Thursday, December 31, 2009

Different Situations Require Different Solutions to Avoid Foreclosure

I’m sure that we are all keenly aware of the economic crisis and abundance of people trying to avoid foreclosure in in Queen Creek, AZ. It certainly doesn’t take a degree in economics or a friend at the bank to see the wave of impending foreclosures and the home owners looking to avoid foreclosure. One of the big problems facing home owners is that they are not familiar with the several options that are available to them in their quest to avoid foreclosure. Each circumstance will find its own option that is right to help avoid foreclosure. So, weigh each of the options available to you and search out the one that will best help you avoid foreclosure.

Speaking in general terms, there are two options that seem to be the strongest positive choices to avoid foreclosure. If you find that your financial problems are short term (ie you are temporarily without a job or current economic situations have created lower pay for the job that you do) you can avoid foreclosure by working with your mortgage lender directly to find a better play for repayment of your mortgage that works for both you and the lending institution. Often times, your lending institution will be more than happy to help you avoid foreclosure by finding a concrete plan that gives a detailed account of how you plan to bring your mortgage current. Ultimately, the banks interest is, simply and honestly, money. So, if there is a solid plan to get that money they desire, they will often times agree to it.

The first step to getting the lending institution in Queen Creek, Arizona to help set up a new payment plan is to CONTACT them. Let them know that you want to avoid foreclosure. The lenders are not new to foreclosures. So, while this may be your first time trying to avoid foreclosure, they have dealt with many others in your shoes before. They will have a plan as to what can or will need to be done to rectify your current financial hardship. The plan will help you get back to a current on your mortgage.

The second option, and the one that is probably best for someone that is upside down in their mortgage (an upside down mortgage is a mortgage that is worth more than the home that it was borrowed against) is the short sale. A short sale helps the home owner avoid foreclosure and gives the bank a best case scenario too. With a short sale the home owner, with the upside down mortgage, finds a buyer for their home. Then, the home owner shows the bank that the home can not sell for the full value needed to repay the loan. Because the bank understands that the home will not sell for a higher price at foreclosure, the bank is more likely to accept the offer and “get what they can get.”

Do you have questions? Read the Short sale FAQs.

Are you a Realtor? Then get free short sale training by Kevin and Fred at Free Realtor Training on ShortSalePower.com

Options Available to Avoid Foreclosure

Do you currently find yourself behind on your mortgage and facing an impending foreclosure? Are you living in fear that you may not be able to avoid foreclosure and soon find yourself without a place to call home in Queen Creek, Arizona? Is it possible that you will have to find yourself residing in a place that is new and uncomfortable to you? You need to know that there are several ways to avoid foreclosure and save you house from being foreclosed on. You just need to know the options that are available, what you watch for and what needs to be done going forward. The following are several options available to you. Not all of them are great options, but none the less, they are options. Carefully weigh them and determine which is the best for you.

Loan Modification, the option worth considering

To avoid foreclosure in Queen Creek, AZ, consider contacting your mortgage lender and request a loan modification. This option is alright for those that are not quite making the payments on their existing mortgage. Many times, to avoid foreclosure by using loan modifications, you must meet several requirements. You will need to take the total amount of your mortgage, insurance, and taxes and compare them to your income. If they are more than thirty percent of your income, you may qualify for a modification to avoid foreclosure. However, you may also be required to be in a financial bind that there is not an immediate resolution to.

Bankruptcy, the option to NOT consider

To avoid foreclosure, you can file bankruptcy. This does some major damage to your credit score and can effect your ability to do a multitude of things that could lie in your future. So, while there are very few reasons to consider this a true option, it is, none the less, still an option to avoid foreclosure.

Short Sale of your home, the BEST Option

The short sale of your home is a unique and fairly unknown way to avoid foreclosure. The short sale helps you get the most out of a bad situation. Mortgage lenders will often, though sometimes reluctantly, find this to be the best option for their interests also. So, the short sale is a win/win situation for the lender and the home owner. Here’s a brief synopsis of how it works. The home owner, facing a mortgage that is far greater than the value of the home or facing a mortgage that they can not afford to pay, finds a buyer for their home. The buyer agrees to a price for the home that will not pay off the existing mortgage. The bank, wanting to recoup as much in the sale of the home as they can, will also choose to avoid foreclosure and forgive the remainder of the mortgage. In this way, they will gain more from the sale of the home than they would if the home were sold at foreclosure. So, to avoid foreclosure the bank and the home owner agree to the sale.

Do you have questions? Read the Short sale FAQs.

Are you a Realtor? Then get free short sale training by Kevin and Fred at Free Realtor Training on ShortSalePower.com

Information Is Key to Avoid Foreclosure

One of the greatest threats to Americans and their way of life in today’s economic climate is the threat of foreclosure in Mesa, Arizona. With millions of Americans losing their jobs and the economic recovery not in sight, people every where are working hard to avoid foreclosure. The chance of losing your home in today’s economic climate is more real than it has ever been. The following is a list of things to help you endure the challenges of the economic times for those that are hoping to avoid foreclosure.

First and foremost, information is key. Get yourself informed as to the process, problems and solutions to the situation you are in. Also, inform the people in Mesa, AZ that need to know about your financial hardship, namely the mortgage institution. I would first suggest that you call your mortgage banker and inform them that you are having trouble paying the mortgage and would like to avoid foreclosure. This may be the optimal time to ask your lender for a loan modification. These loan modifications are often great tools in helping people avoid foreclosure. Many lenders may request that certain formalities are covered if you are truly trying to avoid foreclosure. Things like pay stubs, bank statements, tax returns and a hardship letter may need to be produced as evindence in your case for loan modification to avoid foreclosure. It is crucial that you produce these items in a timely manner to avoid any other problems.

Writing the hardship letter that will eventually help you avoid foreclosure does not have to be complex. Be sure to include critical details like name, address and loan details (account number, payment terms, etc.) Information is KEY! Explain that it is in your best interest and the banks best interest to avoid foreclosure. Be sure that the lending institution has a phone number that you can be easily reached at. They will undoubtedly want to speak with you regarding your hardship letter. Tell them the reason why you are unable to make payments at the previously agreed upon terms, reminding them that this reason is why you are trying to work with them to avoid foreclosure. Be specific with the numbers so that they can understand what the best options are for you and for them to avoid foreclosure. If you have recently become unemployed, find documents to support that if possible. If there are other things that have caused you uninvited financial strain, point them out to let the bank know that you are trying to avoid foreclosure.

The most important step in this letter is letting the bank know that a loan reduction or change in the terms of your loan will help you avoid foreclosure. If your relationship with the lender has been good in the past, it will certainly not hurt to remind them that you have been a good customer and you would like to remain a good customer.

Keep in mind that you are fighting to avoid foreclosure. This letter may very well determine whether or not you get to keep your home.

And lastly, don’t make the letter your final step. Keep your eye on the ball if you truly want to avoid foreclosure. Call the bank regularly to see what the status of your situation is.

 

Get informed as to what you need to do. Inform the bank as to what the problem is. Stay informed as to what is currently going on. Information is KEY!

Do you have questions? Read the Short sale FAQs.

Are you a Realtor? Then get free short sale training by Kevin and Fred at Free Realtor Training on ShortSalePower.com

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

The Value of a Real Estate Agent in a Bank Short Sale Part III

The final challenge to overcome in the bank short sale process is the ever mounting stress. We’ve already touched on this a bit in the above concerns and also in Part I of this article. However, the bank short sale process brings stresses from several angles. There is undue stress from how the bank deals with the bank short sale process and stress from the loved ones around you that think they are helping by giving you advice. There is also stress from the time that it takes to complete a bank short sale. That is why a real estate agent, to deal with banks and negotiators, is so essential.

With the bank short sale becoming an increasing popular tool in Queen Creek, AZ to help home owners out of some tight situations, the real estate agent is critical to making the process move smoothly All that being said, we could tell you to avoid the bank short sale, but that is not in your best interest if you find yourself in an upside down mortgage situation. The bank short sale is the best option for you if you have an ally in the battle with the bank and the buyer and the negotiator. Tackling this daunting process without the help of a supremely qualified agent can be enough to push you to the crazy house. So, why do we deal in bank short sale listings? The simply answer is this. The bank short sale can bring to fruition three happy parties. First, the bank, that gets more money for the property through the bank short sale process than they would if they had to foreclose on the home and sell it. Second, the current home owner wins by using the bank short sale to get themselves out of an upside down mortgage. And Third, the new home buyer uses the bank short sale as a way to get a great property at a reduced price.

Bank short sale listing can offer a buyer in Queen Creek, Arizona a great opportunity to get into a home that is ready to live in. It gives the seller a way out and the bank a little less loss. Also, because of the bank short sale process, they can be real winners in the negotiation process.

Currently, banks and home owners alike are having their cups run over with upside down mortgages. The bank short sale can help out all parties in making a bad situation a little bit better. Avoiding foreclosure in lieu of a bank short sale is in everyone’s best interest and using an experienced real estate agent to facilitate the bank short sale is in your best interest.

Do you have questions? Read the Short sale FAQs.

Are you a Realtor? Then get free short sale training by Kevin and Fred at Free Realtor Training on ShortSalePower.com

GREAT NEWS ABOUT HOW TO AVOID FORECLOSURE

For property owners in Queen Creek, AZ who are trying to avoid foreclosure, there is some great news. However, even if you avoid foreclosure, you may not be in a great situation with respect to your loan and the value of your home. Over the last few days this has been discussed at government meetings. Optimists think that the housing market is getting better, but it still doesn’t help you avoid foreclosure or increase the value of your home.

This is fantastic news for homeowners that are trying to avoid foreclosure in Phoenix Arizona, but possibly not in other states. Chew on this fact for a second. While many counties, cities, states, and municipalities are in worse condition, they are also trying to avoid foreclosure. Even after the government has tried to help people avoid foreclosure, things haven’t really changed.

The economy is still in the tank, and people are losing their jobs everywhere. Giant companies that we have known and trusted are closing their doors. This constant state of financial burden only creates more mortgage problems and more people trying to avoid foreclosure.

Those are just some of the reasons that some people in Queen Creek, Arizona can not seem to avoid foreclosure and keep losing their homes. People with mortgages can’t afford to make the payments and therefore can not avoid foreclosure. You can’t avoid foreclosure if you can’t make the payments.

Some families choose to default on their payments or just abandon the property knowing that they can not avoid foreclosure.

Some people don’t realize that it isn’t necessary to just walk away to avoid foreclosure. There are several other ways to give yourself a fighting chance. Also, the foreclosure process can take several months and sometimes even years. So, even in you can not avoid foreclosure, you can still stay in your house for a while. Many people are finding alternative ways to avoid foreclosure now.

Many people think that when they stop making payments they will be forced from their homes. It just simply doesn’t happen like that. The Sherriff isn’t standing at the bank the day your payment is due to see if you paid.

The short sale process has become a popular one for people that want to avoid foreclosure. It will allow you to sell your home, and not have to owe the bank any money. You win and the bank wins so that you don’t have to find any legal action. Avoid foreclosure with a short sale.

The temptation is to find a quick fix. That can lead to being scammed by somebody that just wants your money and will leave you with nothing. The short sale process has a proven track record of providing relief for those trying to avoid foreclosure and those banks that simply want their money. They will be tough to deal with, but if you find a short sale specialist to help avoid foreclosure, there is a very high success rate.

Do you have questions? Read the Short sale FAQs.

Are you a Realtor? Then get free short sale training by Kevin and Fred at Free Realtor Training on ShortSalePower.com

Don’t Wait for Gov’t Help, Avoid Foreclosure

There has been much talk and media coverage in recent weeks in Queen Creek, AZ about the president’s plan for loan modification to help avoid foreclosure. The program, aimed at helping stabilize the current crisis with homeowners and mortgages in this economic time, helps people facing the frightening possibility of loosing their homes. You may want more information on how this loan modification can help you avoid foreclosure.

The president’s program, a part of the Economic Stimulus Package, includes three quarters of a billion dollars that are aimed at helping working class families avoid foreclosure. The unfortunate truth, however, is that the plan is not helping everyone avoid foreclosure. Because of the many requirements to have access to the program, only a small number have been able to avoid foreclosure.

It is because of these stringent requirements that families in Queen Creek, Arizona are still unable to avoid foreclosure and people across the state are losing their homes at a quickening pace. Foreclosure rates are increasing still in many areas of the country and because of government red tape, the rules of using this load program, millions still stand to lose their homes as they are unable to avoid foreclosure.

Most of the three quarters of a million dollars ear marked for this program is being shelled out to the banks and institutions that are supposed to be helping work with home owners to avoid foreclosure. Because the banks are always operating in their best interest, they get to pick and choose which home owners they want to help avoid foreclosure. What if you are not the one that is chosen to help avoid foreclosure?

Maybe it is time to look out for your own best interests. Instead of waiting for the government, and in turn the banks, help you avoid foreclosure, consider some other options that are available to you when trying to avoid foreclosure.

The short sale is a very attractive option. It allows you to sell your house, get free from the existing mortgage that you are drowning in, and most importantly, avoid foreclosure. The bank also, in turn, gets the best of the short sale because they will receive more money from a short sale than they will with a foreclosure.

The short sale is not privy to any special government criteria. There are no business interests involved in whether or not you can use a short sale. You can use it to avoid foreclosure if you are the bank’s best friend or their worst nightmare. It creates the best possible situation from a situation that appears to have no winners.

Take control of your future! Don’t wait or assume that the government will help you out of this mess. Through bad luck, bad decisions, or bad karma you find yourself trying to avoid foreclosure. Focus on the best possible way to avoid foreclosure, by utilizing the short sale.

Do you have questions? Read the Short sale FAQs.

Are you a Realtor? Then get free short sale training by Kevin and Fred at Free Realtor Training on ShortSalePower.com

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

In a Tough Market Position? Find Relief with Bank Short Sale

One of the most useful ways for a home owner in Gilbert, Arizona to avoid foreclosure is to simply sell their home on the real estate market. In some of the better scenarios that are available in selling the home, this will stop foreclosure of the home, pay off the loan, but leave you little to no money for emergencies or finding a new home.

The worst part of just selling your home because you can not afford it is the fact that the home is probably not worth the value of your mortgage. So, your selling price will undoubtedly not cover the mortgage that needs to be paid off in full, leaving you unable to walk away from the property free and clear.

It is sorry to say, but with the housing market in such dire straits, selling a house to stop foreclosure could prove nearly impossible. Enter into this process the bank short sale. With a bank short sale you need not be overly concerned with finding an offer price that will pay off the mortgage. In a bank short sale, you are leveraging the harsh situation you are in with the harsh situation that the bank is in. Remember, they want to avoid foreclosure too. With a bank short sale, the home owner and the bank get a better remedy to the situation than would normally happen with a foreclosure in Gilbert, AZ.

Why does a bank short sale work? First, put yourself in the bank’s situation. The perfect remedy to this situation is that you pay the mortgage off in full. The worst case scenario for them is that they are forced to foreclose on the home and incur fees, legal expense, and court proceedings that normally wouldn’t have to be dealt with. Furthermore, in a foreclosure sale, they will get just a fraction of the amount that is needed to satisfy the current mortgage loan. So, with a bank short sale, your lender is understanding of the fact that they will not get money from you and that they do not want to proceed with foreclosure if at all possible.

So, as a home owner, using a bank short sale, you can leverage the banks position to give yourself the best possible outcome from your current hardship. Placing your home on the market with a bank short sale specialist is the first step. When you receive an offer for the home, have the bank short sale specialist go to the lender and request that they accept the bank short sale offer and forgive the remainder of the loan. Because of the position the bank is in, they are very inclined to do so.

The bank short sale is a fabulous way to avoid foreclosure. It is unfortunate that you find yourself in a position that you need to utilize a bank short sale. However, since you are in that position, you can make the best of it for you and for the bank by taking advantage of a bank short sale.

Do you have questions? Read the Short sale FAQs.

Are you a Realtor? Then get free short sale training by Kevin and Fred at Free Realtor Training on ShortSalePower.com

Short Selling Saves on Credit Score

The wishful outcome in any real estate transaction is the ability to sell the property for a higher price than what you paid for the property. This generally includes, for property investors, any and all moneys that were used to fix the house, add on to the house and modify the house. However, with current market situations in Queen Creek, AZ, this one time sure outcome is now often times only wishful thinking. Real estate investors and home owners alike are seeing true and tragic downturns in property values in Queen Creek, Arizona across the region and the country. If you are one of the unfortunate people that finds themselves in this predicament, making a profit is nearly impossible. When the property value of your home decreases and is well below the value of your mortgage, you need to consider short selling the property to avoid a dramatic loss.

Short selling is a fairly unknown process. So, you are probably wondering, “What is short selling?” Short selling is where a home owner, with a mortgage greater than the selling price of their home, can avoid taking a huge loss on the sale of the property. After short selling your home, the existing balance of your mortgage (the balance that wasn’t covered from short selling your home) still remains to be paid. However, because of the options that are available to the bank, often the short selling process allows the home owner to ask the bank for forgiveness with the remaining balance. Having avoided foreclosure, the bank will either have you pay the remaining mortgage balance or forgive the remaining balance all together.

It is also important to consider the effects that short selling can have on your credit score. Often times, depending on each individual circumstance, the short selling of your property can have little or no effect on your credit score. With the alternative to short selling, foreclosure, you will have a very dramatic affect on your credit. This will take much longer to repair and it should be avoided with short selling if at all possible.

Please bear in mind that each short selling situation is different. If your situation is such that you are owing more on your mortgage loan than the home is worth in today’s pitiful market, you need a way out. That way out could very possibly be short selling the property. Because it does far less damage to your credit in the long run, short selling is a better option.

Short selling creates the best possibly outcome from a bad situation. While you would ideally want to make a profit from the sale of your home, given the choice between taking a loss and virtually breaking even, short selling can help you break even. Short selling is a useful tool for those that need to protect their credit for their future.

Do you have questions? Read the Short sale FAQs.

Are you a Realtor? Then get free short sale training by Kevin and Fred at Free Realtor Training on ShortSalePower.com

Elude Foreclosure and A Lot of Anxiety With Short Sale

It is nearly impossible for you to turn on a television in Queen Creek, AZ, open a newspaper, or pull up the news on the internet without being blasted with news about the credit crisis, the bank crisis, the mortgage crisis or the bank crisis. With all of this attention, it is not uncommon to panic a bit. Maybe you or your neighbor or someone you love needs to avoid foreclosure. The media isn’t going to help you out though. They thrive on those scary stories about the people that couldn’t avoid foreclosure. If you are truly in need of someone that can help you avoid foreclosure, please recognize that there are options out there for you. Sitting down with a real estate professional can give you the peace of mind you need to find out which path is right for you. The ultimate step is regaining control of your life and obviously, you need to avoid foreclosure.

Clearly, one of the true challenges of a home owner in Queen Creek, Arizona that is looking to avoid foreclosure is speaking to your lender or bank. Wanting to avoid foreclosure is not an easy thing to talk about with the bank or business that has loaned you their money. However, it is important for them to know that you are having problems and would like to avoid foreclosure. If you are not comfortable with this daunting task, a real estate professional can help you out with advice on to discuss it and what you may have to do to avoid foreclosure.

One of the key reasons you need to talk to your lender about the fact that you want to avoid foreclosure, is so that they will not go to the courts and start the foreclosure process. Simply making the lender aware can help avoid this.

The rules to avoid foreclosure in the Phoenix Arizona are much the same as other areas. Many people don’t realize that there are alternatives available to help you avoid foreclosure. Even if you are in a deep whole with respect to your home mortgage, it is possible that the short sale process can help you out of that deep hole to relieve you of the stress and financial heaviness of your mortgage.

The short sale is a great way to avoid foreclosure because it creates a win-win situation for all parties involved. The lender gets more from the home than they would if the home was foreclosed on. The buyer gets out from under the mortgage. There are several experts in the process of the short sale in the Phoenix AZ area that can help you avoid foreclosure. Simply being aware that there are options available for you can make your life a much less stressful one.

Do you have questions? Read the Short sale FAQs.

Are you a Realtor? Then get free short sale training by Kevin and Fred at Free Realtor Training on ShortSalePower.com

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Short Sale Tempe Lead Conversion Mindset Monday

Today Kevin Kauffman and Fred Weaver of Group 46:10, Arizona's Premier Short Sale Team talk about the difference between Lead Generation and Lead Conversion and most importantly the mindset needed when dealing with Short Sale Sellers.

Watch on YouTube - Short Sale Tempe Lead Conversion Mindset Monday

 

A Look at Short Sale Homes From Three Perspectives

S hort sale homes are becoming quite popular in Phoenix, Arizona in this day and age. With a troubled economy and an incredibly weak housing market, short sale homes have flooded the real estate market. Let’s examine short sale homes from the perspective of all three parties involved, the home owner, the buyer, and the lender that holds the mortgage note.

First and foremost, what are short sale homes?

Short sale homes are better understood if you know what a short sale is. A short sale is when a home owner sells their house for less than the amount needed to pay off the existing mortgage. Short sale homes usually have an “upside down” mortgage, meaning that the house is worth less than the mortgage. As an example, consider Home Owner A in Phoenix, AZ. Home owner G, bought a $150k home for $150k. He took out a mortgage for $125k. However, because of the poor housing market, the home is not worth only $85k. Home Owner A doesn’t like the fact that his mortgage is upside down and he is paying for on a $125k mortgage for a house that only has a value of $85k, so he decides to short sell his house. This situation has created the niche market full of short sale homes.

001house2Short sale homes let the owners sell the property at its current market value and get away from it avoiding foreclosure. It is not to good to be true, although it may sound that way. Truthfully, it can benefit to all parties involved.

-The owner of the home has the opportunity to sell his home that is not worth as much as his mortgage anymore. With short sale homes, the bank might forgive the remainder of the debt (you’re asking why would they do that? Right?) Also, by selling the home and staying out of foreclosure with short sale homes, the home owners can keep restore good credit in a short time and buy a new house in a few years or sooner.

-For lenders that approve of short sale homes, it is not the best situation, but, it is a better situation than if they had to go to foreclose with all of the homes that have defaulting mortgages. So, lenders, in the majority of cases, approve short sale homes. Sometimes they will forgive the remaining debt on the mortgage to avoid taking the home over and having to foreclosure sale it. Remember that banks are in the money business. They do not want to own real estate EVER. Every home foreclose costs them thousands of dollars in legal fees and processing. Also important to consider, the foreclosed home will get a smaller offer price at a foreclosure auction than it would when they allow short sale homes.

-For the buyer, short sale homes are a great opportunity to get a property that is in relatively good condition for a steal of a price. Keep in mind that the home owner has not abandoned the home in poor condition as they may in foreclosure.

Short sale homes give all parties, the buyer, the seller, and the lender the best outcome from a bad situation.

 

For more information check out http://short-sale-arizona.info/short-sale-arizona-help/