MBS, or mortgage-backed securities, rating agencies under renewed squeeze - 11/28/09 01:35 PM
The unprecedented real estate bubble the nation just experienced was partly created by the credit rating shops that were tasked to value mortgage-backed securities, or MBS. The three large agencies doing that are Fitch Ratings, Moody's Investors Service and Standard & Poor's. The ratings the three arrived at were then attached to MBS issued by Wall Street firms and subsequently offered to investors who were seeking to invest money based on their own risk preferences. Obviously what the large investors world over were seeing made them confident that MBS were sound and worth acquiring, so they bought boatloads of them, stoking … (50 comments)

Las Vegas mortgage borrowers in distress to gain from Operation Stolen Hope - 11/27/09 01:26 PM
When the Southern Nevada - including Southern Highlands, Summerlin, Henderson, North Las Vegas, Anthem, Mountains Edge and Green Valley - housing market tripped into a free fall it was a foregone conclusion on many lips that scam artists would soon surface to try take advantage of the situation. And have they ever. What the local media has reported on the magnitude of the issue is undoubtedly only a tip of the iceberg. This, of course, isn't only a Las Vegas problem either, it covers the whole nation.
The scam artists generally employ a few basic practices that have all too often … (4 comments)

10 Don’ts When Buying Foreclosures - 11/24/09 12:06 AM
Very strong checklist from John the Housing Guru for anyone planning on buying a foreclosure here in Las Vegas NV. Take a look.
Via John Mulkey, Housing Guru (TheHousingGuru.com):
While there are sometimes bargains to be found in the purchase of foreclosures, there are also serious pitfalls. Foreclosures are not for the inexperienced. Use the following to help guide you through the process.
 

1. Don’t buy a foreclosure in the wrong area. Even if the home is a great deal, if you are planning to live there, you’ll probably regret your decision. Price is never the only factor. And even if you … (16 comments)

Las Vegas luxury condo market warming up for new day - mortgage money still scarce - 11/22/09 05:38 PM
Southern Nevada - with communities of Mountains Edge, Summerlin, Henderson, Southern Highlands, North Las Vegas, Anthem and Green Valley - condominium segment bubbled up a little later than the single-family side, but its slide became equally devastating once it hit the slope down. Mortgage financing dried suddenly up, oversupply was horrendous and the mauled global economy forced many would-be buyers to the sidelines. The usual menu that real estate disasters are made of.
Now, though, things are cautiously looking up for the Las Vegas high-rise condo market. Sales in the third quarter climbed a decent 7%, as was reported by SalesTraq, … (6 comments)

The Crazy Lady Who Wouldn't Leave. Vancouver WA Real Estate - 11/20/09 03:59 PM
Timely chronicle for sellers on how not to behave when buyers come to tour your listing.
Via Mark Hall Vancouver Washington Real Estate (Elite Realty NW - Keller Williams, Vancouver Washington):
The Crazy Lady Who Wouldn't Leave. Vancouver WA Real Estate
At the doorstep I gave my customary door knock and courtesy ring. It is a habit that I picked up during my first weeks as a realtor®. I always knock and ring the doorbell before I unlock the door. Unfortunately, I didn't have a chance to use the key because the seller opened the door and invited us in!"Have you shown … (4 comments)

Expanded tax credit enticing - Henderson mortgage applicants be advised - 11/20/09 12:05 AM
The drama is over for Las Vegas valley's - including Summerlin, Southern Highlands, Green Valley, North Las Vegas, Anthem and Mountain's Edge - residents. The first-time home buyer tax credit has been extended because many considered it a strong demand booster for the ailing housing market and more of the same is needed at least for the time being. In fact, it was expanded to include the move-up buyer as well, a factor that should further power the demand side. Let's look at a few of the more appealing aspects a move-up buyer can enjoy with the up to $6,500 tax … (2 comments)

Mortgage lenders rated lower by loan applicants - 11/17/09 05:45 PM
The housing debacle in Las Vegas and throughout the country is testing consumers' patience in a major way. Real estate values have eroded without mercy in many areas, to the tune of double digit percentages. Some Southern Nevada - featuring Summerlin, Mountains Edge, Henderson, North Las Vegas, Pahrump, Southern Highlands and Anthem - communities have seen drops in the 50 to 60% range. Many homeowners here and elsewhere, as a result of that, find themselves underwater, meaning the underlying mortgage is higher than the property's value. The foreclosure epidemic hasn't let up yet, either. There really isn't much to write home … (4 comments)

JUST WHAT IS IT THAT REAL ESTATE LICENSEES DO?? Part I. - 11/17/09 12:37 AM
Solid review of what real estate agents have to do while working with home buyers and sellers. It's plenty more than many had figured.
Via Lenn Harley, Homefinders.com, MD & VA Homes and Real Estate:
JUST WHAT IS IT THAT REAL ESTATE LICENSEES DO??  Part I.
"YOUR MISSION, SHOULD YOU CHOOSE TO ACCEPT IT . . . "  is to manage the orderly transfer of real property from a seller to a buyer.  The average consumer doesn't understand a fraction of what we do to help them accomplish their goal. 
SELLERS.  Home sellers are presented a simple-to-complex marketing plan by listing agents prior to listing … (4 comments)

Mortgage lender "walkaways" the latest scheme - Las Vegas mortgage borrowers take note - 11/12/09 10:59 PM
The real estate meltdown that continues to churn on has already seen some vein-popping scenarios concocted by many mortgage banks seeking to take advantage of homeowners facing foreclosure. And new ones keep surfacing. One of the latest creations could be called a home loan provider "walkaway", because that's what it really looks like.
When a mortgage lender executes a foreclosure the normal route is to take possession of the property in question and then decide what to do next. Now many of them have begun leaving the property in the former homeowner's name after the foreclosure, basically the exact opposite of … (6 comments)

FAQ's On The New Tax Credit Programs For Homebuyers - 11/12/09 12:01 AM
Solid info on the new home buyer tax credit program from Gary. Check it out.
Via Gary Woltal - Associate Broker REALTOR® Dallas Ft. Worth (Keller Williams Realty):
Much has been written on the extension of the first time homebuyer tax credit and the credit for existing homeowners. A few frequently asked questions with answers to go along with all of that:
Question: Existing homeowner credit: Must the new house cost more than the old house?
Answer: No. Thus, for example, individuals who move from a high cost area to a lower cost area who meet all eligibility requirements will qualify for the … (4 comments)

Southern Nevada - Las Vegas, Henderson, Summerlin - housing stats on the mend in October - 11/10/09 04:47 PM
Las Vegas real estate has recently been the punching bag of many industry observers and for a good reason. Mortgage foreclosure rate here is still reaching for the moon, housing inventory remains high and the economic picture is painted in dark colors. True, mortgage rates are enticing and home prices have plunged and have together provided some hope, but a lot more needs to happen for it to reach the "normal".
What's encouraging is that the vital signs are slowly improving, with emphasis on the word slowly.
As was reported by GLVAR, or Greater Las Vegas Association of Realtors, 3,535 single-family houses … (10 comments)

Mortgage Insurance Companies - losses increase concerns - 11/09/09 10:10 PM
A vital part of the housing industry but largely forgotten during this mayhem. Richard fills us in.
Via Richard Smith Mortgages Home Loans FHA TN GA AL (American Acceptance Mortgage, Inc):
Mortgage insurance company losses are a mounting concern for the industry. A concern that has not received much coverage in the media, nor in Congress. These companies have taken a beating in the market downturn.
Mortgage insurance enables home buyer to purchase with less than a 20% down payment. For FHA loans, the home buyer purchases government mortgage insurance from HUD. For conventional loans, the home buyer purchases private mortgage insurance.
Several companies offer … (6 comments)

Southern Highlands - Las Vegas NV - mortgage recipients have new foreclosure defense weapon - 11/07/09 10:25 PM
Southern Nevada - with communities of Henderson, Anthem, Summerlin, Green Valley, Silverado Ranch and Mountains Edge - is in the very eye of the tornado when it comes to real estate markets sucked into its furious spin. Home loan foreclosures here are now as commonly talked about as the weather. Many homeowners have given up on trying to hang on to their properties while some are tenaciously seeking solutions to stay on. The latter have several avenues to explore, either directly through their mortgage lenders or then with assistance from a legal counsel.
Now they have a new weapon to deploy. … (4 comments)

Home loan modifications turn creative - Las Vegas mortgage borrowers could benefit - 11/05/09 08:22 PM
Mortgage lenders and servicers have generally been going at a snail's pace, or slower, in modifying homeowners' loans. Many applications to do so have been actually declined for a variety of reasons. Some borrowers have just plain given up on the process due to all the hoops they have to jump through and still not get anything meaningful done. And all the well-meaning government programs introduced so far have produced at best mixed results.
A major mortgage provider, Wells Fargo, is doing something different now. It is taking the lead in home loan mods by taking in the so called Pick-A-Pay … (10 comments)

Las Vegas mortgage defaults increasingly strategic - mortgage walkaways rise among wealthy - 11/03/09 05:12 PM
The real estate market has been cruel, to be perfectly honest, to homeowners across the country. Housing values in many cities and regions have dropped so far and fast that it's sometimes hard to keep track of it all. Much less understand how the utter devastation is possible. But that is the cold reality every homeowner is faced with today.
Southern Nevada - with communities like Las Vegas, Summerlin, Henderson, Southern Highlands, Anthem, Green Valley and Mountains Edge - has absorbed some of the most severe blows of them all to its real estate prices. In the same boat are at … (8 comments)

How Much Is My House Worth? - 11/02/09 08:46 PM
Here is a solid take by Alex on home price development during bubbles and so on. Good read.
Via Alex Silberman (Keller Williams):



As it frequently happens when I’m at a party, the subject of occupation comes up and when people discover I’m a realtor, the conversation usually gets very personal because people immediately want to know from an insider how they’ve been affected.This weekend was no exception. We were at an excellent Halloween party (no you don’t get pictures of my costume) and the subject of a particular market came up. Although it seemed as if different price … (4 comments)