RealtyTrac reports that April foreclosure filings — default notices, scheduled auctions and bank repossessions — were reported for 219,258 U.S. properties, “a 9 percent decrease from March and a 34 percent decrease from April 2010. The report also shows one in every 593 U.S. housing units received a foreclosure filing during April 2011.

“Foreclosure activity decreased on an annual basis for the seventh straight month in April, bringing foreclosure activity to a 40-month low,” said James J. Saccacio, chief executive officer of RealtyTrac. “This slowdown continues to be largely the result of massive delays in processing foreclosures rather than the result of a housing recovery that is lifting people out of foreclosure.

“The first delay occurs between delinquency and foreclosure, when lenders and services are no longer automatically pushing loans that are more than 90 days delinquent into foreclosure but are waiting longer to allow for loan modifications, short sales and possibly other disposition alternatives,” Saccacio continued. “Data from the Mortgage Bankers Association shows that about 3.7 million properties are in this seriously delinquent stage. The second delay occurs after foreclosure has started, when lenders are taking much longer than they were just a few years ago to complete the foreclosure process.”

As an example of foreclosure delays, RealtyTrac has separately said that it now takes 419 days to foreclose on Maryland homes — and 849 days in New Jersey.

Here’s more from Realtytrac:

Foreclosure timelines lengthening

Nationwide, says the company, foreclosures completed (REOs) in the first quarter of 2011 took an average of 400 days from the initial default notice to the REO, up from 340 days in the first quarter of 2010 and more than double the average 151 days it took to foreclose in the first quarter of 2007.

The foreclosure process took much longer in some states. The average timeframe from initial default notice to REO in New Jersey and New York was more than 900 days in the first quarter of 2011, more than three times the average timeline in the first quarter of 2007 for both states.

The average foreclosure process in Florida took 619 days for foreclosures completed in the first quarter, up from 470 days in the first quarter of 2010 and nearly four times the average of 169 days it took in the first quarter of 2007.

The average foreclosure process in California took 330 days for foreclosures completed in the first quarter, up from 262 days in the first quarter of 2010 and more than double the average of 134 days in took in the first quarter of 2007.

Foreclosure Activity by Type

Default notices (NOD, LIS) were filed for the first time on a total of 63,422 U.S. properties in April, a 14 percent decrease from the previous month and a 39 percent decrease from April 2010. After spiking 16 percent in March, default notices in April dropped back down close to the 48-month low hit in February.

Scheduled foreclosure auctions (NTS, NFS) hit a 31-month low in April, with a total of 86,304 U.S. properties scheduled for an auction for the first time during the month — down 7 percent from March and down 37 percent from April 2010.

Lenders foreclosed on 69,532 U.S. properties in April, down 5 percent from March and down 25 percent from April 2010, but bank repossessions (REOs) were still above a 22-month low hit in February 2011.

States with a judicial foreclosure process registered a 3 percent decrease in overall foreclosure activity from March and a 47 percent decrease in overall foreclosure activity from April 2010. States with a non-judicial foreclosure process posted an 11 percent month-over-month decrease and 26 percent year-over-year decrease in overall foreclosure activity.

Nevada, Arizona, California post top state foreclosure rates

Nevada posted the nation’s highest state foreclosure rate for the 52^nd straight month in April, with one in every 97 housing units receiving a foreclosure filing during the month. Overall foreclosure activity in Nevada decreased 9 percent from the previous month and was down 27 percent from April 2010. Bank repossessions increased 23 percent from March and were up 12 percent from April 2010 to 4,606 — an all-time monthly high since RealtyTrac began issuing the report for Nevada in April 2005.

Arizona REOs decreased 3 percent from March but were still up 22 percent from April 2010, helping the state maintain the nation’s second highest foreclosure rate for the fifth consecutive month. One in every 205 Arizona housing units received a foreclosure filing during the month, and overall foreclosure activity decreased 15 percent from March and was down 17 percent from April 2010 despite the year-over-year jump in REOs.

Overall, foreclosure activity in California was down monthly and annually in April, but a 22 percent month-over-month jump in REOs helped keep the state’s foreclosure rate at the third highest among all states for the sixth consecutive month. One in every 240 California properties received a foreclosure filing in April.

One in every 322 Utah housing units received a foreclosure filing in April, the fourth highest state foreclosure rate, and one in every 325 Idaho housing units received a foreclosure filing in April, the fifth highest state foreclosure rate.

Other states with foreclosure rates ranking among the top 10 in April were Michigan, Florida, Georgia, Colorado and Oregon.

10 states account for 70 percent of total foreclosure activity

Ten states accounted for 70 percent of U.S. foreclosure activity in April, led by California with 55,869 properties receiving a foreclosure filing during the month.

A total of 19,649 Florida properties received a foreclosure filing in April, the second highest state total despite a 59 percent decrease from April 2010. Florida overall foreclosure activity in April was still up marginally from a 46-month low set in February, and default notices and scheduled auctions increased from March.

Arizona tallied the third highest state total, with 13,419 properties receiving foreclosure filings in April, followed by Michigan, with 12,996 properties receiving foreclosure filings, and Nevada, with 11,761 properties receiving foreclosure filings.

Other states with foreclosure activity totals among the nation’s 10 highest in April were Illinois (10,055), Texas (8,793), Georgia (8,479), Ohio (7,962) and Colorado (4,379).

Top metro foreclosure rates

Las Vegas continued to post the nation’s highest foreclosure rate among metropolitan areas with a population of 200,000 or more, with one in every 82 housing units receiving a foreclosure filing in April — more than seven times the national average.

Another Nevada metropolitan area with a foreclosure rate in the top 10 was Reno-Sparks at No. 9, with one in every 183 housing units receiving a foreclosure filing in April.

Seven of the 10 highest metro foreclosure rates were in California cities, led by Modesto at No. 2, with one in every 136 housing units receiving a foreclosure filing in April. Other California cities in the top 10 were Stockton at No. 3 (one in every 138 housing units), Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario at No. 4 (one in every 145 housing units), Bakersfield at No. 5 (one in every 151 housing units), Sacramento-Arden-Arcade-Roseville at No. 6 (one in every 166 housing units), Vallejo-Fairfield at No. 8 (one in every 175 housing units), and Merced at No. 10 (one in every 195 housing units).

The Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale metro area posted the nation’s seventh highest metro foreclosure rate in April, with one in every 168 housing units receiving a foreclosure filing during the month.

Foreclosure Activity Down For 7th Month, Now Average 400 Days To Complete is a post from: OurBroker.com -- Refinance, Home Mortgage Loans & Rates, Home Equity Loan

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Unfortunately, that may not be the case according to one well-regarded economic study.

“The survey data we collected this year have consistently pointed to price stability in the intermediate- to long-term, which is reassuring in light of the volatility in actual home prices we have witnessed during the past few years,” says Terry Loebs, managing director with MacroMarkets. “However, most experts foresee a longer road to recovery, and materially lower price performance in the coming years than they did just a few months ago.”

Loebs added that “one can infer from the December data that the aggregate value of U.S. single-family homes four years from now will be roughly $1 trillion less than projected in May. Weak market fundamentals persist and continue to gnaw at wealth and confidence in these uncharted, post-bubble waters.”

A survey of economists, real estate experts, investment and market strategists by MacroMarkets found that on average they expect market values to fall .17% nationwide in 2011. The survey is based upon the projected path of the S&P/Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index over the coming five years.

The good news — if predictions are correct — is that the panel also felt that home prices would start rising in 2012 (1.94%) and would continue to increase in 2013 (2.86%), 2014 (3.45%), and 2015 (3.67%).

Real Estate As a Localized Commodity

The view here — from someone who is NOT an economist, real estate expert, investment strategist, market guru, soothsayer or seer — is different.

First, national real estate averages are interesting but often not relevant to local buyers and sellers because individual markets do not necessarily follow national trends.

As an example, the National Association of Realtors says in the third quarter that 30 out of 155 metropolitan statistical areas had higher annual price increases.

Or, just look at foreclosure patterns. Ten states, according to RealtyTrac, account for more than 70 percent of all foreclosures nationwide.

Second, there are local markets within metro areas with differing levels of real estate demand and supply — and thus differing pricing patterns.

Third, real estate is a nonhomgeneic commodity — a fancy term meaning that all properties are different. For any number of reasons — location, history, condition, size, zoning, etc. — a given property may be wildly in demand even in the midst of generally falling prices.

Fourth, all predictions are out the window if employment levels suddenly improve, unemployment levels quickly rise, or if mortgage rates remain which are now below 5% quickly move higher.

The bottom line: As a buyer you want to point to national predictions which forecast lower home values nationwide in 2011. As a seller if local price trends differ from national projections you want to say hey, let’s look at recent sales in this market, this neighborhood and with this type of property.

Real estate to lose another $1 trillion, say economists is a post from: OurBroker.com -- Refinance, Home Mortgage Loans & Rates, Home Equity Loan

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“The U.S. mortgage giant Freddie Mac said it would no longer buy those high-risk home mortgages that it deems to be the most vulnerable to foreclosure. The surprise move came amid a deteriorating market for subprime loans affected by slumping home prices and rising interest rates.” (See: Freddie Mac tightens home mortgage standards, The International Herald Tribune, Feb. 28, 2007)

But the fact is that home prices are not slumping in some local markets and interest rates are plainly at the low end of historic norms. Such factors are simply not the root cause of today’s mortgage instability.

Instead, problems in the subprime mortgage market — and a growing sense of problems in other parts of the mortgage universe — are the result of dicey loan concepts that turned out to be exactly what any lucid person would expect: risky beyond reason.

Who could have known such things? Anyone with common sense, including readers of this column.

Let’s begin with interest-only loans. These are mortgages where borrowers do nothing to reduce the principal for the first several years of the loan. Once the interest-only “start period” ends then the loan must be repaid at the fully indexed and fully amortizing rate. Given that most interest-only loans are adjustable, and given that fewer years remain after the end of the start period, it follows that such financing will inevitably require higher monthly payments.

“There’s no doubt,” it said here in 2004, “that the newest trend in real estate financing is the interest-only loan, a trend which needs to be examined with care by anyone who prefers to avoid poverty.”

Moreover, said the column, “with an interest-only loan your initial monthly cash payments each month will be — and be sure to read the rest of this paragraph — lower than with a self-amortizing loan of the same size and with the same rate and terms. However, the interest-only borrower has more debt for a longer period and thus higher total costs. And if rates rise, monthly costs and overall interest costs could be substantially larger than with fixed-rate financing.” (See: The Beauty Of Interest-Only Loans — And The Beast, November 30, 2004.)

The reality is that buying homes with little down has always been risky, something that should neither shock nor surprise anyone. Just look at what the New York Times wrote — in April, 2000.

But what happens if housing values or the economy head south — particularly if a homeowner has a huge mortgage and no appreciable equity? Experts like Peter G. Miller, author of ”The Common Sense Mortgage” (Contemporary Books), warn that buyers who suddenly need to sell will face brokerage fees and related costs that they will have to pay out of pocket. ”Where do you get the cash?” he asked. (See: PERSONAL BUSINESS; Zero Down, And Maybe Something To Gain, The Sunday New York Times Business section, April 2, 2000)

Home prices have risen substantially since 2001 and thank goodness. While those in real estate prospered the stock market largely took a snooze during the same period. The catch, as noted in 2005, was that “the only way we’re supporting high real estate prices is by fudging traditional rules. We allow people to buy at levels that would have been unaffordable under past lending standards.”

“Playing mortgage roulette is fine as long as everyone realizes there are massive opportunities to lose.” (See: Are We Facing A Recession? September 13, 2005)

Is anyone “surprised” that a number of lenders are now in trouble — and that their backers are also taking losses? Why? Some of the risk represented by “non-traditional loans” can be offset by rising home values. But two years ago it was pointed out that if home values do not rise — and they plainly have not in many areas during the past year — then “lenders may be using ARMs to offset future rate risk, but what about future asset values? Is it worth originating loans today which may sink lenders tomorrow? A large number of foreclosures won’t look good on anyone’s books, reason enough to tighten ARM loan standards.” (See: Wrong-Way Borrowing Threatens Borrowers, Lenders, June 7, 2005)

One of the most widespread of the new financing concepts seen during the past few years has been the use of “stated-income” loan applications.

In the summer of 2004 it was explained that “stated-income loans represent too much risk for lenders — and too much temptation for borrowers. Perhaps a little rigidity in the lending process is not so bad. After all, how hard is it to produce tax returns and pay stubs? (See: Should Lenders Dump No-Tell Loans? July 27, 2004)

“What’s obviously best is to get the numbers right when making a loan application,” it said here in November 2004. “It’s equally obvious that ’stated income’ mortgages open the vault to temptation. Such no-tell loans ask borrowers what they earn and the borrower then puts down a number. Unlike a typical mortgage application, the lender usually does not verify the figure with tax returns, pay stubs or calls to employers.”

Of course, if it happens that those self-estimates of income are off a touch then lenders will have problems.

“With a growing number of stated income loans on the books, financing with exaggerated numbers could quickly become a lender concern if home values dip, the economy slows and monthly payments don’t show up. That’s the point at which stated income loans will come home to roost.” (See: How Much Is Too Much? November 16, 2004)

It’s hard to look at the tough times now facing the mortgage industry without mentioning the worst of the worst, the option ARM combined with little or nothing down plus a stated-income loan application.

Here’s a loan concept which gleefully allows borrowers to make payment after payment that will not even cover interest costs. Obviously — no “surprise” here — the loan must be repaid at some point which means that monthly costs must rise if the loan is held past the start period.

As stated here in 2005:

“In the next two to four years we’ll see elective payments end for many option loans. Then we’ll find out who should not have bought and who should not have loaned. Don’t be surprised if a lot of cheap real estate floods the market — and don’t be shocked if the value of your home is impacted as a result. As to lender share prices and dividends, how attractive will such companies appear when huge numbers of loans are unpaid, especially if in many cases the size of the debt exceeds the value of the underlying properties?

“Alternatively, if we restrict option loans now by regulation or lender choice, the pool of buyers will shrink and home prices will be under far less pressure to go up. We will see less appreciation and even price declines in some local markets. Acting now we may face moderate and tolerable declines in market activity, an opportunity which should not be ignored in the face of the financial calamity which looms ahead.” (See: The Case Against Too Many Options, June 28, 2005)

The growing number of loan failures has produced a rising volume of foreclosures. RealtyTrac.com reports that foreclosure actions rose from 885,468 in 2005 to 1,259,118 in 2006 — a 42 percent increase.

The huge number of foreclosure means that we have a growing supply of distressed properties, properties which are often available at discount. Even a small number of foreclosures can drag down local real estate prices.

“To believe that an increasing number of foreclosures will not have a marketplace impact is neither logical nor believable. Just ask the people in the subdivisions and condo projects where developers have recently cut prices on just a few units. (See: Foreclosures — No Worries, No Vision, May 5, 2006)

At this writing we have evidence that home values have fallen in about half of all major metro areas. The problem, of course, is that we really do not know the extent of value declines and thus cannot project future loan failures and foreclosure levels.

“While unit sales are easy to track, data regarding recorded prices is less certain. If you have a strong sellers market you can bet that sale prices are indeed what people paid because sellers have no need to offer discounts and buyers will not pay any more than required. But if you have a market that’s losing steam, the same assurance is not plausible.

“The problem with slowing markets is that sale prices may not tell the whole story. Sale prices may be discounted, and the extent of those discounts cannot be reliably estimated.” (See: A Time For Yellow Flags, November 28, 2006)

A major part of the problem has been the untenable view that home prices only rise. Does anyone believe that? Apparently a lot of people did, which is unfortunate:

The prevailing theory seems to be that higher monthly costs are not a problem because one can just sell the underlying property. But such thinking assumes that property values will rise — and that is not guaranteed. If property values merely stay the same large numbers of people in the next few years will be both unable to make monthly payments and unable to sell for enough to pay off growing mortgage debt. (See: Exit Strategy: What If There Is No Way Out? November 1, 2005)

The news today is concentrated on the subprime market, but guess what? This is not a problem that can be contained to poor and marginal borrowers. A lot of well-funded entrepreneurial people bought with toxic loans and they too will be facing tough times as required payments rise and in too many cases property values fall.

“We now have a large percentage of loans that involve negative amortization and potentially huge payment increases. It’s impossible to believe that some portion of these loans — and perhaps a large portion — will not result in financial disaster.” (See: Toxic Loans Threaten Home Values, February 14, 2006)

In fact, it’s not just borrowers and lenders who suffer when loans fail, it’s also neighbors and communities who suffer. How? Just think about what will happen to the value of your home if a neighbor is foreclosed. As I said in a 2006 speech to the Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO):

A growing number of recent property owners will find that they have homes and investments which cannot be sold at a profit — as well as homes and investments which cost too much to carry. The fruits of this impossible dilemma will be more properties for sale, more supply, more pressure to moderate if not lower prices, more foreclosures and more bankruptcies. Even those without a mortgage may find that the value of their home will drop as neighbors who financed imprudently rush to dump their properties on the market.

If “nontraditional” mortgages are so great, how come loan buyers and regulators are now demanding a return to long-time lending standards? More importantly, why did they accept such risky concepts in the first place? Surely no one will be “surprised” if lawmakers start asking pointed questions as foreclosure rates rise and increasing numbers of lenders fail.

————————

Published originally by Realty Times on March 13, 2007 and posted with permission.

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The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing says that of 40,252 luxury properties available during the past week, the typical price was $1,156,708 and the cost per square foot averaged $324.

Just as interesting, 41 percent of the properties had seen price decreases and the typical luxury home is on the market 172 days — almost six months.

it’s worth remembering that the mortgage crisis was originally described as a “subprime” problem; you know, something that invovled poor people and those with marginal credit. Now we find that, whoops, we’re all in this together and that even the rich are getting stuck.

The universality of the mortgage problem has been obvious for the past five years. You can’t have a local real estate market which suffers in part while other slices of the marketplace are untouched because all segments of the market are tied together.

Example: You need first-time buyers — about 40 percent of the market — to purchase homes because that allows current owners to move up — thus it makes sense to support the FHA and VA loan programs.

Thus it also makes sense to support efforts to reduce foreclosures and to keep families in their homes.

Is there any good news on the luxury front? Just a touch — the ILHM reports that 3 percent of the luxury homes for sale were re-priced up, meaning owners were asking for more.

Oh to be among the lucky 3 percent….

For the full report, please go to the ILHM Luxury Housing Report.

Luxury Homes Wilt On The Market is a post from: OurBroker.com -- Refinance, Home Mortgage Loans & Rates, Home Equity Loan

Technorati Tags: credit, FHA, Foreclosures, home institute, luxury, market, subprime

But will the new collaborative really change marketplace realities? You’d like to hope that the answer is yes but traditions can be hard to overcome.

The group says its members generate mortgages worth $520 million annually and describes itself this way:

“For the first time ever,” says the Collaborative, “American consumers seeking mortgages will now have the option of using lenders that are certified as “safe,– “fair– and free of predatory lending, under a 21-member national network known as the nonprofit “Fair Mortgage Collaborative– (FMC), the members of which are committed to providing homeowners and homebuyers access to mortgages at a fair rate of compensation. The major effort supported by the Ford Foundation is the first national campaign of its kind aiming to restore consumer confidence in mortgage lending in the wake of the ongoing mortgage foreclosure crisis fueled in large part by predatory lending abuses.”

Standards

Okay, so how do we know that a lender is safe, or fair or not predatory? The Coalition has set up five standards:

___ FMC Lender Works for Customer, Not Other Way Around;

___ No Steering;

___ Absolutely No Predatory Loans;

___ Non-Standard Loans Require Clear and Compensating Customer Benefit; and

___ FMC Keeps Rules and Standards Current for New Loan Types.

Missing Lenders

The group is supported by an impressive list of housing foundations and related organizations, but what’s missing are the big banks, S&Ls, mortgage brokers and mortgage bankers who provide the overwhelming majority of the nation’s home loans.

Most lenders have traditionally opposed the concept of working for borrowers. No less important, federal rules are entirely devoid of any requirement to get the best possible deal for the borrower, what’s generally known as a fiduciary obligation.

“Fiduciary” is simply a fancy term that means when you employ someone they will put your interests first and not their own. Doctors, dentists, lawyers, buyer brokers and listing brokers all have an obligation to do what’s best for their patients and clients and if they don’t they can be sued. Lenders and loan officers under federal rules — the rules that count — have no such obligation.

Mortgage Brokers

“Some have proposed,– said Harry Dinham in 2007, then president of the National Association of Mortgage Brokers, “that a fiduciary duty standard should be implemented and mortgage originators and their loan officers should act in the ?best interests’ of the consumer. NAMB remains opposed to any proposed law, regulation or other measure that attempts to impose a fiduciary duty, in any fashion, upon a mortgage broker or any other originator.

“Simply put, a mortgage broker should not, and cannot, owe a fiduciary duty to a borrower. The consumer is the decision maker, not the mortgage broker,– says Dinham.

And where do consumers get their information? Upon whom do they rely for product options? How can a lender advertise the “best rates” or the “lowest” rates without being obligated to hold down the borrower’s costs? Would any sensible person go to a lender who advertised the highest rates?

Mortgage Bankers

John Robbins, a former chairman of the Mortgage Bankers Association, said during June 2007 congressional testimony that “notably, MBA does not believe that a disclosure of function and fees is warranted for mortgage lenders. Unlike a broker whose role may be uncertain — agent or loan provider — a lender’s role is clear. A lender underwrites, approves and funds the loan. The lender does not hold himself out as an agent of the borrower. While a lender must serve its customers fairly, and the industry has done much to assure high professional standards, a lender owes a duty to its shareholders and investors. A borrower knows a lender offers its own products and does not offer to shop for borrowers.–

The problem, of course, that in the everyday world of borrowing consumers have no idea who is or who is not a mortgage broker or a mortgage banker. What consumers do know is that they need assistance with what’s likely to be their largest purchase, a mortgage — and not a house. For example, imagine that you buy a home for $200,000. You get a $190,000 mortgage at 6 percent over 30 years. The total interest cost over the life of the loan will be $220,094.

Changing Industry Standards

Interestingly, I suspect that a number of mortgage brokers, mortgage bankers, community banks, credit unions and thrifts will be willing to be certified under the terms of the Fair Market Collaborative. Why? Because they realize that the best way to build “relationships” with people is not to drive them into bankruptcy. Just look at the lenders who refused to originate option ARMs, interest-only mortgages and have never accepted stated-income loan applications.

But in addition, more is needed. Federal standards must be changed to assure than when you get a mortgage and rely on a loan officer for advice that the individual who provides information is absolutely obligated to get you the best possible rates and terms.

Certified Lenders

Lenders can be certified by the Collaborative and hopefully borrowers will be educated to only deal with lenders who have agreed to the group’s standards. Those who have so far been certified to offer “safe and fair” mortgages include:

__ The Boeing Employees’ Credit Union (BECU)

___ Prime Alliance Solutions

___ The Federation of Appalachian Housing Enterprises & Just Choice Lending

___ The Mortgage Grader

___ The National Council of La Raza Homeownership Network and Direct Lending Family

___ The National Federation of Community Development Credit Unions (The Mortgage Center)

___ Neighborhood Housing Servics of America and Just Price Solutions

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For much of human history mortgage lenders have been vehemently opposed to loan modifications — except when it’s to their advantage. Now, however, a nationwide foreclosure glut is forcing lenders to re-think the issue and for the first time do-it-yourself mortgage modifications are possible.

Not likely. Not guaranteed. But possible.

What we commonly call a “mortgage” is really a contract between a borrower and a lender. The borrower gets cash up-front and in exchange the lender gets a promise of full repayment with interest over time. Importantly, a mortgage is secured by the property — if the borrower doesn’t pay, the lender has the right to sell the property to get back its money.

The paragraph above pretty-much describes the traditional lending system. A local lender — say a bank, savings and loan association or a credit union — made a loan to a local homeowner. The lender made sure the borrower was qualified for the loan and that the property value was sufficient to repay the debt if something went wrong. Why? The lender kept the loan for as long as it was outstanding. The lender’s profit was in the cashflow from the loan — the difference between the interest being paid each month by the borrower and the lender’s cost of funds.

In other words, mortgages were traditionally made by so-called “spread” lenders, companies that had a vested interest in getting loans right. Such lenders wanted fully-documented loans, careful property appraisals and sizeable downpayments because they were prepared to hold the loan for many years. What they didn’t want were foreclosures because foreclosures mean losses. Examples of spread lenders today include community banks, credit unions, Hudson City Bancorp and ING DIRECT USA.

Lenders Without Cash

In recent years the system has changed. Now we have lots of companies that look like “lenders” and who make loans to local borrowers. The catch is that such “lenders” either don’t have any cash to fund mortgages or they have the money but don’t want to keep the loan.

Huh? How can companies without money make loans? They sell the mortgage in an electronic arena called the secondary market. Money from the sale of the mortgage on the secondary market funds the loan.

The benefit of this system is that by selling a loan the lender now has more dollars to lend. More loans, in turn, mean more fees, charges and profits. No less important, the secondary system means that local lenders will not run out of money. If a lender has $5,00,000 and makes 10 loans for $500,000 each then it might seem as though the lender could not fund any more mortgages. However, by selling the loans in the secondary market the lender gets fresh cash and therefore can make new loans.

Now the loan — most-likely your loan — is owned by an investor, not a lender. That investor paid a given amount for your loan under the assumption that your loan would generate a certain interest rate. No less important, you probably don’t know the investor that owns your loan. Instead, your payments are likely being collected by a servicer.

Fannie & Freddie

We now know that your mortgage most probably is not owned by the company that sold you the loan. If that’s the case then who does own it?

Remember we said the loan was sold in the secondary market to an investor. Buyers on the secondary market include pension funds, insurance companies and investors worldwide. However, the two biggest buyers of local loans are Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

To understand the importance of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac consider some numbers. First, it’s generally estimated that there are about 50 million homes which have been financed with a mortgage. Second, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac own more than 30 million of those loans.

Because Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac own so many mortgages other mortgage investors — but not all — have generally adopted their standards. If you want to know how the loan system generally works it’s good to keep your eyes on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

No Modifications, Not Now, Not Ever

The mortgage system generally worked well until the past few years. There surely were foreclosures in the past, but typically there were very few foreclosures and most were related to such issues as the loss of a job, the death of a spouse, medical bills and divorce.

In the last few years the situation has changed. As the federal government reported in late 2008, “delinquencies on mortgages have tripled, not just for subprime and Alt-A, but also for prime mortgages. Foreclosures have increased almost 150% from two years ago.” Figures from the foreclosure listing site, RealtyTrac.com, show that during the months of March, April and May 2009 there were more than 1,00,000 foreclosure filings nationwide –more filings than in all of 2005.

Despite new and higher foreclosure levels, investors — the folks who own loans — have generally refused to modify mortgages. Their reasoning goes like this:

First, a contract is a contract. You got the money we promised and you should pay the money you promised.

Second, if loan terms are modified we’ll get a lower rate of return.

Third, if we have an asset with a lower rate of return it’s worth less and we will have made a bad investment.

In fact, investors have a pretty good argument except for one looming problem: Foreclosure rates are high and climbing — and the loss from a foreclosure according to a Congressional report is typically $40,000 to $80,000 per property. Given the lousy choice of foreclosure or the less-lousy choice of a loan modification, investors are beginning to consider modifications.

Workouts

When lenders talk about loan workouts what they typically mean are two options:

• Modifications. A situation where the debt is restructured. For example, the loan term might be increased from 30 years to 40 years, thus reducing the monthly payment.
• Payment Plans. Loans where there’s a change in contract terms. For instance, the interest rate is reduced 1 percent for the next 12 months or penalties and fees are forgiven.

Notice that with workouts there’s one option lenders typically do not offer: A principal reduction. Notice also that in some cases monthly payments can actually rise with new mortgage terms.

Claim Advances

If you have mortgage insurance (MI), if you’re facing foreclosure and if you’re having a tough time that’s temporary then you may be able to get help from your mortgage insurance company with a claim advance.

If the property is foreclosed then the mortgage insurance company can owe big money to the lender. Instead, if your situation is short term, the mortgage insurance company may be willing to lend you money to bring the mortgage current, typically with little interest and very soft terms. Ask your lender and your mortgage insurance company about such help.

The New Deal

In November 2008 the Bush Administration announced that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac would now offer a streamlined modification program (SMP) so that borrowers could more easily obtain loan modifications.

However, a look at the SMP standards suggests that meaningful modifications — if any — were enormously difficult to get under the program.

• SMP targets borrowers who have missed three payments or more, own and occupy their property as a primary residence and have not filed for bankruptcy.
• SMP creates a standard definition of an “affordable mortgage payment” — no more than 38 percent of a household’s monthly gross income.
• Servicers will have flexibility in modifying loans, including reducing the mortgage interest rate, extending the life of the loan or even deferring payment on part of the principal. The servicer receives an $800 payment for each modification.

The SMP standards are ridiculously impractical. Here’s why:

First, they require borrowers to miss three or more monthly payments, meaning that homeowners who participate must have lousy credit.

Some lenders counsel borrowers to purposely miss payments so they can qualify for the SMP. The view here is that such advice is terribly harmful because there’s no guarantee that the borrower will, in fact, get SMP relief and also because whether or not an SMP arrangement is possible the borrower will now have terrible credit, meaning that a new loan on sane terms from other sources will be virtually impossible.

Second, the SMP applies only to owner-occupants. This means the SMP effort is useless when an investment owner is in trouble. This anti-investor approach may seem somehow warranted because investors are supposed to face more risks than owner-occupants, but if you think about the consequences of this policy you can see that it’s misguided: If a property down the street is foreclosed and the value of YOUR home declines, no one cares if the foreclosed property was owned by an investor or an owner-occupant. All anyone sees is that there was a foreclosure and therefore a lower price shows when buyers look at local sales.

Third, the SMP says borrowers must devote at least 38 percent of their gross, pre-tax income to housing costs. In comparison, the usual qualification standard for a conventional loan is that 28 percent of the borrower’s income can be devoted to principal, interest, property taxes and insurance, what is known as “PITI” to lenders. In effect, borrowers who qualify for the SMP are required to spend vastly more money on housing than baseline conventional borrowers. The better idea is to lower monthly housing costs for troubled borrowers so their homes are not foreclosed.

Fourth, if you have declared bankruptcy you do not qualify for a loan modification under SMP — the very modification which may prevent the loss of all your assets.

Early Workouts

In December 2008, Fannie Mae — which held 18 million mortgages at the start of 2008 — said it would offer an “early workout” program as an alternative to the SMP.

How does the early workout program differ from the SMP?

• Early workouts, says the company, are “a separate Fannie Mae effort to assist a wider spectrum of distressed borrowers in various stages of delinquency, including those who are current on their loan payments but facing imminent default.” Translation: The new program can apply to borrowers who are current. You don’t have to miss mortgage payments to qualify, you don’t have to lose your credit standing.
• The early workout program has two phases, a trial period and then a modification. During the trial period a non-delinquent borrower must complete four timely, consecutive monthly payments at the new level. A delinquent borrower must make at least three consecutive monthly payments. Translation: Make certain you make all trial-period payments in full and on time. In fact, be smart — pay early.
• “Preforeclosure sales, acceptance of deeds-in-lieu of foreclosure, and short payoffs (accepting a payoff for less than the amount owed), will not be permitted loss mitigation alternatives for use with borrowers whose loans are current but are determined to be in imminent default,” says Fannie Mae. Translation: If you’re not in default why not try to save both the home and the mortgage?

While the early workout program has started with Fannie Mae it will logically be expanded to other lenders and investors. Since investor programs can differ, it’s important to know who or what actually owns your loan. Most probably, the people you identify as your “lender” are actually loan “servicers” and not the loan owners. The ability of servicers to make modification decisions may be limited — or non-existent — depending on the arrangement they have with the loan owner, something usually called a “pooling-and-servicing” (PAS) agreement.

The Obama Plan

In February 2009 the Obama Administration came out with a $75 billion foreclosure prevention plan which combines the best approaches from Fannie Mae and the FDIC.

The program is complex, but in basic terms it has two elements:

First, if you’re facing foreclosure and your loan is one of the 30 million owned by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, you may be able to refinance if the value of the property is not more than 25 percent greater than the remaining mortgage balance (originally the government limited refinancing to a 5 percent shortfall). In other words, the program does not require borrowers to have any equity in the property, but it does limit the amount of risk which the government is willing to take.

As the government explains: “The unpaid principal balance of the first lien mortgage does not exceed 125 percent of the current market value of the property. (For example, if the property is worth $200,000, the borrower must owe $250,000 or less on that first lien mortgage).”

Second, imagine that you’re not facing foreclosure but have a toxic loan. Payments have risen rapidly or about to rise. You’re not in trouble yet, you’re making all your payments, but you could be in hot water within the next few months.

In this case, hopefully, the lender will try to reduce your interest rate so that no more than 38 percent of your gross (pre-tax) income is set aside for housing. The government will then subsidize your loan to bring the monthly housing cost down to 31 percent. Note that not all lenders are participating in the Obama plan as of this writing.

In other words, this is the Fannie Mae early workout program supported, finally, with government funds.

The Obama plan, for the first time, uses federal dollars for real people with real mortgage problems, not just bankers and Wall Street insiders.

It’s estimated that as many as 7 to 9 million borrowers will be helped by the Obama program, however the program will not protect everyone against foreclosure. If the value of your home is too low, if you do not earn enough income or if you have a rental property that’s in trouble, you won’t be eligible for help. Unfortunately, for millions of people who have bought in recent years with little or no money down, or have bought with loans that negatively amortize, or who have lost their jobs, the Obama program will not work for them. For a list of specific limitations and exclusions, press here.

The Obama plan if successful could substantially reduce the inventory of unsold homes in many areas and thus bring a halt to home-price declines — assuming job losses can be contained. We should get some sense of the program’s success or failure by mid- to late-summer, 2009.

For additional information, try:

• http://www.financialstability.gov/makinghomeaffordable/
• http://www.freddiemac.com/avoidforeclosure/
• http://www.fanniemae.com/homeowners/index.html

Steps To Take

As you look at loan modification options you can see that loan owners logically do not want to make such arrangements if they can be avoided and they are not required to modify loans. Thus, if you want a loan modification, if you want to avoid foreclosure, you must make the first move.

What should you do? The first step is to analyze your financial situation,

1. What percentage of your gross income (your income before tax deductions) is now devoted to housing costs, meaning mortgage principal, interest, taxes and insurance — PITI.
2. How much could you pay each month if PITI was limited to 38 percent of your gross income?
3. How much could you pay each month if PITI was limited to 31 percent of your gross income? This is an important question because the FDIC has been using a 31-percent benchmark when modifying loans made by IndyMac, the lender taken over by the FDIC in 2008. The 31-percent standard has now spread to other programs.
4. What are your assets? Include such items as savings accounts, IRAs, other retirement accounts, certificates of deposit, stock, bonds, vehicles, other real estate. Be sure to include account numbers, the date when valued, contact information for the account holder such as a brokerage or bank, balances and required payments.
5. What is the value of your home? Local real estate brokers may be willing to help provide a general valuation on a pro bono basis with a comparative market analysis (CMA) or a broker’s price opinion (BPO)– it’s good PR for the broker and you could be a future source of referrals and business.
6. What are your debts? Include credit cards with account numbers, account information, total debt and required monthly payments. Also, student debts, auto loans, other mortgages, etc. Again, show account numbers, balances, required payments and contact information.
7. What are your typical monthly expenses for utilities, condo fees, gasoline, health insurance, child care, alimony, etc.
8. Have in hand your tax returns for the past three years and payment stubs for the last three payment periods.
9. Make sure your information is accurate and current. Have receipts and documents to support your statements.
10. No matter how enticing, do NOT sell your home with a quitclaim deed, especially if the property is being sold “subject to” the mortgage without FIRST speaking with a real estate attorney or legal clinic of your choice or to your state attorney general.
11. No matter how enticing, do NOT sell your home by making a payment to someone else. Remember, when you sell a home buyers pay YOU — not the other way around. Again, for specifics FIRST speak with a real estate attorney or legal clinic of your choice or to your state attorney general.

Once you’ve gathered baseline information arrange your data with a spreadsheet so it’s easy to follow — income, assets, debts, etc. Then review your numbers and write out a one-page letter explaining why your need for a modification is compelling.

One useful approach is to download and complete the free loan modification forms used under the Obama Administration’s Make Homes Affordable loan modification program.

1. Request Form (Request for Modification and Affidavit)
2. The Help Guide you can use to complete the Request Form (Request for Modification and Affidavit)
3. Tax Authorization (IRS 4506T-EZ Form)
4. Proof of Income
5. Proof of Income Checklist
6. Get contact information for major mortgage servicers that are participating in the program.

Your goal is to convince the loan owner that a modification is in HIS best interest. This is a business matter, it must reflect cold hard facts and it must be documented. Make sure your letter is properly written, properly spelled and grammatically correct. Write and re-write your letter until it discusses only the need for a modification and the probable consequences to the lender if you cannot modify the loan.

To see an example, go to LoanSafe.org and read their model hardship letter and related information.

Contacting The Lender

Take a look at your loan document. What is the loan number?

Who do you contact regarding mortgage payments? This will be the lender or the loan servicer, most likely there is an 800-number on your monthly bill. Check and see if there’s a specific number for the “loss mitigation” department or something similar.

As you communicate with the lender take these steps.

• Always write down the name of the person with whom you are speaking, the date and the time. Get their direct phone number if possible. Keep notes in a file of each and every phone call you make, with whom you spoke, the date and time, the number you called and what was said.
• Never yell at the person on the other end of the line. Their goal in life is not to make things hard for you. They may have instructions from the loan owner which makes it difficult or impossible for them to help in your situation. Always assume they’re trying their best. Remember the old saying, you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. Treat lender representatives with respect and dignity.
• Ask for the name and number of people who actually make modification decisions. This usually means someone in the loss mitigation department. If you can’t get such information by phone, search around the lender’s website or search Google for the lender and the term “loss mitigation.”

Once you get to speak with a loss mitigator offer all the data you’ve put together. Make certain to send your materials by certified mail with a return receipt requested — this way you will have proof showing when the material was mailed, that it was received and when it was received.

Once the lender has your materials the real question then becomes will he make the modification? If yes, what changes will be made and how long will they last?

Be persistent. You must follow-up because there is no chance that a modification can be done with one letter or one phone call. Always ask what you can do to make the matter easier and faster for the loan owner — and then do it.

In the end what is your goal, what would you like from the lender? The best possible result would be a smaller and more-affordable monthly mortgage payment which has been created by a lower interest rate, a longer loan term, or both. In addition, getting the lender to waive accumulated fees, penalties and charges is also a benefit.

Once you have a lower payment then you must keep your end of the bargain — every payment, without exception, must be made in full and on time. This is not only fair to the lender, it will also help build your credit standing.

Getting Help

If you have mortgage problems there are plenty of people who are willing to help you — for a fee. Unfortunately, while there are experienced individuals and organizations who can provide assistance, there are others who simply want your money.

You are vastly more-likely to get a loan modification if you have assistance. Good sources of such assistance include:

• Local attorneys and legal clinics that specialize in real estate.
• Local law schools with pro bono or low-cost programs to assist members of the community.
• Local bar associations with pro bono programs. In Maryland, for example, the Washington Post reports that more than 600 lawyers have volunteered to help homeowners with mortgage problems.
• HUD has a list of foreclosure avoidance counselors at: http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/hcc/fc/.
• Your state attorney general. State attorneys general often have existing contacts with lenders. Contact your state attorney general directly for help and assistance.
• Community housing organizations — they often have contacts with local attorneys.
• Legal Services Corporation — Funds 900 offices around the country to help the poor obtain legal services.
• National Consumer Law Center — An excellent source of legal information for the public.
• LoanSafe.org has online tools and information and has been featured in the New York Times.
• The Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America has been a forceful and effective advocate for those facing foreclosure.

Homeowners Assistance Program (HAP) For Military & Civilian Personnel

The government has established a Homeowners Assistance Program (HAP) to “assist eligible homeowners who face financial loss when selling their primary residence homes in areas where real estate values have declined because of a base closure or realignment announcement.” Translation: It’s a program to help those who may be forced to have a short sale or foreclosure because a local base has closed or contracted.

HAP offers significant benefits — if you have any association with the military please go to the HAP site to see who qualifies and what benefits are available.

Making Home Affordable

Be certain to check the government’s loan modification web site, MakingHomeAffordable.com. This site is entirely-free and contains the latest information regarding loan modifications under the Obama program.

To Check The Stats

To see how lenders are doing, look for the latest Making Home Affordable Program Reports issued by the Treasury Department.

To Contact Lenders

The government maintains an extensive list of individual lender foreclosure and modification contacts including names, addresses, websites, phone numbers and fax numbers. Be sure to press the show all servicers link if you cannot find a lender in the search box.

Help for Lenders

If you’re a lender and want additional information, information, policies and news regarding the Making Home Affordable program, please see HUD’s special site for lenders at www.hmpadmin.com.

How To Get A Successful Loan Modification (With Obama Update) is a post from: OurBroker.com -- Refinance, Home Mortgage Loans & Rates, Home Equity Loan

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Markets are always in flux so there’s no way to determine when absolute bottom has been hit. This means that buyers looking to make a purchase in today’s marketplace need to act with special care. It’s not enough just to get a lower price, buyers must also look for long-term value.

How can you do this? Here are 10 steps to protect your interests as a buyer in a down market.

1. Look at the relationship between prices and inventory. Even if prices have been declining they may have further to go if the inventory of homes on the market is increasing or is far larger than usual.

2. Be aware that recorded sale prices do not tell the whole story during slow times. To figure out what’s really happening you need to know how local transactions are constructed. This means if two homes are each sold for $600,000, the real cost to buyers may actually be different. This is possible because one buyer may have gotten concessions worth $5,000 while a second may have negotiated better and gotten an even bigger discount. The only way to really know about local pricing is to work with a local buyer broker who does a large number of transactions.

3. What are the long-term prospects for the local community? You need to look at such markers as population growth, job base expansion and new home construction. A growing population suggests more demand for housing. A growing job base indicates a larger pool of qualified potential buyers. If home construction is not sufficient to meet marketplace demand then supply is likely to tighten and home prices will be pressured to rise.

4. In previous down markets owners who could not sell simply hung on to their homes until times improved. In today’s market, new forms of toxic financing mean that many sellers no longer have this luxury because they can face rapidly rising monthly mortgage costs. The result is not only higher rates of foreclosure, but foreclosure auctions which are not successful. Lenders then wind-up with a growing inventory of “REOs” — real estate owned. An expanding REO inventory is one sign that the bottom of the market has not been reached.

5. When negotiating with sellers in a down market it’s smart to have a compassionate attitude. A buyer who swaggers and flaunts his position may find that sellers will harden their attitudes, making negotiation more difficult than necessary. A better approach is not to be critical of either the seller or the property, but instead to explain that marketplace conditions limit your ability as a buyer to pay more money. In other words, it’s nothing personal and I respect you and your situation.

6. Before looking at homes, make sure you have reliable financing in place. Down markets are the very times when lenders tighten underwriting standards and pull risky loan products from the marketplace. If your idea is to buy with nothing down and a stated-income loan application, you may find that most lenders no longer have much stomach for such arrangements. Be sure to have a loan officer review your credit standing with care so that you understand how much you can borrow and what programs are available in your situation. Get a pre-approval letter from a lender to show sellers that you have the financial capacity to buy.

7. Don’t buy the first bargain property you find. In a down market there’s typically a huge array of properties from which to choose. Take your time, have a checklist of the features you want most. Time is on your side because each day that passes sellers have additional carrying costs.

8. Think about where the local market is headed. Where is future growth for your community? Maybe it’s along a corridor of newly-developing suburbs or perhaps an inner-city area is being revitalized. Whatever the case one should not forget investing basics merely because you’re buying in a soft marketplace.

9. Be conservative in a down market. It’s true that you may be able to buy a bigger home than in the past, but do you really need a bigger home or a larger mortgage?

10. Be aware that no one knows what the future will bring. As they say on Wall Street, past performance does not guarantee future results. Whether the market is up or down we have no certain way of knowing where prices will be in the future. Because of this uncertainty it makes sense to buy with caution and care, to look not only for low prices but also for properties which have the best chance of lasting value and marketplace desirability. After all, at some point today’s buyer is likely to become tomorrow’s seller.

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Published originally by Realty Times on September 25, 2007 and posted with permission.

10 Ways To Buy Homes In A Down Market is a post from: OurBroker.com -- Refinance, Home Mortgage Loans & Rates, Home Equity Loan

Technorati Tags: attitude, buy, down, financing, market, mortgage, profits, real estate, rental, tips

Given the localized nature of real estate, it pays to ask if there are any clues which suggest that the market is moving in one direction or another. And usually, if you know where to look, such clues exist.

Here are some of the measures and issues to consider:

1. Population. People have to live somewhere, if the local population is growing that means there is more demand both for owner-occupied homes and for rentals. Check with your local economic development office for specifics.
2. New Home Starts. While more people create demand, more units create supply. Check with the local home builder’s association or the economic development office and ask about construction permits and starts.
3. Prices. Most communities have local brokers who produce customized pricing data for neighborhoods, HOA and communities. Such information is often available from broker newsletters and from online localized market reports.
4. Days On The Market. An important measure of local activity concerns the length of time it takes to sell a typical home — some will take longer, some will sell faster but there is a general average which gives some sense of market activity. Be careful to compare like periods — summer versus summer or January versus January — to get comparable results. For details, speak with local brokers.
5. Drill Down #1. When looking at general statistics use care. For instance, broad market trends may include both condos and fee-simple properties. It may be that the local market is doing well generally but condo prices have stalled — or vice versa. Speak with local brokers for specifics.
6. Drill Down #2. Recorded sale prices may not reflect actual transaction values. If a home sells for $500,000 but the owner pays a 3 percent “seller contribution,” then the real price to the owner is less than what the records show. To make sense of recorded information you need to speak with the local brokers who actually negotiate prices and terms.
7. Watch Those Interest Rates. Whether you’re a buyer or seller, lower rates are good for real estate while higher rates constrict demand and reduce sales.
8. Check For Jobs. Most people finance the homes they buy and therefore most people need jobs. When local employment is rising that’s a good sign for real estate, when the local job count goes down look for fewer sales and moderated prices.
9. Read The Local Paper. Local newspapers are filled with coverage that impacts real estate. Look for new road openings, planned malls, new factories, school construction and building permits. All suggest where local growth is headed.
10. It’s Not A Sure Thing. Regardless of what the statistics say, real estate demand is in part a by-product of factors which cannot be quantified. Speak with friends and neighbors. Chat with brokers. There are lots of shrewd, insightful local people who may have interesting ideas and opinions. Hear what other people have to say, especially people with different views so you can test your ideas.

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Published originally by Realty Times on March 6, 2007 and posted with permission.

Up or Down — How To Measure Your Local Real Estate Market is a post from: OurBroker.com -- Refinance, Home Mortgage Loans & Rates, Home Equity Loan

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These owners truly believe that somehow their property is unique and different, a home so wonderful that general sales trends are irrelevant

Compared with last August, in my area we have evolved from a strong seller’s market to something which has more balance. Prices are up a touch, but not up insanely. Days on the market have doubled, unit sales are down 20 percent and instead of paying premiums, some buyers are getting “seller contributions” at closing.

How can you spot a marathon seller? Here are some clues:

• The home has been on the market 400 days while local properties typically take 88 days to sell.
• A look at the MLS in August shows a home with snow.
• The property has fewer visitors than a forgotten cemetery.

When the listing expires no broker steps forward to instantly re-list the property.

When finally re-listed, the property has a higher price — even though it could not be sold at a lower value.

Much of what we’re seeing in today’s marketplace has no relation to reality. Immovable prices seem designed more to enhance throbbing egos and party-talk bragging rights rather than produce sale results.

Surely it makes sense for sellers to test the market, to select the highest possible price they realistically think they can get. But marketing tests should not continue eternally. After a reasonable time on the market — the term “reasonable” being different for different markets and different properties — owners should have some sense of what’s real and what isn’t.

Unrealistic prices not only lead to marathon selling periods, they also produce excess costs. There are mortgage and utility payments to be made each month as a home languishes on the market, plus the tax bill grows.

Worse, if a replacement home has been purchased and the first property remains unsold, there may well be two mortgages and two sets of taxes and utilities.

Given that many households can barely tolerate one set of ownership costs, doubling such expenses hardly seems attractive. A house with expenses of $3,000 of month that stays on the markets for months on end means the eventual sale price has been effectively cut by thousands of dollars.

Longer selling times also change broker economics. The old expression is that brokers who are not careful “can list themselves into bankruptcy” by taking on too many homes that do not sell — or do not sell within a reasonable period. Why? Because each property must be advertised and marketed and such things are not cheap.

Owners, having once established in their minds what a property is worth, sometimes see any lower price proposal as a “loss” when that’s not the case.

For instance, imagine a home that will not sell for $750,000 — but it might sell for $700,000. To the owners who dreamed of the first price, this is a $50,000 “loss” even though they never had a sale at $750,000.

In an environment where prices are rapidly rising you see buyers more willing to take a chance because there’s some certainty that replacement buyers can be found if necessary. But slow the market and both the math and philosophy of home buying changes. Buying is more risky because a quick re-sale at a good price is less assured.

Slower markets also change the math and thinking needed to be a successful seller. Alas, some sellers have yet to understand that when the marketplace slows it slows for everyone.

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Published originally by Realty Times on August 29, 2006 and posted with permission.

Marathon Home Sellers Race Reality is a post from: OurBroker.com -- Refinance, Home Mortgage Loans & Rates, Home Equity Loan

Technorati Tags: Buyers, down, market, mortgage, perma-listings, real estate, Sellers

The house in question is well-located and beautifully prepared, but the local marketplace has begun to ease. The vast and predictable price increases of the past few years are no longer so certain.

The issue is not that the owner will take a loss by selling, rather it is that legendary and fabled profits are becoming less available in my area. The strong sales seen in summer have given way to a market where buyers are less determined and sellers are less sure; a time when the definition of “fair market value” is increasingly debatable and demand is uncertain.

The inability to attain mythological prices is having a psychological impact on sellers, owners and brokers. Some talk about the money they have “lost” when in fact they have not lost anything. As the old song says, you can’t lose something you never had.

But what about our friend with the house that’s not selling? What can she do to make her home more marketable?

First, don’t panic. Houses sell in all markets. The fact that a home is well located and in good condition means the odds favor the owner.

Second, a prompt and swift dive to the bottom of the marketplace may be unnecessary. A better approach might be to change the terms of the sale.

With real estate values rising so quickly in the past few years it’s often been forgotten that homes sell on the basis of both price and terms.

What terms should be changed? The huge price increases seen recently have meant that many prospective buyers can afford the monthly payments needed to own a home but downpayment cash remains a problem.

This is the moment for owners to consider a “seller contribution” rather than a price reduction. In other words, rather than cut the price, offer to pay some of the closing costs.

Imagine that a home is priced at $550,000 and has remained unsold for several months. One option is surely to reduce the price. But a 3-percent seller contribution means a buyer would need $16,500 less at closing — and a 3 percent seller contribution may be a better option for sellers than a 5- or 10-percent price reduction.

Lenders routinely allow seller contributions without regarding them as a pricing discount. This is important because mortgages are made as a percent of the sale price or the appraised value, whichever is less. Some loan programs allow as much as a 3 percent seller contribution, others go as high as 6 percent and some may go higher.

For details, speak with local brokers.

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Published originally by Realty Times on November 29, 2005 and posted with permission.

What To Do In A Falling Real Estate Market is a post from: OurBroker.com -- Refinance, Home Mortgage Loans & Rates, Home Equity Loan

Technorati Tags: broker, contribution, discount, falling, market, mortgage, pricing, real estate, seller, selling