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About Fresno County, CA

Top Ten Mistakes Homeowners Make When Facing Foreclosure

Stephanie Greenberg Fresno Homes For Sale: Real Estate Agent in Fresno, CA

Top Ten Mistakes Homeowners Make When Facing Foreclosure in Fresno, CA

1. Fail to educate themselves regarding their rights and options.

2. Avoid their mortgage company and do not return phone calls.

3. Allow feelings of fear or hopelessness to prevent them from taking action.

4. Procrastinate until their options are gone.

5. Make decisions based on emotions instead of facts and proper education.

6. Pay for fee-based education or counsel.

7. Refuse to accept the reality and urgency of their situation.

8. Turn to unregulated real estate investors for help.

9. Follow advice from friends or family that leads them down the wrong path.

10. Fail to seek professional advice from a specialist.

If you are facing foreclosure in Fresno, CA, please contact me for a complimentary consultation.

Free Homeowner Guide

Foreclosures - Judicial Process vs Non-Judicial Process

Stephanie Greenberg Fresno Homes For Sale: Real Estate Agent in Fresno, CA

I know we read alot on the internet when reading about the foreclosure process. Here is California we are a non-judicial state. Below is the difference for your refrence.

Two Different Systems: Judicial and Non-Judicial

Judicial Process Non-Judicial Process

Use state court system during foreclosure Use trustee to process foreclosure; courts not required
Homeowner carries the deed Beneficiary (investor) carries the deed
Default recorded at county courthouse Default recorded at county courthouse
Bank Investor must go through courts before foreclosure process can be initiated Bank Investor does not have to go through courts to initiate foreclosure process
Court verifies default status; sends homeowner Notice of Default No Notice of Default required; may send Notice of Trustee Sale notification
In most states, homeowner has 60 days at this stage in the process before home is sold at public auction In most states, homeowner has 22-30 days at this stage in the process before home is sold at public auction

Some states use both processes, depending on the way the mortgage was written. We encourage you to become familiar with the statutes and procedures for your own state.

Need more information? Click here to get your FREE homeowners guide.

Short Sale Timeline for Sellers in Fresno CA

Stephanie Greenberg Fresno Homes For Sale: Real Estate Agent in Fresno, CA

Short Sale Timeline for Sellers in Fresno CA


The Short Sale Timeline diagram is a general illustration of the stages involved in completing a short sale and the number of days each stage usually takes. Short sale timelines differ between banks and do not always follow the process illustrated on the diagram. While few banks will ever process short sales in the same amount of time, most banks will still adhere to the same stages illustrated in the diagram with very few exceptions or revisions.

Short Sales: Step-by-Step

The short sale process is complicated and must be done right in order for the result to work out in the best interest of the homeowner. For this reason, many banks require that the homeowner be represented by a licensed real estate agent. The majority of the tasks performed throughout the short sale process will be completed by the listing agent. The next section will highlight what happens at each stage of the process and what might be expected of the homeowner:

  1. The listing agent sends the lender a 3rd Party Authorization Form. The form authorizes the agent to receive information on the mortgage account on the homeowner's behalf.
  2. The homeowner will prepare a list of documents for their agent to submit to the bank in order for the short sale to be reviewed. This may include income tax returns, bank statements, paycheck stubs, a hardship letter, and other financial disclosures.
  3. Once an offer is received from a pre-qualified buyer, the offer is sent to the lender by the listing agent along with the homeowner's financial and other documents. This is called a "short sale package" and is referred to at the bank as a "file."
  4. The file is assigned to a bank negotiator.
  5. The bank sends an independent licensed real estate broker to the homeowner's property to perform a valuation called a Broker's Price Opinion (BPO). This is not typically a full appraisal, but it is performed to give the bank a general snapshot of the property value and overall condition.
  6. The BPO agent sends the valuation to the lender.
  7. The short sale package and BPO are reviewed by the bank and the investor who actually owns the mortgage.
  8. The bank decides to either approve or reject the homeowner's request for a short sale.
  9. In the case of an approval, a written acceptance is sent to the homeowner for review and the buyer initiates their mortgage-loan approval process.
  10. The buyer performs their inspections and they close on the property.

To get your Free Homeowner Guide Click Here!

Thinking of Buying a Short Sale in Fresno CA?

Stephanie Greenberg Fresno Homes For Sale: Real Estate Agent in Fresno, CA

All Parties Can Benefit from a Short Sale

Buying a short sale property can be a good deal to all parties involved. The bank benefits by not having to complete a costly foreclosure process, then having to maintain, insure, and sell–or auction–the property at an amount that is usually less than the amount received through a short sale. The homeowner is completely freed from the burden of an unsustainable mortgage with far less damage to their credit. The short sale allows them to purchase another home in 2-3 years–instead of 5-7 years compared to foreclosure.

The buyer is able to purchase a great home at a great price. Most short sale listings can be successfully purchased at an 3-5 percent discount in most markets, which is oftentimes a better discount than buying bank-owned–REO–listings. When compared to bank-owned listings, the majority of homes being sold as a short sale are owner-occupied. This means there is a greater probability the home will be in move-in condition after closing.

Thinking of buying a short sale in Fresno cA/ Give me a call and I would be happy to help you! To receive your Free Homeowner Guide Click Here!

A Week in the life of a Fresno Short Sale Realtor

Stephanie Greenberg Fresno Homes For Sale: Real Estate Agent in Fresno, CA

A review of my week working short sale deals in Fresno, CA.

Property A:

Received offer in Sept 2011. Two loans on property. After MUCH follow up I receive approval from first and second on same day last week. Property is vacant and seller goes over to get pool ready for inspections and discovers AC unit coils have been stolen from unit on the roof. Homeowners insurance was cancelled as the insurer did not want to insure vacant property and quotes were high. Both lenders were put on notice that property was not insured. Lenders will not pay for AC replacement. Deal in jeopardy

Property B:

Approval letter received from lender and it is short the amount of unpaid taxes. Lender states they have been paid on their side. County tax office still shows outstanding. Ask lender for new approval letter. Lender said investor may not approve as their net will go down. Really? We are talking less than $1,000!

Property C:

Lender 2 stated they wanted no less than $10,000 on a $50,000 note. Put it on HUD and sent to Lender 1 and thought no way would they approve it. Lender one sent a counter offer for $20,000 over fair market value, decreased commission but did not make any changes to the junior lien.

And that was just this week! Wonder what next week will bring.