Check Out the Local Ingredient In The Latest Chicken Soup - 07/20/08 02:54 AM

Congratulations to Local Keller Williams Real Estate Broker. Wanda Peyton graciously conducted a book signing and motivational speech for her inclusion in the newest Chicken Soup for the Soul, ‘Life Lessons for Mastering the Law of Attraction.'  I had the opportunity to attend that outstanding event last night at Barnes and Nobles here in Rancho Cucamonga, CA.
For those of you who don't have a clue, Chicken Soup for the Soul is a collection of stories about ordinary people who have done extraordinary things; uplifting stories with powerful messages of hope and inspiration, transitioning from the test to the testimony, and from … (0 comments)

Welcome Jason Morrison of Windermere Real Estate in Palm Desert, CA - 07/17/08 03:53 AM
Active Rain Community, I would like to introduce a new member to our Active Rain team, Jason Morrison of Windermere Real Estate in Palm Desert, CA.  Jason is a dedicated member of my Southern California REO Broker team.  I told him about Active Rain and invited him to join -twice!  He jumped right in-after I twisted his arm a little! 
I know he will find it to be The online source of incredible knowledge, experience and  industry support. There are thousands of years of combined experience here and the resources are mind Bloggling!  
Jason, Be prepared to become addicted!


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Breaking the Bank - 07/12/08 10:51 PM
It's been all over the news! Calilfornia Indymac bank has been driven out of business by the credit crisis and is now in the hands of Federal Regulators.  Indymac specialized in stated income mortgages.  As the property values continued to drop, buyers defaulted in record numbers and the bank lost big money.  This is the second largest bank failure in United States history and customers could lose up to a half billion in uninsured deposits. How did it get to this point?  
Indymac has been on the brink of collapse for months.  CNN says U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer bears some of … (2 comments)

THE FORECLOSURE RELIEF BILL BECOMES LAW - 07/11/08 09:19 PM
Communication Between Lender and Borrower
This week, the State Legislature enacted foreclosure reform law to address the adverse effects of high foreclosure rates in California. The new law requires lenders to contact homeowners, with owner-occupied loans secured from 2003 to 2007, to explore options for avoiding foreclosure at least 30 days before filing a notice of default.  This requirement to contact borrowers applies to. Effective on or about September 8, 2008, a lender or their authorized agent has to contact a borrower, in person or by telephone,   to assess the borrower's financial situation and explore options for avoiding foreclosure 30 days … (4 comments)

All About Riverside California! - 07/10/08 07:03 PM
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Everything You Never Knew About Big Bear California!! - 07/10/08 06:57 PM


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Check Out Corona, CA!! - 07/10/08 06:54 PM


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About Moreno Valley - A Little Slice of Paradise in California! - 07/10/08 06:47 PM


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About Rialto California - 07/10/08 06:43 PM
 

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About Ontario California - A City on the Move - 07/10/08 06:41 PM

 
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Vacant Property Registration - 07/08/08 03:29 AM
If you are a California REO agent, the following is a list of some of the California cities that are have or are adopting new ordinances and enforcing existing ones requiring the registration and maintenance of vacant REO properties. 
Sacramento, Stockton, Merced, Fresno, Chula Vista, Santee, Palmdale, Murrieta, Temecula, Lake Elsinore, Hemet, Indio, Desert Hot Springs.

These Ordinances are not just California specific. Under these new ordinances the beneficiary of an abandoned property is required to inspect and register the property, within 10 days of vacancy. Registration fees can range from $75.00 up. If the lenders fail to comply with … (2 comments)

Real Estate Auctions – Buyers Beware - 07/07/08 12:06 AM
We've all seen advertisements in the paper, the mail and online about properties being sold to the public at "auction". These ads entice buyers to attend by advertising unrealistically low prices; then after you've registered, they disclose the advertised price is simply the starting bid. What they don't reveal is that the seller's Reserve Price (The lowest price they will sell for)  is substantially higher.  Some auctions also require you to make a non-refundable deposit immediately after bidding and pay an additional ‘Buyers Premium' that could add up to 6% or more to your purchase price. These ‘auctions' are nothing more … (0 comments)

Experienced REO Agents Take the Mystery out of Buying REO Property - 07/06/08 11:18 PM
There is no mystery to the REO market. There's no ‘secret' or ‘system' that you need to buy on TV. Any experienced REO agent can provide all of the "inside information" you'll ever need. Developing a good relationship with one is your best way to buying the best homes at the best price. They'll be able to provide access to available REO properties and provide advance notice of properties soon to become available.
The very best deals are long gone before most even know they are available. The properties that remain are left for everyone else to sift through. How do … (4 comments)

FROM THE ASHES A NEW MARKET EMERGES - 07/06/08 10:30 PM
Over the last couple of weeks, I have had a lot of visitors and a lot of phone calls.  The subject always got around to the market and everybody had an opinion (you know what they say about that :-)  But there was a commonality in it all.  Everybody agreed that for the housing market to rebound, three things have to happen:
Supply Must Meet Demand
The present inventory of unsold new homes must be absorbed. Single family housing starts are now running at less than 500,000 a year. The normal demand, based on the emerging market, is closer to 1 … (1 comments)

Should you Attend the 5th Annual Five Star Default Servicing Conference and Expo in Dallas? - 07/06/08 04:03 AM
Well after attending last year, I posted this to Dan Waterman's Universal REO blog.
 "Dan, I just returned from the Annual Five Star Default Servicing Conference and Expo in Dallas last week. It was an incredible education and networking event and was attended by Loan Servicers, Loss Mitigation professionals, Auction companies, Appraisers, Title companies, REO Preservation companies, brokers/agents and lenders. It was truly the 5-star event expected.
The first 2 days our team spent attending three of the six Five Star Certification Classes, ‘Providing Broker Price Opinions,' ‘Home Retention' and ‘REO A - Z.'
The next 2 days offered a myriad … (1 comments)

TKO Your Next BPO - 07/06/08 03:02 AM
BPO is the acronym for Broker's Price Opinion, a term that refers to an evaluation report of a residential property that is usually conducted by a local, licensed real estate professional. The report combines information from a drive-by exterior examination, external data sources, previous sale data, property assessment data, recent comparable sales and current neighborhood listings, as well as a photograph of the subject property.
I have a newfound true respect for a well prepared BPO and having done a ton of them when I was a Realtor looking to break into REOs, I also have a real respect for the … (3 comments)