaction??Apparently, "Donna Harris" appears on the GSA list. What's GSA? When you Google it, you get lots of … (173 comments)
Every buyer is different. And every buyer has different needs, wants, and expectations when it comes to purchasing real estate.
Less is MORE!
Just when you thought you have heard them all! This one really had me wondering again, what planet are these lenders from? We should have a contest for the lender who does the most stupidest thing and award them a huge booby prize! 
Be Prepared. September Is Disaster Preparedness Month. 
Making Sense Of The Mortgage Crisis-How The FDIC Loss Share Program Is Hurting Homeowners
What do you do when a non-licensed person talks shop to one of your clients...
The question is ,How are you using Active Rain to win more listings ? My time here in the Rain has completely revamped my Marketing Plan I present to Seller's ! With most print media not being cost effective(ROI), I was searching for a better way to expose listings to the market place ! Also considering the 2009 NAR Survey showed 61% of buyers last year were age 45 or younger, it was time to make some serous changes !
Please check the update below in bold
Your forms to close are in the mail. Our office does not deal with E-mail or faxes. Isn't the government involvement in real estate and lending great? I can see the point, they want to make it appear as if the government is going out of their way, introducing new rules, and regulations to help the public. I wander why they didn't read the old rules and regulations, and begin enforcing existing laws, before introducing new. Along with all these new rules comes a flood of paperwork. This new paperwork involves time, and materials, resulting in less income for lenders and … (27 comments)
Arizona has at least 10 Fly-In Communities. 
In their efforts to accommodate buyers and make deals work, more Westchester home sellers are agreeing to either credit money to buyers for repairs or make the repairs outright. In general, I'd rather issue a credit; buyers can do the work as they see fit and sellers have one less headache. 
I was phoned, this morning, by a "Lurker".
Today I met a nice lady that lives up the street. She asked me if I knew the previous owners of her home. A young woman had come to a yard sale while visiting from California. Once a child here, parents now gone. Could she come in she wondered? I smiled. I had known them well. She was looking for a house, a life, a story.
The other day Kristen Wheatley wrote a post An Appointment a Day Keeps the Bill Collectors Away. Reading her post reminded me of a quote I had on my desk at my old broker's office which I somehow misplaced with my move. I even commented to her post as such and tonight I found it......
On listing appointments and in friendly conversations with friends and family about selling real estate, I often come across the statement, "We'll just put the house on the market and see what happens". In the past, I've kept quiet when people make that LOOSE statement but I have a compliant personality. There is no need to rock the boat, especially when sellers are not selecting me to be their agent.
We work hard to acquire new customers / clients. What would happen if instead of looking at a client as a single commission, we looked at our clients as an annuity - a lead that keeps on giving - it makes sense to work just as hard on retention. If you work with a team or have employees working for you, here are some things you might want to consider. If you are a lone soldier, then these may also apply to you.
TAKE OFF THE ROSE COLORED GLASSES and PREPARE FOR REALITY.
I admit, this is more of a "rant" than it is an avenue towards offering a constructive solution to today's lending environment. We all know the days of "stated income" or "no doc" loans are over, (or at least for now...the jury is still out!). There was a reason those types of loans were created in the first place, and they DID have a place in our ever complicated financial world of credit qualifying, FICO scoring, and judgment rendering of who is and who isn't worthy of obtaining home financing. Unfortunately, like many opportunities, there are a few "bad apples" (to … (42 comments)
Twin Cities Economy, Real Estate, and Short Sales
Are You Planting Your Seeds for Your Spring Business Now? Are you doing all you can do and being all you can be to promote your business for the spring? Is your website up-to-date, is your Facebook and Twitter active, have you started blogging with a purpose, do you keep up with networking groups, etc...) Have you concentrated on "asking" for business, so folks are out there looking for ways to help you? Have you been working your SEO so you are showing up in your neighborhood? I do for Wilton and Fairfield County around me....
Just the other day I posted an article about "Portfolio Loans" making a comeback in Soutwest Florida. Remember now, a portfolio loan is one where the lender/investor establishes the guidelines, makes their own rules, so to speak. It's their $$$$$, and they are free to lend it as they chose.
Yesterday I got a call from one of my favorite clients. He purchased a home about two years ago and had decided to refinance at a lower mortgage rate. Before he signed the final papers this morning, he wanted to ask me a couple of questions.
Do you know how many “miles per gallon” your home gets? Does it matter how much it costs to operate your home? Did you consider fuel cost when you bought your car? So why not evaluate your homes “fuel efficiency”?
Make My Day, Kill a Watt... Electricity. It's more than a commodity, it fuels our lifestyle. Years ago, life was simpler, demands were low and electricity was cheap. Fast forward to today. Modern conveniences, gadgets and technology are consuming power and natural resources at an all time rate. The cost of generating and distribution continue to rise. Contemptuously, we look at our bills and bitch. Grudgingly, we write the check and go about our merry way until next month; when the cycle begins anew. Sadly, Americans wallow in a gluttonous sea of energy consumption. Being conservative is a mindset that transcends … (61 comments)
In this economy, it seems prices are constantly increasing, and what you get in return is shrinking. Ice cream containers are slightly smaller, and marked up. Same with cereal boxes. Even bars of soap are slightly smaller and prices have increased. Just about anything you can buy has been marked up in price, with less to show for it.
What is it about you that stands out? Are you ordinary or EXTRA-ordinary. Do you have a specialty and have perfected it? Will the public at large benefit from your involvement? Will you? Will your clients...fellow agents...?
We're entering a new era in real estate, possibly the end of homeownership as we've known it. What is equally disturbing to me is there is a group of real esate professionals who support the case against homeownership.
My own house was on the market for sale. Because I was taking in my elderly mother, I'd already purchased the next home and moved. My previous house was recently renovated, vacant, priced right, and ready to sell. Activity on the house was steady, so I knew an offer would come in due time. I got the e-mails every time an agent accessed the lockbox, so I knew who was showing it and going back for repeat showings--or so I thought that's what was going on.
As one of the real oldies on ActiveRain, I've been witness to many changes over the years. The group that I joined in the beginning was a one lane country road with some traffic and many growing relationships. We became close enough, some of us, to arrange face to face meetings when we were in close proximity. We had no great expectation of where ActiveRain was headed, we were simply enjoying the ride.
It is a known fact that REALTORS work way more hours than everyone thinks we do. Look at this...it is 9:47 and I am blogging on a Real Estate topic! Why you ask...because I'm competitive to a fault and I probably need counseling.
This post was inspired by Sally Cheeseman's Fall Season of Change contest. Somehow I couldn't find the time to get this done to meet the deadline...there's a message there.
Staging is a wonderful thing....bing bling...we do it....we have a room and closets full of materials...window treatments, rugs, candles, lamps, bedspreads, tablecloths, flower arrangements...odds of ends of smaller furniture.....and we enjoy doing it and watching the transformation from the blas to the WOW ' S....you will get no argument from us about how eye candy sells a home. Agent Suzy called the other day to say that she had listed a condo. Here, as in many markets....there is a serious over abundance of units....some new construction...that are vacant or have sellers that are anxious to move on to larger … (41 comments)
Mountain View Luxury & Leisure Condos … (2 comments)
New Hampshire residential home sales saw a drop in unit sales in August after 9 consecutive months of increases. The median price for residential homes fell by 3 percent.
Buying your first home can sometimes seem intimidating, especially when you are faced with the tough decision of how to finance it. Here is a quick review of various mortgage types, as well as the Wyoming average and the National Average for a few types of mortgage loan rates.
The RPR Data Seeker Update
Bank Owned Homes in Oakley California
Selling Via Short Sale? DON'T Stop Paying Your Mortgage! To pay or not to pay, that is the question! If you are looking to sell your home using the short sale process, DO NOT stop paying your mortgage. I've heard mixed answers to this question from all kinds of real estate professionals, but the highly professional Attorney Scott Wrenn advised us in a seminar this week to encourage our clients to keep paying for as long as financially possible. It is common sense - if you stop paying your mortgage and fall into default, your lender is going to start the foreclosure proceedings. If … (9 comments)
Pearland High School has been moved back to District 24-5A.The district will include schools from Alvin, Brazoswood and Dickinson. This realignment is similar to the set up from years 2006-2008.
… (0 comments)
Thirty Posts In Thirty Days Has Been a Good Challenge
Outer Banks Foreclosure|Kill Devil Hills Foreclosure|214 Lancer Court Kill Devil Hills, NORTH CAROLINA 27948 MLS# 67017: 2 Bedrooms 1 Bathrooms $89,900
Visit http://www.unclaimed.org for possible real estate seed money.Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
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