Michael Brown

Are you eligible? That is the hot topic for many homeowners in default.

Whether you are eligible or not, the key is to be a VOLUNTARY Participant in this process. Be proactive and reach out for help before it is too late. You have options, whether its a short sale, modification or deed in leiu! Too often we find many people are inactive up until there is an Auction date on your property and then its too late. Do not, I repet DO NOT pay someone in advance to do a modfication or refinance. 9 out of 10 times if you have pay before service it is probably a scam. So be careful.

MICHAEL ALEXANDER BROWN - REALTOR® WESTCHESTER COUNTY & THE BRONX

Are you a homeowner in DISTRESS? Are you having difficulty paying your mortgage? Are you overwhelmed and confused about who to turn to for help? Do you want to take control of your housing and financial situation?

If this is you, you are not alone. Most importantly you do have options and there are people here to help you. Whether its a modification, short sale or deed in leiu talk to the professionals to point you in the right direction. We know its an overwhelming process and as a professional we are here to support you in the process.

HOMEOWNERS IN DISTRESS

ATTEND A FREE INFORMATION SESSION

Are you having difficulty paying your mortgage?

Are you overwhelmed and confused about who to turn to for help?

Do you want to take control of your housing and financial situation?

Take the first step & learn about your options:

How to evaluate your housing situation

Steps to a resolution: refinances, modifications, sales & short sales

Understanding the foreclosure process

Role of the not-for-profit counselor

Legal Perspective: settlement conferences & court

Realtor's Reality Check: today's market & the short sale process

Plus: A Discussion of Obama's

"Making Home Affordable" Plan

Is there a solution for you?

Date: Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Time: 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM

Place: Yonkers Public Library -

Grinton I. Will Branch

1500 Central Park Avenue

Yonkers, NY 10710

Sponsored by Housing Action Council & Keller Williams Realty

To register call (914) 332-4144

Next week March 31st, 2009 at the Yonkers Public Libray (Grinton I. Will Branch 1500 Central Park Ave Yonkers, NY 10710), The Westchester County Housing Action Council and Keller Williams Realty Group will be holding a FREE Information Session discussing steps to resloution, understanding the foreclosure process and the role of the not-for-profit counselor. You will also get the legal perspective from attorneys who are active in this segment of the market and the Realtor's reality check, understanding today's market and the short sale process.

MICHAEL ALEXANDER BROWN - REALTOR® WESTCHESTER COUNTY & THE BRONX

This past Saturday, March 7th, there was an affordable housing expo at The County Center.

What an amazing event! It was a great opportunity to find out about the process of home ownership and to provide more information to those who may be having trouble keeping the house they own. Buyers we able to talk with a variety of local lenders to determine financing options and down payment and closing cost assistance. Sellers were able to meet with local professionals to evaluate their housing situation, options to avoid foreclosure (loan modifications, forbearance agreements, short sales) and steps toward a resolution.

Some of the sponsors were The Housing Action Council of Westchester County, Westchester County Board of Realtors & Westchestergov.com. Other companies were able to participate by purchasing a booth. We had an amazing booth and had a great turnout. Our booth was flanked by SONYMA and Westchester County Residential Opportunities Inc. Location, location, location!!

I learned so much during the event as well. The WRO and other Non-for-Profit agencies through out Westchester County have so many options available to first time home buyers it is really amazing. There are alot of funds set aside for down payment assistance, in addition to closing cost assistance and there is even a Sec 8 purchase program available. SONYMA had some really impressive programs as well and not just for first time home buyers.

As always comments and suggestions are always welcomed...

MICHAEL ALEXANDER BROWN REALTOR® WESTCHESTER COUNTY & THE BRONX

On Thursday May 29th, Westchester County REALTORS® were invited by Mayor Clinton I. Young Jr., to tour a couple public schools in Mount Vernon. The 3 schools we were able to tour were:

Edward Williams Elementary

A.B. Davis

Ms. Sharon Bradley, Principal, Nellie A. Thornton High School

Very Impressive!! The elementary school was awesome, the classrooms are bright and colorful, the classrooms are also seperated into multiple spaces to incorporate the various subjects being taught in the same class. Yo can also tell that the teachers took a great deal of pride in the appearance of their classes.

What really impressed me was the new high school, Nellie A. Thornton High School. I thought I walked into the MSNBC studio, every classroom was equiped with these smart boards. Kind I like the ones they use on those electoral vote counting shows on CNN or MSNBC. It is like a touch screen computer, the size of a chalk board. Pretty freakin awesome! Also for some reason I imagined high school to be a bit louder especially in between classes but not at Thorton. From the looks of it Mt Vernon is equiped to provide the children of Mount Vernon a quality education.

As usual comments and suggestions are always welcomed...

MICHAEL ALEXANDER BROWN - REALTOR® WESTCHESTER COUNTY, BROOKLYN & THE BRONX

Are they going to build the damn thing or what?!

The discussion never seems to end. On Sunday there was an article in the Journal News featuring the debate over the future of downtown Yonkers. The discussion was the second of 2 public hearings on the project's(The $1.6 billion Struever Fidelco Cappelli redevelopment plan of Downtown Yonkers) draft environmental impact statement. There were over 70 Yonkers residents who attended the hearing to voice their concerns.

There were 2 residents featured in the article. Donna moved to Yonkers when she was 2 years old and hasn't moved since, Michelle moved to Yonkers from Brooklyn in 1990 and has no plans of moving. Surprisingly their stances on the project are different and both have valid concerns.

I must side with Donna on this one. Although I do not live in Yonkers, I am a Real Estate Expert there and spend a lot of time and money there. I can't wait for the new project to begin, it will make Downtown Yonkers a major destination in Westchester County. I am not a huge fan of minor leaguse baseball but if not that then what, its still a great idea. Nor am I a huge fan of turning everything high end and luxury but look at Harlem. What would be great if there is a higher percentage of affordable housing being incorporated in the development plans? But again I think it's a great idea.

Although I agree with Michelle that Yonkers has way too much to offer for developers to ignore this great city but we I think we must strike while the iron is hot. New Rochelle, White Plains and even Port Chester have gotten a major face lift. Why not Yonkers? It's the largest city in Westchester, 4th largest in the state, closest to the city; I could go on and on... Why not Yonkers? And why not now?

Shelley Weintraub, vice president for the Greyston Foundation, which serves the city's poor with a combination of profit-making and charitable operations, said the downtown's current revival, which began in the late 1990s, has been painfully slow. Not acceptable!

As usuall comments and suggestions are always welcomed...

MICHAEL A. BROWN, REALTOR® - ASSOCIATE BROKER, WESTCHESTER COUNTY & THE BRONX