Viji Sashikant

Suddenly, there are scores of buyers. But resale homes are not selling. Unless they have been priced really really lower than market value.

Why? Because builders are giving such fabulous deals!

No... I am not griping against builders. I'm all for deals - buyers are the winners. If I were to buy today, I would opt for a brand new home too. Shiny new appliances, squeaky clean carpet, free upgrades. And in most cases, all or part of the closing costs.

The funny thing is that in the earlier part of the year, there were very few spec homes, so relocating buyers had to wait 2 - 3 months or settle for a resale home. But now? All builders seem to have homes that could be ready in 30 days or less!

My buyers are ecstatic! They are quick to make decisions, quick to write contracts. And that makes me ecstatic!

Have you noticed how everyone talks of foreclosures? For Buyers, its the deal of a lifetime, a way to make a quick buck. Agents boast of how they are experts on foreclosures and can get the Buyer that deal. And short sales? What great opportunities! There are classes on short sales - I'm surprised there are no designations.

Has anyone given a thought to that poor homeowner who is losing his home? Can you imagine how trapped they feel? Phone calls they don't want to return and letters they cannot bring themselves to open. Circumstances have brought them to this stage and they have literally nowhere to go.

I do some loss mitigation and time and again I've seen the bewildered look - is this happening to me? Or the anger - I lost my job! And often, the strain is so much that husbands turn on wives, and wives turn on husbands. There is fear and shame and helplessness. They cannot bring themselves to ask their family or friends for help.

And then comes the day, when the dreaded official letter comes. They don't need to open it to know its contents. And so they quickly pack up and take off. Sometimes it is back to old parents, more often to a seedy apartment.

They need help. Very often, a dispassionate third party like me helps them understand their options. In fact, to show them that they do have options.

I urge you to look at these homeowners with compassion.

Once in a while, you come across buyers and it breaks your heart to see how little they have and how happy and eager they are to get a home.

Today, I met a young couple - both are deaf and mute. Plus Joe (fictitious name) has a kidney problem because he has to go for dialysis! The very word frightens me.

They have so little - a beat-up car without air-conditioning (it was 90 degrees) and a Social Security check, but both were eager and excited and happy!

They had been emailing me and talking on the phone through one of those machines that the hearing impaired use, and they really liked 2 - 3 homes and I took them to see these homes.

They loved 2 of them, finally decided on 1 of them, and want to write a contract tomorrow!

I've got a loan application for them and I hope they qualify.

If they don't, I can just see both of them being quite happy over an even smaller home.

This was such a humbling experience!