Central California and Stanislaus County Short Sales

Great way to recharge the batteries...

Thu, 31 May 2012 15:12:50 -0700

Great way to recharge the batteries...

This past Memorial Day weekend we decided to head over to Monterey for the day to recharge our batteries. That's one of the great things about living here in Stanislaus County that places like Monterey are so close. Early in the week we had gotten a storm through the area so that usually means the ocean is a little more spectacular for a few days.

The day was a little cool and cloudy but who cares, it was Monterey. We drove along Ocean View Blvd and saw some spectacular scenery. There are many places on Ocean View were you can pull over and enjoy the view. The pictures below are one of them.

After spending a while there enjoying the view and collecting a few sea shells we drove through cannery row. We walked up and down the world famous Cannery Row for a while. This is the location of the the Monterey Bay Aquarium. We didn't go there this time but I have been and it is very cool. If it's your first trip to Monterey I would recommend that you go. There are also lots of shops and restaurants on Cannery Row.

We also made it to Fisherman's Wharf in Monterey. There are several good restaurants on Fisherman's Wharf and you can catch a ride on a whale watching boat or on one of the fishing charter boats. I really liked the boat below.

For dinner we chose to head just a bit north to Moss Landing and Phil's Fish Market. Phil is famous for beating Bobby Flay with his Cioppino in the Food Network's Throwdown. Of course we had a bowl. You certainly do not go home hungry from Phil's Fish Market.

If you live in or are visiting Stanislaus County and want to take a great day trip you can't go wrong with a drive over to Monterey.

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Jim Patton - Realtor, Short Sale Specialist, CDPE

Century 21 M&M and Associates

DRE# 01423125

Ph. 209-633-2839

www.JPattonHomes.com

The author of this blog, Jim Patton, is a full time Realtor with Century 21 M&M and Associates. Jim is a Central California Short Sale Specialist who lists and successfully sells short sales throughout Stanislaus, Merced and San Joaquin counties. Call Jim Patton at 209-633-2839.

The views expressed herein are Jim Patton's personal views and do not reflect the views of Century 21M&M and Associates

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But my cousin's next door neighbor's sister said...

Tue, 29 May 2012 13:23:51 -0700

But my cousin's next door neighbor's sister said...

I am sure most every Realtor has heard a variation of this. As a Stanislaus County Short Sale agent I have heard it many times. I have heard it from both buyers and sellers. When it comes time to buy or sell your home suddenly you will hear from many "experts" on the subject.

I know all these people mean well. They want to make sure you have a smooth real estate transaction. They also want to relate their buying or selling experience with yours.

I recently had the parent of one of my buyer's tell me how when they sold their home they had to put a new roof on the home for the buyer. The parent was wondering why the kids weren't getting a new roof on their home too because it was an older wood shake roof. What the parent was having a difficult time realizing was that the kids were buying a Bank Owned Home and that the bank was not going to put a new roof on the home. What the parent had to do all those years ago had nothing to do with todays real estate market.

If you are buying or selling a Stanislaus County Short Sale you may be getting "advice" from friends, family, or coworkers but please keep in mind that they are not Stanislaus County Short Sale experts. They don't know all the work that your agent is doing behind the scenes in order to get the bank to accept the short sale.

Just a few short years ago Stanislaus County Short Sales were almost unheard of. Now they are a huge part of the market. What your friend had to do to sell their home 5 years ago in a completely different type of market does not have much to do with your current Stanislaus County Short Sale. If someone from another area is giving you advice it may not apply to what you are doing here in Stanislaus County. The old saying is that "Real Estate is Local" is very true. Different parts of the country (or even state) have different customs, rules and laws.

The local real estate market is changing quickly. It is now a seller's market as we have a low inventory of homes for sale and lots of buyers looking. A lot of people that I have spoken to recently didn't know this. If your family member is giving you advice because they tried to do a Stanislaus County Short Sale just a couple years ago and it didn't work they may be giving you bad advice. The market is not the same as it was then when Bank Owned Homes were dominating the market and no one wanted to look at short sales.

My advice to you is the find a Stanislaus County Short Sale specialist to sell your home or to help you buy your new home. He or she is trained and experienced in short sales and knows how to get the transaction to the closing table. It's okay to have friends and family there for you for support but when it comes to advice on selling your home or buying your next one talk to a Realtor. Talk to someone that does this every day, someone that negotiates short sales with the banks and knows how to get the sale closed.

If you are thinking about selling your home in a Stanislaus County Short Sale give me, Jim Patton, a call at 209-633-2839 and I will be happy to answer your questions. I look forward to hearing from you.

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Jim Patton - Realtor, Short Sale Specialist, CDPE

Century 21 M&M and Associates

DRE# 01423125

Ph. 209-633-2839

www.JPattonHomes.com

The views expressed herein are Jim Patton's personal views and do not reflect the views of Century 21M&M and Associates

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Farmers Markets and Fruit Stands in Stanislaus County - Part 3

Sun, 27 May 2012 13:17:00 -0700

Farmers Markets and Fruit Stands in Stanislaus County - Part 3

Part 3 of my Stanislaus County Farmers Market series is about the Modesto Certified Farmers Market. This market is held every Thursday and Saturday in downtown Modesto and runs from 7am to 1pm. This market has been existence for more than 30 years having been established in 1979. The market is held on 16th St between H and I streets.

In addition to all of the fresh fruits and vegetable stands there are several food vendors at this market. One of my favorites is the Greens Market booth where I enjoyed a breakfast wrap along with some Killer Bacon on a Stick. And oh yeah, a salted caramel brownie too.

Another feature of this market are the cooking demonstrations by local chefs. The chefs at each market will make something using ingredients found at the Modesto Certified Farmers Market. I'm not sure what this days treats were called since I got there a bit late but they were delicious. They were a grilled apricot half with marscapone cheese with honey drizzled over the top. They were delicious.

Of course you can find tons of fresh fruits and vegetables here including strawberries, blueberries, asparagus, purple asparagus, apricots, purple potatoes, beets, red potatoes, carrots, and broccoli and a whole lot more. Of course as the year goes on other fruits and vegetables will become available. We should be seeing lots of peaches, plums and nectarines in the very near future.

If you are in Modesto on a Thursday or Saturday morning be sure to check out the Modesto Certified Farmers Market. This is the oldest and most popular farmers market in Stanislaus County. One visit and you will see why.

Farmers Markets and Fruit Stands in Stanislaus County - Part 2

Farmers Markets and Fruit Stands in Stanislaus County - Part 1

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Jim Patton - Realtor, Short Sale Specialist, CDPE

Century 21 M&M and Associates

DRE# 01423125

Ph. 209-633-2839

www.JPattonHomes.com

The views expressed herein are Jim Patton's personal views and do not reflect the views of Century 21M&M and Associates

MY SERVICE AREA:

Farmers Markets and Fruit Stands in Stanislaus County - Part 2

Fri, 25 May 2012 11:07:23 -0700

Farmers Markets and Fruit Stands in Stanislaus County - Part 2

Today I was able to visit another one of the many farmers markets in Stanislaus County. This one was the Friday morning Turlock Farmers Market. The Turlock Farmers Market is held downtown on Broadway at Main St. In addition to the delicious looking produce available there were spices, humus, jams and jellies, baked goods and some delicious English Toffee. How do I know it was delicious? Let's just say a bag of that toffee somehow ended up in my office.

The Turlock Farmers Market is held every Friday from May 4th through October 26th. Of course the selection of locally grown fruits and vegetables changes through out the season. I also picked up some beautiful strawberries this morning. I can't wait to have a few tonight after work.

Have you ever tried doing this to your strawberries? Dip a strawberry into sour cream, then into brown sugar. If you haven't tried it it might sound a little weird but believe me when I tell you that it is awesome! I think everyone that I have introduced this too turned their nose up at it at first but once they tried it they loved it. Go ahead, run on down to your local farmers market and pick up some fresh strawberries and try it.

If you are ever in Stanislaus County be sure and stop by one of the local farmers markets or fruit stands and pick up some of the tastiest fruits and vegetables you will ever eat. Be sure to check back here for more posts about Stanislaus County Farmers Markets and fruit stands. I will be checking out as many of them that I can over the next few weeks and telling you about them here. I know, it's a rough job, but someone has got to do it.

Farmers Markets and Fruit Stands in Stanislaus County - Part 1

Subscribe to Stanislaus County Short Sales by Email

Jim Patton - Realtor, Short Sale Specialist, CDPE

Century 21 M&M and Associates

DRE# 01423125

Ph. 209-633-2839

www.JPattonHomes.com

The views expressed herein are Jim Patton's personal views and do not reflect the views of Century 21M&M and Associates

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6 Commandments to making an offer on my Stanislaus County Short Sale Listing

Tue, 22 May 2012 14:48:53 -0700

6 Commandments to making an offer on my Stanislaus County Short Sale Listing

If you want to make an offer on one of my Stanislaus County Short Sales there are a few things you should know. It's really pretty easy to make on offer on one of my Stanislaus County Short Sales. All it takes is a little common sense and the ability to follow directions. On all of my listings your agent will find a document with a few helpful hints for submitting your offer. If you want to make an offer remember:

Please do not ask for repairs. This is a short sale. In most cases the seller is facing some financial difficulty and doesn't have the money to make repairs. The seller's mortgage company is not going to pay for repairs either.
Don't ask for a home warranty. Again this is a short sale and the sellers probably don't have the money to pay for one. I have not had a bank pay for one yet either.
Be preapproved for your mortgage. Not just pre qualified but pre approved. In fact if your agent reads those hints that I mentioned earlier I ask that buyers get a DU (direct underwriting) approval from their lender. If your lender can't or won't do this for you you need a new lender.
Be prepared to send your earnest money deposit to escrow/title upon my SELLER'S acceptance of your offer not upon short sale approval. If you are making an offer on one of my Stanislaus County Short Sales I want to make sure you are a serious buyer. I've never had a serious buyer have a problem with sending in their deposit at the time of SELLER acceptance.
Be prepared to stay in it for the long haul. Most short sales take a while to work their way through the bank's short sale approval system. I and my seller certainly do not want to go through the process of getting the short sale approved only to find out that you bought something else or made an offer on another house.
Give us your highest and best offer. There are a couple of reasons for this. Many times a seller is under the pressure of a looming foreclosure sale date. We may not have a lot of time to get an offer negotiated between you and my seller and having to do multiple counter offers may use up our valuable time. Another reason to give us your highest and best offer is because the current market is low on inventory and a lot of my Stanislaus County Short Sale listings are getting multiple offers and we most likely will not counter all the offers.

So there you have it. It's really pretty easy. If you follow these 6 Commandments when making an offer on one of my Stanislaus County Short Sales it will greatly help to move things along more smoothly. Now I have no control whatsoever over the bank. Sometimes (ok, all the time) they march to the beat of a different drummer.

When I list your home as a Stanislaus County Short Sale I will be doing everything I can to help make sure that we reach a successful sale. Making sure we have a good solid buyer with a good solid offer is just one of the many steps along the way. If you would like to talk to me about selling your home as a Stanislaus County Short sale give me, Jim Patton, a call at 209-633-2839. I will be happy to answer your questions. I look forward to hearing from you.

Subscribe to Stanislaus County Short Sales by Email

Jim Patton - Realtor, Short Sale Specialist, CDPE

Century 21 M&M and Associates

DRE# 01423125

Ph. 209-633-2839

www.JPattonHomes.com

The views expressed herein are Jim Patton's personal views and do not reflect the views of Century 21M&M and Associates

MY SERVICE AREA:

Really?? Are you *%#&@! Kidding Me??!!

Wed, 16 May 2012 16:21:26 -0700

Really?? Are you *%#&@! Kidding Me??!!

Every once in a while someone will write something into an offer that makes me stop and say "Really? Are you #%#&@! kidding me?" Yesterday was one of those days. I received an offer on one of my Stanislaus County Short Sales. The thing in the offer that made me say those words was that the buyer wanted to take possession of the property a minimum of five days prior to the close of escrow. The buyer wants to move in before we close escrow!!

Some of you may be asking "what's the big deal Jim?" Let's say that the sellers agent (that would be me in this case) tells his sellers sure that's no problem. Or worse yet he doesn't even catch it in the offer. I have sold my share of Stanislaus County Short Sales (and bank owned homes and traditional sales) so I know that "it aint over till it's over."

Here's a scenario for you: The buyers move in before the close of escrow. They love the home, except for the kitchen counters. They hate the tile and want to replace them with granite counter tops. So they go in first thing and rip out all the kitchen counter tops and while they are at it decide they really don't want to have old appliances with new granite counter tops. So they tear out the dishwasher, and stove and the built in microwave too because it won't match the new appliances.

Then the next day Mr Buyer receives a call from his lender. The underwriter has turned them down at the last minute because something new came up on their credit report. Or it's his boss calling with the terrible news that the company he has worked for for the last 15 years is closing it's doors, today! Of course Mr. Buyer is disappointed but he can just go back to renting for a while.

So now the seller still has his home, no buyer and a torn up kitchen. Who is responsible for getting the kitchen put back together? Probably Mr. Buyer. Good luck getting him to fix everything. I'm guessing it may take a lot of time and an attorney before all is said and done.

Here's another scenario. Mr. and Mrs. Buyer move in before the close of escrow. Mrs. Buyer is in the kitchen making dinner that first night in their new home YOUR home. She has something frying on the stove and the phone rings. She forgets about the pan on the stove because she is so busy telling her friend all about her new home YOUR home. A few minutes later she smells smoke and runs back into the kitchen. To her horror the kitchen cabinets are ablaze. Everyone gets out of the house safely and the fire department puts out the fire but the kitchen is a total loss.

So now what happens? Does Mr. and Mrs. buyer's insurance cover the damage? Do they even have home owners insurance yet? They don't actually own the home because remember we have not closed escrow. So does the seller's insurance cover the damage? Again I'm just guessing here, but I'm going to say, probably not.

These are just two reasons why I am going to strongly suggest to my sellers that we counter that out of the contract. Mr. and Mrs. buyer can move in after we close escrow. Of course there are many other reasons why letting them move in early is a bad idea. What if someone gets hurt in the home, or the buyers new big screen TV gets stolen, or their sweet little dog bites the neighbor? I'm sure you are getting the idea and can probably come up with a few other reasons why it's just not a good idea to let the buyer move in early.

As the listing agent for your Stanislaus County Short Sale I am going to advise you through out the process. This is just one of the many things I will be on the look out for. Remember you hired me to sell your home and to look out for YOUR best interests. That's what I am going to do!

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Jim Patton - Realtor, Short Sale Specialist, CDPE

Century 21 M&M and Associates

DRE# 01423125

Ph. 209-633-2839

www.JPattonHomes.com

The views expressed herein are Jim Patton's personal views and do not reflect the views of Century 21M&M and Associates

MY SERVICE AREA:

Stanislaus County Home Sales for April 2012 -CERES Ca -

Tue, 15 May 2012 14:02:30 -0700

Stanislaus County Home Sales for April 2012 -CERES Ca -

The sales figures for Ceres Ca for April 2012 are in. The totals below are for single family homes sold in Ceres.

Total Sales - 45 (56 Homes sold in April 2011)

Bank owned Sales - 18 which was 40% of all sales.

Short Sales - 42 which was 31% of all sales

Overall, distressed sales (Bank owned and short sales) made up 71% of all sales.

The lowest price home sold in Ceres during April 2012 was $42,000.

The highest price home sold in Ceres during April 2012 was $310,000

The median home price in Ceres during April 2012 was $125,000

The average days on the market was 63.

As you can see the volume of home sales in Ceres in April 2012 was nearly identical to last year. The amount of available homes is also down significantly from last year. Distressed sales are still the majority of sales. We are seeing a few more "traditional sales" and more investors are getting into the market.

If you are thinking about buying a home in Ceres Ca now is a great time. Prices are better than they have been in a long time and interest rates are at all time lows. There are currently 30 homes available in Ceres listed from $61,900 up to $250,000. Give me a call at 209-633-2839 and I can help you find the right house for you. You can also search for Ceres Homes for sale here too.

Ceres Ca Home Sales March 2012

Ceres Ca Home Sales February 2012

Subscribe to Stanislaus County Short Sales by Email

Jim Patton - Realtor, Short Sale Specialist, CDPE

Century 21 M&M and Associates

DRE# 01423125

Ph. 209-633-2839

www.JPattonHomes.com

The views expressed herein are Jim Patton's personal views and do not reflect the views of Century 21M&M and Associates

MY SERVICE AREA:

Stanislaus County Home Sales for April 2012 - MODESTO

Mon, 14 May 2012 15:00:02 -0700

Stanislaus County Home Sales for April 2012 - MODESTO

The sales figures for Modesto California for April 2012 are in. The totals below are for single family homes sold in Modesto.

Total Sales - 261 (231 sold in April 2011)

Bank owned Sales - 96 which was 37% of all sales.

Short Sales - 61 which was 23% of all sales

Overall, distressed sales (Bank owned and short sales) made up 60% of all sales.

The lowest price home sold in Modesto during April 2012 was $22,500.

The highest price home sold in Modesto during April 2012 was $950,500

The median home price in Modesto during April 2012 was $132,400

The average days on the market was 57.

As you can see the volume of home sales in Modesto in April 2012 was slightly higher than last year. Distressed sales are still the majority of sales and holding steady. We are seeing a few more "traditional sales" and more investors are getting into the market.

If you are thinking about buying a home in Modesto now is a great time. Prices are better than they have been in a long time and interest rates are at all time lows. There are currently 264 homes for sale in Modesto listed from $37,000 up to $1,795,000. The inventory of available homes is also going down. Almost 100 less than last month. Give me a call at 209-633-2839 and I can help you find the right house for you. You can also search for Modesto Homes for sale here too.

Home sales for Modesto Ca March 2012

Home sales for Modesto Ca February 2012

Home sales for Modesto Ca January 2012

Home sales for Modesto Ca December 2011

Home sales for Modesto Ca November 2011

Home sales for Modesto Ca October 2011

Home sales for Modesto Ca September 2011

Subscribe to Stanislaus County Short Sales by Email

Jim Patton - Realtor, Short Sale Specialist, CDPE

Century 21 M&M and Associates

DRE# 01423125

Ph. 209-633-2839

www.JPattonHomes.com

The views expressed herein are Jim Patton's personal views and do not reflect the views of Century 21M&M and Associates

MY SERVICE AREA:

Farmers Markets and Fruit Stands in Stanislaus County - Part 1

Sun, 13 May 2012 18:32:03 -0700

Farmers Markets and Fruit Stands in Stanislaus County - Part 1

In my part of the world here in California we are world famous for the variety of crops grown here. Northern and Central California including Stanislaus County is among the worlds leaders in several crops. Among the crops grown here are almonds, walnuts, peaches, apricots, nectarines, cherries, strawberries, pistachios, melons and lots and lots of other things.

Another thing we are famous for are many road side fruit stands and several farmers markets. In this part of the state you can go to a different farmers market almost every day of the week. On some days you can even find more than one farmers market.

This is the first post of what will be several about area farmers markets. Today's farmers market is the one held at Vintage Faire Mall in Modesto. This farmers market is held on Sunday mornings from 9am - 2pm from May to October. Today we made a trip there to check it out.

Some of the things available today were cherries, strawberries, artichokes, honey, humus, olive oils and flowers. We stopped to sample the humus at Humus Heaven. They offer several different varieties of flavored humus and pita breads. We ended up buying some Artichoke humus and Basil and Sun Dried Tomato humus along with some wheat pita bread. At another stand we picked up some artichokes to go along tonight's dinner.

The Vintage Faire Mall farmers market is kind of small but that means it is easy to see everything. Like all the farmers markets in this area the variety of fruits and vegetables available will change as the season goes along. I'm looking forward to picking up some fresh peaches , nectarines and plums in the coming months.

The summer and early fall are a great time to visit Stanislaus County and Northern California to visit our local farmers markets. You can pick up some of the freshest fruits and vegetables any where.

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Jim Patton - Realtor, Short Sale Specialist, CDPE

Century 21 M&M and Associates

DRE# 01423125

Ph. 209-633-2839

www.JPattonHomes.com

The views expressed herein are Jim Patton's personal views and do not reflect the views of Century 21M&M and Associates

MY SERVICE AREA:

Stanislaus County Home Sales for April 2012 -TURLOCK -

Sat, 12 May 2012 14:27:29 -0700

Stanislaus County Home Sales for April 2012 -TURLOCK -

The sales figures for Turlock California for April 2012 are in. The totals below are for single family homes sold in Turlock.

Total Sales - 64 (70 Homes sold in April 2011)

Bank owned Sales - 66 which was 25% of all sales.

Short Sales - 16 which was 25% of all sales

Overall, distressed sales (Bank owned and short sales) made up 50% of all sales.

The lowest price home sold in Turlock during April 2012 was $55,000.

The highest price home sold in Turlock during April 2012 was $518,000

The median home price in Turlock during April 2012 was $155,050.

The average days on the market was 55.

As you can see the volume of home sales in Turlock in April 2012 was very similar last year. Distressed sales are still a large part of sales. We are seeing a few more "traditional sales" and more investors are getting into the market. We are also seeing many of these investors buying homes at auction and flipping them.

If you are thinking about buying a home in Turlock now is a great time. Prices are better than they have been in a long time and interest rates are at all time lows. There are currently 81 homes available in Turlock listed from $68,000 up to $3,399,000. Give me a call at 209-633-2839 and I can help you find the right house for you. You can also search for Turlock Homes for sale here too.

Turlock Home Sales March 2012

Turlock Home Sales February 2012

Turlock Home Sales January 2012

Turlock Home Sales December 2011

Turlock Home Sales November 2011

Turlock Home Sales October 2011

Turlock Home Sales September 2011

Subscribe to Stanislaus County Short Sales by Email

Jim Patton - Realtor, Short Sale Specialist, CDPE

Century 21 M&M and Associates

DRE# 01423125

Ph. 209-633-2839

www.JPattonHomes.com

The views expressed herein are Jim Patton's personal views and do not reflect the views of Century 21M&M and Associates

MY SERVICE AREA:

March 2012 Stanislaus County Home Sales Stats

Fri, 11 May 2012 14:52:21 -0700

March 2012 Stanislaus County Home Sales Stats

The sales numbers are in for Stanislaus County Home Sales for the month of March 2012. Sales of single family homes are down slightly this year and Distressed properties (Bank owned and Short Sales) are still dominating the market. The amount of homes for sale has also gone done.

Here are the April 2011 and March 2012 Sales Stats for single family homes:

Total Sales April 2012: 583 sold * 35% (206) Bank Owned * 25% (150) Short Sales 60% of sales were distressed properties

Total Sales April 2011: 602 sold * 48% (288) Bank Owned * 22% (132) Short Sales 70% of sales were distressed properties

The lowest price home sold in Stanislaus County during April 2012 was $22,500.

The highest price home sold in Stanislaus County during April 2012 was $950,000

The median home price in Stanislaus County during April 2012 was $138,000.

The average days on the market was 57.

The total number of homes sold in April 2012 dropped from April 2011 and the percentage of Distressed Properties dropped. We have seen a few more traditional sales start to come on the market and also we are seeing more investors buying homes on the court house steps and then reselling (flipping) them. The percentage of Short Sales is still rising and the percentage of Bank Owned sales dropped quite a bit. But I still think the bottom line is that Stanislaus County Short Sales and Bank Owned homes are not going away any time soon.

With 6 out of 10 single family home sales in Stanislaus County being distressed sales if you are thinking about buying you need an agent that has experience with Distressed Properties. A Stanislaus County Short Sale transaction and a Stanislaus County Bank Owned home sale are not the same thing. You need someone that is experienced with both. Someone that has experienced both short sales and bank owned sales from both sides of the transaction, as the listing agent and as the buyers agent. Some one that knows how to negotiate through the process from beginning to end.

I have that experience. I have represented the banks in listing Bank Owned homes and represented buyers of bank owned homes. I have represented the sellers of Stanislaus County Short Sales and represented buyers of Stanislaus County Short Sales.

If you want more information on Stanislaus County Short Sales as a Call me today at 209-633-2839. If you want to search Stanislaus County Listings be sure to visit my website.

Stanislaus County Home Sales March 2012

Stanislaus County Homes Sales February 2012

Stanislaus County Home Sales January 2012

Stanislaus County Home Sales December 2011

Stanislaus County Home Sales November 2011

Stanislaus County Home Sales October 2011

Stanislaus County Home Sales September 2011

Stanislaus County Home Sales August 2011

Stanislaus County Home Sales July 2011

Stanislaus County Home Sales June 2011

Subscribe to Stanislaus County Short Sales by Email

Jim Patton - Realtor, Short Sale Specialist, CDPE

Century 21 M&M and Associates

DRE# 01423125

Ph. 209-633-2839

www.JPattonHomes.com

The views expressed herein are Jim Patton's personal views and do not reflect the views of Century 21M&M and Associates

MY SERVICE AREA:

Standin' on the corner in ...

Wed, 09 May 2012 16:55:39 -0700

Standin' on the corner in ...

It's been a few days since I posted to my blog. I was actually taking some time off and visiting my daughter and granddaughter in Arizona for a few days. And while we were there in Arizona I just had to go to that famous corner. You know, the one made famous by The Eagles way back in 1972. Of course I'm talking about Standin' on a Corner in Winslow Arizona from the song Take It Easy.

Now I can write that trip off of my bucket list. There is a great mural in downtown Winslow Arizona and a statue on the corner. No where does it actually mention the Eagles though. And the flat bed Ford mentioned in the song is parked there too.

And right across the street there is a store selling all kinds of Standin' on the Corner and Route 66 merchandise. They got some of my money that day. And about a block over is a little park that parallels a BNSF switching yard. They have a few retired cabooses there and a couple of other train cars. My granddaughter loved climbing on them. I guess at five years old she is not too much of an Eagles fan.

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Jim Patton - Realtor, Short Sale Specialist, CDPE

Century 21 M&M and Associates

DRE# 01423125

Ph. 209-633-2839

www.JPattonHomes.com

The views expressed herein are Jim Patton's personal views and do not reflect the views of Century 21M&M and Associates

MY SERVICE AREA:

Hey let's go to San Francisco...Ok, why not?

Sun, 29 Apr 2012 16:29:35 -0700

Hey let's go to San Francisco...Ok, why not?

It was a typical Saturday morning doing routine errands. We had finished up what we needed to do and had a quick lunch at In and Out Burger. It was just a bit after 1 in the afternoon. Kelly and I realized that there was really no reason to go home. Her kids were all gone for the day and wouldn't be back until late Sunday. Of course there was always laundry and house work that could be done. But where's the fun in that?

So we decided what the heck, let's get out of town. The only decision that needed to be made was do we go east into the mountains or west to the coast? I guess the call of the Pacific Ocean was stronger this day so we headed to our favorite city by the bay, San Francisco.

On trips like this without any real plans we sometimes like to just drive around our destination and explore. That's what we did on this day. We drove around The City exploring some of the neighborhoods. We ended up finding the Coastal Trail at Lands End. The trail winds around and above the Pacific Ocean with some spectacular views of The City and the Golden Gate Bridge. Since this was one of our spur of the moment trips we weren't exactly ready to do a lot of hiking but you can bet we will be back.

From there we drove around some more and ended up at Alamo Square Park. Right across the street are some very famous ladies. You may have seen them on TV or in a Movie. In fact the whole time we were there they posed for dozens of people strolling by. Several tour buses also stopped as they drove by the park. I'm guessing these are probably the most photographed ladies in The City. Of course I am talking about the famous Painted Ladies of San Francisco.

We finished the day at our favorite little hole in the wall Italian restaurant Stelline. The food was great as usual and so was the service. I had the Spaghetti Gamberetti and it was delicious. We have been there several times now and every time has been a pleasure. I'm sure we will be back again.

It seems like every time we go to San Francisco we see something different. The City has several distinct neighborhoods and tons of things to do. People come from all over the world to see the sights in San Francisco. Living here in Stanislaus County we are lucky, we can on the spur of the moment hop in the car and enjoy a world class city.

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Jim Patton - Realtor, Short Sale Specialist, CDPE

Century 21 M&M and Associates

DRE# 01423125

Ph. 209-633-2839

www.JPattonHomes.com

The views expressed herein are Jim Patton's personal views and do not reflect the views of Century 21M&M and Associates

MY SERVICE AREA:

Concerts for 2012 Stanislaus County Fair

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 10:53:49 -0700

Concerts for 2012 Stanislaus County Fair

Once again the Stanislaus County Fair has a good mix in it's concert lineup. Every year the fair has Country Music, Classic Rock and something for the kids on the free stage. This year is no exception. The announced concert lineup for the 2012 Stanislaus County Fair is:

Friday July 13 - Sawyer Brown Band
Saturday July 14 - Foreigner
Monday July 16 - Kellie Pickler
Tuesday July 17 - The Peking Acrobats
Wednesday July 18 - The Wiggles
Thursday July 19 - Uncle Cracker
Friday July 20 - Bret Michaels
Saturday July 21 - LeAnn Rimes

All the shows start at 8:30 PM and are included with your fair admission. It's a good idea to get there early as the seating is first come first served. As of today, April 25, there are no scheduled shows on the two Sundays of the fair. The Stanislaus County Fair starts it's 10 day run on July 13th and closes on July 22nd.

Over the last couple of years I have been to a few of these shows and they are always fun. A couple of years ago we saw Blake Shelton, I had no idea who he was, before he hit it big. Last year we saw Joan Jett and she rocked the place. I don't know which shows I will be seeing this year but I'm sure I'll at least catch one of them.

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Jim Patton - Realtor, Short Sale Specialist, CDPE

Century 21 M&M and Associates

DRE# 01423125

Ph. 209-633-2839

www.JPattonHomes.com

The views expressed herein are Jim Patton's personal views and do not reflect the views of Century 21M&M and Associates

MY SERVICE AREA:

Reached my goal a little bit early! 200,000 Points!

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 16:15:29 -0700

Reached my goal a little bit early! 200,000 Points!

I've been a member here at ActiveRain for quite some time now. I actually signed up way back on June 22,2006. I just kind of lurked around for a while reading blogs and getting the feel for the place. I didn't even do my first blog post until November 20,2007 over a year after signing up. I didn't reach my first 100,000 points until sometime in June of 2011. Yesterday, April 23,2012 I hit 200,000 points. My goal was to reach that point by the end of April.

My primary reason for blogging here in the Rain is not to rack up points. ActiveRain is a place for me to learn from other agents, Lenders, inspectors, stagers and other real estate professionals from all over the U.S. and Canada. The people here are some of the most giving and open people you could ever find in this business (or probably any other business).

My other main reason for being here is to let people know about the real estate market here in Central California, specifically Stanislaus, Merced and San Joaquin Counties. This area has been one of the hardest hit parts of the country when it comes to foreclosures and people losing their homes. We are also an area with lots of short sales. I try to get out as much information to home owners here in Stanislaus, Merced and San Joaquin counties to help them make informed decisions about their homes. Hopefully they will read what I have to say and realize that they are not alone in this.

I also like to write about some of the reasons why I love living here. I like to share my experiences here in the Central Valley and the surrounding areas. Here in the Central Valley we are surrounded by world famous places such as San Francisco, the Napa Valley, Yosemite, Half Moon Bay and Monterey. I have written many blogs about these areas.

I will keep on plugging away and writing about this great part of the country and what makes it so special. I will share my knowledge when it comes to home sales, Stanislaus County Short Sales, bank owned homes and real estate in general. I hope that my readers find my posts informative and helpful but most of all enjoyable. Thanks for reading!

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Jim Patton - Realtor, Short Sale Specialist, CDPE

Century 21 M&M and Associates

DRE# 01423125

Ph. 209-633-2839

www.JPattonHomes.com

The views expressed herein are Jim Patton's personal views and do not reflect the views of Century 21M&M and Associates

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Not everything is Short Sales - HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY MAXINE!!

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 16:23:08 -0700

Not everything is Short Sales - HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY MAXINE!!

Not every day and every post here is about Real Estate and Stanislaus County Short Sales. This past Sunday was a special day as it was my granddaughters first birthday. It seems like just yesterday it was my daughter Sarah's first birthday. Well now it was time for Sarah and her Husband Aaron to celebrate a first birthday party.

Maxine seemed to be enjoying all the attention that she was getting and I know that she liked the carrot cake that Grandpa (yes I admit it) was letting her eat off of his plate. Little Maxine was named after Sarah's Maternal grandmother who was in attendance yesterday after just having flown in from a vacation in Italy.

Also in attendance were numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, grand parents and friends and neighbors. The older kids enjoyed face painting and decorating party hats out in the back yard. They also had a great time playing with squirt guns on such a warm day. The adults mostly tried to stay cool while enjoying all the food that Sarah and Aaron had prepared.

This occasion will be an event that I will be sure to remember for the rest of my life just as I remember Sarah's first birthday party.

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Jim Patton - Realtor, Short Sale Specialist, CDPE

Century 21 M&M and Associates

DRE# 01423125

Ph. 209-633-2839

www.JPattonHomes.com

The views expressed herein are Jim Patton's personal views and do not reflect the views of Century 21M&M and Associates

MY SERVICE AREA:

Have you heard about the shadow inventory of .... Short Sales!! PART 2

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 16:14:13 -0700

Have you heard about the shadow inventory of .... Short Sales!! PART 2

In yesterdays post I talked about where short sales have been and where they are now. I wrote about how we have been hearing about the SHADOW INVENTORY of bank owned homes now for a few years. It's my opinion that we have a SHADOW INVENTORY of potential short sales.

Based on the number of short sales completed in January 2012 it looks like we are going to start to see a lot more short sales this year. Another trend we are seeing is the number of properties nationwide that are starting the foreclosure process. According to RealtyTrac more than 100,000 properties started the foreclosure process in March 2012 an increase of 7% over the previous month. This is also the first time foreclosure starts exceeded 100,000 since November of 2011. This trend is not just in a few places, 31 states had increases in foreclosures in March 2012.

All these foreclosure starts means that more people will opt to do a short sale on their home. We are looking at two different pools of potential short sales. The first is delinquent loans. According to the Mortgage Bankers Association, there are nearly 3.5 million delinquent mortgages in the United States. Neary half of these are 90 days or more delinquent.

These delinquent loans are prime candidates for short sales especially when the home owners realize that the foreclosure process has started and they will not be able to stay in their homes. According to RealtyTrac data in California the average amount of default on Notices of Default filed in 2011 was nearly $42,000. This calculates out , in most cases, to at least a years worth of missed mortgage payments.

The second and even larger pool of potential short sales is underwater homeowners. The RealtyTrac study shows that there are over 12.5 million homes that owe at least 25% more on their mortgages than their homes are worth. There are another 8.3 million that are at least somewhat underwater.

While of course not all of these home owners will need to sell their homes and not all of them are struggling to make their mortgage payments. But if with in the next few years they NEED to sell for reasons such as a job loss, divorce, job transfer, health issues, they most likely will have to do a short sale. And we all know that a lot of these home owners are having the conversation about that even if they continue to make their payments for several years the chances are that they will STILL be upside down.

What does this mean to you the Stanislaus County Home Owner? In my opinion it means that finally the banks are figuring out that it's better for them to do a short sale than a foreclosure. Now is the time to list your home as a Stanislaus County Short Sale. The banks are getting better to work with. Buyers are more likely to make offers on Stanislaus County Short Sales. The current low inventory of homes for sale in Stanislaus County means more buyers looking at YOUR home.

Call me, Jim Patton, at 209-633-2839 today for a free no obligation consultation on your alternatives to foreclosure. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

If you would like a copy of RealtyTrac's Exclusive Report: A Building Wave of Short Sales in 2012 call me or email me at Jpatton@c21mm.com and I would be happy to provide you a copy.

Please be sure to read Have you heard about the shadow inventory of .... Short Sales!! PART 1

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Jim Patton - Realtor, Short Sale Specialist, CDPE

Century 21 M&M and Associates

DRE# 01423125

Ph. 209-633-2839

www.JPattonHomes.com

The views expressed herein are Jim Patton's personal views and do not reflect the views of Century 21M&M and Associates

MY SERVICE AREA:

Have you heard about the shadow inventory of .... SHORT SALES!! PART 1

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 15:50:01 -0700

Have you heard about the shadow inventory of .... SHORT SALES!! PART 1

For probably 3 years now I have been hearing about the "shadow inventory" of bank owned homes. According to this theory big banks were holding on to foreclosed homes and not listing them for sale. This has always not made much sense to me. Why would the banks do that? Aren't they in business to make money? How does a bank make money by holding onto foreclosed properties? And basic supply and demand theories would tell you that if the banks were to put all this "shadow inventory" on the market it would drive prices down.

What I think we have is a "shadow inventory" of short sales. Short sales, also known as Pre-Foreclosure sales, spiked in early 2009. According to RealtyTrac short sales peaked in the first quarter of 2009 at more than 128,000 nationwide. Since the second quarter of 2009 until the last quarter of 2011 short sales averaged about 89,500 nationwide. According to data released by RealtyTrac today there were more than 35,000 short sales in January 2012. This means that the first quarter of 2012 could be on pace to see over 105,000 short sale nationwide. This would be the highest quarter since the peak back in 2009!

The January 2012 short sales numbers are a 33% increase from January 2011 and the increases are significantly higher in some states. Georgia saw a more than 100% increase and CALIFORNIA, Massachusetts and Michigan saw a more than 50% increase according to RealtyTrac.

In addition to the increases in Short Sales in some states, the shift towards short sales is even more apparent when you compare short sales to bank owned (REO) sales. In the past REO sales have consistently outnumbered short sales. While this is still true that gap is narrowing. Nationwide there were only about 2600 more REO sales than short sales in January 2012. And in 12 states, including CALIFORNIA, short sales actually outnumbered REO sales in January 2012.

What does this mean to you the Stanislaus County Home Owner? In my opinion it means that finally the banks are figuring out that it's better for them to do a short sale than a foreclosure. Now is the time to list your home as a Stanislaus County Short Sale. The banks are getting better to work with. Buyers are more likely to make offers on Stanislaus County Short Sales. The current low inventory of homes for sale in Stanislaus County means more buyers looking at YOUR home.

Call me, Jim Patton, at 209-633-2839 today for a free no obligation consultation on your alternatives to foreclosure. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Please be sure to come back tomorrow to read Have you heard about the shadow inventory of .... SHORT SALES!! PART 2.

If you would like a copy of RealtyTrac's Exclusive Report: A Building Wave of Short Sales in 2012 call me or email me at Jpatton@c21mm.com and I would be happy to provide you a copy.

Subscribe to Stanislaus County Short Sales by Email

Jim Patton - Realtor, Short Sale Specialist, CDPE

Century 21 M&M and Associates

DRE# 01423125

Ph. 209-633-2839

www.JPattonHomes.com

The views expressed herein are Jim Patton's personal views and do not reflect the views of Century 21M&M and Associates

MY SERVICE AREA:

Stanislaus County Short Sales - 5 Reasons Why You Should Sell Your Home Now!

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 18:30:15 -0700

Stanislaus County Short Sales - 5 Reasons Why You Should Sell Your Home Now!

If you are still following the national news media and think that this is not a good time to sell your home here are 5 good reasons why you list your home NOW. Whether you are a traditional seller with equity in your home or a Stanislaus County Short Sale seller now is the time to list your home.

1. The inventory of available homes is low. This is a good thing for you if you list your home now because you will have less competition. When there is less competition your home is much more likely to be seen by active buyers.

2. Interest rates are still at historic low levels. This is good for you as a seller because it makes homes more affordable for buyers. The number of people that can now afford to buy a Stanislaus County Home is higher than it has been in a long time.

3. Lots of buyers are out looking now. Since there are lots of buyers out looking and a low inventory there is more chance that someone will make an offer on your home. Two of my most recent listings had a total of 17 offers combined. Multiple offers are very common right now. If your home is in good condition and priced right you will have agents lining up to show it.

4. Banks are getting better at approving short sales. If you are upside down in your home and you have to sell your home as a Stanislaus County Short Sale the time has never been better to get one done. Most banks have greatly improved their processes and are approving and closing short sales. I'm sure most people have heard all the short sale horror stories but believe me things have improved greatly!

5. Time is running out on the Mortgage Debt Relief Act of 2007 You might not know what the Mortgage Debt Relief Act of 2007 is but believe me it is important. Basically what that act did was to change the way the IRS looked at the amount of forgiven mortgage debt. Before this was passed if you sold your home in a Stanislaus County Short sale and your bank forgave $100,000 in mortgage debt the IRS considered that $100,000 to be ordinary income. ( I know it's kinda crazy, but it's true) With the Mortgage Debt Relief Act of 2007 in most cases that $100,000 is no longer considered income. The bad news is that this act is set to expire on December 31, 2012. Now since this IS an election year I am GUESSING that there is a good chance that that will be extended but I have not heard anything official yet. If it is not extended then all bets are off.

So if you are thinking about selling your home and moving up to a bigger home now is a GREAT time to sell. If you are thinking about selling your home and downsizing now is a GREAT time to sell. If you are upside down on your mortgage and thinking about selling your home as a Stanislaus County Short Sale now is a GREAT time to sell.

Give me, Jim Patton, a call at 209-633-2839 for a free no obligation consultation. I am an experienced Stanislaus County Short Sale agent. If you just want to know what your home is currently worth in today's market give me a call and we can talk about that too. Heck if you just want to talk some baseball we can do that too! I look forward to hearing from you soon.

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Jim Patton - Realtor, Short Sale Specialist, CDPE

Century 21 M&M and Associates

DRE# 01423125

Ph. 209-633-2839

www.JPattonHomes.com

The views expressed herein are Jim Patton's personal views and do not reflect the views of Century 21M&M and Associates

MY SERVICE AREA:

Stanislaus County Home Sales for March 2012 -CERES Ca -

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 11:29:47 -0700

Stanislaus County Home Sales for March 2012 -CERES Ca -

The sales figures for Ceres Ca for March 2012 are in. The totals below are for single family homes sold in Ceres.

Total Sales - 36 (57 Homes sold in March 2011)

Bank owned Sales - 14 which was 39% of all sales.

Short Sales - 12 which was 33% of all sales

Overall, distressed sales (Bank owned and short sales) made up 72% of all sales.

The lowest price home sold in Ceres during March 2012 was $35,000.

The highest price home sold in Ceres during March 2012 was $266,000

The median home price in Ceres during March 2012 was $129,000

The average days on the market was 67.

As you can see the volume of home sales in Ceres in March 2012 was down from last year. The amount of available homes is also down significantly from last year. Distressed sales are still the majority of sales. We are seeing a few more "traditional sales" and more investors are getting into the market.

If you are thinking about buying a home in Ceres Ca now is a great time. Prices are better than they have been in a long time and interest rates are at all time lows. There are currently 30 homes available in Ceres listed from $70,000 up to $359,950. Give me a call at 209-633-2839 and I can help you find the right house for you. You can also search for Ceres Homes for sale here too.

Ceres Ca Home Sales February 2012

Turlock Home Sales February 2012

Modesto Home Sales February 2012

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Jim Patton - Realtor, Short Sale Specialist, CDPE

Century 21 M&M and Associates

DRE# 01423125

Ph. 209-633-2839

www.JPattonHomes.com

The views expressed herein are Jim Patton's personal views and do not reflect the views of Century 21M&M and Associates

MY SERVICE AREA:

You Got it - We Want It. Your Stanislaus County Home !

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 19:52:29 -0700

You Got it - We Want It. Your Stanislaus County Home !

If you have been thinking about selling your Stanislaus County Home now might be the time! The current inventory of available homes is lower than it has been in quite some time. Multiple offers on homes are now the norm. Homes selling for more than asking price is not unusual.

This is happening at pretty much all levels of the Stanislaus County market. It doesn't matter if the home is a traditional sale, Stanislaus County Short Sale, or bank owned home. If your home is in good condition and priced right there is a good chance that you will have agents lining up at your door to show your home. Two of my most recent listings had a total of 17 offers between them all within the first week on the market.

The combination of very low interest rates and low housing prices has brought out the buyers. The combination of all those buyers and a low inventory has helped to stabilize prices too.

This market is also a benefit to Stanislaus County Short Sale sellers. In the past when there were lots of homes to chose from a buyer on a Stanislaus County Short Sale might not want to stick around while the bank went through the approval process. Now with a lower inventory of available homes a buyer of a Stanislaus County Short Sale will think twice (or maybe three times) before bailing out on a home they have an accepted offer on. They may have had to make offers on several properties before getting an offer accepted and they realize that trying to find something else will not be easy.

If you are thinking about selling your home in a Stanislaus County Short Sale you should know that most banks are getting better at doing this. Most banks are trying to streamline the process of approving short sales. A Stanislaus County Short Sale will still take longer than a traditional sale, we are still dealing with banks here, but the chances of actually reaching a successful closing are much better than they were a couple of years ago.

So if you have been thinking about selling your Stanislaus County Home give me, Jim Patton, a call today at 209-633-2839. Whether you are a traditional seller or a Stanislaus County Short Sale seller I will be happy to talk to you about your options. I look forward to talking to you soon.

Subscribe to Stanislaus County Short Sales by Email

Jim Patton - Realtor, Short Sale Specialist, CDPE

Century 21 M&M and Associates

DRE# 01423125

Ph. 209-633-2839

www.JPattonHomes.com

The views expressed herein are Jim Patton's personal views and do not reflect the views of Century 21M&M and Associates

MY SERVICE AREA:

Stanislaus County Home Sales for March 2012 - MODESTO

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 17:22:05 -0700

Stanislaus County Home Sales for March 2012 - MODESTO

The sales figures for Modesto California for March 2012 are in. The totals below are for single family homes sold in Modesto.

Total Sales - 245 (238 sold in March 2011)

Bank owned Sales - 97 which was 40% of all sales.

Short Sales - 69 which was 28% of all sales

Overall, distressed sales (Bank owned and short sales) made up 68% of all sales.

The lowest price home sold in Modesto during March 2012 was $32,000.

The highest price home sold in Modesto during March 2012 was $525,500

The median home price in Modesto during March 2012 was $115,000

The average days on the market was 61.

As you can see the volume of home sales in Modesto in March 2012 was slightly higher than last year. Distressed sales are still the majority of sales and holding steady. We are seeing a few more "traditional sales" and more investors are getting into the market.

If you are thinking about buying a home in Modesto now is a great time. Prices are better than they have been in a long time and interest rates are at all time lows. There are currently 296 homes for sale in Modesto listed from $30,000 up to $1,795,000. The inventory of available homes is also going down. Almost 100 less than last month. Give me a call at 209-633-2839 and I can help you find the right house for you. You can also search for Modesto Homes for sale here too.

Home sales for Modesto Ca February 2012

Home sales for Modesto Ca January 2012

Home sales for Modesto Ca December 2011

Home sales for Modesto Ca November 2011

Home sales for Modesto Ca October 2011

Home sales for Modesto Ca September 2011

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Jim Patton - Realtor, Short Sale Specialist, CDPE

Century 21 M&M and Associates

DRE# 01423125

Ph. 209-633-2839

www.JPattonHomes.com

The views expressed herein are Jim Patton's personal views and do not reflect the views of Century 21M&M and Associates

MY SERVICE AREA:

Bank of America Mortgage to Lease Program -Will it work for you?

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 16:36:35 -0700

Bank of America Mortgage to Lease Program -Will it work for you?

You may have heard about a new program from Bank of America which allows you to lease back your home instead of having BofA foreclose. Maybe you thought that my might want to apply for this program. Well here's the problem with that - YOU CAN'T.

First off this test program is only in 3 states, New York, Arizona and Nevada. Secondly Bank of America is going to select only 1000 home owners for this program. There is no way that you can apply for this program. Bank of America is going to be very specific about who they will allow into this program. There are several qualifications to be one of the 1000 selected.

Your loan must be owned by Bank of America
You must be delinquent for more than 60 days
You must have exhausted all modification solutions, and must not be trying to short sell or deed-in-lieu
Must owe more than your home is worth
Must face considerable risk of foreclosure
HAVE NO JR. LIENS
You must still be occupying the home
You must have adequate income to make an affordable rent payment

In this pilot program with Bank of America you will turn over the deed to your home and your mortgage debt will be eliminated and you will stay in your home for 3 years as a renter. After the 3 years "Properties will be transitioned to investor ownership" according to the Bank of America press release.

It seems to me that Bank of America is betting on home values increasing somewhat over the three year period. Bank of America would not have the expense of a foreclosure, they would have a cash flow on the property for at least three years and then they would sell it off. It is not known at this time who or how BofA would sell the property and if the former home owner would stay in the property as a tenant after it was sold.

Again the Bank of America Mortgage to Lease program is a pilot program in just 3 states. Bank of America has not given any indication of how long they think this pilot program will last. Another big question is if this is successful will other banks try it too?

So if you are a Stanislaus County Homeowner and are facing foreclosure unfortunately this new Bank of America program will NOT help you at this time. If you have tried a loan modification and that didn't help or you were denied your next best option my be a Stanislaus County Short Sale. A Stanislaus County Short Sale will allow you to sell your home with far less damage to your credit in most cases and allow you to have a fresh start.

If you are thinking about selling your home in a Stanislaus County Short Sale give me, Jim Patton, a call at 209-633-2839 for a confidential no obligation consultation. I look forward to hearing from you.

Subscribe to Stanislaus County Short Sales by Email

Jim Patton - Realtor, Short Sale Specialist, CDPE

Century 21 M&M and Associates

DRE# 01423125

Ph. 209-633-2839

www.JPattonHomes.com

The views expressed herein are Jim Patton's personal views and do not reflect the views of Century 21M&M and Associates

MY SERVICE AREA:

Play Ball! Part Two !

Sat, 07 Apr 2012 18:44:06 -0700

Play Ball! Part Two !

While I do keep pretty busy Listing and selling Stanislaus County Short Sales I do need to take some time off now and then. And this time of year I have a really good reason to take some time off. Last night (April 6,2012) was opening day for the Oakland Athletics. Ok, they did already play two games in Tokyo Japan, but who's counting those games? I have been to lots and lots of Oakland A's games but this was the first time I was at an opening day game.

Before the game started the entire team, all the way down to the assistant club house manager was introduced. The entire team was lined up along the third baseline. Then it was time for the national anthem which was accompanied by fireworks on the field. The Oakland A's office staff and their families held a giant American Flag out in center field. At the conclusion was a flyover by two fighter jets. I don't remember what kind they were but I do know that they came from Naval Air Station Lemore in Central California near Fresno. This was one of the most moving national anthems that I have seen in a long time.

Throwing out the first pitch was the MVP of the 1972 World Series, Sal Bando. Does anyone besides me remember him? This season is the 40th anniversary of the A's winning the 1972 World Series against the Cincinnati Reds. That was the first of three consecutive World Series Titles for the A's. It was about this time that I really started to get into baseball. These were also the teams that were known for their long hair and handlebar mustaches.

Last night was not the A's night as they lost to the Seattle Mariners 7-2. The lone bright spot for the A's was Yoenis Cespedes' very impressive first home run in Oakland. I have seen a lot of home runs hit in Oakland but none farther than that one. It was estimated (not sure how they do that) to have gone 462 feet. Cespedes is the Cuban defector that the Oakland A's somehow managed to sign this past off season.

The A's aren't expected to do much this season (again) but I am still a fan. I look forward to seeing them play a few more games this year. I already have tickets for an upcoming game against the Yankees (boo!). Whether they win or lose it's always a fun time to go out to the park for a game , a hot dog, some peanuts and an adult beverage. Who knows, maybe the A's will surprise some people this year. (I can dream can't I)

Play Ball Part One

The surest sign of Spring.

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Jim Patton - Realtor, Short Sale Specialist, CDPE

Century 21 M&M and Associates

DRE# 01423125

Ph. 209-633-2839

www.JPattonHomes.com

The views expressed herein are Jim Patton's personal views and do not reflect the views of Century 21M&M and Associates

MY SERVICE AREA:

Stanislaus County Home Sales for March 2012 -TURLOCK -

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 13:43:20 -0700

Stanislaus County Home Sales for March 2012 -TURLOCK -

The sales figures for Turlock California for March 2012 are in. The totals below are for single family homes sold in Turlock.

Total Sales - 68 (87 Homes sold in March 2011)

Bank owned Sales - 26 which was 38% of all sales.

Short Sales - 19 which was 28% of all sales

Overall, distressed sales (Bank owned and short sales) made up 66% of all sales.

The lowest price home sold in Turlock during March 2012 was $44,000.

The highest price home sold in Turlock during March 2012 was $556,000

The median home price in Turlock during March 2012 was $159,500.

The average days on the market was 43.

As you can see the volume of home sales in Turlock in March 2012 was well below last year, mostly because the inventory is lower than last year. Distressed sales are still the majority of sales. We are seeing a few more "traditional sales" and more investors are getting into the market.

Last month the number of short sales was higher than the number of bank owned sales but this month the bank owned sales were higher again.

If you are thinking about buying a home in Turlock now is a great time. Prices are better than they have been in a long time and interest rates are at all time lows. There are currently 88 homes available in Turlock listed from $52,000 up to $3,399,000. Give me a call at 209-633-2839 and I can help you find the right house for you. You can also search for Turlock Homes for sale here too.

Turlock Home Sales February 2012

Turlock Home Sales January 2012

Turlock Home Sales December 2011

Turlock Home Sales November 2011

Turlock Home Sales October 2011

Turlock Home Sales September 2011

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Jim Patton - Realtor, Short Sale Specialist, CDPE

Century 21 M&M and Associates

DRE# 01423125

Ph. 209-633-2839

www.JPattonHomes.com

The views expressed herein are Jim Patton's personal views and do not reflect the views of Century 21M&M and Associates

MY SERVICE AREA: