Why Do I work the PreForeclosure Market and Want to Help?  
by John Occhi, Hemet CA REALTOR  
Mission Grove Realty   

As a REALTOR® that specializes in the Hemet - San Jacinto Valley real estate market, I know for a fact that there are many homeowners who have fallen behind in their mortgage and today many are in preforeclosure.  Many can save their home from foreclosure if they only know where to turn and who to trust.

Pre-foreclosure is a problem that is very near and dear to my heart - as my wife, Sherri, and I have been  dangerously close to losing our home over the past two years.  You see, Sherri was diagnosed with cancer 12 years ago. 

Last January, my wife's cancer came back with a vengeance.  She underwent her 5^th round of Chemotherapy in the then 11 years.  After 5 stays in the hospital last year we had hoped and prayed that we had beaten the cancer back.

In January of this year, the cancer was back stronger then ever.  We tried the Chemo again, for two sessions of the six her doctors had prescribed - but once again, the chemo nearly killed her.  We decided enough was enough.  Today she is on hospice care, nearing the end.  I am by her side almost constantly for the lat year and a half.

Because of this, my real estate production has been minimized - yet I still am on track for having my best year - giving full thanks and the glory to God  and then due primarily to the Internet, ActiveRain and the support of my new office n Hemet CA:  Mission Grove Realty.  However, dying is a very expensive ordeal - and the longer it takes the more expensive it becomes.

I share this in this article because I know for a fact that bad things happen to good people and often times for circumstances that are completely out of our control, we fall behind. 

In the past 19 months, we have personally had two NOD's served on us.

So, when I say I know what it is like, believe me - I know.  This is why I am so passionate about specializing in this niche market of helping homeowners save their home from foreclosure by sharing my expertise with anyone who can use it.

Perhaps the reason for my calling can be found in the Bible, when Paul writes in Second Corinthians, chapter 1, verses 3 and 4:

                                                

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulations, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble  with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

I have taken several steps above and beyond what a REALTOR® is expected to do to help those who want and can use my help.

Early this year, as the Hemet Real Estate market was dramatically changing very quickly, I started to become aware of the Loss Mitigation scams that are being promoted.  I researched as much as I could and found that there are some very reputable people and companies out there who are legitimately helping people avoid foreclosure - despite the few who give the entire industry a bad name (thanks to the media - always looking for a story).

Of course, these loss mitigation companies charge a fee for their services - but all the good ones have a 100% iron clad guarantee that if they cannot save your home - they do not charge you for their time or efforts spent on your behalf. 

Through my diligence, I found one company in particular that I kept getting drawn to:  Freedom Foreclosure Prevention Services (FFPS).  I was so intrigued by their program and their integrity that I scraped together the money they wanted to affiliate myself with them and subjected myself to their extensive training and certification process.  I am anticipating receiving my certification in the next week or two - it is not a slam dunk process.  It takes a strong commitment of time and study along with the desire to make a difference.

However, just offering a service for a fee was not what I had in mind when I decided that I wanted to help people who are in the preforeclosure process.  Let me back up to the 1980's and early to mid 1990's.

I worked for a small law firm, stating in 1982, after being discharged from the U.S. Army.  I received some extensive hands on paralegal training and worked my way up to office administrator, after my predecessor died of a heart attack I ran the office for another 2 years.  I then ended up starting my own business, with a friend - a collection agency. 

I hated being on the negative side of every transaction so much that I retaliated and started my own self-help paralegal service.  I use to help people with eviction issues - (both landlord and tenant), divorces, bankruptcies, divorces and a number of other fairly simple legal issues (only simple if your name is not on the court papers).

So you see I have a background of helping people to help themselves. This is why I want to help when I hear, "Help me save my house from foreclosure".

My Hemet CA Real Estate business is no different.  I have always prided myself of being able to educate my real estate clients so they can take responsibility for making the right decision on any real estate issue they were facing.  This not only includes buying a home, selling a home but also includes teaching them to save their preforeclosure home from foreclosure, if and when it becomes necessary.

This brings me to this month.

Being at home in Hemet CA with my wife, caring for her needs and comfort I have a lot of time in front of my computer.  In addition to the blogging I have been doing recently, I have put together a book - more of a manual - on how the consumer can avoid the expense of working with a loss mitigation company - such a s FFPS, and do the work of saving their home from foreclosure themselves.

I call the book, "What You Need to Know...About Foreclosure and How You CAN Stop it!"  It is probably still a work in progress - right now it is 48 pages.  However I published 20 copies from the office copier and distributed several of them today - with plans on dropping off the rest tomorrow.

The book is all about self help.  I am not selling anything - it is all about how the reader can help themselves.  It may not be a real "How To" book in the traditional sense, in that I don't give detail by detail step on each and every process.  Rather my book is intended to educate the reader and stimulate the learning progression of what the different processes are that the Hemet homeowner can take to save their Hemet California preforeclosure home from foreclosure.  I do explain in detail the pro's and cons of each alternative. 

This really is very hard to obtain information for anyone - in the industry or not, and is therefore by it's very nature very valuable to anyone who is in a preforeclosure situation or expects to be in one soon.

My goal is pure - to allow the homeowner to save their home on their own.  Yes, I do stand to make some money, only if they want professional help - but again it is fully disclosed and not the reason for the book.  My book is not a sales letter telling them why they need to hire a loss mitigation company like FFPS.  It is not a sales letter that screams HIRE ME - I CAN SELL YOUR HOME.

The money I will make amounts to 40% of what ever fee they pay to FFPS.  Once I recover my cash output to FFPS, I am planning on donating the balance to a yet to be determined charity that either works with the homeless or the soon to be.  More research.

The only other money I make will be if they decide to list their home with me - and then I will make a standard and traditional commission that will be treated like every other commission I make for selling Hemet CA real estate.

I realize there is a great potential for many people from all over the country to read this blog article and many will seek my assistance.  If you are a homeowner in trouble - please call and I can discuss your situation personally.  I have to tell you at this point, I am not very keen on the idea of sending my book to everyone.  Perhaps I am being selfish, but for the time being I have written it and will publish it on demand to meet the needs of my local market.  

Well, I have bore more of my personal life and situation here, than I ever have before.  It is not for sympathy - all though I do appreciate your well wishes and most importantly your prayers for my wife and I - this is a very tough and very emotional time for both of us.  Please don't think that I am special in some way - well my wife thinks so, but I am just like the rest of the population.  I struggle with my share of sin every day - I may be chosen as a Saint, but only Jesus was ever perfect.  No, I did this to show that I do have a legitimate desire to help - to comfort others through their tribulations as God Himself comforts me every hour of every day and that those who reach out to me will recognize that they are not alone.

This article is primarily to offer my assistance for those in the Hemet - San Jacinto valley and surrounding areas.  I can only do so much and I really do need to stay close to my Hemet California home.  However, if you are local (I love Google) and would like my help - then call me at (951) 443-6259 and I will personally deliver a free copy of my book to you - with absolutely no cost or obligation of any kind - other than I ask you are nice to me.  Remember, I did not get you in your situation; I just want to help you get out of it.

Now Have a Blessed Day,

John Occhi, Hemet CA REALTOR
Hemet CA Real Estate

Other Article Regarding Loss Mitigation and Stopping the Foreclosure Process

What Is A Short Sale?
Loss Mitigation and the Service Provider 
9.1 California Families out of 1,000 Have Lost Their Home to Foreclosure
So You Have a Short Sale Lined Up - Who Are You? Step #2 
HUD & Loss Mitigation: The Carrot and the Stick
So You Have a Short Sale Lined Up - Now What? Step #1
The NFL and Real Estate Fraud
Foreclosure Filings are Going Through The Roof
Facing Foreclosure? Consider a REALTOR
How do Short Sales Affect the Economy?

If you found any of these articles intersting please explore the rest of my blog at www.HemetRealEstateBlog.Com