Maybe a little hope on the horizon. Thanks Claudette.  Now if they can get it through quick enough so the masses in trouble don't loose their homes.

Saw this article today in the O.C. Register and have to agree.   Though the city of Irvine is often described as a "family" town, it is a sought after home location for many singles. As noted in the article, 33% of the residents are single!

Here are three examples of why my single clients like it:

• Location to the 405/5 freeways provides easy commuting to work and other social communities such as Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, etc.
• Excellent community amentities with shops, restaurants, movies, sports, etc.
• Design of homes are geared toward a more active lifestyle vs. traditional homes.  Open living and dining spaces, offices vs. family and formal living rooms.

Of course, remember if you are single home buyer looking to move to Orange County, we are here to help.   Our primary focus is the single community, why because we understand singe home buyers and homeowners have different priorities and goals.  Though you may be looking the "white picket fence" you also may not want to live across the street from a school.

Please do not hesitate to contact Kellytoday for a complimentary review your Real Estate Possibilities and to receive a copy of her Special Report, The Power of One.  Don't forget the $8000. tax credit available for first time home buyers is scheduled to expire at the end of the year.  Don't let today's opportunity slip away.

Irvine Links Worth Checking Out

City of Irvine

Irvine Spectrum

Search Available Irvine Properties

Advertise your Irvine Business

The information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed, provided as a opinion only.

Just another reason why I am loving LocalAdLink for my Real Estate business.  I spend a lot time, ensuring my information is listed on various directories, plus blogging, etc, so when I heard and then saw the exposure LocalAdLink was bringing my business I was blown away. What a great way to streamline your advertising.

Check out my LocalAdLink Ad

LocalAdLink is proud to announce as part of our "3rd party providers" the deployment of a new technology that will be FREE to all Standard, Standard Plus, and Premium advertisers. This service will submit all advertisers that have purchased one of these three packages to 187 search engines and directories. In other words, the individual business listing within our LocalAdLink.com directory will be submitted to each of the 187 websites. This list includes Google Local, Yahoo Local, YellowPages, all major search engines, and many more high traffic locations.

The purpose of this new technology being integrated into LocalAdLink's platform is to give our advertisers more exposure, more reach, more traffic and more results! This service will take each active ad and keep it syn'ed each month with each location. So as long as you are an LocalAdLink Advertiser your information will be sent to all sources. This initiative is part of our continued effort to deploy as many 3rd party partners as possible giving our advertisers the largest value available for the lowest price in the marketplace.

Contact Kelly today if you want to learn how LocalAdLink can help your real estate business.  Real Estate Brokers, want to help your agents get on the Web and bring $$ back into your brokerage, contact Kelly today for learn about her unique program designed especially for Real Estate Brokerages.

I try not to put out negative stuff, but I tell ya, it is starting to get to me.  I generally don't even read the papers because of the negative news. Unfortunatly, I did read the papers this am and came across these disturbing articles.

Foreclosure Backlog in the O.C. Grows:

Loan Servicers Prefer Big Losses rather then forgiveness

Now I understand the banks are in this business to make money and these articles may not surprise you, but something is morally wrong here.  Maybe I live in fantasy world where I hope the organizations that I go into business with i.e. a purchase contract are true partners. But where is the partnership in this mess?  Of course the rules apply but when there is clear disregard for the consumer after they sold a bad product at the wrong time they need to be held accountable.

If you received your Orange County Property Value notice this week then you understand the hit the consumer is taking.  What hit is the lender taking in this mess? There is no principle reduction, fee's waived, interest reduction to truly help the consumer, they are all added back in, increasing the value of your property which 1 in 5 are already underwater.

Look at what is happening in the commercial sector, landlords are providing rent concessions as they understand empty shops bring in no dollars.   Why do the banks not get it!!!!!!!!   Manufacturer's and retailers get it.  If a manufacturer sold a bad product, what do think the retailer expects that manufacturer to do, they expect them to help with the loss i.e. markdown dollars. Again, Why do the banks not get it!

Well I guess they are getting it as they are writing off the loss, recieving bailout money and not helping their partners.  Why because the partner is not the consumer it is the investor.  Wouldn't it be wonderful if you could write of the loss as well vs. having your home taken away, your credit ruined and having to start over with no bailout to support your new life. 

Ok, I got that out of my system.  I will focus on the good, there is opportunity in this market for buyers and probably a lot more opportunity to come.  There is also a great opportunity for equity sellers if they are realistic about pricing. 

For the sellers in distressed situations who truly want to save their home and are responsible and understand they are part of this partnership, all I can say is hang in there. Continue to bang the drum try to have patients for your OWN SANITY and focus on the positives of getting to the other side of this.

Did you know the state of California offered a $10,000 tax credit on the purchase of a new home?  Nice thought, right. 

Unforunatly, with such great demand the $100 million dollars allocated by the state is just about used up.  For details and how the money was allocated the Franchise Tax Board has it all detailed. 

Don't mistake this credit as the $8000.00 tax credit coming from the Federal Gov't.  That is still available. Though make sure to understand how the credit can be utalized in your individual state.

This is a perfect example why 29% of the current buyer pool is first time buyers.  If you are considering buying your first home, the opportunity before you is one you will want to consider seriously before it passes you by.

Unfortunatly, history has proven most miss the opportunity waiting for the bottom, by the time they find it, it has already moved on up.

So you want to know why I am so passionate about LocalAdLink. Hopefully my motto, Its Possible gives you a good idea but if you are one of those people who love details read on......

 I admit it, Advertising Sales was not my first choice for a career, Real Estate was my first choice and an area that I continue to enjoy. So when I was looking at opportunities to expand my Real Estate business and came across LocalAdLink I was blown away.

Why, it is a win/win.

I am keeping local dollars in the community; helping small businesses bring business in their door and helping new homeowners find valuable resources within their neighborhood. 

In addition, what you probably didn't know as a Realtor success is a direct result of Marketing & Advertising. All centered on building your own brand and the brand of each home being sold.   Realtors are often looked upon within the local community as a bridge builder or referral source between those looking to move to an area, boy with LocalAdLink can I accomplish this.

My goal is simple, to help my clients reach theirs.....

Please don't hesitate to contact me today to review your possibilities.

Remember, It's Possible!

Over the past few years in Real Estate I have spoken to many Real Estate Brokers who struggle with how to get their agents to invest in marketing, doesn't matter, print, media or web, it is a struggle.  Today it is the same but of course the pressure for whatever marketing platform chosen it better be cost effective, better yet pretty much free!

Both the Broker and Agent know the importance of marketing but there is a disconnect on how they can mutually benefit each other and still build an individual brand. The Broker focuses on building the company brand and leaves the individual agent branding to the agent.  Both struggling to get the right message out on the web that brings qualified traffic to their door.

It is simple, if the agents advertising brings business in the door the broker wins!  So why do so many brokers leave this valuable asset out of their support?

What if there was a business model that allowed the Broker to build their office brand and subsidize agent advertising?  Guess what there is......

Imagine, a potential seller searching the web for Agents and see's your Agents Advertising right next to your Office Advertising!  Win/Win!

With LocalAdLink a Broker can easily do this.  It is simple, become a Brand Builder and this provides you with the ability to give ads and/or sell ads to your team in a low cost manner. 

First the giving part:  You start off with approximately 10 ads, imagine how excited your agents would be if you rewarded them with a free month of advertising as an incentive, for say holding open a certain number of open houses, etc.  This can be done for as little as $399. Tell me where else you get 10 ads for $399.00. 

Second The Selling Part:  Your agents are seeing the exposure the brokerage is receiving so they are going to go out and buy ads on their own.   As a Brand Builder wouldn't you rather they come to you? PS this brings dollars back into your brokerage! Ads can be purchased for as little as $49.95 for up to 3 zip codes.  Did you see that $69.99!

It is a win/win and an ideal way to bring valuable listings in the door.

But there is even a better aspect of this business that is often missed but very valuable to the Real Estate business and it is all about building a local community! 

As a Realtor, I have added this business to my portfolio of services.  When I walk into a local business and note, I am the local expert and my goal is to build my list of local businesses to help new homeowners know the area, what do you think small businesses say.... please help.  It is in all of our best interest to keep local dollars in the community.  As a Realtor we give business referrals time and time again, wouldn't you like the same to happen to you.

Just a little insight.  Today I searched for a Wine Store online and was happy to see one of my customers right there, the number 1 ad. When I clicked on the business ad, right next to the ad was my Real Estate Possibilities Ad.  Who won here, both la Maison Gourmet and I!  Win/win

Should you be interested in learning how to achieve such a great synergy, make sure to contact Kelly today!

The above information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

I am going to take this blog down a personal road that I believe is effecting many singles out there in this tough economy.  I hear it day after day, that they are not only losing their homes, livelihood but as well their relationships.

Hopefully most are blessed with a strong support structure and surrounded by people who build them up with. This market is tough for everybody; imagine going it alone!

This transition we are all encountering is truly teaching us a life lesson and it is not about finances.   The shedding has begun, those who believe in you will be the ones who are around at the end of this turmoil.

Unfortunately, with shedding comes painful realization that some of the relationships you counted on are going to fade into the sunset. Why, because for many around us it easier to bury their head in the sand then to reach out and build you up.  Not because they don't care about you, but rather they have not walked in your shoes and are incapable of understanding what you are losing.  Your pain does not fit into their life. You have to cut back on socializing, shopping and your focus is on survival. You may have become a not so fun person to be around, but that is not your problem. This is theirs!

Losing a home, struggling financially and then adding the stress of realization that you are alone in this struggle is heartbreaking.   For singles, the highlight of owning a home is equal to those to those mega life events, such as having a child.   I said it, when a single owns a home, it becomes their baby!  Yes, it just a building, but we all know what home ownership stands for and for singles this is especially important.  So imagine how they feel when they are losing it.  The same is to be said about their relationships.

Now that I have totally depressed you, it is important to understand this shedding that happens when life takes you down a difficult road is something that has to happen.   Your heart is broken, but that does not mean you are broken.   We've heard it before, tough situations don't last, tough people do.   But I don't want you to be tough, you are not wrong to depend on people or to be sad about your life unraveling.  However, being tough cannot equal building a wall around your heart.

So what do we do, we trust, we forgive, we build!  You notice I put WE in there.  Because you are not alone. This life challenge is taking you down a road to find who is really there for you.  Focus on that with an expectant heart because good things are to come.  Remember, people are going to break our heart, life is going to be tough, success comes with loving it anyways.

In today's real estate environment Realtors are struggling with how to expand or even keep up with their marketing and find a way to save cost. Two key ares Realtors focus on are:

• How to satisfy the needs of the Home Seller without having to spend thousands of dollars in advertising in Local Newspapers and/or Home Magazines. Competing with other Realtors.
• Building a online Brand that potential home buyers and home sellers can find that brings in Real Leads without spending a fortune to lead generation companies.

Realtors and Small Business Owners in general know the key to getting people in the door is to get their name out their. However, the first aspect of the budget cut in tough times is advertising without asking the question, is there a way I can actually expand my marketing and advertising and still cut expenses? The answer is of course, It's Possible!

This can be done by first creating a marketing plan that ensures your Brand tells a consistent story. Does it motive the community you are trying to sell to? Once you have that, you can start with a simple blog, that is free, just like this one. The investment here is time.

The next question is to ask is how am I going to drive traffic? Of course the more you blog with consistency your brand will build organically. However, to get real traffic to your door some advertising must be considered. I recommend taking advantage of Social Networking sites such as Facebook, Myspace, Boomj and Activerain. This will all help in building your online brand and again it can be done for Free! Time is the only thing it is going to cost you.

Now that you have taken care of the Free aspects, look at what we have saved. No web-site cost, No print advertising cost, which we will estimate at $500.00 a month. Though many Realtors now they are paying much more then that and why many Small Business Owners avoid it.

The next step is to look at what expense you are willing to pay to get your name out there? Do you think spending less then $100.00 a month is worth it? Remember we just saved you $500.00. Your answer should be, depends on what I am getting? So if you could get the following would you find it valuable?:

• Business Details Listing
• Blog or Website Link
• Featured Business Status
• Ability to upload multiple photo's to gallery
• Target your ad to 10 Zip Codes (sounds like farming)
• 2 Key Word Search Terms
• Ability to create or upload coupons
• Ability to upload and show videos
• Your listing pushed out to the web and displayed on the biggest websites, search engines and social networks of the Internet (targeted to the consumers location).

This is possible, contact Kelly to see how. Better yet, if you act now, we currently have a promotional package that gives you approximately 10 months of advertising, up to 50 zip codes for less then $20.00 a month. But you have to act today, this promotion expires soon.

Ok, I will start out with full disclosure.  I am frustrated to no ends with Ocwen,  I am working with for a client on a short sale.  Unfortunatly, the lender decided to go to Auction/Sale on this short sale with 1 good offer in hand and 3 strong ones behind it.  Makes no sense to me, much less my client!

I get sometimes that hard decisions need to be made. But what I don't get is when stupid (yes, I said stupid) decisions are made due to a lack of interest or that it can't be fit into a process. Maybe that is because we are calling India to get answers these days from Lenders.  Sorry, side note, but don't you think some unemployed americans would be willing to work a graveyard shift and a homeowner would feel more comfortable talking with someone who had a vested interest in getting their issues resolved.

I am sure their are millions of stories based on the frustration that we as a community are feeling with lenders.  I ask the question today, why are we putting up with it. I am amazed and shocked at the service we receive. We understand the questions to ask, just think what homeowners get when they are trying to get answers.

We as Realtors are the backbone and the driving force behind success with these distressed situations! But do you think lenders feel that way?   When was the last time a lender called you to give you an update on a short sale?  How much paperwork have you resubmitted and resubmitted, due to their inability to keep a file together.  How many times have you spoken to a customer service person that is rude, trained only in providing yes and no answers. How many times have they countered a buyer or buyers to get the best offer, How many buyers have walked away due to delays, no responses, etc. 

Do you see anyone going out of their way to resolve these issues?  I do and it is us Realtors!  Unfortunatly, I don't see much progress being made with Lenders to look at us as Partners.  Maybe we should stop handling short sales, let the lenders handle the marketing, showings, staging, cleaning, crying, the list goes on and on.

My goal is not to put a further drag on the emotions of Homeowners or Realtors going through the hurdles of getting these transactions closed. Personally, I am not sure I have the stomach for it.  I would like to see companies, associations take a more proactive approach with Lenders to develop win/win solutions that help Homeowners and yes, Realtors.  How many of us would like to be able to count on a commission check when dealing with a short sale.  Better yet, how many of us have counted on a commission check, only to see it cut or gone as the deals fall through?

Looking forward to your shared thoughts!

Kelly Turbeville is one of South Orange County premier Real Estate Advisors focusing in the Saddleback Valley and the communities of Lake Forest, Portola Hills, and Foothill Ranch. Whether she's helping a first time buyer accomplish the goal of homeownership, or coaching a homeowner on venturing into real estate investments, Kelly is committed to making it happen!  For Kelly, it has never been just about selling you a house! Her success comes from developing a business that is a trusted place to turn to when you need anything Real Estate!

 It's Possible!

 The above information is provided as an opinion and is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.