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Posts Tagged ‘short sales’

East Orlando Real Estate, Keller Williams Realty is Here to Serve You!

August 13th, 2008 No comments

2for1.jpgAnyone looking to buy a home in Orlando, East Orlando or any of the surrounding communities such as Windermere, Winter Garden, Ocoee, Winter Park, Kissimmee, Saint CLoud, or Lake Nona please give me a call because I have some terrific deals. I found this photos recently and I Love it. So, the answer is NO it’s not real and don’t ask where you can find it. 

However, I’m seeing short sales and foreclosures right now that are 1/2 price compared to only 3 years ago.  I’m hearing people saying that we are not at the bottom and they’re going to wait. Well, very simply if you wait for another $10,000 – $20,000 break in price your thinking is wrong. Let me tell you why.

  Interest rates is the answer.  Interest rates will rise and trying to save $10-$20 thousand will be nothing compared to a 1/2 point to a point higher in interest rates. Do the math. When you’re done doing the math, give me a call and I’ll find you that perfect home at a huge price reduction at the lowest interest rate. Don’t wait for the media to say it’s turning around, because by then it’ll be too late and you’ve missed the bottom. So CALL TODAY! 407-580-7011

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What is a BPO? As it relates to a short sale in Orlando

August 7th, 2008 No comments

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BPO stands for Broker’s Price Opinion.  The term Broker’s Price Opinion (BPO) is a method that a Real Estate Broker (or an agent acting on behalf of their employing broker) uses to estimate the value of a Real Estate property/house.  The estimate of value is submitted in a BPO report (2-3 pages) that includes local Orlando Real Estate market information, neighborhood analysis, and (comps) properties that compare to the (subject) house that is being valued.  This method of estimating a value has similarities to a Certified Market Analysis CMA and a residential Real Estate appraisal.

Performing a BPO, in the BPO industry, means that a Real Estate Professional (agent, broker, or appraiser) is requested by a financial institution to submit an estimate of value for a property in a BPO report for a fee. A financial institution may order a BPO for the following situations:

  • home equity lines of credit
  • home equity loans
  • requests to remove PMI – Private Mortgage Insurance
  • REO/Foreclosures/Short Sale
  • Any other reason that a bank/lender needs to make a financial decision on a property

BPO Process

  1. A bank receives an application for a Home Equity Loan, Home Equity Line of Credit, request to remove PMI etc…  The loan officer must determine the value of the home.
  2. The bank contacts a BPO Company for a BPO (they may order multiple BPOs for comparison) on the property in question.  A due date is established for the BPO (usually within a week).
  3. The BPO Company maintains a list of Real Estate Professionals that perform BPOs.  The BPO Company contacts a Real Estate Professional on their list to perform the BPO.  The Real Estate Professional’s due date is a few days before the final BPO is due.
  4. The Real Estate Professional contacts the homeowner to schedule an inspection of the home or property (if an interior inspection is required).
  5. The Real Estate Professional physically inspects the home/property.
  6. The Real Estate Professional gathers Real Estate market information and compiles the information to determine a valuation.
  7. The Real Estate Professional submits the finished BPO to the BPO Company.
  8. The BPO Company conducts a quality review of the BPO.
  9. The BPO Company submits the final BPO to the Bank/Lender.
  10. The BPO Company pays the Real Estate Professional.
  11. The Bank/Lender pays the BPO Company.
  12. The Bank/Lender makes a financial decision based on the opinion of value contained in the BPO.
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Buying a Short Sale in Orlando – What you should know

July 22nd, 2008 No comments

I currently have 10 properties Listed for sale and 6 of them are short sales. I am finding that nearly 25% of the market right now in the Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden Florida area is either a short sale property, a foreclosure property or Bank owned property. Buyers in Orlando can find a good home and purchase it at a discount, IF they work with a Realtor that know how to deal with short sales, Like Myself. Feel free to contact me at any time with questions about short sales and how to purchase a short sale at jerry@JerryLaRose.com or visit my Website at http://JerrySellsOrlando.com

Everyone involved in a short sale transaction needs to know what to expect. Orlando buyers of short sale properties need to understand what they are getting into. Some buyer’s believe that they are going to be able to “steal” a property and make a killing by reselling it. The days of Flipping homes is long gone. They have heard the stories that investors tell and think it’s a piece of cake to buy a property at 50% of the value.

While that may be the case on rare occasions, it is not the norm and should NOT be expected. Remember, the lender wants to sell the property as close to market value as possible. In fact, most lenders have pretty rigid guidelines as to how far below market value they will sell for. I have heard that some banks no matter what will not go below 15%-20% of market value. Beyond that point, they will take the house back in foreclosure. So let’s do the math, a $200,000 valued property may go for $160,000 – $170,000. Now, this same property was probably valued at over $300,000 just 3 years ago.

So, the bottom line is that if you have patience and are looking for a home in Orange county or the Orlando area you may end up saving 15%-20% of market value on a home. However, I am also finding that there are now plenty of homes that are Not Short Sales but the Homeowner needs to get out for some reason, (such as relocating) and has priced their home as low as a short sale. This is probably the ideal situation because typically the home is in great shape.

What buyers need to know?

  1. Patience, Patience, Patience. It may take 3-4 months to complete the transaction once you’ve written a contract on the property.
  2. Buyers must be be pre-approved before submitting an offer. The borrower’s lender is going to require proof of funds if it’s a cash deal or a commitment letter if there is financing involved. A buyer offering to close quickly with a substantial down payment is more attractive than one seeking 90% financing.
  3. Buyers may not want to spend money on a home inspection or appraisal until after the short sale is approved, otherwise you’re wasting your money. Why spend hundreds on a inspection and have the bank not approve the deal.
  4. Buyers should expect to buy the home in it’s “AS-IS” condition. The seller doesn’t have any money to make repairs and the lender is going to require an as-is offer. Therefore, your realtor should be using an “AS-IS” contract.
  5. I recommend to all of my short sale buyers that we do NOT put up a deposit in escrow until acceptance of the offer by the bank. We’ll give a promissory note in lieu of.
  6. I recommend the buyer work with a short sale expert, like myself. Working with Realtors that don’t know the short sale process and the pitfalls to look out for could kill a potential deal.

Feel free to contact me at any time with questions about short sales and how to purchase a short sale at jerry@JerryLaRose.com or visit my Website at http://JerrySellsOrlando.com

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Orlando Short Sale FAQ’s

June 12th, 2008 No comments

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What is a Short Sale?

A short sale is when the lender will accept less than the full amount due on a mortgage when a property is sold. Usually, the lender will accept the short sale to avoid the time and expense of a foreclosure. Financially the lender is actually ahead after a short sale.

What is a Foreclosure?

In simple terms: The homeowner has not been making the mortgage payments, and it is the action the financial institution can use to take the house back. The homeowner borrowed money using the house as collateral with the agreement that if they could not pay it back, then the lender could take the house.

What is involved to do a Short Sale?

In order to start negotiating the Short Sale the lender will usually require the homeowner to submit verification that they are qualified in order to consider the short sale. The information required and documentation necessary is provided as well as training on the entire process.

Will the bank come after the homeowner for the difference?

I will always negotiate with lenders to “Not seek a deficiency judgment” against the homeowner.

Is the seller going to get hit with a tax bill or a 1099 if you do a short sale?

Upon successfully closing a short sale, lenders will always report a loss to the IRS and issue a 1099. However, the Mortgage Forgiveness Act of 2007 was signed into law on 12-20-07 and is now official, effectively getting rid of the question “will I be taxed on the Short Sale”. Prior to this action, forgiven mortgage debt due to foreclosure, short sale, or deed in lieu of foreclosure, was potentially taxable income to the borrower.

This was the subject of much media attention and led to many questions and concerns from Sellers wondering whether or not they were going to get “hit with taxes” on the Short Sale.
The new law, however, temporarily waives these taxes for debts forgiven (as high as 35%) from the beginning of 2007 to the end of 2009.
This will effectively put an end to the question from Sellers… will I be taxed on the Short Sale discount. The definitive answer (at least until the end of 2009) is NO!

For a copy of the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act of 2007, go to:
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h110-3648 or http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/12/20071220-6.html

Will the homeowners credit be affected?

If the homeowner has to short sale their home they’ve most likely missed payments already. That in itself has already adversely affected their credit. The key here is to stop the devastating affect on your credit that a Foreclosure causes. A Foreclosure is the most damaging record on your credit report – its even worse than bankruptcy.

By working with Jerry LaRose you give yourself a fighting chance of avoiding foreclosure and start towards the “Rebuilding” process. With our help, your credit will recover quickly if you keep your other lines of credit in good standing. With Jerry LaRose you have an experienced team of professionals that will help you through these tough times.

 Is a Short Sale right for me and my situation?

Mortgage lenders are increasingly willing to work with borrowers faced with a financial hardship to accept a discounted payoff on a mortgage. If you are faced with a hardship, and are unable to meet your obligation on your mortgage, your lender would prefer to settle the matter with you as opposed to taking the property through foreclosure.
As you consider the option of pursuing a short sale, remember your lender is looking to limit any potential loss on your loan. By completing a short sale, your lender has arrived at a solution that is, for them, much better than a costly foreclosure.

What sort of hardship would my lender consider legitimate?

To some extent, that will depend upon the mortgage company considering the short sale request. Generally, as long as the hardship is real and the mortgage company believes the loan is likely to become delinquent as a result, the short sale request will be processed by the Loss Mitigation Department. A big key to getting Loss Mitigation to accept a hardship is to submit a strong hardship letter. The hardship letter sets the tone for the entire file.

Will the lender approve a Short Sale even if the homeowner is current on their mortgage?

Yes we have successfully negotiated and received an approval on a short sale even when the homeowner was current on their payments.

Why would a mortgage company agree to accept a short sale?

There are actually several reasons why a mortgage company would approve a short sale payoff, including the following:

• Legal Concerns: Mortgage lenders have come under legal pressure to work with borrowers to equitably resolve situations where borrowers are unable to meet their mortgage obligation, particularly when the borrower makes an effort to arrive at a compromise solution.
• Wall Street is Watching Mortgage lenders rely heavily on their ability to package and sell bundles of loans on the secondary mortgage market. They need to sell these bundles of loans in order to put the funds back to work by loaning the money again and collect loan fees along the way. If mortgages perform poorly after they are sold it could impact the lender’s ability to sell their loans on the secondary market. A successful short sale gets the loan payoff resolved quickly.
• Asset Management Expenses- If a lender acquires a property through foreclosure, the property will be managed until it is repaired and resold. It is expensive to manage real property assets – homes – spread throughout the region, the state and possibly even the nation. Keeping properties maintained, keeping utilities on, making repairs and the administrative costs attached to these activities are all costs the lender would prefer to avoid. A successful short sale eliminates most of these costs.
• Reserve Requirement- Delinquent and non-performing loans place another burden on mortgage lenders. For all delinquent and non-performing loans lenders must set aside funds in reserve to deal with potential losses. These funds cannot be put to work generating new loan fees until the bad loans are resolved. A successful short sale lets the lender put their money back to work.

Can I still short sale my home even if I have 2 loans?

Yes, it doesn’t matter how much you owe. The lender will evaluate what the current market value is and then decide how much they will accept.

 Can I still do a short sale even if the property is in very bad condition?

Yes. Lenders are more motivated to do a short sale on a property that needs work than on a property that doesn’t. Lenders know losses start to skyrocket when they foreclose on a property that needs a lot of repair work. Lenders are in the business of lending money not property management and home repairs.

If I am behind in my payments and can’t afford closing costs what can I do? Lenders are understanding when it comes to this situation and will actually pay the REALTORS® commission and your closing costs.

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