If you cannot afford your home loan, YOU ARE NOT ALONE!  Almost 7 million properties are not having their mortgage paid.  If you need help, call me or a CDPE.  Short Sales now represent 17.9% of transactions; they are a growing part of real estate sales. 

The loan industry was never set-up for short sales, but they are now looking at their business and changing their focus towards short sales.  BofA is the #1 short sale lender in the world (thanks to purchasing Countrywide); in the next 30-45 days, BofA will have a standard policy on their short sales!  How exciting is that?  WFB is in the process of creating a Realtor finder tool and they will look at CDPE’s as one of the rankings at the top of their referral list!

It was noted that mortgage partners/mortgage insurance still have a large say in a short sale,  and if they say NO to a sale, it is a NO!  Finally, the average home sale is $247,000, with short sales coming in at $215,000, distressed sales coming in at $161,600 and REO’s at $141,900.  Clearly Short Sales help keep people in their homes and keep neighborhood property values up!

Currently in Summerset, there are 26 homes for sale; sizes from 984-2857 square feet, with prices ranging from $204-$599K.  The best values  per square foot are two SHORT SALES located on Bacchini Lane, priced at $177 per square foot and Bismarck Way, priced at $173 sq ft.  Most homes in Summerset are gently used, but most buyers will want to update with granite countertops or stainless appliances that were not so important when these homes were built 7+ years ago.  To view all current Summerset homes for sale click here!  (Link is only good for 30 days)

Not quite sure you are ready to live in a retirement community?  You may want to rent first and test the waters.  See if you like living in a golf course community?  Find out for yourself how friendly the residents of Summerset can be, and participate in all Summerset events.  Click here for rentals; link good for 30 days!

Summerset is located in Brentwood and made up of 4 communities: Summerset 1, Summerset II (The Palms), Summerset III (Vista), and Summerset IV (The Orchards).  Each community has its own home owner’s association (HOA), recreation center, pool/hot tub, work out area, and activity director.  Once you are a resident of Summerset, you will receive a monthly activity calendar, and can attend activities at any of the four Summerset locations.

 For more information, give me a call at 925-852-1659.

Brentwood will also host the SPRING YARD SALE for the Soroptimist’s at 1201 Dainty Avenue (Central near Griffith)

The Oakley Ranch development (Brentwood Blvd & Charles Way) is also hosting a weekend GARAGE SALE from 9-4 on 5/22 and 5/23.

Need Fido washed?  There will be a dog parade, dog wash and walking to benefit HARP (Homeless Animals Resource Program) at the Shops at Fairview (1301 Balfour Road) This location is between all four (4) Summerset locations.

Don’t forget to buy your fresh fruits and foods from the Brentwood Farmer’s Market!  Located in downtown Brentwood on 2nd street; the street vendors offer fresh fruits/vegetables, organic eggs and meats, breads, plants, and prepared foods. They open at 8AM!

So, come to Brentwood to find some old treasures to enjoy and have a great weekend!

Two great articles came out this past week regarding FB Privacy.  I sent them to my friends, and NO I don’t have 763 friends!  If I don’t know someone, they aren’t a friend.  My dad was a cop, and I was raised to be cautious.    This article talks about how to set your privacy settings and things to possibly delete, so they are not shared.  Please take time to read this article and the blogger comments below it!  My nephew, a 42 yr old sales rep/weekend triathloner, just CLOSED his FB account because of privacy concern.

CNN just ran a similar article, but it talked about how FB has changed and that it will continue to change.  The author recommended keeping your information private for “friends” only.   I loved this quote from the article: “How do you bust up a giant landmass into seven pieces without anybody noticing? Slowly. How do you turn an uptight, closed-off Web business built by a few college students into a sprawling creature that seems capable of sharing anything with anyone anywhere? Very, very slowly. But when something big happens, people start to notice the small stuff that they wish they’d seen earlier.”  Will you wait for something BIG to happen to worry about your privacy?  Please read this 2nd article and the blog comments below, and make up your own minds. 

Finally, stop and think before you “FRIEND” someone on FB, and make sure what you post on FB will not cause you or a family member future harm.  If you don’t want to share it with the world, don’t post it!  View this video about FB and about their “privacy policy”!

This data came from First American CoreLogic. (Click here for the complete article)  In addition, homeowners in “depressed markets” may not experience positive equity until 2020!  WOW! Another staggering statistic is that almost 25% of all residential properties with mortgages had negative equity at the end of the fourth quarter of 2009.   That is one in four!  I appreciate CAR giving us non-sugar-coated data, and it is nice to know that they are not one-sided in the housing market news.

Another NY Times article discusses how the market downturn has also greatly reduced a borrower’s equity in a re-finance situation.  So, if a borrower has home equity below 20%, he or she must buy private mortgage insurance (PMI) for any refinance.  So, depending on when a home was bought, refinancing may or may not be a viable option.

If you owe more on your home that what it is worth and don’t want to wait until 2016 to sell the property, call a realtor trained as a CDPE to assist you in a short sale or with your HAFA submittal.   Isn’t it interesting how times have changed?  Who would have thought that home values would stay stagnant for the next five years?

Take a friend, take a client, or just do it for yourself!  ENJOY!!!!

From my email inbox, I am sharing this with you to implement “one light bulb at a time”.   Here is the email: “I was in Lowes the other day for some reason and just for the heck of it I was looking at the hose attachments.  They were all made in China.  The next day I was in Ace Hardware and just for the heck of it I checked the hose attachments; they were made in USA .  Start looking!

In our current economic situation, every little thing we buy or do affects someone else – even their job.  So, after reading this email, I think this lady is on the right track.  Let’s get behind her!

My grandson likes Hershey’s candy.  I noticed, though, that it is marked made in Mexico now.  I do not buy it any more.

My favorite toothpaste Colgate is made in Mexico … now I have switched to Crest.  You have to read the labels on everything.

This past weekend I was at Kroger.  I needed 60 W light bulbs and Bounce dryer sheets.  I was in the light bulb aisle, and right next to the GE brand I normally buy was an off-brand labeled, “Everyday Value.”  I picked up both types of bulbs and compared the stats – they were the same except for the price …  The GE bulbs were more money than the Everyday Value brand but the thing that surprised me the most was the fact that GE was made in MEXICO and the Everyday Value brand was made in – get ready for this – the USA by a company in Cleveland , Ohio .

Bounce Dryer Sheets, you guessed it, Bounce cost more money and is made in Canada .  The Everyday Value brand was less money and MADE IN THE USA ! I did laundry yesterday, and the dryer sheets performed just like the Bounce that I have been using for years, and at almost half the price!

So throw out the myth that you cannot find products you used every day that are made in the USA!  My challenge to you is to start reading the labels when you shop for everyday things and see what you can find that is made in the USA – the job you save may be your own or your neighbors!  If you accept the challenge, pass this on to others in your address book so we can all start buying American, one light bulb at a time!  Stop buying from overseas companies! Let’s get with the program and help our fellow Americans keep their jobs and create more jobs here in the U.S.A.”

1 in 7 homeowners are currently NOT making their mortgage payment.  If that is you contact a CDPE for more information on how they can help.