real estate: FTC aims to stop Idaho short sale and loan modificaton scams - 05/16/11 09:32 AM
A new rule created by the FTC to protect Idaho homeowners from mortgage debt relief scams may have an impact on real estate professionals helping clients with short sales.
In a nutshell the rule bans all upfront fees for renegotiating mortgage terms and mandates some disclosures are made to consumers if a short sale is negotiated with a lender for Idaho homeowners or when advertising short sale experience.
Companies or real estate agents advertising help with short sales are now required to include the following...Read more about the new short sales rule.
… (1 comments)

real estate: Welcome to the Sendero condominiums in Boise Idaho - 03/01/10 08:00 AM

The Sendero condominiums centrally located in Boise, Idaho provides owners with modern day amenities and designer touches at an affordable price.
Residents enjoy the carefree lifestyle that the Sendero condominiums provide. With easy access to the freeway, shopping, dining and recreation the Sendero condominiums offer up the best of all Boise area provides.



EachSendero condominium includes:
refrigerator microwave washer/dryer combo gas fireplace private patio community pool access garage or covered parking (subject to price and availability) Whether you need a place to relax poolside on weekends or a home base to plan your next adventure, knowing everything … (2 comments)

real estate: Dealing with a the big bad BPO in a short sale. - 01/24/10 09:19 PM
Do enough short sales and you're likely to get burned by a BPO agent or two.  The majority of agents I run into doing these are not what I'd call qualified to give market values in the first place.  The first issue is it stands for Broker's Price Opinion.  If you're an agent, Idaho State law says you're not supposed to be doing them anyway.  The problem, it's not being enforced.
So how do you handle a bad BPO
Here's a couple things that might make sense depending on how far you want to take it. 
1. If your laws are the same you could … (6 comments)

real estate: Writing multiple offers on short sales in Idaho, what the law states - 01/08/10 08:05 AM
Writing multiple offers on short sales in Idaho, what the law states. Distressed properties have become such a large part of our market in Boise, Idaho that you almost can't turn around without bumping into a short sale or foreclosure.  With that comes a whole new list difficulties in how to deal with them ethically and legally.
It seems to have become a standard practice of Idaho short sale buyers to put in multiple offers on short sale properties and close on the one that gets approved the fastest.  A proverbial throwing at the wall to see what sticks if you will.  … (10 comments)

real estate: Short sales as a financial strategy not a necessity - 12/18/09 05:41 PM
Short sales as a financial strategy not a necessity -
A question I've been pondering lately, what do you do with a short sale client that is using it more as a means of financial planning than out of necessity?
I end up dealing with both and I wonder what approach are you supposed to take with someone in this scenario.  That being, a client comes to you requesting help for them to perform a short sale even though they technically have the income or assets to cover the loss they are taking on the real estate investment.
Do you take … (16 comments)

real estate: If the listing agent will do it for you, they'll probably do it to you. - 11/17/09 04:07 PM
I was recently asked by an agent if they could outbid my current offer on a short sale that had been submitted to the bank. 
The agent got very huffy with me when I explained that I was only going to submit one offer at a time to the lender and that it wouldn't be fair to the current buyers for me to simply let them be out bid after patiently waiting for me to get a short sale approved. 
His reply was "You're not going to submit it to the lender even though the law requires you to present all … (16 comments)

real estate: Idaho short sales - 7 Mistakes to Avoid in Pre-Foreclosure - 11/15/09 09:36 PM
Idaho short sales - 7 Mistakes to Avoid in Pre-Foreclosure
For Idaho homeowners at risk of losing there homes to foreclosure, a short sale can be a win-win for both owner and lender.  There are, however, some common pitfalls that can be detrimental to avoiding foreclosure in Idaho. 
Here are seven mistakes to avoid:
1. Waiting too long to do something.
2. Choosing to spend thousands of dollars to have an attorney file bankruptcy assuming it will make a foreclosure go away.
3. Choosing to sign away your Deed to your home to a third party and to give your home … (2 comments)

real estate: Idaho short sales - 6 Keys to successful short sales in Idaho - 11/15/09 09:19 PM
Idaho short sales - 6 Keys to successful short sales in Idaho
As a listing agent handling a fair amount of short sales in Boise, Idaho, these general guidelines tend to increase the likelihood of your short sale success:
Only accept realistic short sale offers. Work with a qualified short sale agent to negotiate with the lender on your behalf. Avoid inexperienced agents and scams. Save time, hire the right person to represent you the first time. Maintain the home and make it as appealing as possible to potential buyers. Be proactive in doing your part of the short sale process. … (0 comments)

real estate: Please don't call me an expert, just call me when you want it done. - 11/03/09 05:25 PM
Please don't call me an expert, just call me when you want it done and hopefully sooner rather than later.
With the slew of certifications and designations flying around out there I think the word "expert" or "specialist" has started to develop a negative connotation with me.
That's not to say they aren't worth obtaining, but it's hard for a consumer to know which is valid.  Sure, their website says they're the Number 1 expert but how is the consumer to differentiate which requires some legitimate training/production and which you can pick up for $59.95 per month?
Don't get me wrong, … (55 comments)

real estate: VA Compromise Sales - A guide for Idaho homeowners facing foreclosure with VA loans - 10/25/09 08:04 PM
VA compromise sale - A guide for Idaho homeowners facing foreclosure with VA loans Is a VA compromise sale in Idaho the same as short sale? 
Yes and no. 
Yes, it is like a short sale in that the proceeds from the sales will not cover the balance owed. 
No, in that there is a standard process to follow in order to obtain approval for the VA compromise sale, and they can usually be accomplished much faster than your standard short sale.
VA compromise sales in Idaho have very specific requirements and you will want to work with a real estate … (0 comments)

real estate: Ada county - September's real estate market wrap up. - 10/11/09 10:53 PM
Ada county, Idaho Home sales:
September 2009 numbers are in and there's some some good and some bad.  It looks like existing home sales have continued to rise.  The total number of homes sold was 433, with approximately a 25% increase over September of last year.
Average sale price of an existing home came in at $189,284, down 19% over September of 2008.  
Average days on market came in at 89.
That's a snap shot of September 2009 real estate market in Ada county, Idaho.
 
… (3 comments)

real estate: Real estate investing - probably not a course I would recommend - 10/10/09 04:20 PM
I always get a chuckle when I pass this sign sitting on on a lonely street corner.  Something about it just screams successful real estate investor (that's sarcasm in case you didn't pick up on it). 
If you were really serious about real estate investing I'm doubtful that this is the avenue you should pursue.  Chances are this investor bought into a "get rich quick" scheme and found out that the most lucrative means of making money the course taught was selling it to others.
Like most multilevel marketing practices there's probably far more money made selling the system to family, … (10 comments)

real estate: If you want new clients, give this a try. - 10/08/09 07:09 PM
I took two new listings this week from brand new clients.  I always like to ask how they found me and why they decided to go with me vs. any of the other thousands of real estate agents active in Boise, Idaho?  In doing so I've discovered, re-discovered, and confirmed the largest return on investment of all the things I do to generate new clients. 
The answer to the first part of the question is somewhat predictable, they found me on the internet, usually Google.  That's to be expected, it means what I'm doing online with my websites and Active Rain … (157 comments)

real estate: Short sale market snap shot for Ada County, Idaho - 10/04/09 09:47 PM
Short sale market snap shot for Ada County, Idaho
There's no shortage of these not so aptly named types of sales in Ada county - Idaho.  Of the approximately 4400 active listings showing in the MLS, 1100 are short sales.
The current absorption rate for short sales in Ada county, Idaho stands at approximately 16 months.  Compared to an overall absorption rate for Ada county of 10 months, the scales are still tipped to toward a buyers market despite pending home sales being on the rise.
A contributing factor to the large amount of short sale inventory in Ada county, Idaho … (4 comments)

real estate: Bank approved short sale in Star, Idaho - 12137 W Darkwood - 09/27/09 04:28 PM
Bank Approved Short Sale in Star, Idaho - 12137 W Darkwood

 
 
 
***The bank says they can have an answer in 24 hours. If you're looking for a quick close on a short sale, start here. No worries about your 8K tax credit expiring before you can close.***
Bank-approved short sale! Can close in 30 days! * Great "Salmon" floor plan by Big River builders. Desirable main-level master bedroom. Main-level den or office, too. Tile flooring and tile back splash in the kitchen, and granite counters/breakfast bar in the kitchen (*also matching granite in the master bathroom!) Charming … (0 comments)

real estate: "Project Impact" Dominating real estate the Walmart way - 09/09/09 01:03 PM

Want to dominate your market area?  Are you wondering how?  Well you could take after one of the biggest retailers in the world and focus on getting the business that steep discounts alone won't buy you. Walmart, the nations leading discount retailer, is launching a new campaign aimed at crushing the competition.  Coined "Project Impact" Walmart plans to focus on three initiatives to drive the competition out.
1. Cleaner less cluttered stores to improve the shopping experience. 
2. Friendlier customer service. 
3. Focusing on categories where they can beat the competition.
 
Two of these really aren't anything new … (76 comments)

real estate: 10,000 hours to mastery, how many have you put in? - 08/31/09 07:34 PM
I've been reading Malcolm Gladwell's "Outliers: The Story of Success" and the chapter on 10,000 hours to mastery was very intriguing.
The basic premise is you can take anyone at the height of their game, be it a professional athlete, a businessman or woman, or the founder of the largest software company in the world, Bill Gates, and what you will find is they all achieved the prerequisite 10,000 hours of practice before achieving a break through in their chosen field.
It started me thinking about how this applies to real estate agents and brokers.  If you look at the amount … (2 comments)

real estate: Redfin - Innovation or just another discounter - 06/12/09 08:11 PM
Stewart Penn recently wrote a post called Redfin - Is Redfin really "a better way?".  It has obviously generated  some varying opinions about what people think of them.  I have to commend Matt Goyer from Redfin for answering objectively and honestly.  He's not only new to Active Rain but was thrown into a bit of a heated discussion and I'd say he held his own pretty well.  
I wanted to offer my take on it.  Some people have compared them to the discounters out there like Assist 2 Sell, Help U Sell, Zip, or many of the others.  I don't … (13 comments)

real estate: Key factor consumers use in picking their agent - 05/28/09 01:21 PM
Ever wonder how prospects pick their agents?  According to a study at from Baylor University's Hankamer School of Business "word-of-mouth" referrals were the top way to find out about prospective agents.  Now before the "by referral only" crowd starts beating their chest there's a catch.
Those people seeking "word-of-mouth" referrals aren't blindly taking your word for it.  Their next step is a stop by the Internet to check out the prospective agent and their presence in their target neighborhood or area. 
This drives the point home that it should not be thought of as all one or the other.  You need … (26 comments)

real estate: Points mean nothing if you don't have the content to back them. - 05/24/09 06:55 PM
Content is king.  Blogging here at AR is so much fun it can be hard to remember that.  It's already been determined that the points are of value to rainers but they mean nothing if someone finds their way to your blog and it's filled with fluff, political rants, re-blogs from people with more original ideas and content in their little finger than you can come up with in the whole of your being.
Remember why a user may happen upon Active Rain in the first place, real estate and topics and discussions related to it.  There are some great members … (21 comments)

 

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