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        <title>The Logan Real Estate Water Cooler</title>
        <link>http://lisaudy.com/blog/</link>
        <description>Logan Utah Real Estate Statistics And News For Home Buyers &amp; Sellers. The Logan Real Estate Water Cooler: Learn About Cache Counties Real Estate Market!</description>
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            <guid>http://lisaudy.com/blog/down-payments-mortgage-insurance-taxes-oh-my.html</guid>
            <link>http://lisaudy.com/blog/down-payments-mortgage-insurance-taxes-oh-my.html</link>
            <author>Lisa@LisaUdy.com (Lisa Udy)</author>
            <title>Down Payments, Mortgage Insurance, Taxes, Oh My!</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
The American dream is never complete until one owns one’s
own home.  Home ownership is nothing if
not liberating. There’s something to be said about waking up every morning,
knowing that the hard work that you do each day is paying off – that you are
actually paying on something that will eventually be 100% yours.  


If you have not yet made the decision to
cross over from renter (or perhaps even squatter in your mom’s basement) to
home owner, then you may be wondering if you can swing a monthly mortgage payment. 


Unforseen Expenses For Homeowners


The truth is that planning and careful budgeting is
necessary for most folks to become successful home owners.  The first budgetary consideration you will
need to make is whether or not you can afford to own your own home.  After all, home ownership is more than just
making a mortgage payment each month.  


A first time home buyer is often taken off guard when it
comes to owning their very first home. 
They aren’t really aware that there are so many other expenses to
consider that will quickly turn that seemingly affordable payment into one that
might have you scrimping and worrying each month.  


First of all, unless you are paying twenty percent down on
your home, you will likely be required to pay for mortgage insurance.  This insurance covers the bank if you should
default on your mortgage.  As you keep
paying on your home, however, the PMI will drop off in relation to the equity
that you are building.  PMI is just
another reason that saving for a down payment makes a lot of sense.  


Homeowner’s association fees or HOA fees tend to really take
a bite out of many homeowners’ budgets. 
It is not unheard of for HOA fees to run into the hundreds of dollars
each month, depending on the community in which you live. These fees are used
by the community to maintain the common areas that everyone enjoys.  


There are several schools of thought when it
comes to buying in an area that is part of a home owner’s association.  Many people dislike living in an HOA
controlled environment, since many HOAs control everything from the freedom to paint
their homes to whether or not their children can have a playhouse in the
backyard.  


At any rate, escaping those HOA fees can be as simple as NOT
buying a home that is in a HOA controlled community.  Easy fix. 



Homeowner’s insurance and property taxes should also be
added to the list of expenses for new homeowners or for any homeowner for that
matter.  Many times, the cost of your
home insurance and property tax will be included in your monthly mortgage
payment, and held in escrow by an escrow agent that is contracted by your
lender.  


This is a fairly good way to
budget for those expenses, and it protects the bank’s interests at the same
time. Still, buyers need to be aware that these are expenses that they will
need to meet alongside their mortgage payment. 



In the rush to get in the market, some buyers also don’t
think about the closing costs that they will need to pay.  Many lenders include the closing cost right
in with the loan, but some don’t.  If you
have to pay for inspections, loan origination fees, appraiser’s fees, and so
on, you can plan on forking over a chunk of change for those expenses,
too.  


For those who can swing it, owning a home is more affordable
now than ever before. Interest rates have never been better, and inventory is
high – prices are low, at least for the most part.  After all, when you rent, you are building
someone else’s equity and therefore, someone else’s wealth.   
 ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 06 Dec 2012 11:16:08 -0600</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://lisaudy.com/blog/you-can-buy-bank-owned-properties-heres-how.html</guid>
            <link>http://lisaudy.com/blog/you-can-buy-bank-owned-properties-heres-how.html</link>
            <author>Lisa@LisaUdy.com (Lisa Udy)</author>
            <title>You CAN Buy Bank-Owned Properties – Here’s How!</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
Many would-be homebuyers are confused when it comes to
buying bank-owned properties and most of them give up – and pass up bargains –
before they actually give the process a chance. 


But the process for buying
these so-called REOs is not that complicated, although these are waters best
treaded with the help of a licensed real estate agent by your side.  


If you are looking for REOs to browse while home shopping,
then contacting an agent who works in the same area that you want to live in
should be your first step.  An agent with
local ties is one that will know about the REOs and other distressed properties
that might interest you.


One reason that dealing with an agent is the way to go is
that your agent will have up-to-date information about bank owned properties,
so that you can act on it right away. 
Your agent can also initiate contact with the lender or bank that owns
the property to express your interest. 
However, before you spend the time and effort (and the effort of your
agent) on contacting the bank, you should be sure that you are fully ready to
buy.  


Most foreclosed properties that are ready for a buyer are
listed on the MLS (multiple listing service). 
If the property that interests you is listed, then you can invariably
contact the listing agent.  If the
property isn’t listed with a listing agent, then your agent can contact the
bank that holds the property directly.  


What the bank is looking for at this point is likely getting
the property off its books.  Once your
agent gets into contact with the REO officer or asset manager who is handling
the foreclosure, you can arrange to look at the home to be sure it is a
property that you want to buy. At this point, if you want to proceed, and the
bank agrees, you can start to negotiate the terms of the purchase.  This is a step where you will definitely want
a real estate agent working for you.  


Keep in mind that in some states, you may have to wait for a
period of time to pass that is known as the “redemption” period.  It can be months or weeks, dependent upon
which state you are in.  This period of
time allows the owner to get the property back if they pay the expenses that
the bank has been out to foreclose on the property – and their payments that
are in arrearage – paid up.  


When this period is over, the bank will be focused on
breaking even.  The bank’s goal is to get
as much of the money that they have been out on the property –back in their
coffers. This means unpaid payments on the mortgage, expenses that it was out
to foreclose, repairs, liens and so forth. 



Your focus, of course, is to get the property for the least
amount possible, minus the cost of making any repairs that the property
needs.  If you contact the bank right
away and are prepared and ready with the money to buy – or you are qualified to
purchase credit-wise, then the bank is often more than willing to work with
you.  


Keep in mind that a foreclosure is a non-performing asset to
the bank that is holding it.  They want
you to buy it!  
 ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Wed, 28 Nov 2012 12:40:22 -0600</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://lisaudy.com/blog/deciphering-what-your-lender-says.html</guid>
            <link>http://lisaudy.com/blog/deciphering-what-your-lender-says.html</link>
            <author>Lisa@LisaUdy.com (Lisa Udy)</author>
            <title>Deciphering What Your Lender Says</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
Does your mortgage lender sound like he’s speaking a foreign
language? Getting a mortgage can be difficult, especially since there is a lot
of paperwork involved.  


You will have
lots of documents to read and then sign, and if you are like the average
homebuyer, you will run into a lot of different terms that you may not have
heard before. 


 Instead of just nodding
your head and signing on the dotted line, it is important that you gain a
better understanding of what your lender is saying (and what you are signing),
or you may end up making costly mistakes on the biggest purchase of your
life.  


Don’t get your pen out just yet!  You need to learn some of the basic mortgage
language and gain some general knowledge about terms like jumbo loans and fixed
rate mortgages before you make anything official.  


Some common terms to know when you are buying a home
include:




Loan origination fees.  Loan application processing fees are
sometimes also referred to as points and are equal to one percent of your loan
amount.  It is important to note that
these points are not the same as mortgage points, described below. 


Mortgage points. 
Mortgage points are advance interest or fees that are paid in before the
loan closes.  By taking points, the borrower
enjoys lower interest rates for a particular part of the loan, or sometimes
even for the life of the entire loan. 
Mortgage points are also referred to as discount points, and are based
on one percent of the loan amount.  On a
$300K mortgage, one point costs $3K.


Jumbo loan. 
A jumbo loan is called so because it is bigger than current limits that
are backed by Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. 
Jumbo loans are risky loans in your lenders eyes, and they typically
have a higher rate of interest than other loans.  


Interest-only mortgage. This type of mortgage
allows the buyer to pay only the interest on the mortgage during the initial loan
period.  After that time, which is
usually a year or less, payment is also made toward the principal, and thus,
makes the minimum payment amount go up.  


Lock-in period. 
The period of time during which a buyer cannot pay off their home loan
sooner than stated without incurring penalties. 
This ensures the lender that they will make a certain amount on the
loan.  This term can also refer to locked
in rates, where the bank agrees to write the loan at a particular rate of
interest for a specific time period ranging from thirty days to ninety
days.  


Mortgage insurance.  Mortgage insurance protects the bank in the
event that the borrower should default on the mortgage loan.  This insurance is usually obtained through
the FHA, although it can also be obtained through a private insurance
issuer.  For homeowners who borrow more
than 80% of the market value on their homes, mortgage insurance is usually a
requirement.  If you need to purchase
private mortgage insurance, which is also known as PMI, you can cancel it once
you have paid the loan down to where you have twenty percent equity in the home.  




These are just some of the terms that you may hear your
lender or real estate agent throwing around at you.  Now that you are armed with the information
above, you can decipher the jargon and understand what your lender is really
saying. 

This guest blog was supplied by Vickie Nagy a Real Estate San Ramon CA agent. If you're interested in buying a luxury estate in California, you can see some fantastic homes in Danville, CA on Vickie's site. You may also enjoy viewing real estate in Dublin, CA for more options. ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Tue, 10 Jan 2012 15:05:57 -0600</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://lisaudy.com/blog/the-devils-in-the-definitions-when-it-comes-to-real-estate-law.html</guid>
            <link>http://lisaudy.com/blog/the-devils-in-the-definitions-when-it-comes-to-real-estate-law.html</link>
            <author>Lisa@LisaUdy.com (Lisa Udy)</author>
            <title>The Devil’s in the Definitions When It Comes To Real Estate Law</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
The
devil’s in the details, or so they say, and when it comes to zoning and land
use regulations, the place to watch out for the devil is in the Definitions.


Each
town or county sets its own land use definitions, so that’s where you’d go to
find out what you’re up against. 


Let’s
say, for instance, you want to divide your house up so your mother-in-law can
move into her own space. Does that classify as just creating an “in-law
apartment”, or are you turning your “single-family house” into a “multi-family
dwelling”? 


Or
if you want to set up an antique shop in your garage, is that a “retail use” or
just a “home occupation” or an “accessory use”? 


Definitions
of terms like “residential” and “single-family home” are pretty standard
throughout the land, but if you’re thinking of deviating even slightly from a
purely single-family residential use, you need to check your local zoning
standards before you delve too deeply into the project.


And
if you’re in the process of buying a house that you intend to convert to a
mixed use, make sure your purchase and sale agreement includes language that
gives you time to complete your research. This can be addressed as a contract
contingency, in much the same way as a building inspection or water test. 


The
starting point for your research is the local zoning ordinance or land use
code, paying particular attention to the “Definitions” section. 


And
if the definitions are not decisively clear, make an appointment with the local
code enforcement officer, whose job it is to resolve ambiguities and issue
rulings on grey areas in the definitions. 


How
the code enforcement officer categorizes your plans for an antique shop or an
in-law apartment could become a total deal-killer in one town, and not be a
problem in another. 


If
the creation of your mother-in-law’s space is ruled to be a conversion to a
multi-family dwelling, for instance, then that could be prohibited altogether
in that neighborhood, or it might require special conditions that you don’t
have the money or space to provide, like additional parking spaces, a fire
escape, or a sprinkler system. 


But
if the town allows the apartment as an “in-law apartment”, the conversion might
require nothing more than picking up a permit and paying a $50 fee. 


Likewise
with the antique shop. One town might classify it as “retail” and require
off-street parking and rigorous construction and fire safety standards. While
the next town might classify it as a “home occupation”, requiring only minimal
red tape.


As
with all due diligence, it’s best to get your questions answered before you
make the final commitment to buy the place, don’t you think? 


Article provided by Mitch Ribak a Melbourne Florida real estate agent. You can learn more about Mitch by visitin his Merritt Island real estate website.
 ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Tue, 27 Dec 2011 05:28:11 -0600</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://lisaudy.com/blog/less-can-be-more-in-a-fixer-upper.html</guid>
            <link>http://lisaudy.com/blog/less-can-be-more-in-a-fixer-upper.html</link>
            <author>Lisa@LisaUdy.com (Lisa Udy)</author>
            <title>Less Can Be More in a Fixer-Upper</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
When
it comes to fixing up a fixer-upper, remember the maxim “less is more.” 


All
too often I see a perfectly good old house being renovated to death by
over-zealous owners who were brainwashed into the mindset that brand new
sheetrock is better than hand-mixed horsehair plaster and that wall-to-wall
carpet is better than tongue-and-groove maple flooring. 


As a rule of thumb, the quality of materials and
workmanship in years past was far superior to what you’ll pay an arm and a leg
for today, so why not use that as the starting point, rather than tearing it
all out and starting from scratch? 


So
if you’re thinking of buying a fixer-upper, try to surround yourself with
people who understand the “less is more” concept. 


You
don’t want a buyer’s agent, for instance, who specializes in new construction.
They’ll look at the fixer-upper and just tell you to “gut it”, which isn’t
always right. 


“This needs a lot of work!” 


You
don’t want to seek advice from friends or relatives whose knee-jerk advice is
going to be “Ooh, this needs a lot of work!” Fixer-uppers are daunting enough
without adding a chorus of discouragement from this crowd. 


And
you certainly don’t want a building inspector who doesn’t grasp that a 12-inch
beam with an inch of rot still has 11 inches of good wood left. Especially in
situations where new construction would only call for a 10-inch beam, which,
after you allow for planning, is only 9-1/4” anyway.   


Divide and Conquer 


When you evaluate your dream home fixer-upper, you can
streamline your process of elimination by dividing things into these three
compartments: 


Health and safety concerns:



If the wiring is all knob-and-tube and the plumbing is all lead pipe, these are
areas where “less is more” does not apply. These kinds of things will need to
be fixed, so you have to either ask the seller to fix them or bring in the
appropriate professionals to tell you what it will cost. 


These issues may also
affect your ability to obtain a mortgage and/or homeowners’ insurance, so take
them seriously and realize that they could be deal-killers.


Structural: 


Signs of
structural problems are often readily visible, even to the untrained eye – a
sagging roofline, cracks in the foundation wall, uneven floors, and those
rotten beams we already talked about. More important than identifying
structural issues is determining how to resolve them. On the team of
professionals in my electronic Rolodex are a couple of guys who specialize in
jacking and sill replacement and the like. 


Where your typical contractor will
give you a $25,000 estimate to jack up the whole house and pour an entirely new
foundation, these guys will be quoting you $3,000 or $4,000 to dig a hole in
the ground, tear out the broken section of the foundation wall, and then
rebuild that section from the bottom up. Why replace the whole foundation, if
only an 8-foot section is suspect? Less is more, remember?


Cosmetic: 


This is where you
can make out like a bandit. Do you need to strip every room back to the studs,
or does the unevenness of the plaster walls already give the house more
character? Do you need to get the floors sanded and re-varnished to look all
new and shiny, or is that pattern of wear just a “patina” that makes the house
look more lived in and inviting?  


If
you’re buying an old house, it’s probably because you’re attracted to the
character of it, so don’t destroy that character by trying to create a new
house inside an old shell.  And
when the time comes to re-sell, make sure you pick a realtor who understands
what a gem you have. If a realtor comes to a listing appointment and says “Ooh,
this needs a lot of work,” end of interview, find someone else.


Article provided by Jolenta Averill: You can learn more about Jolenta by visiting her Madison real estate website where you can see all Madison Homes. You can learn more about the area by reading her Madison real estate blog.
 ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Fri, 23 Dec 2011 14:46:36 -0600</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://lisaudy.com/blog/buying-distressed-property-what-you-need-to-know.html</guid>
            <link>http://lisaudy.com/blog/buying-distressed-property-what-you-need-to-know.html</link>
            <author>Lisa@LisaUdy.com (Lisa Udy)</author>
            <title>Buying Distressed Property: What You Need To Know</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
Distressed properties (short sales, foreclosures, REOs) are abundant these
days.  They are “distressed” because many
times, the home sits empty with no attention to its maintenance.  For investors, the homes become a good
opportunity to invest in real estate at a lower cost than the neighborhood
might dictate.  


For home buyers,
foreclosures and short sales represent the chance to “move up” in their amount
of home at a great price.  


I showed a foreclosure property last week.  It was a true showplace or
at least it had been before the owners let it go.  I had the forethought to walk through the
home before my clients arrived.  As I
walked through, there were scratches on the hardwood floors and walls, wires
everywhere, broken doors and other issues. 
The problems were mostly cosmetic and could be fixed at a relatively
inexpensive cost.  


This grand home had
every amenity a true luxury home would have. 
High end appliances, a wine cellar, gorgeous hardwood floors throughout
the home, custom walk-in closets, a large outdoor living area, and large patios
across the back of the home with the most beautiful views were just some of
what I found.  Beyond all of that,
though, I saw the opportunity to easily bring this once gorgeous home back to
life.    


There are essential elements to consider when buying a distressed
property.  These tips can help
prospective buyers make sound decisions on their investments.  


Knowledge of the market: Potential
buyers must have knowledge of the real estate market. Homework and research a
neighborhood and market are essential to ensure that both are in a position to
appreciate.  Find out where the home was
priced when it sold in perfect condition. 
Compare it to similar properties in the neighborhood or on the
street.  Look at other homes in the
neighborhood that have recently sold to see where their price fell.  This gives a comparison to make sure this is a good investment.


Location of the property:  The area in which the home is located is an
important factor in the decision making process.  With the amount of foreclosures and homes
with severe negative equity, many larger homes in sought after neighborhoods
are in foreclosure or listed on the market as a short sale.  These homes give prospective buyers the
opportunity to walk into a home with equity (provided the home has only
cosmetic issues). 


Total Cost: The price of the distressed
property plus the costs of repairs is probably the most important element to
consider.  Most distressed properties are
sold in “as is” condition.  It is imperative
to make sure that the total cost of the home and the repairs is less than the
total value of the home once it is in mint condition.  Underlying problems get very costly and can
affect the potential profit before the deal is done. 






If you follow these guidelines when making a decision to buy a distressed
property, you will probably have a good bargain on your hands that will yield a
profit or appreciate in value.  Distressed
property sales take time and patience but there can be a huge reward with distressed
property sales if you do your homework.


Article provided by Allison Klein: You can learn more about Allison by visiting her website where you can search Fort Collins homes for sale in some of the many Fort Collins neighborhoods including English Ranch homes for sale and Fossil Lake ranch homes in Fort Collins. 
 ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Tue, 13 Dec 2011 16:18:52 -0600</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://lisaudy.com/blog/the-3-biggest-mistakes-in-property-investing.html</guid>
            <link>http://lisaudy.com/blog/the-3-biggest-mistakes-in-property-investing.html</link>
            <author>Lisa@LisaUdy.com (Lisa Udy)</author>
            <title>The 3 Biggest Mistakes In Property Investing</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
These errors cause investors thousands of dollars and countless
hours of stress.


Error 1 is Price Shopping. 



Going with the cheapest solution to get and manage your property will
get you the cheapest result.  Value is
getting the most bang for your buck from your investment dollar.  Many investors start out planning to get a
large cash flow by acquiring the least expensive home the can find and by doing
the management themselves, part time. 



After about six months of trying to invent an accounting system using a generic
spreadsheet software, learning boiler zone valve repair at night after their
regular job, and discovering they are in sales and marketing, they start
shopping for someone to fill their vacancies and for goodness sake get that
problem tenant out before cash flow becomes a serious problem.  


Two or three frantic calls to companies found
on a quick internet search and they pick the cheapest.  It took five minutes to find a property
manager.  


Problem solved?  They’ve got a 30 year mortgage on a vacant
rental property and they just hired the property manager with the worst
occupancy rate and highest maintenance bills in the market.  A rental property is a business, not a
hobby.  Hope is not a business
strategy.  


Make sure you have a realistic
plan for selecting a property that meets your specific situation.  The cheapest fixer’ upper’ may be a great
choice for a general contractor with some spare time and spare cash.   


The more expensive duplex with established
tenants may fit better for someone with limited cash reserves.  Make sure you have a plan for marketing,
managing, and maintaining your business. 
If you’re an accountant you can save money doing your own books.  If you are handy with tools you can save on
repairs.  If you don’t work a lot of
overtime at your regular job you can handle routine administrative tasks. 


 Few people have the time and skills to do it
all.  Even fewer want to be on call 24/7.  Call and talk with an experienced property
manager for a commitment free personal assessment of the market as it relates
to your specific situation.


Error 2 is waiting. 
Waiting for lower interest rates. 
Waiting for prices to come down. 
Waiting for a larger down payment. 
Rental property is a long term investment.  Experienced investors value a rental property
based on how much rent it brings in compared to the cost of the mortgage,
maintenance, and management.  


The sale
price of the property is secondary.  If
you can make money on the property today, then why wait until tomorrow?  The next phase of waiting is waiting to run
your investment like a business.  Do not
simply throw money at a vacant rental’s mortgage month after month.  


Do not wait until the major repair to start
tracking (and budgeting) expenses.  Don’t
wait until you are behind on payments to ask for help.  Call us today.  We are happy to share and discuss our 6
pillars of tenant management with you.  (screening,
deposits, expectations, pay or vacate, late fee, collections).


Error 3 is not interviewing a property manager.  Property management is like weight loss in
that the concept is simple, but the practice requires dedication and
discipline.  If you want to lose weight
you just have to eat less and exercise more. 
Easy to say, sometimes more difficult to do than we like to admit.  


A good property manager is happy to share
“the secrets” of the business.  Even if
we never have you as a client, we benefit from an improved market.  If you are just starting to consider
purchasing an investment property, or managed several for years, invest in some
professional development. 


Article Provided By Aaron Seekford, an Arlington VA real estate agent. For more information about Aaron, you can visit his Arlington VA homes blog and while your there, you may want to check out the up and coming neighborhood of Ballston VA for a great place to find your own investment property.


 
 ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Sun, 04 Dec 2011 14:16:42 -0600</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://lisaudy.com/blog/how-to-write-the-short-sale-hardship-letter.html</guid>
            <link>http://lisaudy.com/blog/how-to-write-the-short-sale-hardship-letter.html</link>
            <author>Lisa@LisaUdy.com (Lisa Udy)</author>
            <title>How to Write the Short Sale Hardship Letter</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
First, if you’re currently
involved in a short sale, and your listing agent isn’t assisting you in writing
your short sale hardship letter, you need a new agent. This letter is critical
to persuading the lender to allow a short sale of your home. A seasoned short
sale professional understands this and offers advice on how to put together the
short sale hardship letter. 


If you thought you were down
in the dumps over the fact that your house is worth less than what you owe on
it, wait until you write your short sale hardship letter to the lender. Once
it’s finished, though, and on the desk of the loss mitigator at the bank, you
can breathe a sigh of relief, realizing you are one step closer to moving on
with your life.


A short sale hardship letter
is, simply, an explanation of why you need to sell the house (the
hardship).  There is a simple formula
that works with all the lenders.  It is 3
paragraphs long, starting with where you were financially and emotionally when
you purchased the home, what you have tried to do to keep your home, and where
you are now. 


Keep in mind while writing
the letter that the bank is only interested in numbers. Although your hardship
may be sad or compelling, the bottom line for the lender is dollars and sense,
not sympathy. So, while the letter shouldn’t be maudlin, it should express, in
very convincing terms, the hardship that brought you to this point. 


Now, what you consider a
hardship, the bank may not, so determine beforehand if what you are going
through is a legitimate reason for your lender to approve a short sale to avoid
having to take the house back in foreclosure. 


A few of the hardships
typically accepted include: 




A death or chronic illness of the
mortgagor or an immediate family member. 


Income
cutback, loss or job relocation


Incarceration
of the principle mortgager


Divorce


Military
transfer


Loss due to
natural disaster 




When you compose the letter, 


First, explain where you were
financially and the plans you had for the property when you purchased it. “We
had hoped to keep this home to retire in.“ “We had finally purchased our
vacation home that we had planned on our entire lives.“  


Secondly, explain how the
hardship has affected your ability to pay your mortgage, not how the hardship
came about. For instance, it is sufficient to state: “I was laid off from my
job on (date).” There is no need to explain the problems your employer was
having that led up to her need to lay you off. If you were fired, say that and
avoid explaining why you were fired. 


Lastly, describe how the
hardship has impacted your finances, and why a Short Sale is the ONLY option
left for you.   “My income has fallen x
dollars a month to z dollars a month.” Or “During the course of diagnoses and
treatment I have incurred x dollars in medical bills.” “Before my husband’s
death our mortgage payment was 36 percent of our household income. At this
point, the mortgage payment is 76 percent of my household’s income.” 


Proofread your letter to make
sure that it isn’t redundant and that it is compelling and persuasive. Ask your
real estate agent to read it as well and ask for suggestions on how to improve
it.  This is another reason to choose an
experienced Short Sale List Agent. 


Write your loan number at the
top right hand corner of your Hardship Letter and give it to your List
Agent.  Your Agent will include your
Letter in her Short Sale Pkg. for submission to the Lender upon execution of a
solid offer.


About The Author: Kimberley Kelly is a Palm Desert real estate agent servicing home buyers and sellers in the Palm Springs real estate market. For more information you can check out her website at http://kimberleyjoykelly.com/.
 ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Tue, 18 Oct 2011 17:29:33 -0500</pubDate>
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        <item>
            <guid>http://lisaudy.com/blog/5-upgrades-that-will-help-you-get-your-home-sold.html</guid>
            <link>http://lisaudy.com/blog/5-upgrades-that-will-help-you-get-your-home-sold.html</link>
            <author>Lisa@LisaUdy.com (Lisa Udy)</author>
            <title>5 Upgrades that Will Help You Get Your Home Sold</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 

As a Calgary Realtor® I know that when placing your home on the market, you clearly want to get as much for it as possible. 


One way you can make this happen is to make some simple upgrades. Fortunately, you don’t have to spend a great deal of money to make this happen. In fact, here is a look at 5 simple upgrades you can make to help get your home sold.




Upgrade #1: Create More Storage Space
When looking for a home, most buyers are interested in one with plenty of storage space that is also easy to access. 


By finishing an attack or basement or by installing some flooring to make a closet or other storage space more attractive, you are likely to attract more buyers.




Upgrade #2: Paint Walls and Add Moulding
You might be surprised by just how much a fresh paint job can liven up and transform the look of a room. In fact, painting your walls is the simplest and least expensive way to add value to your home. 


When painting your walls, be sure to select a neutral color that will be attractive to a wide range of buyers. Also, keep in mind that lighter colors help make interior space look larger, so steer clear of dark colors. You can further improve the look of the space by adding a base or crown mouldings.




Upgrade #4: Upgrade the Bathroom
After the kitchen, the bathroom is the second most valuable room in the house. 


You can upgrade your bathroom by simply replacing the toilet and shower head as well as installing shelves for more storage or a surface-mounted medicine cabinet. Be sure to also clean the grout and to replace any tiles that may have been cracked or otherwise damaged.


Upgrade #3: Upgrade Your Kitchen
Since the kitchen is the single most valuable room in most houses, you can help get your home sold by making a few simple upgrades to this room. You don’t have to gut your kitchen, however, to make it more attractive to potential buyers. 


Rather, simply refacing your cabinets or replacing your hardware can go a long way toward impressing buyers. Depending upon the neighbourhood where your home is located, you may also need to upgrade your countertops to granite.




Upgrade #5: Improve Upon the Landscaping
Well-maintained and laid out landscaping will significantly improve the curb appeal of your home, which will help attract a greater number of potential buyers. 


Simple things such as removing weeds, keeping the lawn mowed and cutting back overgrown trees and shrubs will go a long way toward improving the appearance of your home. To give your landscape an extra boost, consider planting some bushes and placing some flower pots along near your entryway.



About the author: Crystal Tost is an award winning Realtor® that specializes in Calgary Real Estate where she has been selling real estate for over 15 years.
 ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Tue, 11 Oct 2011 18:42:16 -0500</pubDate>
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        <item>
            <guid>http://lisaudy.com/blog/weber-county-real-estate-market-conditions-report-june-2011.html</guid>
            <link>http://lisaudy.com/blog/weber-county-real-estate-market-conditions-report-june-2011.html</link>
            <author>Lisa@LisaUdy.com (Lisa Udy)</author>
            <title>Weber County Real Estate Market Conditions Report - June 2011</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
Weber County had a nice month in June 2011 with a total of 241 homes sold, up from May's 214 mark; an increase of 11.3%. This is to be expected as we hit the summer selling season. However, we are still slightly down year over year as there were a total of 250 homes sold in June 2010, a decline in home sales by 3.6% year over year. This is to be expected as the economy continues to struggle. 





Average days on market for Weber County home sales was 146 days, which is down by 5.9% compared to May's 155 day average. Compared to most Northern, Utah real estate markets, this is a great sign as most are increasing in this department. However, in 2010, homes took on average 133 days to sell, which is an 8.1% increase year over year. 





After a slumpt, average sold price finally showed some good signs in 2011. The average price of homes sold in June was $162,155, which is an increase of 5.6% compared to last month. Compared to last years $186,526 for average price of homes sold in Weber County, it's still a year over year decline of 13.1%. Although home prices have declined so dramatically over the last year in Weber County, June showed some nice signs of improvement, and hopefully July will continue that trend. 





The average price per square foot for homes sold in Weber County for June 2011 as $71, an uptick over May's $69 by 2.9%. Compared to last year at the same time, Weber County experienced a year over year decline by 11.3% as the average price per square foot was $80.  





Weber County real estate is showing signs of improvement here in the summer selling months compared to May, but the market is still down year over year in almost every category of importance. Home sales are up this month from last month, average prices per sold home and square footage are up, but again we down in all categories from last year. The good news is that home are selling, the bad news is they are taking longer to sell, and they are selling for less money than they peaks of the market. If you have any questions about Weber County real estate statistics, please feel free to contact us. 
 ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Fri, 29 Jul 2011 12:15:05 -0500</pubDate>
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