This is one spectacular property, but with TWO homes located on it.  If you’ve wanted to live like a King, but didn’t want the responsibility that goes along with being one, then this is YOUR castle!

Reminds me of Mayberry

I’m showing the home to a local attorney tomorrow and I know she’s going to fall in love with the main home itself.  But once she sees the grounds she’s gonna go Lady Gaga over it.      (I just made that up on the fly)  Ha!

CLICK HERE to see the video and enjoy the view.  (Get it?)

Enjoy your own lake-like pond!

Forget the vacation and enjoy your STAYcation!

For more information about this wonderful Lodi, CA property with two homes on site…CLICK HERE.

There are many unique properties in the Lodi real estate market, but none are as ready to give you that country-like living and still be as close to town as this one.

Life is good!

]]> http://randyelliotthomes.com/2010/07/27/lakefront-living-in-your-own-backyard/feed/ 0 http://randyelliotthomes.com/2010/07/25/it-always-amazes-me/ http://randyelliotthomes.com/2010/07/25/it-always-amazes-me/#comments Sun, 25 Jul 2010 21:40:57 +0000 Randy Elliott http://relliott.blogs.rwnetwork.com/?p=439 I was showing a home this morning in the Stockton real estate market to some wonderful clients of mine, and it always amazes me the things some people will leave behind when they move out of their homes.

You don't love me anymore?

This sectional, baby’s playpen, and MANY other items were just left behind at this home and I feel like holding a yard sale and donating all the proceeds to charity.  The thing is that it all still belongs to the current homeowner even though they seemingly have abandoned the home and all it’s contents.

Another thing they didn’t take with them was the awful odor that is lingering on throughout the home.  Especially in the garage where I believe they housed a cat or two.  :-/

It’s difficult sometimes to get clients to look beyond a home in such disarray to picture what it would look like in its cleaned up state.

I really feel for the homeowners that are being forced to make such drastic changes in their lives due to the current situation in the Stockton real estate market.  The number of Short Sales in Stockton seem to be increasing, but leaving behind so much furniture, exercise equipment, personal appliances, clothing, toys, etc., when a Short Sale is the option, is still a mystery to me.

When the banks have ‘bad debt’, they write it off.  When a business or corporation has a ‘bad debt’, write it off.  BUT when a homeowner has a ‘bad debt’, just writing it off ain’t gonna happen.

A lot of people who can afford to stay in their homes are just saying good-bye to them  and their mortgages by exercising their freedom of choice and just walking away from their financial responsibilities.  This is commonly referred to as Strategic Foreclosure or Strategic Default.

So, what’s a honest homeowner to do when they’re home is now worth much less than they paid for it only a few short years ago?  Well, before you just get up and walk away you should definitely consult with a real estate attorney, a good Realtor, and also a CPA to find out what options and legal consequences you’ll have depending on your choices and situation.

You could let the bank foreclose, or you could Short Sale your home.  REOs and Short Sales in Stockton and surrounding areas are the bulk of what’s on the market these days.  Just look around and I’m sure you’ll see For Sale signs up and down many streets in your own neighborhood.

Walking away from your home that’s “under water” (worth less than you owe) instead of trying to work with your bank(s) or having a Realtor short sale it for you, could actually leave you in deep water.

Here is some more specific information about this…CLICK HERE.

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• The Short Sale Process  home-mortgages.suite101.com)

If you’ve made an Offer to Purchase a home recently, especially a Short Sale in Stockton, Lodi, Modesto, CA or anywhere for that matter, then you know what I’m talking about.

To receive the home-buyer’s tax credit you had to have been “under contract” (meaning, accepted by the seller) by April 30th and have your deal “close escrow” by June 30th.  But since some banks are extremely slow to approve short sales, a lot of these deals haven’t closed escrow yet, and may not be able to by June 30.

It was put to a vote, and the Senate said YES to an extension until Sept 30th to get these deals closed.  Now it’s up before the House to approve this extension as well.

Here’s a quick read on this story… http://bit.ly/9fr0ru

Good luck Brandon!  I’m bettin’ on the House for you!

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• Senate votes to extend home tax credit deadline  reuters.com)

The first-time homebuyer tax credit had two deadlines.  One was to be “under contract” by April 3o, and the other is to have closed escrow by June 3o, which is just around the corner.

So, if you’re dealing with a Short Sale, like a lot of people are, and you haven’t received your approval from the lender yet, or you have and you just haven’t closed escrow yet, then this is making for some nail-biting times right now.

This extension is up before the Senate for approval.  Here is an article explaining more info…READ HERE.

At Realty World – Davis Homes & Properties, we help a lot of people with Short Sales in Stockton and the Lodi areas.  Whether looking to buy or sell a Short Sale it can sometimes be a very confusing and time-consuming task.  It helps to have someone in your corner helping you along the way.

Let’s all focus our thoughts and energy on getting this extension to pass.

What is the Federal Housing Administration?

The Federal Housing Administration, generally known as “FHA”, provides mortgage insurance on loans made by FHA-approved lenders throughout the United States and its territories. FHA insures mortgages on single family and multifamily homes including manufactured homes and hospitals. It is the largest insurer of mortgages in the world, insuring over 34 million properties since its inception in 1934.

What is FHA Mortgage Insurance?

FHA mortgage insurance provides lenders with protection against losses as the result of homeowners defaulting on their mortgage loans. The lenders bear less risk because FHA will pay a claim to the lender in the event of a homeowner’s default. Loans must meet certain requirements established by FHA to qualify for insurance.

Why does FHA Mortgage Insurance exist?

Unlike conventional loans that adhere to strict underwriting guidelines, FHA-insured loans require very little cash investment to close a loan. There is more flexibility in calculating household income and payment ratios. The cost of the mortgage insurance is passed along to the homeowner and typically is included in the monthly payment. In most cases, the insurance cost to the homeowner will drop off after five years or when the remaining balance on the loan is 78 percent of the value of the property -whichever is longer.

How is FHA funded?

FHA is the only government agency that operates entirely from its self-generated income and costs the taxpayers nothing. The proceeds from the mortgage insurance paid by the homeowners are captured in an account that is used to operate the program entirely. FHA provides a huge economic stimulation to the country in the form of home and community development, which trickles down to local communities in the form of jobs, building suppliers, tax bases, schools, and other forms of revenue.

The History of FHA

Congress created the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) in 1934. The FHA became a part of the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Office of Housing in 1965.

When the FHA was created, the housing industry was flat on its back:

• Two million construction workers had lost their jobs.

• Terms were difficult to meet for homebuyers seeking mortgages.

• Mortgage loan terms were limited to 50 percent of the property’s market value, with a repayment schedule spread over three to five years and ending with a balloon payment.

• America was primarily a nation of renters. Only four in 10 households owned homes.
  

During the 1940s, FHA programs helped finance military housing and homes for returning veterans and their families after the war.

In the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, the FHA helped to spark the production of millions of units of privately-owned apartments for elderly, handicapped and lower income Americans. When soaring inflation and energy costs threatened the survival of thousands of private apartment buildings in the 1970s, FHA’s emergency financing kept cash-strapped properties afloat.

The FHA moved in to steady falling home prices and made it possible for potential homebuyers to get the financing they needed when recession prompted private mortgage insurers to pull out of oil producing states in the 1980s.

By 2001, the nation’s homeownership rate had soared to an all time high of 68.1 percent as of the third quarter that year.

The FHA and HUD have insured over 34 million home mortgages and 47,205 multifamily project mortgages since 1934. FHA currently has 4.8 million insured single family mortgages and 13,000 insured multifamily projects in its portfolio.

In the more than 60 years since the FHA was created, much has changed and Americans are now arguably the best housed people in the world. HUD has helped greatly with that success.

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• Basic Requirements Of Fha Loans  slideshare.net)

According to an article in the Boston Globe, here are four things sellers should understand about today’s market to make their homes as saleable as possible:

1. Real estate pricing is very local: “When you’re looking at comparables, you have to see what’s sold in the past three months. Look at your competition and what’s under agreement.

2. Get property pics online: Stage the property, then take pictures and video. Better yet, hire a professional photographer to do the job.

3. Disclosure is key: Tell potential buyers what’s wrong before they figure it out. That eliminates last-minute re-negotiations and cold feet.

4. Clean, clean, super-clean: A clean and clutter-free property makes potential buyers likely to pay more.

So, whether you’re still living in your home that’s For Sale, or you’ve already moved out, but are trying for a Short Sale in Stockton or Lodi areas, it’s always a good thing to get the most money for your home.

Make it a great day!

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• 7 Ways to Avoid a Crummy Real Estate Agent  usnews.com)

If you set the correct price, you’ll notice a much faster sale.  Setting the right listing price will also attract more potential buyers to your property as well.  You’ll also notice an increase in response from Realtors, and receive more calls about the property.  The listing price is very important – and it can ultimately determine whether or not you even sell your property.

A home can be overpriced due to several reasons.  Overpricing is something you want to avoid, as buyers tend to steer clear of homes that have been overpriced.  Normally, this happens when a buyer asks a lot more than the home is worth or valued at due to emotional reasons.  Some sellers ask a lot more than the value of the home due to location.  Although the location is very important, most potential buyers won’t give the home a second look if they think the price is too high – and more importantly out of their price range.

When you put your home up for sale, most activity will happen within the first couple of weeks.  If you put the right price on your home, you’ll notice immediate interest.  There are always buyers looking for homes in their price range, waiting for new homes to be listed or homes to be reduced in price.  Buyers who are waiting to purchase may miss seeing your home completely if the price is too high.

To determine the listing price of your home, you should always have your Realtor go over the comparable recent sales.  This way, you’ll know the possible value of your home.  You can sell it for market value or go a little under, although you should never attempt to go way over the value.  In doing so, you’ll miss out on a lot of potential buyers.  The home market is very competitive these days, which is why you want your home to draw as much interest as possible, as soon as possible.

Keep in mind that Realtors really have no control at all over the real estate market, only the plan behind the marketing.  Realtors don’t determine the asking price – the seller does through the assistance of their Realtor.  If you do things right and take each process step by step, you’ll set the listing price in the right area and have no problems selling your property, or at least getting offers for it.

Short Sales in Stockton and Lodi, CA areas are what’s fueling the market right now and will stay that way for the near future.  The main thing is to get a good solid offer on your home and then the lender(s) will determine if you get the ‘green light’ or not.  That will most likely only happen if you price it right from the start.

First American CoreLogic reports that distressed properties accounted for 29% of all U.S. home sales in January. Also, real estate-owned sales rose to 22% of homes sales from 19% in December, and short sales rose to 8% from 7%.

National average sale prices in January were $161,600 for distressed homes, compared to the average non-distressed sale price of $247,700, $141,900 for REO properties, and $215,300 for short sales.

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• Distressed Sales Reach 29% of Entire Market: First American  housingwire.com)