article: Worst to best with a flaw
- 04/28/09 04:07 AM
Two years ago when a client told me they wanted me to short sale their home and their lender was Wells Fargo, I would visibly cringe. Dealing with Wells Fargo in those days was a nightmare. They didn't have sufficient staffing to handle the requests, their process was weak and it took so long that when you got the approval the buyer had moved on so you had to start all over and nobody at Wells cared. Today they are one of the fastest, they make status update calls to you and often you can deal with the negotiator through email. … (4 comments)
article: Should you walk away?
- 03/17/09 05:58 AM
If your home is worth less than you owe, the payments are killing you and have a lender who refuses to help what will happen if you walk away? Walking away is letting the bank foreclose, giving them the keys or avoiding a foreclosure by doing a short sale. If you do one of these things how bad will it be for you? Will you get sued by your bank? Will you ever be able to get credit again? How much will Uncle Sam and the IRS want from you? It may not be as bad as you imagine. Check out … (1 comments)
article: Just a bit angry today!
- 03/04/09 04:40 AM
This morning I read an article in the Sacramento Bee about the former executives of Countrywide that got rich on bonuses and golden parachutes after they made tons of questionable loans which we are all now paying for. Believe it or not they have taken their wealth and created a company that buys up bad loans from failed banks. They are paying pennies on dollar for these loans and making a killing on collecting. The economy is in the tank, the everyday guy is suffering and these guys are making millions again! Why do I feel that when this is all … (2 comments)
article: Call it What You Will
- 02/24/09 03:00 AM
In the past two weeks we have seen the Federal stimulus bill, the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan and our new California budget which as some provisions to help the housing market. What are these, how do they work and have we finally got all the players headed in the same direction? Take a look at my local real estate column, "Stimulus, Recovery, Stability coming to Sacramento?" over at Rocklin & Roseville Today. I have had a number of emails in the past few days from some of my readers and I apologize for dropping off a bit in the past … (0 comments)
article: Escape from it All!
- 02/13/09 01:08 AM
Here is the view from a listing I have coming on the market soon. This is a unique home in Auburn only minutes from the freeway but a world away from the city and people. There is nothing "track" about this home and it will take a equally unique buyer to make this work. This is not a family home and is best suited for a working couple who want an alternative style home or it could be a great weekend escape pad for someone from San Francisco or the Bay Area. If you or someone you know might be interested … (1 comments)
article: Important Information for Struggling Sacramento Area Homeowners
- 02/07/09 02:38 AM
There have been some significant changes with lenders that are catching financially strapped homeowners unaware and reducing their alternatives to avoid a foreclosure. If you or someone you know is not making their monthly mortgage payments and thinking they can wait several months before asking for a loan modification or doing a short sale, those days are over. Check out my column over at Rocklin & Roseville Today or at Sacramento Today, "Short Sale Market Changes in Sacramento." … (0 comments)
article: Buying a short sale listing
- 01/27/09 02:56 AM
What do I need to know about buying a short sale listing? This was essentially the question one of my readers sent me last week. I have written a number of articles including "Six Steps to a Successful Short Sale" and "Short Sale Success," on using short sales to avoid foreclosure but have not spent much time addressing the buyer in a short sale transaction. If you or someone you know is considering buying a home in the Sacramento and Roseville area you will more than likely look at one or more short sale listings. What should you know and be … (0 comments)
article: Sacramento Predictions
- 01/19/09 04:59 AM
I was looking at the number of homes currently on the Sacramento area market, how inventory has changed in the past year and the impact on prices and value with so many homes for sale in preparation for writing my weekly columns for Rocklin & Roseville Today and Sacramento Today. I had promised myself I would avoid making predictions in such turbulent times but somehow when you write about how many Sacramento homes for sale last year and this year it seems impossible not to say where you believe this number will go by year-end. If you are interested in seeing … (0 comments)
article: Positive News in Sacramento Forecast
- 01/13/09 12:58 AM
As soon as the holidays were behind us it seems like the media has again focused on the economy and in particular the negatives. I don't know about you but when I hear too much negative news it impacts my mental attitude and slows me down. There are some bright spots in regards the Sacramento and the real estate market. I think we should understand the overall situation but take the time to remind ourselves of what is positive. In my weekly real estate column over at Rocklin & Roseville Today, "Sacramento Economic Forecast," I highlight some of the strengths of … (1 comments)
article: Using Twitter to stay in touch
- 01/06/09 05:21 AM
I have been using twitter for almost 2 years now and it is one of the social networking tools I enjoy the most. It is a flow of short messages from members all around the world and allows users to follow others and read what they have to say as the day progresses. You can carry on conversations, ask questions, get directions and always find someone who can cheer you up. As of today I am following 2,257 users and have 2,102 followers. Some of my twitter colleagues are news organizations such as the Sacramento Bee, CNN and Sacramento Traffic Alerts. … (1 comments)
article: Where are we going?
- 12/31/08 04:03 AM
Happy New Year! Here we are at the final day in 2008 and looking forward to the hope of a new year. Whatever your plans are for this evening, be careful on the roads, last night was super foggy here in the Roseville area and will most like not be much better tonight. There were some great times and occurrences this past year but it was also one of the most difficult years I have had in real estate. There were plenty of clients but getting transactions completed was more difficult than in years past and much more difficult than they … (0 comments)
article: You won't believe this!
- 12/10/08 04:13 AM
A good portion of the business we do at MagnumOne Realty is helping financially struggling Sacramento area homeowners avoid foreclosures by helping them qualify and negotiate with their lenders to accept less than they are owed by accepting a short sale. Lenders tend to treat us as the enemy even though we are helping them and the entire process can be long and arduous but we are good at them and there is a good deal of satisfaction when we complete a short sale and our clients can step away from payments they can no longer afford to pay and a … (4 comments)
article: Are we going to lose our home?
- 12/04/08 03:08 AM
Just when I thought we might start seeing a decline in the number of homeowners who are facing foreclosure the next wave came crashing in. The new wave is a combination of more homeowners who have experienced a financial setback such as a lost job or reduced income combined with continuing declines in home values. A married couple with two incomes making their payments all of a sudden are struggling to when one of them loses their job have lost their option to sell their house, pay down credit card debt and move to more affordable housing because their home is … (2 comments)
article: Lenders with a heart?
- 11/25/08 04:02 AM
Today I conclude my series of articles answering the question, is now the right time to buy a home in Sacramento? Today's final article is, "Do you know what you want in a home?" and can be seen over at Rocklin & Roseville Today in my real estate column. If you missed the previous articles and would like to read the entire series you can find it on my personal website. This is a short holiday weekend and we have continued to be busy with Sacramento short sales. Most lenders, other than Countrywide, seem to have a pretty good process and … (0 comments)
article: How much can you pay for a home?
- 11/20/08 02:41 AM
Today I published my fourth in a series of five articles examining the question, Is now the right time to buy a home in Sacramento. You can read it in my real estate column, "How much can you pay for a home in Sacramento," over at Rocklin & Roseville Today. I think the question, is now the right time to buy, is important in light of the current market and economic conditions. So far I have received some positive feedback on the series and hope it helps a few potential buyers make the right decision in regards to purchasing a … (1 comments)
article: Are you financially prepared for home ownership?
- 11/17/08 06:57 AM
I just posted my third of a five part series dealing with the question, "Is it the right time to buy a home in Sacramento?" The article is posted over at Rocklin & Roseville Today as part of my real estate column, "Is it the right time - are you financially prepared to be a homeowner." If you want to read the entire series you can find all five articles on my personal website. Just being out and about today has to make you feel good. Here we are in the second half of November and the sun is out, the … (1 comments)
article: There are fewer homes for sale in Sacramento
- 10/22/08 07:33 AM
With September sales volume of up in all counties in the Sacramento region from last year and for most counties up even from August we are finally seeing a decline in homes for sale. Check out my weekly column, "Six Months of Increasing Homes Sales in Sacramento," over at Rocklin & Roseville Today for the details and a prediction. With this great "Indian Summer" weather even October continues to show some good levels of activity. Homes priced right are getting a fair number of showings and most of our short sales all have solid offers being reviewed by the seller's lenders. … (0 comments)
article: Good News for Sacramento Real Estate
- 10/14/08 06:50 AM
We have finally slipped below 14,000 homes for sale in Sacramento. According to HousingTracker there were 13,958 homes on the market as of October 13. This is the first time since March of 2007 since we have been this low. It is still higher than it should be and the uncertainties of foreclosures and the credit crisis loom but check out my column, Good News for Sacramento Real Estate, over at Rocklin & Roseville Today and see what I have to say about prices. … (1 comments)
article: Bailout and the Sacramento real estate market
- 10/01/08 04:55 AM
After the failed vote on the financial rescue plan on Monday the Senate takes the spotlight today and is likely to pass a slightly revised plan to provide liquidity back to the credit markets. I predict an embarrassed House of Representatives will place their rubber stamp on the bill and we will have legislation by the end of the week. How will this impact the Sacramento real estate market and the recovery that is taking place? Take a look at my column, "Bailout may slow Sacramento real estate recovery," over at Rocklin & Roseville Today. … (1 comments)
article: Sacramento's real estate market is not frozen!
- 09/25/08 11:35 AM
Is the only way to get anything done in politically partisan Washington to declare an emergency, tell the world the sky is falling and create a three day "bipartisan period" to pass back room brokered deal that may cost the American taxpayer a trillion or more dollars? We thought getting a budget passed in Sacramento for California was ugly! I clearly have my opinions about the bailout and you can read more about that in my Rocklin & Roseville Today column, "Bailout will be felt in Sacramento" but my main message today is to motivate you to let your Senators know … (0 comments)
Two years ago when a client told me they wanted me to short sale their home and their lender was Wells Fargo, I would visibly cringe. Dealing with Wells Fargo in those days was a nightmare. They didn't have sufficient staffing to handle the requests, their process was weak and it took so long that when you got the approval the buyer had moved on so you had to start all over and nobody at Wells cared. Today they are one of the fastest, they make status update calls to you and often you can deal with the negotiator through email. 
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