WHAT SHOULD I DO WITH A LOW OFFER ON MY SHORT SALE LISTING? Short sales are unique in a lot of ways. One way they aren't unique here in Las Vegas is that the bank holding the lien will want fair market value for the home. The lien holder will recognize that they need to offer some discount for the inconvenience, but that discount is usually in the form of buyer closing costs or a couple of Continue Reading
banks - Page 2
February Market Conditions
FEBRUARY MARKET CONDITIONS Available inventory remains stable in the market. Prices remain stable for listings under $200,000. Listings above that are still experiencing some small drops. Short sales dominate our market but traditional sellers are making up a bigger portion of our current inventory than we've seen in recent years. We've seen some small improvement in appraisals where the Continue Reading
Short Sale Appraisals
SHORT SALE APPRAISALS We are seeing a recurring issue in trying to close deals when there is a third party approval required (Short Sale). The lender (servicer, investor, MI company, etc) is countering the offer with an inflated value on the property. When we challenge the counter by pointing out that the comparable properties don't support their inflated counter offer the lender invariably Continue Reading
July Market Conditions – Selling Market?
While pricing remains stable, inventories have grown since the removal of the federal tax credit. We are stil selling to those that were not eligible to those that were not eligible for the tax credit but the demand has decreased. Short sales are dominating our selling market. More buyers are willing to wait the extended periods it takes to close for those selling. Investors are still seeking Continue Reading
Professionalism in Short Sales
Years ago, when the world was in balance and real estate agents were in step with each other, an offer was written for a client and then presented to the seller. The offer was either accepted, rejected, or countered in a timely manner. Everyone knew what was going on and the clients viewed the agents as professional, responsive, and knowledgeable. Now that banks control a large portion of our Continue Reading
Are Short Sales Becoming a Way of Life?
As a Realtor here in Las Vegas, it occurs to me that Short Sales will be a part of our market for a long time to come. Better than 65% of homeowners here in the valley are at a negative equity position in their home and they will be in a situation sometime in the next few years that they will need to sell their home. That means they will either need to write a substantial check upon selling Continue Reading
Adding Insult to Injury: The Short Sale That Wouldn’t Go Away!
Today I find myself writing this blog to relieve the stress of dealing with a bank on a short sale. Now I believe that just about everyone understands that Short Sales are difficult. They are difficult on sellers, buyers and agents. This short sale however is not only difficult, it just won't go away. In May of last year we took a listing. It was a short sale and the owner was very concerned Continue Reading
The Homeowner and The Big Bank: A Loan Modification Fable
A fable according to Webster's Dictionary is “a fictitious story meant to teach a moral lesson". Aesop is the best known fable writer and most of us are familiar with his stories such as "The Tortoise and The Hare". A lesser known fable is "The Wolf and The Crane". For the purpose of my fable, the leading roles will be played by The Homeowner (the Crane) and The Big Bad Bank (the Wolf). The Continue Reading
Short Sales are Long In The Tooth! Here’s Why.
My mother was a teacher. She always made sure her children did their homework every night- NO EXCUSES! However, I do remember kids who never had their homework done and always had some sort of an excuse such as "I couldn't find a pencil", "No one at home would help me", etc. It was never believed or tolerated by any savvy teacher. The teacher was in control, not the students. We are in an era Continue Reading
The Real Estate Downturn: Where Do We Go From Here?
It is amazing that such a tough year for real estate actually flew by in the blink of an eye (with a tear in it, though)! Now it's 2010 and we all wonder what is in store for buyers, sellers, banks, and lenders. In uncertain times, those that maintain a steady course are the survivors. Real estate agents have been weeded out by natural selection of the finest and fittest. Staying on top of new Continue Reading