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Buy a Home, Get A Date! Or maybe even more….

February 21, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Did you ever think your home could be an aphrodisiac?

This is a funny story reported by CNNMoney was conducted with 1,000 single people with more than a third of women and 18% of men saying they would much rather date a homeowner rather than a renter. Only 2% of women and 3% of men preferred to date someone who rents compared to owners of their home.

62% Prefer to Date Singles Who Live Alone w/ No Roomate

What about boomerang kids(these are your adults who went off to college, graduated and then would up back in their old bedrooms.) It’s going to hard to find love, well maybe not from your parents, but less than 5% of all singles surveyed said they would date someone  living with their parents. “Thats a real deal breaker,” said Michael Corbett, of Trulia, “if your still living with your folks, your’re dead-on-arrival for dating.”

What does this ALL mean for you?

First, If you are single, Call, Text, Email or visit the www.OcalaRealtyOnline.com  to search for your next home. In today’s market, many times, it less expensive to own a home than to rent.

Second, a few benefits of homeownership; same monthly payment for life of loan(no more increased rent/lease), IRS mortgage interest deductions on your taxes, customize the home to your likings, not your landlords, and more likely to land a second date or possibly even more.

Third, call, text, or email me to find out about USDA(0% Down), FHA (3.5% Down), or if your a veteran apply for your VA(0% Down) benefits. We can help find you a loan to fit your needs and many times for less than first, last, and security. Don’t Wait the market is gaining steam and there are many choices between $50-$100k.

“Until Next Time”

 

By Les Christie @CNNMoney February 14, 2012: 5:30 AM ET

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1 Million Homeowners May Get Mortgage Write-Downs

January 20, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Housing and Urban Development Secretary says about 1 million homeowners would get write-downs in the size of their mortgages under a proposed deal with banks over shady foreclosure practices and it could be reached in a few weeks. Using Donovan’s estimate, the settlement could provide a reduction of about $20k for each of the 1 million borrowers.

Prior efforts to jump-start the housing recovery have fallen short of how they were promoted. “Principal reduction can have a substantial impact on the housing market nationally,” Donovan said.

National decline in values hovers around 30% with Ocala, Marion County closer to 50% reduction in values since the boom times of 2004. Reports also show about 22 percent of U.S. homes have negative equity totaling about $750 billion, according to Core Logic.

Note: Any settlement would not apply to mortgages owned by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, which together  own or guarantee most of the U.S. mortgage  market. The reason is the cost to the taxpayers compared to other options. The White House will also lay out plans to convert foreclosure into rentals and start “Project Rebuild”, part of Obama’s American Jobs Act that aims to have construction workers rehab vacant properties. The estimated cost of $15 billion would creat 200,00 jobs and used to renovate thousands of vacant homes and properties nationwide.

Copyright © 2012 washingtonpost.com, Margaret Chadbourn; Aruna Viswanatha

In my opinion this will do little to help the housing arket nationwide but especially here in Marion County. The focus should be on banks and lending institutions to loosen lending practices. I do not think everyone who applies should get a mortgage, as has happened in the past(fog the mirror loans!!LOL) However, the challenges many good homebuyers face with banks is the largest problem. Credit score standards and income are to strict and oversight is needed to make loans more available to good borrowers.

“Until Next Time”

 

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3 Keys to Buying in Ocala Housing Market

December 5, 2011 by Leave a Comment

3 Keys to Buying in Ocala’s Housing Market

Buying a new or existing home can be a challenge for 1st time homebuyers and even for the experienced homebuyer. However, if you take a few steps and learn the process it can help ease some of the stresses that go along with your home purchase.

NUMBER 1 – REALTOR

Find a good, NO Great REALTOR! First, ask for a referral from a friend or family member. Word of mouth is the best way to find a REALTOR in your area to assist with the process. It can be simple(internet) or difficult(print advertising) to sit at your home, office or restaurant and search for hours looking at property listings. A local REALTOR will have the insight, knowledge and tools to make searching easier.

Example: How can 2 similar homes, one located in Silver Springs Shores(Under $100k) and another in the Magnolia Pointe(Under $200k) have such different price. It could be features, supply or most importantly LOCATION.

 NUMBER 2 – LOCATION

This is the first thing they teach you in real estate school. It determines everything! You can have the nicest house in all of Central Florida, but if the location is bad it will have a huge negative effect including lower price and overall salability of the property. Are your interested in certain schools, being close to work or recreation. Many REALTOR programs can be set-up to do auto searches for particular areas, price ranges and any other features you desire.

NUMBER 3 – LENDER

Interest rates are at an all time low with many 30 year mortgages hovering around 4% for those with great credit history. Here are a few loan products to chose from; USDA, Rural loan allows for up to 102% of appraised value to be financed; FHA is 3.5% Down with approx. another 3% in closing cost which can be paid by seller; VA is 0% down for active or retired military with funding fee paid at closing. There are many more options and loan products and finding a GREAT Mortgage Broker with years of experience can save you lots of time and money.

IN CONCLUSION

Finding a team of professionals to help in buying your next home, and finding them early can save you TIME and MONEY! If you need a GREAT REALTOR, please contact me at 352-572-1739 or duke@ocalarealtyonline.com. Looking for a GREAT LENDER? Contact me too.

 

“Until Next Time”

 

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HELP for Struggling Home Owners?

October 26, 2011 by 2 Comments

The HARP(Home Affordable Refinance Program) simply has not worked in helping many homeowners and President Obama is expected on Monday to announce “new policies” to help struggling homeowners, including a move that would allow borrowers to refinance their mortgage at current lower rates no matter how much their home values have dropped.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are also expected to end a cap that excluded home owners from HARP who had mortgages that were higher than 125% of the homes value. This cap left many homeowners with little option because they simply do not have enough equity in their properties. The plan is expected to eliminate ” appraisals and extensive underwriting for most borrowers” whpo are up to date on their mortgages and want to refinance at lower rates.

Obama is also expected to announce a reduction in Fannie and Freddie loan fees. Lenders could start refinancing as soon as December 1st, however some may have to wait until early next year due to their loan-to-value limit.

Housing experts believe that allowing underwater home owners to refinance at current lower rates could be a savings of hundreds of dollars from their monthly mortgage bills and possibly help avoid foreclosure and free up household cash, helping spur economic growth.

Source: http://realtormag.realtor.org/daily-news/2011/10/24/obama-expected-unveil-housing-aid REALTORS.org article October 25,2011

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What is a Short Sale & Some Things You Should Know

October 12, 2011 by Leave a Comment

What is a Short Sale & Some Things You Should Know

What is a Short Sale?

A short sale is a transaction where the net proceeds from the sale of a property are not enough to cover the sellers mortgage obligation and closing costs, such as property taxes, transfer taxes, and real estate commissions.

ONLY Real Hardships Get the HELP!

Purchasing or refinancing your house during the housing boom is not a legitimate hardship. Banks actually review and analyze short sale sellers hardships and most center of the economy. In short the banks are going to verify the short sale is in their best interest, not the sellers. What are acceptable hardships? medical issues, divorce, disability, significant loss of income, death, unemployment, and relocation.

Laws Are Local(State)

Foreclosure laws vary from state to state and it is important to remember there are currently no short sale laws on the books. Federal guidelines are in place, however the bank does not have to do anything they do not want too. If you decide to move forward in selling your home as a short sale there are a few things to keep in mind.

1) If the bank approves the short sale will there be a deficiency amount owed for the difference between your mortgage amount and sales price, minus fees?

2) Will the bank accept a “Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure”? With a deed in lieu of foreclosure, the property owner gives the property to the lender voluntarily in exchange for the lender canceling the loan. The lender may or may not agree to forgive any deficiency balance that results from the sale of the property.

3) Potential Tax liabilities- Under federal law, a creditor is required to file a 1099C whenever it forgives a loan balance greater than $600.00 which could create a tax liability  for you. However the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act of 2007 provides tax relief for some loans forgiven in 2007 through 2012.

Lastly, please seek the advice and consult with an attorney, and possibly accountant, experienced in bankruptcy law to understand all of your options.

“Until Next Time”

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What Happens After Foreclosure? How Long Before You Can Qualify For Mortgage?

June 28, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Can You Say Tricky Question?

With so many people struggling to find work and therefore, keeping their mortgages current. Foreclosure and Short Sales are at an all time high for our country. The question posed above is not really tricky, but has many variables. The New York Times notes that a past foreclosure will result in the longest wait before you can buy again. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac properties have a 3 year waiting period after filing foreclosure and 2 year waiting period following a short sale, deed in lieu of foreclosure & discharge or dismissal of bankruptcy. However, there may be certain circumstances, job loss or transfer from job, that may reduce the wait period to qualify for mortgage.

FHA loans also have 3 year waiting period for foreclosure / short sale and 2 years for bankruptcy as well, but note there are plenty of exceptions. Based on New York Time article and example would be, if a borrower was current on payments for year prior to short sale there may be not waiting period and might even qualify for FHA loan immediately.

In conclusion, none of these rules are steadfast or set in stone. With such a large number of people struggling and facing loss of their homes(at the time of this post there are over approximately 1,000,000 properties foreclosed or in the process), poor credit ratings and lack of jobs, lenders will need to take into account circumstances that may have lead to default. I firmly believe these standards will change in years to come. Fannie Mae spokesman says, ” The key is to avoid foreclosure”  and “That is what will help you be eligible for the shorter period.”

“Until Next Time”

 

 

Source: “The Post-Foreclosure Wait,” The New York Times (June 23, 2011)

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