Short Sale Specialist BootCamp taught by Michael S. Kaminiski was grueling and full of legal implications. The largest lessons to be pounded into our heads was "disclosure, disclosure, disclosure." We, as the real estate agents must be careful to protect our clients and ourselves. We have to make sure they know how the process works, what they are headed for and what will happen to them.

Many short sale clients are going through something akin to the "Five Stages of Grief." Denial: This can't be happening to me. Anger: Why me? This is NOT fair. Bargaining: I might can find a way to make this short sale/foreclosure nightmare go away. Depression: I can't make this go away and I will not make any money from the short sale of my home! Then finally, Acceptance: This is a bad thing that is happening, but I need to help my family move on. This is important for we real estate agents to understand this process. Until a client actually makes their way to the acceptance feelings, we might be working upstream against a flood of emotions and actions that would cause us to waste advertising dollars or our marketing time. The client has such a hurdle to get over. We are their support team.

We learned about the banking/lending culture. Banks and lenders are designed with a paramilitary culture with a top down mentality. Their emphasis is on "process...not deal making." The banks have people working there who are over-worked, beleagured and tired. These workers sometimes don't have exemplary organization skills and YES, they do lose our paperwork...sometimes one, two and three times! Some 1.5 million foreclosed homes are expected to wind up as REO's in 2009, so the prospect of quick, smooth sales are not on the horizon. The best way to get your deals a little more notice is to make a connection with the bank people that you get to work with...which is almost impossible to accomplish. Email seems to be a good way to cement a friendship with them because they are overworked.

Another thing we learned today is that Loan Modifications are not really a good answer to the short sale process. From the Short Sale BootCamp manual..."So, despite an increasing number of loan mods offered, one in four of those borrowers still default within 2 months and we have a 73% jump in foreclosures compared to last year." The REtrospective Magainze September/October 2009 issue writes that in Washington state, the number "3.79% represents the proportion of Washington mortgages with payments that are at least 90 days past due (including foreclosures in process, not yet completed). Compared to 1.58% one year ago." (To me, this still means that about 96% of us are still paying our mortgages on time!!)

Jill Watts, Keller Williams
MY MOST IMPORTANT HOME SALE IS YOURS!

CLICK HERE FOR GREAT DEALS & SHORT SALES!

360-852-1689 office
jillwatts@kw.com

Your home is your largest investment! We'll work together as a team to achieve your goals. I love assisting clients to find their dream home whether it is for investment in working with builders to build a custom home, short sales, relocation, bank owned sales...quick, smooth sales and purchases are managed for you, contract to close. You can easily maximize your profits in real estate in bustling Clark County, Washington.
Are you Selling or Buying a new home in one of the great livable cities that make up Clark County? (Battle Ground, Camas, LaCenter, Vancouver, Ridgefield, Washougal, Yacolt) Buying? Call me (Jill Watts) at 360-852-1689! I have blazing hot deals from the RMLS right at my fignertips and can provide them to you before the sign even goes into the yard. Selling? The RMLS and Keller Williams up-to-the-minute technology will give you all the research you need to make your contract negotiations razor sharp and your buying or selling decisions precise and save your money! (I am also connected to our new Keller Williams Commercial group, so give me a call today to get hooked up with a dynamic possibility for your investment future. No really! Call me!! 360-852-1689 to get started on your next life transition today)

Here are my favorite websites to get you started enjoying and exploring Camas, Washougal, Vancouver, Ridgefield. Battle Ground, LaCenter, Yacolt, Washington. Also check out our neighbor city: Portland, Oregon:(1)"Johann & Sandra's" FUN resource page: Click Here! (2) Vancouver's City Page has Maps, Events, etc. Click Here! (3) Check out our local School Ratings: Click Here! (4) For FREE stuff to do in nearby Portland: Click Here!