Ok, it is true, that is a song from Seseme Street! It was about how somethings you cannot control are just.... unjust! I guess in my frustration my brain leads me back to something as simple as a goat singing about getting maaaaaad to cope with frustration.

I had a client that got scammed by one of those "I will get you a loan modification" companies (now referred as "Scummy-Co"). The owners sent Scummy-Co $2000 months ago and were told to send any communication from their mortgage company to Scummy-Co. Scummy-Co told them to send their mortgage company $500 a month while in negotiations.

They did. When they got their notice of trustee sale they sent a copy to Scummy-Co. They were told don't worry, it is part of the process.

Fifteen days before the auction date emails bounce back, phone numbers disconnected and they figured out something was wrong and called me. I tell them, "I think it is too late. :( Call the mortgage company and tell them what happened. See if they will give you time for a short sale, see if they will work with you." And they did. And a day before the auction date they receive a letter from mortgage company saying they would allow a short sale.

O Happy Day! So I research the title, research it again the next week and the county recognized them as still the owner. I order a preliminary title committment and the owners still own it! Whew! So on the market it goes! Ten days after what was suppose to be the auction date it hits the market for a desparate speedy short sale.

• I submit the short sale documentation.
• I contact the mortgage company to assure we are a go. We are.
• I pump the advertising out.
• I send out mailers.
• I blog about it.
• I call some of the best agents in our area about it.
• I get it set for tour.
• I get the sign out.
• I get the weather-proof color flyers made and delivered.
• I send out eflyers.
• I contact my potential buyers about it.

On day 5 an out of area agent calls me and says he works for a different mortgage companies asset manager and has been assigned the property. I let him know that we have a bit of a conflict but if he can get me documentation that the trustee sale went throught that I will GLADLY remove the property from the market. However, I point out a couple of things:

• He works for the wrong mortgage asset manager company.
• The county has no record of sale.
• The county has no recording of sale.
• The mortgage company permitted, in writing, a short sale for 90 days per HAFA.
• I am in contact with the mortgage company and they have accepted my shortsale documents and have moved it to the short sale department.

Three days later he calls again and says he has double checked and yes, he was assigned the property.

I repeat myself and add that since the banks don't know what one hand is doing, if he could get me documentation I would GLADLY release the listing.

I contact the title company, owners still owner of record.

I call my owners and have them call their lender.

Yep, it sold on the auction date. It just hasn't recorded 18 days later. So sorry, all they can tell the owners is who the new owners are. Why hasn't it recorded? No answer, but it IS SOLD.

WHAT?!?

My owners, now tenants, took it very well. I however, am MAAAAAAAD!

Although it has been a tough year it is easy to see that not all of even our small community as hit with negative prices. The Glenwood area (SK east of Hwy) was hit the worst. Manchester looks like it is one of the first areas to pull out of the local housing problems.

Well, my books are almost done for 2008...

I made it, thank goodness! So many good agents did not. I watched one of our offices top producers lose his house. Actually I think I saw 4 agents in our office lose their house in '08. Although we are competitors, it was horrible to watch. We are also brothers in arms of a huge change/adjustment/recession in our market. Many refused to look for where to shift their focus rather than just putting their head in their hands and fretting.

And we have been blessed in the Pacific Northwest! We weren't hit as hard as California, Nevada, Florida, etc.. I, and others, watched what happened to you guys and tried to make adjustments before it was too late.

I am so happy '08 is over. Oh, I am not all dreamy and expecting life to be "all 2005" again, but it is nice to feel the freshness of a new year. Clients are really adapted to the new times. Buyers are slaughtering sellers and sellers are taking advise to heart.

But what I am most happy about? Work actually is producing fruit again. The last 3 months felt like Adams curse, all thorns and weeds - but this January feels like spring!

Things are blooming!