Category Archives: Real Estate

Real Estate

Foreclosure Notices Soar 33%, Biggest Monthly Gain In 4 Years

A new wave of foreclosures hit in August, as banks picked up the pace in taking action against home owners who have fallen behind on their mortgage payments, RealtyTrac Inc. reported Thursday.

The number of U.S. homes that receiving an initial default notice rose 33 percent in August from July. That increase represents the biggest monthly gain in four years, according to RealtyTrac.

“This is really the first time we’ve seen a significant increase in the number of new foreclosure actions,” says Rick Sharga, a senior vice president at RealtyTrac. “It’s still possible this is a blip, but I think it’s much more likely we’re seeing the beginning of a trend here.”

The uptick in foreclosure activity follows after months of a slowdown in foreclosures, which started last fall, with banks reviewing foreclosure policies and paperwork after facing lawsuits and criticism over how they processed foreclosures. Some banks even temporarily halted their foreclosures as they more carefully reviewed pending cases. The slowdown was also blamed on court delays in some states.

But some housing experts say the increase in foreclosure activity actually could be good for the housing market. A faster turnaround in foreclosures could help clear the glut of shadow inventory hovering over the market, which many say has caused home values to plummet.

The “bloated foreclosure pipeline now presents the greatest obstacle to a housing market recovery,” said Josh Levin, a Citi analyst. About 3.7 million more homes are in some stage of foreclosure than in a normal housing market, Levin said.

Banks are on track to repossess about 800,000 homes this year — down from more than 1 million last year, Sharga said.

Overall, 228,098 U.S. homes — or one in every 570 U.S. households — received a foreclosure-related notice in August, a 7 percent increase from July. However, that represents a 33 percent decline from August 2010.

Source: “Report: Mortgage Default Warnings Spiked in August, Signaling Potential New Foreclosure Wave,” Associated Press (Sept. 15, 2011)

 

 

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Real Estate

Getting A Fair Appraisal In A Tough Market


Since the real estate market took a downturn, some people have complained they couldn’t buy, sell, or refinance a home because an appraiser used bank-owned (REO) or short-sold homes as comparables in the valuation process, which dragged down the value of their home.  While using REO and short-sold properties can lower the value of a home, some homeowners are upset that their county assessor will not use these properties as comps for their property taxes.

  • In California,  some assessors will consider distressed sales when looking at comps, but it varies widely by county, neighborhood, and house.  In general, assessors will always look at non-distressed sales first and if there are enough, disregard REO and short sales.  However, if there are not enough standard sales, or the home is in an area dominated by distressed sales, the assessor likely will take these properties into account.
  • Under Proposition 13, property is assessed upon a change in ownership at its fair market value.  That is usually the same as the sale price.  However, with distressed property, the sale price may not equal fair market value.
  • Between changes of ownership, assessors can raise values only by an inflation rate, not to exceed 2 percent per year, plus the value of major improvements or additions.
  • Under Prop. 8, owners who think the market value of their property has fallen below its assessed value can ask for a temporary reduction to the fair market value.
  • Homeowners who think their homes are worth less than the assessed value can usually ask their assessor for an informal review.  If they are still not satisfied, they can file a formal appeal with their county’s assessment appeals board by Sept. 15 or Nov. 30, depending on the county.

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John J. O’Dell Realtor® GRI
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Real Estate

Getting A Real Estate Loan If You Are Freelancing


After the financial market downturn in 2008, getting approved for a mortgage loan became even more difficult.  Combine that with the fledgling economy, which left many people turning to freelance work, and the challenges involved in qualifying for a home mortgage increase exponentially.  However, with a little extra work, home buyers using freelance work as proof of income still can qualify for a new lo

  • Borrowers who earn most of their income on 1099s should be prepared for extra preparation, paperwork, and discussion of their financial standing when applying for a mortgage.
  • It’s important that independent contractors show that their income is stable and increasing. For some, that may mean declaring all their income on their tax returns, and not, say, carrying anything over to the next year, even if it means paying more taxes.
  • Consistency in income is key, so those applying for a mortgage this fall or winter should be prepared to provide proof for year-to-date income.
  • To increase the chances of getting a mortgage approval, borrowers should pay off other debts, including balances on credit cards.
  • Pinpointing the source of the down payment also is helpful.  If the down payment will be a gift from a relative, borrowers are advised to submit an account statement showing the funds are available and awaiting the home purchase.  Same goes for borrowing from a 401(k).
  • Freelancers also should be prepared for a more in-depth analysis of their ability to repay the debt.  Submitting tax returns from the last three years and explaining any significant differences in income is advised.

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Real Estate

Foreclosed Home Owners Take Out Revenge on Properties

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Some foreclosed home owners are taking out their anger on the homes they are forced to leave behind, smashing holes in the walls, scribbling graffiti everywhere, leaving piles of trash, and ripping out appliances.

More banks — facing a growing problem from trashed foreclosures — are opting to offer homes at big discounts rather than fix the repairs, which can send surrounding home values in the neighborhood spiraling down, experts say.

Real estate pro Nick Davis with RE/MAX Premier Group told the Tampa Tribune that he has seen some home values greatly diminish from foreclosed home owners who have trashed it. For example, he recalls one home that would have fetched $250,000 back in 2006 during the housing boom that would now sell for about $75,000 because it was trashed by the former owners.

“It looks like someone took revenge,” Davis says about the home, which had holes in the wall, appliances ripped out, and piles of trash. “Unfortunately, we’re seeing more of this. We’ve seen cement in the plumbing systems, the air conditioners ripped out from the outside, wiring being removed.”

Some real estate professionals and lenders are even blaming the high number of real estate deals falling apart due to more homes being left in poor condition by the original owners.

Buyers “look at these homes and say, ‘If this is the damage I can see, what else did the home owner do to this place that I can’t see?’ ” Davis says.

Some home owners facing foreclosure place the blame on banks for their woes so they leave behind a mess for the bank. But trashing a home can backfire. Some banks are saying they may even start taking steps to sue home owners for the cost of repairs, and law enforcement officials say home owners can be charged with vandalism as well as theft if they remove items that don’t belong to them from the home.

“Anything that came with the house needs to stay with the house,” says Larry McKinnon, spokesman for the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office in Florida. “You may think you’re getting back at the bank. But the bank may have the last laugh.”

Source: “Trashing Foreclosure Homes May be on the Rise,” Tampa Tribune (Aug. 30, 2011)

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Real Estate

How To Lower Your Property Taxes

Despite home prices in major urban centers decreasing 31 percent between 2005 and 2009, property taxes across the U.S. increased by nearly 20 percent.  There is good news, however; homeowners can fight back.

  • Homeowners should keep in mind that property taxes do not always correspond with home values, because local governments typically don’t measure values every year and some have limits on annual property-tax increases.
  • As a result, current property taxes might reflect the home’s value when the market was healthier.  According to the Congressional Budget Office, property-tax adjustments lag behind changes in home prices by an average of three years.
  • Although homeowners cannot change their property-tax rate, which is set by the local government, homeowners can get their assessment lowered if they appeal to their local assessor.
  • One key to a successful appeal is fact checking the assessor’s work. About half of all successful appeals come from homeowners pointing out an error in the assessor’s description of the home, according to one property tax expert.
  • During the appeal process, which is similar to a less-formal court hearing, homeowners may present their case to several local officials or representatives.  The simplest way to convince officials that a property has been incorrectly valued is to provide evidence of the sales price of homes that are comparable to the property being discussed.  This should include square footage, amenities, and neighborhood characteristics.  Sale documents and photos of the property in question, as well as the comparable properties also should be brought in.
  • Homeowners who have made improvements or substantial changes to the property should be cautious about appealing an assessment though, as it could have negative effects and actually increase the property’s value and, in turn, the property taxes.

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John J. O’Dell® GRI
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Real Estate

State Responsibility Area “Fire Prevention Fee” Now Law

The State of California will collect an annual “fire prevention fee” from property owners in wildland areas where the state has responsibility for providing fire protection. A fee of one hundred fifty dollars ($150) will be charged on each structure intended for human habitation in this State Responsibility Area (“SRA”), commencing with the 2011-2012 fiscal year.

The fee is established in Assembly Bill 29 by Bob Blumenfield (D-Van Nuys), which was signed by Governor Jerry Brown on July 7, 2011 (as ABX1 29).

Not a “firefighting fee”The bill is very clear about the fee’s intended purpose. The moneys collected will create an “SRA Fire Prevention Fund”, which will be used for specified “fire prevention” activities that will benefit the owners within the SRA who are required to pay the fee. The bill does not earmark any portion of the fee for firefighting services.

Examples of specified fire prevention activities include grants to municipalities to fund public education programs in the SRA, grants to qualified conservation groups and nonprofit organizations for fire prevention projects in the SRA such as brush clearance, and CalFire services in the SRA such as defensible space compliance inspections and fire severity and fire hazard mapping.

The law is being challenged by opponents who see it as diverting CalFire’s funding to fire prevention and away from the department’s critical firefighting budget. Republican lawmakers and local fire officials are contesting the law, some calling the fee a double tax on SRA property owners already taxed for fire protection services, and are seeking its repeal. The Governor, in his signing letter, has already called for the language to be revised to ensure that revenues projected from the fee are realized.

State Modifies SRA Fire Prevention Fee

Continue reading State Responsibility Area “Fire Prevention Fee” Now Law →

Real Estate

Working With Short Sales, They Are Worth The Trouble

Short sales – a real estate transaction in which the homeowner needs to sell the property, but owes more on the mortgage than the home currently is worth – continue to dominate the housing market, but these real estate transactions aren’t for everyone.

  • Typically with a short sale, the homeowner is underwater and has experienced a financial hardship such as a job loss.  To limit the damage to his credit rating, a homeowner may attempt to work with his lender to negotiate a short sale.  Not only must the bank approve of the short sale itself, it also must agree to the price, since the bank will accept the difference as a loss.
  • Unlike foreclosures, in which the owner has walked away and the bank is looking to unload a vacant – and sometimes vandalized – property, a short sale isn’t a distressed home that will sell at an extremely low price.  According to data from RealtyTrac, short sales typically sold for nearly 10 percent less than the market price in the first quarter of 2011, whereas foreclosures sold at an average discount of 35 percent.
  • Home buyers wanting to purchase a short sale must have patience.  In most cases, when a buyer makes an offer on a house, he receives a response from the seller within a few days, or even hours.  With a short sale, the bank must approve of the sale and bank representatives are overloaded with cases.  It may take 30 days or longer for a buyer to receive a response from the bank.
  • In a traditional real estate transaction, it is common for a home buyer who currently owns his home to make his offer contingent on selling his current home.  In short sales, most banks will not approve an offer that is contingent on the buyer selling his current home, as too many things can go wrong.
  • Banks also typically won’t consider short-sale offers that have inspection contingencies in them, so buyers can either do an inspection prior to making an offer or forgo an inspection altogether.
  • Even with the challenges associated with short sales, buyers should not avoid these transactions.  Being prepared ahead of the time and working with an experienced REALTOR® can help buyers avoid frustration and surprises down the line.

Interested in a short sale?
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O’Dell Realty
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Real Estate

Shadow Inventory Continues to Fall

Standard & Poor’s estimates that it would take nearly four years — or 47 months — for the housing market to work through its shadow inventory at the current rate. While that number is still high, it marks an improvement over S&P’s first quarter report that had estimated 52 months.

Shadow inventory represents homes that are in the foreclosure system but haven’t hit the market yet. S&P defines shadow inventory as foreclosure and REO properties in 90-day delinquency or worse.

“In conjunction with stable liquidation rates, we believe these are positive signs that the amount of time it will take to clear this ‘shadow inventory’ should continue to decline over the next year,” S&P analysts said.

Delays from mortgage servicers in processing foreclosures likely will cause more than 1 million foreclosures to be postponed until next year, RealtyTrac recently reported.

As such, “the shadow inventory will continue to jeopardize the housing market’s recovery until servicers are able to improve liquidation times,” S&P said. “However, if and when that happens, an influx of homes will likely enter the market, increasing supply and driving prices down further.”

Shadow inventories are largest in New York, where S&P estimates it will take 144 months — or 12 years — to work through foreclosure properties at the current rate. That is down slightly from 146 months in the first quarter.

Source: “Standard & Poor’s: Shadow Inventory Levels Begin to Improve,” HousingWire (Aug. 17, 2011)

 

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John J. O’Dell Realtor® GRI
O’Dell Realty
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Real Estate

Mortgage Fraud Remains Rampant, FBI Says

About $10 billion in originated loans last year contained fraudulent information, according to CoreLogic.

“The current and continuing depressed housing market will likely remain an attractive environment for mortgage fraud perpetrators who will continue to seek new methods to circumvent loopholes and gaps in the mortgage lending market,” said a new report from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) that cited CoreLogic’s figures.

The most prevalent mortgage fraud schemes include fraud involving loan origination, foreclosure-rescue initiatives, short sales, property flipping, equity skimming, builder bailouts, and reverse mortgages, the FBI says. Additionally, it’s finding many of the mortgage fraud schemes have a strong connection to organized crime.

“There have been numerous instances in which various organized criminal groups were involved in mortgage fraud activity,” the FBI says. “Asian, Balkan, Armenian, La Cosa Nostra, Russian, and Eurasian organized crime groups have been linked to various mortgage fraud schemes, such as short sale fraud and loan origination schemes.”

Source: “Mortgage Fraud Remains Prevalent, Organized Crime Involved: FBI,” HousingWire (Aug. 12, 2011)

 
For all your real estate needs
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John J. O’Dell Realtor® GRI
O’Dell Realty
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Real Estate

Co-signing Or Not To Co-sign?


Tighter lender standards and an unstable job market have made it tougher for some people, especially those just starting out, to qualify for a home mortgage on their own.  So, some home buyers are turning to family members or close friends with good credit to co-sign a home loan.

Making sense of the story

  • While becoming a co-signer may seem like a good solution, money manager and lenders caution against those who are asked to be the cosigner.
  • A cosigner, even if not living in the house, is really a co-borrower, meaning he or she still is responsible for payments if the occupant is unable to meet his or her obligations.  In other words, if the principal party defaults on the loan, the cosigner is on the hook.
  • One financial planner suggests potential co-signers take a less risky alternative, such as providing a cash gift for the down payment.  Under current tax laws, a person can give as much as $13,000 to a person, free of gift taxes, or $26,000 per person, if a married couple filing jointly is giving the money.
  • Those considering co-signing a mortgage must conduct due diligence.  First, the cosigner must understand why the family member or friend is asking for help.  Potential co-signers shouldn’t be afraid to look into the requester personal finances to help determine whether he or she will be able to repay the loan.  Perusing credit reports also will show the track record he or she has for paying off debts.
  • A discussion about worst-case scenarios also should take place before signing on the dotted line.  Working out a written contract containing an agreement about what would happen in the event of a default, also is recommended.
  • Cosigners also should keep in mind that the mortgage will show up on their credit report, and could affect their own ability to borrow money or buy a second home.  If the principal borrower makes a late payment, that also will show up on the co-signer’s report.

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John J. O’Dell Realtor® GRI
O’Dell Realty
(530) 263-1091
jodell@nevadacounty.com