Elizabeth Weintraub's Home Office in Land Park Gets a Makeover - 02/28/11 11:17 AM
I am more excited today than I was the day I discovered I could buy sticky replacement keyboard keys to place over my worn out keys. That's because over the weekend I received a brand new desk, hutch and chair. A client gave it to me. She is moving from what was once almost a million-dollar home into smaller accommodations, and she had originally planned to leave her home office furniture behind.
Looking around at my dismal office set-up of press-board furniture, it dawned on me that I probably deserved better. Hey, it was only a few years ago that I … (11 comments)

If a Sacramento Agent Tells You To Write Multiple Offers on a Short Sale, Fire That Agent - 02/27/11 11:07 AM
I've had a theory for several years now, sort of lingering in the back of my mind, which I decided to test out this week. It involves buyer's agents who show short sales in Sacramento. See, for a long time now, I've been attaching a tip sheet and seller instructions to MLS for buyer's agents. The primary purpose is to educate buyer's agent, secondary to weed out the loser agents, and it's been working pretty well. I haven't been receiving nearly as many fraudulent and corrupt purchase offers as I used to get on my Sacramento short sales.
My gut instincts … (6 comments)

A Buyer's Lender Can Make or Break the Deal When You're Buying a Short Sale - 02/26/11 10:24 AM
Authors and their public relations people are always sending me unsolicited books, hoping that I will review them. It's one thing to find time to read a book and it's entirely another to find time to review it. But every so often I will thumb through a book looking for little gems of knowledge. I found some of those gems in Mortgage Confidential, by David Reed. Because you know what? As real estate professionals, we don't know everything even though we might want to think we do.
Did you know that when you lock a loan rate, your mortgage broker could … (6 comments)

A Short Sale is a Privilege, Not a Right - 02/25/11 11:28 AM
Sometimes, I suspect I should not read the newspaper, especially crap about celebrities. Celebrity news makes me cringe. Makes me want to scream: I've got news for you, Charlie Sheen. You are not special. You are delusional. I think that attitude comes with years of being an alcoholic, but Hollywood probably comes into play as well. When you've got people telling you how special you are, over and over, you probably start to believe it.
Well, none of us is special. We all end up in the same place. That place being either a box or ashes.
When I hear buyers … (104 comments)

About GE Profile Refrigerators and Agents Who Promise to Send Offers - 02/24/11 11:05 AM
Today, I'd like to share with you two enormous annoyances: Agents who promise to send offers and do not, and GE Profile refrigerators with an interior water dispenser.
Until agents are holding a signed offer in their grubby little paws, agents should probably refrain from sending out emails or making phone calls to say they are sending over a purchase offer. Oh, I know that agents can get even more excited than their clients. They get caught up in their almost-there transactions. They get giddy. And then they share that giddiness. I know they want me to be as excited as … (4 comments)

If You Can't Stand the Heat, Get Out of that Short Sale Kitchen - 02/23/11 11:46 AM
If you are trying to buy a short sale in Sacramento -- or anywhere in the country, for that matter -- unless it's a Wachovia short sale, you have no idea how much your mortgage rate will be. Sorry. You could try a loan lock for 90 days, but you'll pay for that privilege, so it's hardly worth it. This is one of the drawbacks to buying a short sale.
You've got to wait for bank approval. You can't lock a loan rate. At the moment, one of my short sales is through Wells Fargo. Readers of my blog know that … (7 comments)

Is Your Short Sale Bank Negotiator Relying on a Magic Ball or is He Out of Crack? - 02/22/11 10:56 AM
Some of you may wonder how banks figure out whether or not to accept a short sale offer. After listing and selling almost excusively short sales in Sacramento since what? -- 2005, 2006 -- I have it figured out. Any Sacramento short sale agent worth her salt knows how banks determine the sales price on a short sale.
There is the logical way -- like a BPO agent would do it -- pull the comps in a 1/2 mile radius and within 10% of the plus-or-minus square footage. Try to use homes in the same configuration (one story vs. two stories, … (12 comments)

A Resourceful Sacramento Short Sale Agent Takes on a Short Sale in Natomas - 02/21/11 11:03 AM
Another Sacramento short sale seller emailed me yesterday, asking if Moi was interested in taking his listing. He didn't give his address, just his name. Being the resourceful person that I am, I checked him out before I called him. I asked what he was planning to do with the underwater home he owned in Natomas, since that wasn't the property he called me about, and was he aware that the home in Rancho Cordova had hard-money loans that looked to be rate and term? Oh, and btw, is he upset with his agent because the home had been on the … (3 comments)

I Don't Think You Want to Talk About Short Sales in Here - 02/20/11 11:54 AM
A client called me about his short sale on Friday, to talk about the chances of success our third time around with his bank and to thank me for continuing the fight for him. You see, sometimes banks say no, but they will say yes with the next offer. I think it depends on their menstrual cycle. Sometimes, buyers say no to a bank's request, but the next buyer says yes. This is why I never give up. As long as I can see the other side of the river bank, I'm swimming over there.
Speaking of water, I could hear … (15 comments)

A Truly Affordable Updated Duplex in East Sacramento by Trader Joe's Just Came on the Market - 02/19/11 12:20 PM
What's the next best thing to living within crawling distance of Trader Joe's in East Sacramento? Living within crawling distance of Trader Joe's in an updated duplex that you bought for less than $300,000, that's what. Not only that, but it comes with a couple of garages and extra parking. How do you like those apples? With a few slices of guyere from Trader Joe's, I bet.
This is buying a home and buying an investment rolled into one transaction. You've got a one bedroom unit in the front, which is presently rented on a lease at $950 a month, and … (4 comments)

Two Brilliant Ideas for Real Estate Agents - 02/18/11 10:42 AM
Some of my best ideas come to me when I'm sleeping. They pop into my dreams. Which means some of my very best ideas are probably lurking in my subconscious. It beats having your best ideas come to you when you're, oh, say, like Dudley Moore in that 1981 movie Arthur. His best ideas came to him when he was drunk. Probably because he was rarely sober. If you've never seen Arthur, you're in for a treat.
A few nights ago I had a dream that I was holding an open house for that adorable family on Showtime's Shameless. They live … (17 comments)

A Short Sale in Rocklin for $208,000 is a Great Buy for the Neighborhood - 02/17/11 11:04 AM
Yesterday, a woman called me from south Sacramento. She said it was imperative that I drop what I'm doing and come over to list her home as a short sale. She had just received paperwork that said she was approved for a HAFA short sale, and she had until February 19th to submit a listing agreement. She did not know that she had to hire a real estate agent. I asked her if she realized that doing a HAFA short sale meant she would be selling her home. Yes, she understood that part.
It made me wonder what kind of person … (4 comments)

Don't Let MetroList Swipe Your Listing Photographs - 02/16/11 10:51 AM
When I woke up this morning, I did not know what day it was. It was still dark and my husband was out of bed. That meant even though I thought it might be Saturday, it wasn't. Was it Monday then? Have you ever had those days when you have absolutely no handle on time reference? It wasn't Monday because that would have meant yesterday was Sunday and yesterday was . . . Tuesday! Aha. Today is Wednesday.
Now that I have solved the biggest obstacle of the day, here is a photo of my kitten, Jackson. There's a big difference … (8 comments)

We're Gonna Have a Good Time Tonight, Let's Escalate - 02/15/11 10:46 AM
When I receive an email from Bank of America, my heart goes all aflutter. In triplicate. Because almost every email that Bank of America sends me through Equator comes in 3's. Two are identical and the 3rd email is somewhat different but all three deliver basically the same message. I can see that Bank of America is making an effort to communicate. The bank understands how things can fall through the cracks after being the brunt end of wisecracks for so many years.
But the truth is Bank of America is shaping up. It's a new dawn. A new era in … (12 comments)

If Anybody Can Get This Short Sale Through, It Would Be You - 02/14/11 11:26 AM
If anybody can get this short sale through, I am confident it would be you. That's what the buyer's agent said. The agent knows my reputation as a Sacramento short sale agent and wrote yesterday to acknowledge that. Yup, it's in black and white on my monitor. Right there in my email. The agent also prefaced that statement with a list of questions. Which sort of negates that alleged confidence, but who's splitting hairs here? I am not reprinting all of the questions, but here are a few of them:
Who are the loans with? Why are the sellers moving? What … (10 comments)

Short Sale Agents Cannot Part the Red Sea Nor Turn Water Into Wine - 02/13/11 11:29 AM
I'm not saying any of what I'm about to talk about happened this week, but it happens often enough that I thought perhaps it would be a good idea to just lay it out in the open. It's the thought process that goes through some buyer's minds when they think they can effect change in a short sale if they just yell loud enough or make enough threats.
For example, I might tell a buyer's agent that the file is in review at management, and we should have an answer within 10 business days, which is generally the norm. A buyer's … (12 comments)

Most Days I Love Bank of America Short Sales, But Today There's That Big Fat But - 02/12/11 09:51 AM
If you are wondering why I did not post a blog yesterday, like I have been posting a blog every single day for the past 5 years or so, I'll tell you why. Because I could not get out of bed. Do you know what it's like for a Sacramento short sale agent to not be able to get out of bed? I've discovered I am not invincible. I was sleeping with my BlackBerry under my pillow, and I could have dragged in my iPad or my laptop, but for just once, I did not get up. Eventually, I had to.
… (9 comments)

I Don't Want to Hire a Professional Who Has Taken a Class, Do You? - 02/10/11 08:56 AM
I went to see my hairstylist in Midtown Sacramento yesterday for color and a trim. As she ran her fingers through my hair, we talked about my decision made during our last session to grow out my hair. I've tried wearing it short, and in layers, but I really prefer one length -- no fuss, no muss. This stylist is really great with color. She has a knack for it and years of experience. I've always been very happy with my color.
But the haircut is equally important. It took her more than 2 hours to color my hair this time. … (43 comments)

A Custom Remodeled Short Sale Home in Land Park Awaits an Offer at $325,000 - 02/09/11 09:36 AM
It astonishes some people when I mention that I had once gutted and remodeled a kitchen in 2 weeks. But then that's only people who don't know me. Those who know how obsessed I am with detail don't sit in awe of my organizational skills because they know that just comes with the territory.
I seem to have an unusual knack for putting together a game plan and executing that plan accordingly. And I adore home improvement projects. Remodeling and real estate are two of my passions. As such, I can recognize quality work, too.
The sellers of this Land Park … (4 comments)

Here is an Empire Ranch Short Sale Home in Folsom Offered at $280,000 - 02/08/11 10:59 AM
If you'd like to live just down the street from Russell Ranch Elementary School, then this Folsom short sale home in Empire Ranch is probably perfect for you. You can see the school from the front yard, but the home is not located directly in front of it; in fact, it's at the end of the street on the corner. The view from the front yard looking the opposite direction is a row of homes with a large hill behind it. I imagine kids would love to climb that hill.
This home was built by Elliott Homes in 2005. It's a … (2 comments)

King Palms and a Pool at This Rocklin Short Sale Home for $325,686 - 02/07/11 10:40 AM
A dear friend who has long since passed away, Margie Moreno of Midway City down in southern California, used to say that palm trees were overrated. She totally freaked out my husband the time I took him to Newport Beach. I was trying to talk him into moving to Newport Beach, because that's where I used to live and sell real estate.
Of course, there are tons of palm trees everywhere in southern California. Margie Moreno told him that rats live in the base of palm trees. OK, that wasn't the only reason he refused to move to Orange County and … (3 comments)

It's One Thing to Say "Up Yours," It's Another Not to Try at All - 02/06/11 11:10 AM
Just as I was about to settle down to a cozy Saturday night dinner with my husband, I received an offer on one of my Sacramento short sale listings. You've got mail! Oh, how I miss that AOL sound. Don't you? My email these days just dings. The email was forwarded to me by my team member, Linda Swanson, which immediately tells me the buyer's agent did not read the MLS instructions about how to submit an offer. That's always a bad first sign. Because if they don't read my listing in MLS, then they probably don't read the attached MLS … (16 comments)

A Bank of America Short Sale vs. Wells Fargo, Plus, a Short Sale Home in Roseville - 02/05/11 10:22 AM
Why is it that Bank of America can be so easy to work with on a short sale and Wells Fargo is so dreadful? They both use Equator. Wells Fargo promised us last January that it had approved a short sale and was sending the approval letter any day now, at least by the third week of January. The buyer was excited. Yet, that third week came and went and no approval letter. OK, drop-dead date of February 4th, promised Wells Fargo. No letter. So, yesterday, the buyer canceled.
I don't have that problem with Bank of America. When Bank of … (8 comments)

Guys in Red Sports Cars and a Sacramento Short Sale Condo on Newhall Drive - 02/04/11 10:39 AM
I hate guys in red sports cars. Especially old, bald guys in red sports cars. They act like they own the road. And worse, what should be a standard transmission in their cars is most likely automatic. Because they are too feeble to shift. I hate it when they cut me off. I was merging onto Highway 50 yesterday from Watt, chatting on my Bluetooth, trying to make an appointment with a short sale seller in Folsom when this guy in a red sports car almost ran me into the ditch.
I broke off our conversation to interject and blurted out … (7 comments)

This Short Sale Home in Land Park is a Certified Wildlife Habitat - 02/03/11 10:26 AM
Before I jump into talking about homes in Land Park and my new short sale listing, let me say that today I am going to Roseville to list yet another short sale. I know this might sound weird, but I am probably one of the last few people on the face of the earth who does not have a tattoo. What does this have to do with Roseville, you ask?
Well, Wild Bill Hill is hosting his annual Tattoo-A-Thon in Roseville, today through February 19th at Wild Bill's Tattoo, 205 Vernon Street. He is donating 100% of all earnings, including tips, … (3 comments)

Here is a Spectacular Short Sale in Elk Grove in the Franklin Meadows Subdivision - 02/02/11 09:48 AM
If you're looking for a home in Elk Grove that boasts more than 3,000 square feet -- you know, a little elbow room -- then this short sale may be the Elk Grove home for you. It was built in 2005 by Richmond American Homes, and it's a two-story. Sort of has to be a two-story for that kind of square footage in Franklin Meadows.
One thing that buyers will find very attractive about this home isn't necessarily the home itself. It's the fact that it sits right down the street from Helen Carr Castello Elementary School. I mean right down … (0 comments)

An Elk Grove Short Sale in Elk Grove Meadows - 02/01/11 10:17 AM
It seems that lately most of my short sale listings in Sacramento are either located in Elk Grove, Natomas, Lincoln or Roseville / Rocklin areas. I do get a few in Land Park and East Sacramento since those are the areas I know the best, but I don't really need to be a neighborhood specialist to sell out of my local area. Especially when it comes to short sales, which I've been selling since 2006.
Besides, I'd say I'm becoming a neighborhood specialist in Elk Grove, Natomas, and the Lincoln - Roseville / Rocklin areas. How many homes does an agent … (1 comments)

 
Elizabeth-weintraub-500x500 Rainmaker_large

Elizabeth Weintraub, Sacramento Short Sale Agent, Land Park, East Sac, Lyon RE

Sacramento, CA

More about me…

Top 1% at Lyon Real Estate #00697006

Address: 2801 J Street, Sacramento, CA, 95816

Office Phone: (916) 233-6759

Cell Phone: (916) 233-6759

Email Me

Broker-Associate at Lyon Real Estate, midtown Sacramento. Selling since 1974. Home Buying Guide at About.com. Sacramento short sale agent.
Meez 3D avatar avatars games

Author Bio: Elizabeth Weintraub is a Sacramento real estate broker, author, home buying guide for About.com, a Land Park resident, and a Land Park agent who specializes in older, classic homes in Land Park, Curtis Park, Midtown and East Sacramento. Weintraub is also a Sacramento Short Sale agent who lists and successfully closes short sales throughout Sacramento four-county area. Call Elizabeth Weintraub at 916.233.6759. Put 35 years of real estate experience to work for you.

 


Listings

Links

Archives

RSS 2.0 Feed for this blog