Miami Beach, FL

For more information go to http://www.BuyMiami.net

The number of homeowners on the brink of losing their homes dipped in October, the third straight monthly decline, as foreclosure prevention programs helped more borrowers.

But foreclosure filings are still up 19 percent from a year ago, RealtyTrac Inc. said Thursday, and rising job losses continue to threaten the stabilizing trend.

More than 332,000 households, or one in every 385 homes, received a foreclosure-related notice in October, such as a notice of default or trustee's sale. That's down 3 percent from September.

Banks repossessed more than 77,000 homes last month, down from nearly 88,000 homes in September.

New state programs, like one launched in Nevada in July, that require mediation before banks can seize a property have helped stem foreclosure activity, said Rick Sharga, senior vice president at RealtyTrac.

Also, anecdotally, lenders are delaying foreclosure as they evaluate which borrowers might qualify for the federal loan modification program, he said.

"That's the reason there's been a buildup of homes that are seriously delinquent but not foreclosed," he said.

Despite Nevada's legislative efforts to slow foreclosures, the state still clocked in the nation's highest foreclosure rate for the 34th month in a row, followed by California, Florida, Arizona and Idaho. Rounding out the top 10 were Illinois, Michigan, Georgia, Maryland and Utah.

Among cities, Las Vegas had the highest rate, the report showed. One in 68 homes there received a foreclosure filing in October, more than five times the national average. Seven of the top ten metros were in California, led by Vallejo and Modesto at No. 2 and 3.

After three years of declines, home prices reversed course in June and have been rapidly climbing month-over-month. This will rebuild home equity and reduce the number of borrowers that owe more than their homes are worth.

Still, foreclosures remain near record highs and the mortgage industry is still struggling to manage the onslaught. The government has had to push many lenders to participate in the Obama administration's loan modification plan.

The Treasury Department said Tuesday that more than 650,000 borrowers, or 20 percent of those eligible, had signed up for temporary trial plans lasting up to five months. But since the beginning of September, only about 1,700 modifications had been made permanent. The Treasury Department expects to release updated data later this month.

Congress last week also extended and expanded a key federal tax credit for homebuyers that has been credited for boosting home sales recently.

Buyers who have owned their current homes for at least five years are eligible for tax credits of up to $6,500, while first-time homebuyers - or anyone who hasn't owned a home in the last three years - would still get up to $8,000. To qualify, buyers have to sign a purchase agreement by April 30, 2010, and close by June 30.

"Anything that stimulates buying activity," Sharga said, "will go a long way to mediate the foreclosure problem."

Source: http://www.dailybusinessreview.com/news.html?news_id=58589

I've been asked so many times over the past several months if there are any advantages to succesfully accomplishing a "Short" sale versus just letting the Foreclosure process run its course. So I've decided to write this post highlighting the major differences between a Short Sale and a Foreclosure, and how will it will probably affect a seller/property owner?

This is an all too common question being asked today for property owners in Greater Miami and Miami Beach, be it an owner of a Miami Beach single family home or condo. In my experience, most owners or property investors who purchased after 2003, and whose total housing expenses exceed 31% of gross income are dealing with this issue. To keep things as simple and brief as possible, I am not going to go into the details of these transactions; rather I'm going to give my way of explaining these terms when someone asks me this very question. At Fortune International, we have an experienced and dedicated team of agents, lawyers, and paralegals, and administrative assistants that have had success negotiating zero deficiency judgements for short sales worth millions of dollars. It's not an easy process, and requires dedicated and persistent follow up with lenders, lawyers, bank negotiators, condo associations, and various other debt holders.

- A short sale is when a homeowner is trying to sell for less than the amount owed on the loan, this type of transaction requires bank approval and there are certain guidelines and pre-requisites a bank will ask for prior to s short sale approval.
- A foreclosure is when the lender takes over the property. A court ordered sale is required prior to the foreclosure and at this sale if no buyer comes forward who is willing to pay the minimum bid for the property, then the lender takes possession and the property is foreclosed on.

The following breakdown is courtesy of Oliver Ruiz, General Manager of Fortune International and President of the Miami Board of Realtors:

Fannie Mae Mortgage Eligibility (Primary Residence):

• homeowner who loses a home to foreclosure is ineligible for a Fannie Mae backed mortgage for a period of 5 years.
• A homeowner who successfully negotiates and closes a short sale will be eligible for a Fannie Mae backed mortgage after 2 years

• An Investor who allows a property to go to foreclosure is ineligible for a Fannie Mae backed investment mortgage for a period of 7 years
• An investor who successfully negotiates and closes a short sale will be eligible for a Fannie Mae backed investment mortgage after 2 years.

• On any future loan application, a prospective borrower will have to answer YES to question C in Section VII of the standard 1003 that asks “Have you had property foreclosed upon or given title or deed in lieu thereof of the last 7 years?” This will affect future rates.
• There is no similar declaration or question regarding a short sale.

• Score may be lowered anywhere from 250 to over 300 points due to a foreclosure. Typically will affect score for over 3 years.
• Only late payments on mortgage will be reported as paid or negotiated. This will lower the score as little as 50 points, if all other payments are being made. A short sale’s affect can be 12 to 18 months on an individual credit score.

• Foreclosure will remain as a public record on a person’s credit history for 10 years or more.
• Short sale is not reported on a credit history. There is no specific reporting item for “short sale.”

• Foreclosure is the most challenging issue against a security clearance outside of a conviction of a serious misdemeanor or felony. If a client has a foreclosure and is a police officer, in the military, in the CIS, Security, or any other position that requires a security clearance will be revoked and position could be terminated.
• Short Sale, on its own, does not challenge most security clearances.

• Employers have the right and are actively checking the credit regularly of all employees who are in sensitive positions. A foreclosure, in some cases, can be grounds for immediate reassignment or termination.
• Short Sale is not reported on a credit report and is, therefore, not a challenge to employment.

• Many employers are requiring credit checks on all job applicants. A foreclosure is one of the most detrimental credit items an applicant can have and in most cases, will challenge employment.
• Short sale is not reported on a credit report and is therefore not a challenge to employment.

• In 100% of foreclosures (except in those states where there is no deficiency), the bank has the right to pursue a deficiency judgment.
• In some successful short sales, it is possible to convince the lender to give up the right pursue deficiency judgment against the homeowner.

• In a foreclosure, the home will have to go through an REO process if it does not sell at auction. In most cases, this will result in a lower sales price and longer time to sell in a declining market. This will result in higher possible deficiency judgment
• In a properly managed short sale, the home is sold at a price that should be close to market value and, in almost all cases, will be better than an Foreclosure sale resulting in a lower deficiency.

A few of the properties that we have successfully completed "short" sales:

Imagine buying a property and someone pays half or more of your mortgage.

By purchasing multifamily property in Miami Beach, FL. I am seeing residential multifamily property in Miami Beach, FL. that is less expensive than single family homes and even condos!

Many of the multifamily properties in Miami Beach, FL. were purchased during the 'boom" by investors who sunk a ton of money into rehabilitating buildings with the intent of flipping them for a profit. There are many multifamily properties in Miami Beach, FL. that have been renovated, are at full occupancy, but the current owners owe more than the properties are now worth, or they were never really intending to be landlords for the long term.

Often multifamily properties in Miami Beach, FL. can be purchased using FHA mortgages and HomeOwner assistance programs provided by the State, County and Miami Beach.

For more information, please visit my website at http://www.ShamrockPropertyManagement.net. Click "News" and take a look at the report "A Case for Investing in US Apartments".

For property listings, please visit my website at http://www.PatrickCaseyMiamiBeach.com

The right number of bedrooms, lots of sunny windows, a spacious kitchen ... these are just a few of the traits that prospective buyers look for when shopping for a home. But what about the surrounding neighborhood? How will you know if the location is right for you?

The quality of the neighborhood can have a significant impact on the home's overall value so it is well worth spending some time to check out the neighborhood. Here's how:

Start with the statistics - you can find information online about the area's demographics, school scores, crime rates and nearby stores, parks and other conveniences.

Visit City Hall - you can get copies of any future construction plans at your town or county's office of zoning and planning.

Get to know the area - one of the first characteristics you should notice about a neighborhood is its appearance. Take a walk around the area to get an overall view of where you might end up living. Drive through the neighborhood at various times of the day and night, during the week and on weekends. Compare what the traffic is like during rush hour to a Saturday morning. Notice if the neighborhood is quiet or if there are barking dogs or other noisy considerations.

Families with children should research local schools. Contact the school district's office to obtain school test scores and district budgets before you decide on a home.

Consider the distance from this neighborhood to your job. You may want to calculate the drive time with traffic, rather than just the actual miles. Also factor in how close you are to parks, sports complexes, shopping malls and grocery stores if these conveniences are important to you.