Niceville, FL

Dear PetRescuer: Please be on the lookout for the pet listed below.

Critical Information: Pet name: Koda Species: Dog Breed: Other Primary color: Beige and white Secondary color: Other characteristics: one brown eye and one blue eye Sex: M Weight: 50 lbs. Birth date: 3/15/2006 Microchip number: 4943682206 Area last seen: Range Road Niceville Fl: Zip: 32578 Day last seen: 1/31/2009 Click on the link below to access the Lost Pet Poster for this pet, with photo, if available. http://www.homeagain.com/homeagain/downloadPoster.do?microchipId=4943682206&fileType=pdf

If you think that you have seen this pet, please call our 24/7 recovery center at 1 888 HomeAgain (1 888 466 3242) immediately! Our member guide, below, contains a few quick and easy steps you can take to ensure the safety and welfare of a lost pet. Know someone who might be willing to help? Click here to forward this e-mail to them. Thank you for your help. HomeAgain HomeAgain^TM PetRescuers Member Guide As a HomeAgain PetRescuer, there are quick, easy steps you can take to ensure the safety and welfare of a lost pet. If you are comfortable approaching the pet, first check for forms of identification. If the owner's contact information is on the tag, call the owner immediately and tell them the location of their pet. If there is no owner contact information available (or if you cannot reach the owner), call 1-888-HOME-AGAIN (888-466-3242) to report the found pet to the HomeAgain Proactive Pet Recovery Network. HomeAgain dispatchers will help guide you through the process of reporting and reuniting a lost pet with his or her owner. You are not required to approach the pet or take it into your home or yard. If y ou decide to take a pet into your care, here are some suggestions: 1. Segregate the pet from your other animals. 2. Provide food and water. 3. Check for signs of injury. 4. Monitor the pet's activity periodically while he/she remains with you. For more about HomeAgain and pet recovery, visit HomeAgain.com.

Hi Wendy,

I'm a First Time Homebuyer in Niceville Florida (or rather am seeking to become one) and my wife and I found a house that is a short sale.

I've been researching the ins and out of buying a short sale but there are of course more questions then answers :) The information I was given was a BPO of 290K, the home is listed at 230K, with an offer of 200K. This information was given freely by the listing agent.
The home is beautiful but it has since been vacated. No utilities, the home has since been broken into and vandalized, the refrigerator is tainted with an unholy smell and must be replaced, and the owner left a ton of debris behind when he/she moved out. Is this common in a short sale? Is this really a foreclosure? From what I have been reading it seems like people continue to occupy their homes during a short sale, not abandon them to disrepair during the process.

I would be most thankful for any opinions or advice you could offer. From what I have read it is essential to obtain a buyers agent in a short sale, one with experience, so that will be the next thing I research (I saw the property yesterday), correct? Cynthia

Dear Cynthia,

1. If a BPO (Broker Price Opinion) on file with a bank is significantly higher than the offer or list price, you've got a problem. However, if the BPO is more than 90 days old, most lenders will order a new one. Home prices are dropping in Niceville, so that would be a consideration. Additionally, your agent might be able to provide her own market analysis of the property for the listing agent to submit to the lender, that might help them better understand the current market conditions and pricing scenario.

2. You may be in an auction situation, as you wrote there is already is "an offer of 200k". That may mean the property is under contract, with an offer accepted by the homeowner, but yet to be approved by the short sale lender. If the listing agent indicated she would be sending multiple offers to the short sale lender, that diminishes your chance of procuring the property. Additionally, the Florida Association of Realtors legal advisors have stated that secondary offers must include an addendum stating they are "back-up" offers only.

3. It is common for short sales to be vacant with no utilities. Why? Because the property may be a rental, and the owner was unable to find a tenant. Or the owner may have been transferred. The utilities are off because most sellers doing a short sale do not have the financial means to pay for utilities. You should still have a home inspection, although most short sales are sold "as is". You should have the right to cancel your contract if the inspection is unacceptable. Understand that you may have to pay a small fee for the water, electricity, etc to be turned on in order to facilitate your home inspection.

4. A "short sale" is not a "foreclosure". A short sale is still owned by the homeowner. A foreclosure is owned by the homeowner's mortgage lender. The definition of a "short sale" is when the lender agrees to a accept a payoff for less than the remaining mortgage balance, and possibly forgive the entire shortfall, as well as pay the seller's closing costs including the Realtor fee. The loss is either completely written off by the lender, a payment arrangement is made with the homeowner (promissory note), or a lump-sum for a potentially lesser amount is agreed to (cash contribution).

5. YES, it is essential to hire an experienced buyer agent in pursuit of your Niceville Florida home. A short sale is a complex transaction, and a good buyer's agent will help you structure your offer to your best advantage, and in such a way that might also fit the criteria of the short sale lender.

It's Wendy!

Wendy Rulnick, Broker, CRP, CRS, GRI, ABR Rulnick Realty, Inc.

Search Niceville FL real estate

Short Sale Pre Foreclosure Help.

Call toll-free 1-877-ITS-WNDY (1-877-487-9639) or local 850-650-7883 ext 204

Email itswendy@rulnickrealty.com

Wendy Rulnick specializes in real estate sales, short sales, traditional sales on Emerald Coast of Florida: Destin Florida real estate, Santa Rosa Beach, Fort Walton Beach, Niceville, Bluewater Bay, Navarre, Seagrove Beach, Watercolor, Sandestin, Seaside, Dune Allen, Blue Mountain Beach, Freeport, Rosemary Beach, Mary Esther, Shalimar, Eglin AFB, Hurlburt Field. Wendy Rulnick, Broker and Realtor, has been selling real estate for 20 years. She has won numerous awards, including the coveted ADDY for advertising design. She is ranked in the top ½ percent of all Realtors on the Emerald Coast of Florida for resale listings sold and was featured in Kiplinger Personal Finance Magazine as a short sale specialist.

All Rights Reserved. "Question from Niceville Florida Short Sale Buyer" Contact Wendy Rulnick regarding Destin Florida real estate and vicinity. Copyright © 2009 by Wendy Rulnick.

This site, Wendy Rulnick or Rulnick Realty, Inc. is not providing legal or tax advice. The information provided is for educational and informational purposes only. It is recommended that sellers considering a short sale should consult an independent legal and tax advisor for more information.

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With the economy struggling, apparently Home Depot sees room for improvement as they plan to put a new Home Depot over the bridge in the city of Niceville with construction to begin next year. Destin has a Home Depot but it is the only one around for miles unless you want to drive to Panama City. The new Home Depot according to sources say that it will be located in Niceville off of the John Sims Parkway near Rocky Bayou Drive. This is great news for the economy of Niceville and should help to bring some much needed jobs to the area. This should also bring people to the area in need of housing and help our real estate sales in our area.

Today I received an email from an attorney in the Niceville and Destin Florida area regarding helping homeowners facing foreclosure.  The attorney, Mark A. Violette, noted that there are several federal laws that will protect the homeowner, notably the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.  He said that lenders are required to provide a copy of a loan history report to the borrower upon request.  Most mortgage lenders use loan servicing companies, and these companies are unable to comply with such a request.  The good news is that if the lender does not provide the report, collection efforts and the impending foreclosure are halted.  Attorney Violette kindly provided the following example:

Step One:

Lender files a Foreclosure Complaint.

Attached to the Complaint is a Notice Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Act ("FDCA") stating the homeowner has 30 days to contest the amount due.

Step Two:

Attorney Violette files a Motion to Stay and Request for Loan History Report pursuant to FDCA.

The lender must cease all collection efforts until the lender has provided the mortgagor with complete verification of the disputed amount of debt.

Step Three:

Wait for Lender to provide the loan history report, WHICH NEARLY ALL LENDERS ARE UNABLE to produce.

This may allow time for the homeowner to complete a Short Sale, or find another satisfactory resolution to the foreclosure.

It's Wendy!

Wendy Rulnick, Broker, CRP, CRS, GRI, ABR     Rulnick Realty, Inc.

Search Destin Florida real estate and vicinity.

Short Sale Pre Foreclosure Help.

Wendy Rulnick has been selling real estate for almost 20 years.  She has won numerous awards, including the coveted ADDY for advertising design. An expert marketer of real estate listings, she negotiates successfully to her clients' advantage. She is supported by a team of top buyer agents. Wendy specializes in real estate sales, short sales, traditional sales on Emerald Coast of Florida: Destin Florida real estate, Santa Rosa Beach, Fort Walton Beach, Niceville, Bluewater Bay, Navarre, Seagrove Beach, Watercolor, Sandestin, Seaside, Dune Allen, Blue Mountain Beach, Freeport, Rosemary Beach, Mary Esther, Shalimar, Eglin AFB, Hurlburt Field.  

1-877-487-9639 or 850-650-7883

email itswendy@rulnickrealty.com

All Rights Reserved. *Facing Foreclosure? The "Fair Debt Collection" Strategy * Contact Wendy Rulnick regarding Destin Florida real estate and vicinity. Copyright © 2008 by Wendy Rulnick.

This site, Wendy Rulnick or Rulnick Realty, Inc. is not providing legal or tax advice.  The information provided is for educational and informational purposes only.  It is recommended that sellers considering a short sale should consult an independent legal and tax advisor for more information

Subscribe to It's Wendy's Blog by Email