How To Survive --- THE FUTURE

2008-10-01T13:37:44Z

I'm writing this blog in response to Adam's question in his blog "What do I do?"

Even though he ends it with a Ha,ha... I suspect it truly IS weighing on his mind, and the minds of MANY others. In fact, I KNOW it is. How do I know? People ask me. Just yesterday I had a professional ask me essentially the same question: "How is all that is going on in the financial markets going to affect ME?."

Just about everywhere I look folks are offering information about how to survive. Just this morning I watched this video (BELOW) and am amazed to see how what is going on is effecting the psyche of young people. Oftentimes we think the youth aren't concerned about the future, but I believe they are more concerned about it then we give them credit for. I laffed when I was watching this heard him say he had 6 silver dollars in that box ( I hope he has a few gold doubloons as well ) Let's just hope that one day folks don't dub him a PROPHET for warning us.

I remember back in the 80's we had a lot of financial turmoil and there were folks predicting the collapse of the economy and had all sorts of apocalyptic predictions of a society coming completely undone. EVERYBODY was preaching some sort of survivalism and it eventually crept into the church we attended at that time. Fortunately, the COMING DOOM never came (at least when they said it would). I did manage to become fearful enough to purchase silver coins at $8 to $10 apiece and for a brief time looked brilliant as their valued soared to around $50 each. Before I knew it they were worth about a $1.50 and I still own those coins to this day. Oh, and we bought a dehydrator, which we still have. For the most part though, I was too busy trying to feed my kids day by day to concentrate on HOW TO HUNKER DOWN AND SURVIVE THE COMING DOOM.

No man is a financial island. If our economy goes to hell in a handbag then we will all be joining Warren Buffet's petition to providence: HEAVEN HELP US.

I believe that true help and hope REALLY DOES COME FROM HEAVEN.

It could be the the skinny cows are going to eat up the fat cows.

What happens in the future as a result of this financial crisis could be MUCH WORSE THAN ANYTHING YOU OR I CAN POSSIBLY IMAGINE. On the other hand, it might not be nearly so bad as feared.

SO - Now I am going to answer your question: HOW TO SURVIVE?

There's probably very little you can do.

I think the people who are happiest in life are the ones who learn to enjoy and live everyday to its fullest. I believe that this is the message of Christ in the gospel. Jesus teaches us to pray for OUR DAILY BREAD... as in "give us THIS day our daily bread" The truth is -- Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life --- we have very little control over today, let alone tomorrow.

Here is what you CAN do:

YOU CAN STOP WORRYING & BEING FEARFUL ABOUT TOMMOROW - TODAY
YOU CAN PRAY
YOU CAN DO GOOD TODAY
YOU CAN LIVE LIFE TODAY TO THE FULLEST
YOU CAN CULTIVATE HOPE IN YOUR HEART

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1319 W Bullard #4 -- Fresno CA -- 93711

The Subprime Primer

2008-09-26T15:06:44Z

Here is a simple tutorial in layman's (or longshorman's) language that explains how we got into the Subprime mess.

The Subprime Primer

I Sometimes Go Here -- Just to Read and Think...

2008-09-24T01:58:47Z

This is down along the San Joaquin River. I think this is a "community chair". The chair was sitting right where you see it the other day and it really was an idylic scene.

WANT TO BUY A HOUSE OVERLOOKING THE SAN JOAQUIN RIVER? CALL ME: 559-301-1647

Down By The River

2008-09-22T00:20:19Z

My granddaughter: Lilly

GOLDMAN SACHS taking an ass whooping today....

2008-09-18T12:06:54Z

I watched it drop under $86 and now its around $89.00 and climbing back.

Looks like they're going to take this down too. Damn. I've been a investor/trader on the long side but I see now how folks make SERIOUS money on the short side. MAybe one day I will go to the dark side.

THE FAMILY ---

2008-09-18T11:22:27Z

Here's an eye opener for you folks.

Watch this video.

Hiighlights

Fannie Mae is determined to tearing down the barriers to deliver on the American Dream.

What does this mean. How have you torn down barriers? By lending money to those with poor -- or bad credit? By extending loans to people who could never possibly repay their debt?

It is true that Fannie Mae has lent more money to more minorities and more underserved individuals than any single company in history.

That's really is great, but unless the money is paid back by those same individuals, EVERYONE will suffer.

"Senator Barack Obama #2 on the Fannie Freddy list of favored politicians"

Welcome to The Family!

Interesting Stats on California Real Estate Licensing

2008-09-12T12:07:56Z

		Direct: Fax:	559.301.1647 559.438.7475
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1319 W Bullard #4 -- Fresno CA -- 93711

I just read an article in today's Fresno Bee title "Real Estate Loses Luster" that in April of 2005 at around the peak of the market there were 19,795 people who took the california real estate exam. This July only 1,702 people took the exam. According to the article, "everyone and his or her brother took the test to become a real estate agent hoping to cash in" ---- back then.

Wow - I just got an email from someone REALLY IMPRESSED WITH MY WEBSITE!

2008-09-11T20:08:38Z

The person who wrote me stated I "was immediately impressed with what you've built.

What I am wondering is how he knew I was a Realtor® from viewing my site?

I realize its rich in content.

I'm flattered!

You Can Now Obtain a Medicinal Marijuana Card in Fresno County

2008-09-10T20:58:04Z

If you have been reluctant to move to Fresno because you wouldn't be able to get a Medicinal Marijuana card - start packing because the Fresno County Board of Supervisors voted 3-1 yesterday to approve the issuance of the cards(as the majority of California Counties have already done) Read the Story.

One might ask why a marijuana card really matters in Fresno right now. With our current budget woes the sherrif has found it necesarry to release inmates early so I cant really see the law enforcement agencies being all that concerned about someone with a little marijuana on them, with or without a card.

Oh, and dont confuse the Medical Marijuana Cards with generic "Cannabis Cards" you can get online. As you can see from this video the FPD does not recognize them. And while you're packing CALL ME at 559-301-1647 and I will begin searching your home.

Country Wide just wrote me a letter

2008-09-10T18:53:35Z

Dear _____

"We are writing to inform you that we recently became aware that a Countrywide employee (now former) may have sold unauthorized personal information about you to a third party. Based upon a joint investigation conducted by Countrywide and law enforcement this authorities, it was determined that the customer information involved in this incident included your name, address, Social Security number, loan number and various other loan application information."

Aint that swell?

I expect this same letter has gone out to many others as well. anybody else get one of these today?

Belly Dancer

2008-09-09T19:40:23Z

I went to a friend's birthday party yesterday and they hired a belly dancer to perform. She was great!

now i'm wondering if I should put Belly Dancer in the tag line?

after I posted this I saw the re-blog button. This is not a post for reblog and the image may not be used without express written permission from me.

559-301-1647

Look who climbed into my bed....

2008-09-04T21:39:43Z

(pics inside)

Last weekend I went camping at Huntington Lake....

...with two of my sons ( I have 5 sons and 1 daughter)

I took my teardrop trailer (the boys slept in a tent)

In the morning I found an unexpected guest in my sleeping bag

The SAD, SAD state of the Real Estate Market

2008-08-27T12:40:27Z

		Direct: Fax:	559.301.1647 559.438.7475
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1319 W Bullard #4 -- Fresno CA -- 93711

I lament being in an industry where agents find themselves so desperate they prostitute themselves before asset managers and others for NEXT TO NOTHING for the their services. I used to get emails requesting BPOs and would review the information being requested and concluded that the Real Estate Agent or Broker is essentially providing all the information a appraiser would provide with the only difference being that the compensation offered is 1/10 th of the amount an appraiser earns. YOU HEARD IT RIGHT: $40.00! The true pity of it is I notice that these assigments are scooped up within MINUTES of being emailed. To be fair, not all offers are that low. Some are offering in the $50 to $100.00 range. Almost ALL the services that request BPOs will have you waiting 30 to 60 days for your check whereas appraisers often receives them ON THE SPOT. I just had a request emailed to me for a BPO and the offer is $50.00 but if you read the 4 pages of requirements you would conclude essentially what I state above: the Realtor© is performing essentially ALL the tasks of the appraiser. This BPO order spedifies that if MLS pics are not available for comps that you provide -- that you must also TAKE PICTURES OF THE COMPS. I estimate the working time on this BPO at no less than 2 hours and probably closer to 3 or 4 hours. Why not just get a job at McDonalds and move up the ranks because they really are a good company and it wouldnt take long before you're making more money there than in this business doing BPOs. I have to tell the story of a BPO request I responded to. The offer of compensation seemed reasonable to me: $125.00. I took the pics and then entered in the info on the requesters page. It did take me longer than I thought it would and I probably spent 3 hours entering all the info. I'm not sure if I am slow but I suspect even those that do this all the time would take 2 hours. Anyway, when I was just about done, except for final comments, and went to take a break, I hit the save button and their system LOST EVERYTHING I HAD INPUTTED! I emailed the company told them the problem asked them to remove me from their list and NEVER CONTACT ME AGAIN. They replied with an apology and said they worked on the system until 4:00 am to fix it. Not enough to win me back. Well, I would be happy to hear the thoughts of agents who do BPOs. I dont want to demean your source of income but I cant see how this can be profitable unless you're entirely devoted to this area of work and doing it on a full time basisi - in which case I would think it would be wiser to become and appraiser and do 1/10 th the work for the same amount of money.

The Fresno Real Estate 2.5% Market Meldown

2008-08-16T14:37:58Z

Here’s a tidbit gleaned from a recent publication of the Grapevine:

A FAR survey of 1,800 single family residences in an equal amount of homes from high, medium, and low income in the Fresno Clovis area found that 43 out of 1,800 homes had active notices of default. Translation:

97.5 % of the Fresno/Clovis homes are NOT in default

Which means the GLASS IS MORE THAN HALF FULL!

		Direct: Fax:	559.301.1647 559.438.7475
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1319 W Bullard #4 -- Fresno CA -- 93711

Fresno California Real Estate Market Statistics

2008-08-07T16:39:19Z

		Direct: Fax:	559.301.1647 559.438.7475
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1319 W Bullard #4 -- Fresno CA -- 93711
The Fresno Bee reported today that Home Sales in Fresno are UP. The increase in sales is a function of prices dropping* to levels that either make the home prices attractive to investors or providing the opportunity for first time buyers and others to enter the market. I am personally working with 2 first time home buyers which would not be in the market if it were not for the deep decline in prices making properties affordable and purchasing an alternative to renting. One of my clients, if the deal goes through, will have a house payment (including taxes and insurance) that is comparable to what he would be paying in rent for the same home. The other clients, if their deal goes through, will actually be paying LESS to own home then they are currently paying for rent: SUBSTANTIALLY LESS. If you would like to BUY a home in Fresno California*, CALL ME: Lazarus @ 559.301.1647 and let me help you TODAY! I would have provide a direct link to the FB article only I could not find the article on their online site. ** I created this chart using the statistics from the Fresno Bee which attributed Data Quick as their source for the information

Pitney Bowes Still SUCKS!!!!

2008-08-05T12:41:15Z

About a year ago I blogged about my WOES WITH PITNEY BOWES

Well, since I had purchased postage I felt committed to keeping the machine until the postage ran out but it was a vicious cycle. I'm trying to run out the postage and the ink cartridge runs out and those tiny little cartridges cost $60.00 each. Then you pay the lease and have to buy more postage to run out the lease term. All the while the company is hassling me about my bill and adding late fees.

Well, today I had all I could take. I told them to send me a box to return their machine and the gal offered to rectify the situation (AGAIN) and she said my problems stem from being on a double billing system - online credit and another system and that this is a matter that could be easitly resolved. I told her if it could be easily resolved they should have done it a year ago and not put me through PITNEY HELL.

I told her I wanted my bill pro-rated , since I just made a lease payment (the one that they were double-billing me for). But I said that in all honesty if they didnt give me a penny back I was so frustrated with their service that I would PAY THEM $100.00 to take their machine back.

IN ALL MY YEARS IN BUSINESS NO COMPANY HAS CAUSED ME MORE HASSLE AND TIME OVER BILLS - WHICH ALSO HAPPEN TO BE THE SMALLEST BILLS - AS PITNEY BOWES.

I ABSOLUTELY HATE PITNEY BOWES!!!

To make matters worse they raisee my payment from $20.00 per month to @30.00 per month all the while sending me ads in the mail offering to start me on service for 90 days at no cost and only $15.00 per month after the 90 days!!!

Farmland Values Soaring

2008-08-05T01:19:47Z

		Direct: Fax:	559.301.1647 559.438.7475
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1319 W Bullard #4 -- Fresno CA -- 93711

Bloomber has just reported the following: U.S. Farmland Values Reach Record on High Crop Prices Aug. 4 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. farmland values are at a record high even as the rest of the country suffers the worst housing crisis since the Great Depression, with the highest crop prices ever pushing up agricultural real estate. (read the entire story here.) Fresno California is one the worlds richest breakbaskets. If you're interested in purchasing farmland in the California's Central Valley call me: Lazarus @ 559.301.1647

Consider Contacting Your Realtor® BEFORE You Make That Real Estate Transaction

2008-07-31T13:09:45Z

		Direct: Fax:	559.301.1647 559.438.7475
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1319 W Bullard #4 -- Fresno CA -- 93711
Many of us, Realtors® included, try to be the the DO IT YOURSELFER, relying on own skill sets and knowledge. How often do you say, "I dont need a Realtor, or Lawyer, or Mechanic, or Contractor, to help me with this deal: I CAN DO IT MYSELF!" The truth is sometimes you can, sometimes you can't; sometimes you can but only in a half-assed way that ends up costing you money in the end. I call this LOSING MONEY TRYING TO SAVE IT. TRUE STORY The other day one of my long time clients who has sent me a substantial amount of business called me up with a question. He wanted my opinion as to whether or not he did the right think in bailing his daughter out of foreclosure by paying over $10,000 to halt proceedings against her property. First I asked him how much his daughter owed on the property and what the address was. A simple peek at comparitive sales told me his daughter's house was worth FAR LESS than the amount she owed. Second, I asked if now that his daughter has been made whole again, will she be able to continue making timely payments? He doesnt think so. Well - her credit was already all screwed up so his bailing her out didnt repair her credit. Now that she is whole again its highly unlikely that she will be able to continue to stay that way ( oh, and she has an adjustable rate loan that hasnt seen the worst yet). HOW COULD HIS PAYING OVER $10,000.00 TO SAVE HIS DAUGHTER FROM FORECLOSURE THAT WILL LIKELY HAPPEN ANYWAY BE A GOOD DECISION? I understand he is her father. I understand he wants to help. I just wish he had contacted me before he made this decision. This man is in his 80's and is by no means wealthy. It looks to me as though all he did was buy his daughter some time. Had he come to me BEFORE he made this decision I am confident we could have figured out a better solution to the situation. A phone call cost you NOTHING and I doubt your Realtor© will charge for listening. Advice for a situation like this is FREE. Don't always try to rely on your own knowledge and limited understanding. IN A MULTITUDE OF COUNSELORS THERE IS SAFETY. Consider consulting with others BEFORE you make those major decisions. © Randy "Lazarus" McAtee ps... This client once called me and told me a friend has a house he wanted to list and asked me to contact his friend right away, which I did, and got the listing. Right after I listed it he told me he knew of someone who was interested in buying the house, gave me his phone number and asked me to call him right away, which I did, and he bought the house. (Isnt that the kind of client we all just love?).

Is Your Realtor® a PROFESSIONAL

2008-07-19T16:35:00Z

		Direct: Fax:	559.301.1647 559.438.7475
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1319 W Bullard #4 -- Fresno CA -- 93711
8 Weeks Of Online Study and passing a dumbed down exam DOES NOT MAKE YOU A PROFESSIONAL For those of you who are reading this and are not in the Real Estate business I want to emphasize that it really doenst take much to become a Realtor®. Sadly, this is one of the few businesses that allows a person with very little education to do a little online study, pass an exam, and then call themselves PROFESSIONALS. I am often cynIcal of the people I have to work with in this business but I want to assure those reading who are consumers that there are MANY fine, upstanding people in this business that I am proud to associate with. Unfortunatley I believe that because it takes so little to enter this business, we have MORE THAN OUR FAIR SHARE OF FLAKES. MY LATEST TALE OF WOE I recently wrote and offer on an REO and delivered it to the Listing Agent. The Listing Agent calls me and tells me the offer has been signed by the bank and he is forwarding it to me. He tells me he hasnt had time to review it so he asks me if I would look it over to make sure nothing has been changed. I say "sure" Its a pdf file sent via email so I print it out and find that *the original documents that were on legal sized paper have been reduced to 3/4 of the size of regular paper. Translation: I CANT READ IT.* This was on July 1st I email the agent and fax him (because I already get the sense this guy isn't on top of his game) requesting that he provide me with a legible copy. I follow this up with phone calls. He tells me that this is the best he can do and this is the way the banks do business, blah, blah, blah.... When the title company calls asking for the deposit check I tell them that I would be happy to send a deposit check but I would first like a legible copy of the contract signed by the seller. She tells me that I have a copy signed by the seller. I ask her if she has the same copy and she says yes. I ask her to read the first paragraph. She says she cant. I ask her if she needs a legible copy to proceed and she says yes. I tell her that I and the the lender also need the same. She calls the Listing Agent and tells him I need a legible copy and he has the balls to write me an email and tell me that the copy he gave me is readable and resends it! (he also said he would get me another copy - heard that story before) WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE? HERE'S A TYPICAL PAGE FROM THE CONTRACT. I HAVE ACROBAT PROFESSIONAL AND IT ALLOWS ME TO EXPORT THE PDF TO A JPEG.
*UPDATE: THE REQUEST FOR A LEGIBLE COPY WAS TRANSMITTED TO THE LISTING AGENT ON JULY 1st. TODAY - JULY 21* - I RECEIVED A LEGIBLE COPY ONLY AFTER THE TITLE COMPANY MEDIATED THE SITUATION.**

Blogging - Does it Pay?

2008-07-19T15:11:56Z

		Direct: Fax:	559.301.1647 559.438.7475
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1319 W Bullard #4 -- Fresno CA -- 93711

Yes. Blogging takes a lot of time and thought but I think its worth the effort, especially in a slower market. I am happy to report that I just had my first closing (last week) as a result of my blog. I was contacted - I think it was late last year - by member of our armed forces abroad. This soldier was serving his fourth tour of duty in Iraq and told me (via email) that when he returned to the states in the spring he intended to relocate to Fresno. He told me he had contacted other realtors regarding his situation and got little to no response. He assured me that he was a man of his word and said that if I would begin assisting him with market info, etc that he could count on me representing him when he returned from Irag and began his search in earnest. True to his word, when he returned and had his home in escrow he called and informed me he was coming to Fresno to look for a home. That weekend we found his home and last week escrow closed. So, I would have to join in with others with similar stories and say that blogging DOES pay.

Mortgage Fraud in Fresno

2008-07-15T20:14:05Z

Today I went to a presentation given by a Fresno Deputy District Attorney on MORTGAGE FRAUD in our local market. Listening to the kind of schemes that people use to defraud others was enlightening. Criminals are just that: Criminals. And they don't give a second thought to lying, cheating, or stealing. If they can do it and get away with it - THEY WILL, or at least they will try.

One of the more interesting topics the DA spoke about was a woman in town who is actively engaged in seeking to gain property by adverse possession. Now there is a ligitimate means by which this can be done but this gal is not playing by the rules. According to the DA one of her victims was a woman who has a home in which a relative commited suicide. She was so distraught by the event that she did nothing with the home for a couple of years. In the mean time the aformentioned schemer has moved in tenants and is collecting rent on the property as though it is hers. When the owner visits the property and confronts the gal she says "oh, so this is yours, and just picks up and moves on as though she just made an innocent mistake. CREEPY!

Another case, which she already prosecuted, involved a 77 year old man, sher described as very charismatic, who bilked his friends and associates out of nearly 700 thousand dollars. He was supposedly putting their money into a real estate investment but as it turned out all but 25 thousand dollars went into his personal account. With friends like that, you really dont need enemies. He is serving a 4 year sentence.

Is Anybody Out There Watching the FREE FALL of Fannie and Freddy???

2008-07-11T10:28:32Z

Damn! It's a friggin MARKET MELTDOWN! Looks like America is going to hell in a handbag.

Right now FRE is down 33% to $5.32 and FNM is down 31% to $9.08

FRE was $63.00 just last October. NOW ITS A PENNY STOCK!

THIS IS NOT GOOD!

Local News Reports Fewer People Turning Out For Auctioned Homes

2008-07-07T17:25:07Z

		Direct: Fax:	559.301.1647 559.438.7475
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1319 W Bullard #4 -- Fresno CA -- 93711
According to this Article by CBS47 the turnout for bidders at auctions is down. They say it was standing room only last July. I guess a lot of the folks who thought they were going to get a bargain then have watched their "bargin prices" fall further into the basement. The best buys in the Fresno/Clovis area are in new homes. After that its agressively priced REOs. The short sales arent worth the time and effort. The good news is that home prices are more affordable and first time home buyers who thought they would never be able to own a home a few years ago are seeing an opportunity to get in. For investors, the good news is some of these REOs will actually pencil out and bring return on investment. If your looking to buy or sell in the Fresno/Clovis area give me a call. My advice is free and I dont make any money unless you're happy.

Fresno California Real Estate Market

Catotonic at the Keyboard

Use Extreme Caution When Loaning Out Your Camera Equipment