San Diego County Real Estate

Moving my new blog posts

2011-01-21T16:28:00.000-08:00

Please read and make use of the many Blog posts on this Blog.
However, all my future posts will be on my main web sites.

"San Diego County Real Estate - General Blog"
visit: http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/blog

"365 Things to do around Encinitas-Cardiff-Carlsbad"
visit: http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/365-Encinitas_blog

"San Diego Short Sale-Foreclosure" /ShortSale-Foreclosure_blog
visit: http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/ShortSale-Foreclosure_blog

"55+ San Diego Senior Communities"
visit: http://www.sandiegoseniorrealestate.com/blog

Thank you for reading and I look forward to posting valuable information for you to read.
You can always call if you have any questions on any Real Estate subject.

Dennis Smith, ABR, SRES, e-PRO, CDPE, Realtor® DRE# 00476662
Certified Distressed Property Agent

Donna "Sunshine" Smith, SFR, Realtor® DRE# 01249837
Short Sale, Foreclosure Resource Certified

RE/MAX BY-THE-SEA
Buy or Sell a Home with Me, Use my Moving Truck - F R E E for life.

dennis@SanDiegoHomes4u.com
760-436-0087, or cell at 760-212-8225

See my main Web Site for more info and reports
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com
Also Market Trends Report with graphs and charts for North Coastal San Diego will give you the Sales Statistics for the month and compare it with last year, by city!
You can view all available San Diego area homes for sale.
You can search by address, by MLS number or by general criteria.

Providing quality Real Estate services in the North Coastal San Diego area including Del Mar, Solana Beach, Rancho Santa Fe, Cardiff by the Sea, Encinitas, Leucadia, Olivenhain, Carlsbad, La Costa, Aviara, Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos, San Elijo Hills, Escondido and San Diego County

SB 931: no short sale deficiency judgements

2010-11-15T21:24:00.000-08:00

SB 931: no short sale deficiency judgements in CA on first TD's

Until now, the laws allowed banks to pursue a homeowner following a short sale for the balance of the deficiency. Many of them did just that, 1 to 6 months after the closing...surprise! Not any more!

Beginning January 1st, 2011 any first mortgage lenders that accept a short sale will not be able to obtain a deficiency judgment against the seller on any FIRST TRUST DEED. This includes purchase money, hard money and refinanced loans.

SB 931 applies to one to four-unit dwellings, non-owner or owner-occupied.

If you have a second or third lien, it is very important that you get the lender to waive their deficiency rights in writing. Our team has had good success doing that for our clients. Please call with any questions or referrals for short sales. We would be glad to give a free consultation.

The legislative counsel's summary of the bill follows:

"This bill would prohibit a deficiency judgment under a note secured by a first deed of trust or first mortgage for a dwelling of not more than 4 units in any case in which the (owner) sells the dwelling for less than the remaining amount of the indebtedness due at the time of sale with the written consent of the holder of the first deed of trust or first mortgage. The bill would provide that written consent of the holder of the first deed of trust or first mortgage to that sale shall obligate that holder to accept the sale proceeds as full payment and to fully discharge the remaining amount of the indebtedness on the first deed of trust or first mortgage."

Of course, this is not tax or legal info so you should contact the appropriate professional before considering a Short Sale, loan modification, DIL or foreclosure.

See my Short Sale and Foreclosure Avoidance Web Site at
http://HAFAShortSaleConsultant.com/
for more information & free reports.

Dennis Smith, ABR, SRES, e-PRO, CDPE, Realtor® DRE# 00476662
Certified Distressed Property Agent

Donna "Sunshine" Smith, SFR, Realtor® DRE# 01249837
Short Sale, Foreclosure Resource Certified
RE/MAX BY-THE-SEA

Buy or Sell a Home with Me, Use my Moving Truck - F R E E for life.
dennis@SanDiegoHomes4u.com
760-436-0087, or cell at 760-212-8225

See my main Web Site for more info and reports
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com

Also Market Trends Report with graphs and charts for North Coastal San Diego will give you the Sales Statistics for the month and compare it with last year, by city!

You can view all available San Diego area homes for sale.
You can search by address, by MLS number or by general criteria.

Providing quality Real Estate services in the North Coastal San Diego area including Del Mar, Solana Beach, Rancho Santa Fe, Cardiff by the Sea, Encinitas, Leucadia, Olivenhain, Carlsbad, La Costa, Aviara, Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos, San Elijo Hills, Escondido & San Diego County

San Diego County Events Calendar - November 2010

2010-10-24T21:49:00.000-07:00

Dennis and Sunshine Smith of RE/MAX By-the-Sea are pleased to provide you with the

San Diego County Events Calendar - November 2010

Over 60 different events.

To view the image below, click on it to see it in full screen.

It gives you better readability.

Here is a list of the exciting things to do and places to go throughout San Diego County.

I hope you enjoy the many things and events we have to offer in

San Diego, Oceanside, Carlsbad, Encinitas, Olivenhain, Del Mar and Escondido including

Fairs, Festivals, Performances, Parades, Music, Art and more.

Dennis Smith, ABR, SRES, e-PRO, CDPE, Realtor® DRE# 00476662

Certified Distressed Property Agent

Donna "Sunshine" Smith, SFR, Realtor® DRE# 01249837

Short Sale, Foreclosure Resource Certified

RE/MAX By-the-Sea

Formerly with Taylor Place Real Estate

Buy or Sell a Home with Me, Use my Moving Truck - F R E E for life.

dennis@SanDiegoHomes4u.com

760-436-0087, or cell at 760-212-8225

http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/home.htm

See my Short Sale and Foreclosure Avoidance Web Site at

http://HAFAShortSaleConsultant.com/

for more information & free reports.

My Market Trends Report with graphs and charts for North Coastal San Diego will give you the Sales Statistics

for the month and compare it with last year, by city!

http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/RealEstateTrends.htm

You can view all available San Diego area homes for sale at

http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/MLS_Search.htm

You can search by address, by MLS number or by general criteria.

Single Story house near I-15 in Fallbrook - Only $299K

2010-10-14T13:04:00.000-07:00

Single Story house near I-15 in Fallbrook - Only $299K

Possible 100% Financing Available.

Dennis Smith Presents: 3523 Lake Park Ave, Fallbrook

Rare Single Story Home in Wonderful cul de sac location in Lake Rancho Viejo, Fallbrook
Move in ready. Some New paint & all newer carpet.
Features 9' ceilings and family room w/cozy fireplace for romantic, relaxing evenings.
The kitchen opens up to the family room to give it a Great Room feeling.
Living room & Dining room are separate rooms.Inside Laundry Room.
Quick access to I-15 Freeway.
Close to over a mile of community walking trails.
Pride of ownership.
MLS number 100061048
See full details, Please call me at 762-212-8225

Dennis Smith, ABR, SRES, e-PRO, CDPE, Realtor® DRE# 00476662
Certified Distressed Property Agent
Donna "Sunshine" Smith, SFR, Realtor® DRE# 01249837
Short Sale, Foreclosure Resource Certified

RE/MAX BY-THE-SEA

Buy or Sell a Home with Me, Use my Moving Truck - F R E E for life.
dennis@SanDiegoHomes4u.com
760-436-0087, or cell at 760-212-8225
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/home.htm

See my Short Sale and Foreclosure Avoidance Web Site at
http://HAFAShortSaleConsultant.com/
for more information & free reports.

My Market Trends Report with graphs and charts for North Coastal San Diego will give you the Sales Statistics for the month and compare it with last year, by city!
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/RealEstateTrends.htm

You can view all available San Diego area homes for sale at
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/MLS_Search.htm
You can search by address, by MLS number or by general criteria.

Providing quality Real Estate services in the North Coastal San Diego area including Del Mar, Solana Beach, Rancho Santa Fe, Cardiff by the Sea, Encinitas, Leucadia, Olivenhain, Carlsbad, La Costa, Aviara, Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos, San Elijo Hills, Escondido & San Diego County

Buy Homes in San Diego County for Half Off.

2010-09-29T17:17:00.000-07:00

Buy Homes in San Diego County for Half Off.

This is a great time to buy homes in San Diego County.

With loan rates at 50 year lows (almost 2/3 of what rates were 3 years ago),

and price drops on homes from 20% to 50%,

you could have a loan payment that is 40% to 60% lower
than it was 3 years ago...on the exact same home.

What a great deal, but do not delay,
Interest rates can turn up quickly.
If rates go from 4.5% to 6.5% (where rates were 2 years ago)
Your payment goes up by 48%.
What you can buy for $600K is much different than what you can buy for $300K.

Learn what the local "Experts" have to say about a Double Dip Recession and
where San Diego area Real Estate prices will go in the next 6 months.
http://sandiegohomes4ucom.blogspot.com/2010/09/opinions-are-like-noses-we-all-have-one.html

Please call me quickly to take advantage of these rates and prices.

Dennis Smith, ABR, SRES, e-PRO, CDPE, Realtor® DRE# 00476662
Certified Distressed Property Agent

Donna "Sunshine" Smith, SFR, Realtor® DRE# 01249837
Short Sale, Foreclosure Resource Certified

RE/MAX By-the-Sea
Formerly with Taylor Place Real Estate
Buy or Sell a Home with Me, Use my Moving Truck - F R E E for life.
dennis@SanDiegoHomes4u.com
760-436-0087, or cell at 760-212-8225
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/home.htm

See my Short Sale and Foreclosure Avoidance Web Site at
http://HAFAShortSaleConsultant.com/
for more information and free reports.

My Market Trends Report with graphs and charts for North Coastal San Diego will give you the Sales Statistics for the month and compare it with last year, by city!
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/RealEstateTrends.htm

You can view all available San Diego area homes for sale at
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/MLS_Search.htm
You can search by address, by MLS number or by general criteria.

Providing quality Real Estate services in the North Coastal San Diego area including Del Mar, Solana Beach, Rancho Santa Fe, Cardiff by the Sea, Encinitas, Leucadia, Olivenhain, Carlsbad, La Costa, Aviara, Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos, San Elijo Hills, Escondido & San Diego County

OPINIONS ARE LIKE NOSES, WE ALL HAVE ONE

2010-09-29T16:53:00.000-07:00

OPINIONS ARE LIKE NOSES,
WE ALL HAVE ONE

Some are more educated than others but not always right.

Below is what the local "Experts" have to say about a Double Dip Recession and
where San Diego area Real Estate prices will go in the next 6 months.

Each week the San Diego Union Tribune Newspaper Business section asks its panel of eight economists to weigh in on an economic issue of concern to San Diegans. They may say yes, no, up, down or decline to participate or remain neutral.

Question: With the stock market, employment, housing, consumer spending and the general economy in jittery condition, do you think San Diego County will fall into recession again in a so-called “double-dip”?

Yes — 0;
No —7;
not participating: 1

No 'double-dip' ahead for San Diego economists say, but it might feel like a slump.
http://ww.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/aug/29/no-double-dip-ahead-san-diego-economists-say/

Question: Do you think San Diego’s housing market – prices and sales – will fall between now and the year’s end in the wake of the end to federal and state tax rebates?

Yes - 3 (residential focus)

Yes - 1 (commercial focus)

No - 2 (residential focus)

Neutral - 1

Some of the comments:
"This is an exceptionally complicated call. "
"Now we are back to a more normal recovery pattern."

"Although there will be parts of San Diego’s housing market that will see prices and sales increases, the end of the tax rebates, continuing high unemployment and sluggish job growth, and inventory of foreclosed homes still to be released to the market, will cause overall prices and sales in San Diego to slump through the end of the year."

"There is ultimately an imbalance of supply and demand, which will have the impact of bidding up housing prices as the economy recovers, simply because we will add precious few new housing units relative to the demand that can be forecast with regional economic growth. However, this upward pattern in pricing will be very gradual."

"the good news is regular sales are up while the [banks'] real-estate-owned sales are declining as a percent of the total"
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/aug/21/housing-prices-and-sales-where-are-they-headed/

My thoughts: Interest rates are the lowest they have been in 50 years and have nowhere to go but up. Lock in these low rates NOW for 15 to 30 years and smile. If rates go from 4.5% to 6.5%, that is a 48% increase in the monthly payment! This probable increase in rates has a far greater cost increase than what you would save in the possible drop in property prices in San Diego area...if prices go down at all.

Please call me quickly to take advantage of these rates & prices today.

Dennis Smith, ABR, SRES, e-PRO, CDPE, Realtor® DRE# 00476662
Certified Distressed Property Agent

Donna "Sunshine" Smith, SFR, Realtor® DRE# 01249837
Short Sale, Foreclosure Resource Certified

RE/MAX By-the-Sea
Formerly with Taylor Place Real Estate

Buy or Sell a Home with Me, Use my Moving Truck - F R E E for life.
dennis@SanDiegoHomes4u.com
760-436-0087, or cell at 760-212-8225
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/home.htm

See my Short Sale and Foreclosure Avoidance Web Site at
http://HAFAShortSaleConsultant.com/
for more information and free reports.

My Market Trends Report with graphs and charts for North Coastal San Diego will give you the Sales Statistics for the month and compare it with last year, by city!
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/RealEstateTrends.htm

You can view all available San Diego area homes for sale at
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/MLS_Search.htm
You can search by address, by MLS number or by general criteria.

Providing quality Real Estate services in the North Coastal San Diego area including Del Mar, Solana Beach, Rancho Santa Fe, Cardiff by the Sea, Encinitas, Leucadia, Olivenhain, Carlsbad, La Costa, Aviara, Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos, San Elijo Hills, Escondido & San Diego County

San Diego County Events - Sept 2010

2010-09-13T21:30:00.000-07:00

San Diego County Events - Sept 2010

To view the picture/image below, click on it to see it in full screen.

It gives you better readability.

Things to do in San Diego in Sept 2010

Here is a list of the exciting things to do and places to go throughout San Diego County.

I hope you enjoy the many things and events we have to offer here.

Click on the picture/list to expand it to full screen

Dennis Smith, ABR, SRES, e-PRO, CDPE, Realtor® DRE# 00476662

Certified Distressed Property Agent
Donna "Sunshine" Smith, SFR, Realtor® DRE# 01249837

Short Sale, Foreclosure Resource Certified

RE/MAX By-the-Sea
Formerly with Taylor Place Real Estate

Buy or Sell a Home with Me, Use my Moving Truck - F R E E for life.
dennis@SanDiegoHomes4u.com
760-436-0087, or cell at 760-212-8225
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/home.htm
See my Short Sale and Foreclosure Avoidance Web Site at
http://HAFAShortSaleConsultant.com/
for more information & free reports.
My Market Trends Report with graphs and charts for North Coastal San Diego will give you the Sales Statistics for the month and compare it with last year, by city!
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/RealEstateTrends.htm
You can view all available San Diego area homes for sale at
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/MLS_Search.htm
You can search by address, by MLS number or by general criteria.

Furniture Fantasy Sale Sat., October 2, 2010

2010-09-10T21:58:00.000-07:00

Furniture Fantasy Sale Sat., October 2, 2010

Have you ever walked through a Model Home and wished you could get a good deal on the furnishings in the home? BIA can help. The Building Industry Association of San Diego County has it's 3rd annual fundraiser in a 20,000 SqFt warehouse full of great furnishings from Model Homes.

Well now you can.
As much as 90% off retail.

You must be there early since people start lining up at 4AM. It is open at 8AM and mostly gone by mid morning.

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
October 2, 2010
8:00am till SOLD OUT
Note: they made over $60K for charity last year - 2009. Watch for it again in 2011.

FEATURING:

HIGH-END MODEL HOME FURNISHINGS

OFFICE FURNITURE, APPLIANCES

ACCESSORIES

CONSTRUCTION/REMODEL SUPPLIES

All sales are final and items must be removed that day!!!
Cash and Credit Card (MC, Visa, Amex& Discover) accepted

Don't miss the Furniture Fantasy Sale.
Visit: http://www.biacares.org/ for more information.
http://www.biasandiego.org/pdfs/Sales_Flyer.pdf

SALE LOCATION: Liberty Station
2816 Historic Decatur Road, Suite 140
San Diego, CA 92106
Enter @ Lytton St.
Follow the Signs!!!

Furniture Fantasy Sale Sat., October 2, 2010

____________________________________________

ANOTHER GREAT DEAL!
Go to the Habitat for Humanity ReStore for more bargains.
http://www.sdhfh.org/
10222 San Diego Mission Rd
San Diego, CA 92108
(619) 516-5267

Up to 70% OFF every Item: cabinets, doors, appliances, granite countertops, windows, lighting, plumbing, flooring, antiques, architectural items and more.

Dennis Smith, ABR, SRES, e-PRO, CDPE, Realtor® DRE# 00476662
Certified Distressed Property Expert
RE/MAX By-the-Sea
Formerly with Taylor Place Real Estate
dennis@SanDiegoHomes4u.com
760-436-0087, or cell at 760-212-8225

http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/home.htm

Fall Home/Garden Show in Del Mar Ca

2010-09-10T21:34:00.000-07:00

Fall Home/Garden Show in Del Mar at the Fairgrounds

has hundreds of different exhibits including home improvement products, furnishings, decorating & remodeling ideas… plus Showcase, Pet Corner, and Art / Face to Face.
September 10 - 12, 2010

Hours:
Friday, 11:00AM-6:00PM
Saturday, 10:00AM-6:00PM
Sunday, 10:00AM-5:00PM

Price:
Adults $8.00;
Younger than 12, free
Seniors $1.00 - Friday only
After 3:00PM, $5.00
E-tickets, $6.00
http://www.fallhomegardenshow.com/Pages/Discounts.htm

Location: O'Brien Hall at the Del Mar Fairgrounds
Parking: $9.00

Visit the Fall Home/Garden Show in Del Mar for all kinds of show specials too.

Dennis Smith, ABR, SRES, e-PRO, CDPE, Realtor® DRE# 00476662
Certified Distressed Property Agent
Donna "Sunshine" Smith, SFR, Realtor® DRE# 01249837
Short Sale, Foreclosure Resource Certified
RE/MAX By-the-Sea
Formerly with Taylor Place Real Estate
Buy or Sell a Home with Me, Use my Moving Truck - F R E E for life.
dennis@SanDiegoHomes4u.com
760-436-0087, or cell at 760-212-8225
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/home.htm
See my Short Sale and Foreclosure Avoidance Web Site at
http://HAFAShortSaleConsultant.com/
for more information and free reports.

25 Free and Fun Activities in San Diego County

2010-08-06T17:26:00.000-07:00

25 Free and Fun Activities in San Diego County

1. Head to one of San Diego’s beaches, consuming 70 miles of the coast.

2. Picnic at Torrey Pines State Park and view the hang-gliders.

3. Bird watch at the 1000-acre Torrey Pines State Reserve.

4. Take a self-guided tour of UCSD’s contemporary Stuart Collection sculptures.

5. Travel to La Jolla Cove and watch the scuba divers, snorkelers, seals, or the sunset.

6. The Museum of Contemporary Art in La Jolla is free the first Sunday of each month.

7. Drive to the top of Mt. Soledad in La Jolla for magnificent views of San Diego.

8. Cruise the 3-mile long Mission Beach Boardwalk on skates, bikes, or feet.

9. At night, have a beach bonfire at one of the selected beaches.

10. Spend the day at Mission Bay, a 4600-acre aquatic park.

11. Bike or jog along the 20 miles of trails surrounding Mission Bay.

12. Explore the tide-pools in Point Loma and La Jolla.

13. Visit Seaport Village to window-shop or tour the bay

14. Check out San Diego’s Big Bay

15. Balboa Park features museums and some are free on Tuesdays

16. Take in a free organ concert (Sundays at 2pm) at the Spreckels Organ pavilion in Balboa Park.

17. On the first Wednesday of every month, go to the Reuben H. Fleet Museum for “Stars in the Park”

18. Tour the Gaslamp District: full of restaurants, shops, and nightlife.

19. Old Town offers free flamenco dance lessons and historic tours of the town.

20. Take a free tour of the 150-acre Arco Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista.

21. Drive to Mt. Laguna to hike, picnic, or bike-ride.

22. Explore the Mission Trails Regional Park, which features a theater where guests can explore or learn about nature and the people who once occupied the land.

23. Bird watch from one of the watching platforms at the Chula Vista Nature Center.

24. Free fly-fishing lessons are offered Sundays from 9am to noon at Lake Murray in La Mesa.

25. Travel across the border to Tijuana, Mexico.

These are just 25 of the many Free & Fun activities in San Diego County
Explore and have fun in the sun and add to this list with your own suggestions.

Dennis Smith, ABR, SRES, e-PRO, CDPE, Realtor® DRE# 00476662

Certified Distressed Property Agent

Donna "Sunshine" Smith, SFR, Realtor® DRE# 01249837
Short Sale, Foreclosure Resource Certified

RE/MAX By-the-Sea
Formerly with Taylor Place Real Estate
Buy or Sell a Home with Me, Use my Moving Truck - F R E E for life.

dennis@SanDiegoHomes4u.com
760-436-0087, or cell at 760-212-8225
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/home.htm

See my Short Sale and Foreclosure Avoidance Web Site at
http://HAFAShortSaleConsultant.com/
for more information & free reports.

My Market Trends Report with graphs and charts for North Coastal San Diego will give you the Sales Statistics for the month and compare it with last year, by city!
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/RealEstateTrends.htm

You can view all available San Diego area homes for sale at
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/MLS_Search.htm
You can search by address, by MLS number or by general criteria.

San Diego County Events - Aug 2010

2010-08-06T11:07:00.000-07:00

San Diego County Events - Aug 2010

To view the image below, click on it to see it in full screen.

It gives you better readability.

Here is a list of the exciting things to do and places to go throughout San Diego County.

I hope you enjoy the many things and events we have to offer here.

Dennis Smith, ABR, SRES, e-PRO, CDPE, Realtor® DRE# 00476662

Certified Distressed Property Agent

Donna "Sunshine" Smith, SFR, Realtor® DRE# 01249837

Short Sale, Foreclosure Resource Certified

RE/MAX By-the-Sea
Formerly with Taylor Place Real Estate
Buy or Sell a Home with Me, Use my Moving Truck - F R E E for life.

dennis@SanDiegoHomes4u.com
760-436-0087, or cell at 760-212-8225
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/home.htm

See my Short Sale and Foreclosure Avoidance Web Site at
http://HAFAShortSaleConsultant.com/
for more information & free reports.

My Market Trends Report with graphs and charts for North Coastal San Diego will give you the Sales Statistics for the month and compare it with last year, by city!
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/RealEstateTrends.htm

You can view all available San Diego area homes for sale at
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/MLS_Search.htm
You can search by address, by MLS number or by general criteria.

Tax Credits + Rebates for Energy Efficiency still available for Consumers

2010-07-29T11:47:00.000-07:00

Federal Tax Credits + CA Rebates for Consumer Energy Efficiency still available

Tax Credit: 30% of your cost up to $1500 total
Details: Must be an existing home & your principal residence.
New construction and rentals do not qualify.

What qualifies: Biomas Stoves, Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning, Insulation, Roofs (Metal & Asphalt), Water Heaters (non solar), Windows and Doors & Tube Skylights.

This Program Expires: December 31, 2010

What qualifies for the Second Part:
Geothermal Heat Pumps, Small Wind Turbines, Solar Energy Systems and Fuel Cells.

This Program Expires: December 31, 2016
For all the details, see:
http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=tax_credits.tx_index

CA extends & expands the Energy Star appliance rebates. These rebates and recycling payments are in addition to the Federal credits above. Some rebates come from SDG&E for those living in San Diego.

Replacing old appliances and equipment with those that are ENERGY STAR labeled can help you save significantly on your utility bills...and you get a rebate (not all Energy Star labled products qualify for the rebates).

HVAC Systems - $ 500-1000
Dishwashers $100-130
Water Heaters - $330-780
Clothes Washer - $100
Refrigerators - $200-225 + $50 recycling
Freezer - $50 + $50 recycling
Pool pumps - $200
Room AC - $50-100 + $25 recycling
Whole House Fan - $50

This Program Expires when the money runs out - 1-2 months

For all the details, see:
http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=tax_credits.tx_index
http://www.cash4appliances.org/.
http://www.appliances.energy.ca.gov/
http://socalwatersmart.com/ for MWD

Dennis Smith, ABR, SRES, e-PRO, CDPE, Realtor® DRE# 00476662
Certified Distressed Property Agent

Donna "Sunshine" Smith, SFR, Realtor® DRE# 01249837
Short Sale, Foreclosure Resource Certified

RE/MAX By-the-Sea
Formerly with Taylor Place Real Estate
Buy or Sell a Home with Me, Use my Moving Truck - F R E E for life.
dennis@SanDiegoHomes4u.com
760-436-0087, or cell at 760-212-8225
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/home.htm

See my Short Sale and Foreclosure Avoidance Web Site at
http://HAFAShortSaleConsultant.com/
for more information & free reports.

My Market Trends Report with graphs and charts for North Coastal San Diego will give you the Sales Statistics for the month and compare it with last year, by city!
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/RealEstateTrends.htm
You can view all available San Diego area homes for sale at
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/MLS_Search.htm
You can search by address, by MLS number or by general criteria.

Providing quality Real Estate services in the North Coastal San Diego area including Del Mar, Solana Beach, Rancho Santa Fe, Cardiff by the Sea, Encinitas, Leucadia, Olivenhain, Carlsbad, La Costa, Aviara, Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos, San Elijo Hills, Escondido & San Diego County

Great White Shark attacks Surfer in Cardiff

2010-07-25T16:27:00.000-07:00

Great White Shark attacks Surfer in Cardiff.

to imbed

The "Cardiff Kook" statue has met its match with Jaws.

The statue was dedicated in 2007 as the "Magic Carpet Ride" but has been banned by local surfers because it is not a natural surfers stance. Pranksters have previously dressed the male statue with various outfits like a tennis outfit, ballerinas tutu, a bikini and others.

Courtesy of

Dennis Smith, ABR, SRES, e-PRO, CDPE, Realtor® DRE# 00476662
Certified Distressed Property Agent
RE/MAX By-the-Sea
Formerly with Taylor Place Real Estate
Buy or Sell a Home with Me, Use my Moving Truck - F R E E for life.
dennis@SanDiegoHomes4u.com
760-436-0087, or cell at 760-212-8225
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/home.htm

You can view all available San Diego area homes for sale at
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/MLS_Search.htm
You can search by address, by MLS number or by general criteria.

How to Quietly Break Into a Home in 6 Seconds

2010-06-22T20:18:00.000-07:00

How to Quietly Break Into a home in 6 Seconds...and how to prevent it!

Since you value your possessions and your safety, here is some valuable information you should know.

The following YouTube video shows how to quietly break into a home through the garage door in six seconds.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMz1tXBVT1s

There is a very easy way to prevent this from happening. Simply take a small cable tie (or piece of wire) and attach the release lever cord holder to the connector above it. I did it to my door by threading the cable tie through the hole the pull-down rope is attached to. I did not even have to remove the rope. It took all of 3 minutes to do both garage doors.

Now all you have to cut the zip tie in order to release the lever.

If you would like me to mail you a free cable tie, please call or write me with your mailing address and let me know if you have one or two garage door openers.

Dennis Smith, ABR, SRES, e-PRO, CDPE, Realtor® DRE# 00476662
Certified Distressed Property Agent

Donna "Sunshine" Smith, SFR, Realtor® DRE# 01249837
Short Sale, Foreclosure Resource Certified

RE/MAX By-the-Sea
Formerly with Taylor Place Real Estate
Buy or Sell a Home with Me, Use my Moving Truck - F R E E for life.
dennis@SanDiegoHomes4u.com
760-436-0087, or cell at 760-212-8225
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/home.htm

See my Short Sale and Foreclosure Avoidance Web Site at
http://HAFAShortSaleConsultant.com/
for more information & free reports.

My Market Trends Report with graphs and charts for North Coastal San Diego will give you the Sales Statistics for the month and compare it with last year, by city!
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/RealEstateTrends.htm

You can view all available San Diego area homes for sale at
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/MLS_Search.htm
You can search by address, by MLS number or by general criteria.

Providing quality Real Estate services in the North Coastal San Diego area including Del Mar, Solana Beach, Rancho Santa Fe, Cardiff by the Sea, Encinitas, Leucadia, Olivenhain, Carlsbad, La Costa, Aviara, Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos, San Elijo Hills, Escondido & San Diego County

Freddie & Fannie Join HAMP = Easier Short Sales

2010-06-02T21:35:00.000-07:00

Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae just announced their own version of the HAFA programs. They’re both planning to be implemented by August 1, 2010. The programs are very similar to HAFA in that they simplify and streamline the use of the short sale and deed-in-lieu (DIL) options. They also use similar forms and timelines. In addition, the program expires December 31, 2012, like HAFA. However, some of the major differences offered by the new Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac HAFA programs include, but are not limited to:

- Both institutions will pay the servicer a $2,200 incentive fee for successful short sales

- Both institutions will pay the servicer a $1,500 incentive fee for all successful DILs

- The Deed for Lease (D4L) is available for borrowers who request and are approved to remain in the property following a successful DIL.

- Borowwer will get $3000 to assist with their relocation upon closing.
For more details, visit the following links: eFannieMae.com and Freddie Mac Bulletin

My consultation is FREE as are my services.
My fees are paid by the bank, not by you!

We use attorneys to negotiate your Short Sale.
Attorneys have more options than Real Estate agents in a short sale.
Do you want the best representation possible? Call me.

Dennis Smith, CDPE at 760-436-0087
CDPE - Certified Distressed Property Agent
RE/MAX By-the-Sea
Formerly with Taylor Place Real Estate
Dennis@sandiegohomes4u.com

http://HAFAShortSaleConsultant.com/

Providing quality Real Estate services in the North Coastal San Diego area including Del Mar, Solana Beach, Rancho Santa Fe, Cardiff by the Sea, Encinitas, Leucadia, Olivenhain, Carlsbad, La Costa, Aviara, Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos, San Elijo Hills, Escondido & San Diego County

Are you really ready to submit an offer?

2010-05-25T17:29:00.000-07:00

Are you really ready to submit an offer?

You have found a great home. Decided on a price by looking at the comparables with your Realtor.

You have written the offer!!! YIKES, you really did it!!!

Now what?

Your Realtor will submit it to the other Realtor who will present it to the seller for their approval or counter.
Did you give your agent everything needed to submit a strong offer?

1 - PRE-APPROVAL LETTER. Best if it includes a statement that they have verified your assets and stating all 3 FICO scores.

2 - Your credit report. At least the front page with only the last 4 digits of the SSN showing
3 - A copy of your proof of funds showing liquid assets (many banks will not accept stock accounts). This must be dated within the last 30 days. Sometimes a screen shot is acceptable, provided it shows the banks name, your name, the account number and the date of the document.

4 - A personal letter to the homeowner stating why you like the home, how much you like everything they did to it. Be specific if possible - shutters, counter tops, paint, floor coverings, landscaping, flowers, etc), how it will make you and your family's lives better. Things you have in common with the seller - kids, sports, hobbies, schools, etc. Anything that is truthful and relevant. People like to deal with those who are similar to them in some way.

5 - Anything else the seller's Realtor requests to be privided by the buyer or buyer's Realtor.

6 - If the offer is contingent on another property closing, provide the Escrow or Closing agent's complete contact information along with the escrow/file number. Include the contract. Note the closing date and what contingencies still need to be met.

Must all these items be submitted to the Listing Agent? NO. However, the more of these you can provide to your Realtor, the better chance your offer has of being accepted, especially if your offer is not at asking price or there are multiple offers. I have been in multiple offer situations where the highest price AND best terms did not get the home...one or more of the above made the difference.

Please note my other related posts:

Are you really ready to buy a home?
http://sandiegohomes4ucom.blogspot.com/2010/03/are-you-really-ready-to-buy-home.html

The differences in buying Bank Owned homes, Short Sales & Traditional sales.
http://sandiegohomes4ucom.blogspot.com/2009/08/foreclosedbank-owned-homes-short-sales.html

Dennis Smith, ABR, SRES, e-PRO, CDPE, Realtor® DRE# 00476662
Certified Distressed Property Agent

Donna "Sunshine" Smith, SFR, Realtor® DRE# 01249837
Short Sale, Foreclosure Resource Certified
RE/MAX By-the-Sea
Formerly with Taylor Place Real Estate
Buy or Sell a Home with Me, Use my Moving Truck - F R E E for life.
dennis@SanDiegoHomes4u.com
760-436-0087, or cell at 760-212-8225
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/home.htm

See my Short Sale and Foreclosure Avoidance Web Site at
http://HAFAShortSaleConsultant.com/
for more information & free reports.

My Market Trends Report with graphs and charts for North Coastal San Diego will give you the Sales Statistics for the month and compare it with last year, by city!
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/RealEstateTrends.htm
You can view all available San Diego area homes for sale at
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/MLS_Search.htm
You can search by address, by MLS number or by general criteria.

Providing quality Real Estate services in the North Coastal San Diego area including Del Mar, Solana Beach, Rancho Santa Fe, Cardiff by the Sea, Encinitas, Leucadia, Olivenhain, Carlsbad, La Costa, Aviara, Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos, San Elijo Hills, Escondido & San Diego County

Support bill SB 1178 to to extend CA anti-deficiency judgments

2010-05-18T20:01:00.000-07:00

Please support the proposed bill to to extend CA anti-deficiency judgments to owners who did non-cashout refi's.

When is Enough, Enough?
The Big Banks are Opposing C.A.R.'s Bill to Protect Borrowers

C.A.R. is sponsoring SB 1178 (Corbett) to extend anti-deficienc
protections to homeowners who have refinanced "purchase money"

loans and are now facing foreclosure. Most homeowners didn't

even know that when they refinanced they lost their legal

protections, and now may be personally liable for the difference

between the value of the foreclosed property and the amount owed

to the lender. SB 1178 will be voted on soon by the entire Senate.

One can't help but think, "when is enough, enough?" Banks have

already foreclosed upon a family's home and now lenders can

continue to hound them for additional payment. How much more

money can today's families afford to pay when they've already

lost their homes and most likely their jobs? Are they never to

have the opportunity to begin again?

Action Item
Call Senator Mark Wyland Today!
Urge your senator to vote "Yes" on SB 1178.
Call 1-800-672-3135 and enter your PIN number --182001622
Please ask your clients and others to call as well.
They can use the same PIN number.

Background

California has protected borrowers from so called "deficiency"

liability on their home mortgages since the 1930s, but the

evolution of mortgage finance requires the statute to be updated.

Current law says that if a homeowner defaults on a mortgage used

to purchase his or her home, the homeowner's liability on the

mortgage is limited to the property itself. The law has worked

well since the 1930s to protect borrowers, ensure the quality of

loan underwriting and allow borrowers who are brought down by

financial crisis to get back on their feet.

Unfortunately, the 1930s law does not extend the protection for

purchase money mortgages to loans that re-finance the original

purchase debt -- even if the re-finance was only to gain a lower

interest rate. Recent years of low interest rates have induced

tens of thousands of homeowners to re-finance their mortgages,

yet almost no one realized that by re-financing their mortgages

to obtain a lower rate, they were forfeiting their protections.

These borrowers became personally liable for the balance of the loan.

C.A.R. is Sponsoring SB 1178 Because:

SB 1178 is fair. Home buyers, and lenders, entered into the

purchase with the idea that the mortgage would be non-recourse

debt, and that the lender would look to the security (the house)

itself to make good on the debt if the borrower cannot. It meets

the legitimate expectation of the borrowers, who have no idea

that they are losing this protection by a re-finance. Homeowners

didn't know that their re-finance exposed them to personal

liability, and new tax liability, on the note. It would be

unfair to allow a lender, or someone that has purchased a note

from a lender, to pursue the borrower beyond the value of the

agreed upon security.

SB 1178 is consistent with the intent of the orginal law and

simply updates it for modern times. Current law was intended to

ensure that if someone lost their home to foreclosure, they

wouldn't be liable for additional payment. Since the law was

passed over 70 years ago, homeowners re-financing from the

original loan to lower their interest rate has become

commonplace. The 1930s legislature didn't anticipate how

mortgages would change over time.

Lenders could pursue families to collect this "deficiency" debt

years down the road. Under current law, lenders have up ten

years to collect on the additional debt after a judgment has

been entered on the foreclosure. Years after a family has lost

their home, they could find themselves in even more financial

trouble. Lenders could even sell these accounts to aggressive

collection agencies or even bundle them into securities. The end

result would be banks who didn't lend responsibly in the first

place coming after families for even more money that they don't have.

SB 1178 does NOT apply to "cash-out" re-finances, unless the money was used to improve the home and it doesn't apply to HELOCs.

To get more information of Foreclosures, Short Sales, Deficiency Judgements and their concequences, see my
Foreclosure Avoidance & Information web site at
http://HAFAShortSaleConsultant.com/

For More Information on this bill,
Please contact DeAnn Kerr at deannk@car.org.
--------------------------------------------------
Visit the web address below to tell your friends about this.
http://takeaction.realtoractioncenter.com/join-forward.html?domain=carealtors&r=d1AAIe4aXD51

Dennis Smith, ABR, SRES, e-PRO, CDPE, Realtor® DRE# 00476662
Certified Distressed Property Expert
Donna "Sunshine" Smith, SFR, Realtor® DRE# 01249837
Short Sale, Foreclosure Resource Certified
RE/MAX By-the-Sea
Formerly with Taylor Place Real Estate
Buy or Sell a Home with Me, Use my Moving Truck - F R E E for life.
dennis@SanDiegoHomes4u.com
760-436-0087, or cell at 760-212-8225
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/home.htm

See my Short Sale and Foreclosure Avoidance Web Site at
http://HAFAShortSaleConsultant.com/
for more information & free reports.

My Market Trends Report with graphs and charts for North Coastal San Diego will give you the Sales Statistics for the month and compare it with last year, by city!
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/RealEstateTrends.htm
You can view all available San Diego area homes for sale at
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/MLS_Search.htm
You can search by address, by MLS number or by general criteria.

Providing quality Real Estate services in the North Coastal San Diego area including Del Mar, Solana Beach, Rancho Santa Fe, Cardiff by the Sea, Encinitas, Leucadia, Olivenhain, Carlsbad, La Costa, Aviara, Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos, San Elijo Hills, Escondido & San Diego County.

Strategic Default/Foreclosure VS. Short Sale

2010-04-26T21:48:00.000-07:00

Strategic Default/Foreclosure VS. Short Sale

What are the Homeowner Consequences in each?

Most persons losing their homes to foreclosures
do not realize there are better options available to them today.

Do you know anyone that could benefit from this information?
Please have them call me or visit my
Short Sale and Foreclosure Avoidance Web Site at

http://hafashortsaleconsultant.com/
for more information & free reports.
____________________________________

Future Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac Loan - Primary Residence

Foreclosure
A homeowner who loses a home to Foreclosure will not be eligible for a Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, VA or Conventional Mortgage for a period of 5 years.

Successful Short Sale
A homeowner who successfully negotiates and then closes a short sale WITHOUT BEING LATE on any obligation may be eligible for a Fannie Mae backed mortgage after only 2 years and a conventional or FHA loan immediatly. Several conditions apply.

VA loans whether late or not, and FHA loans with late payments are a 3 year wait.

Conventional loans are a 2 year wait if there are late payments.
______________________________________________________

Future Fannie Mae Loan – Non-Primary Residence/Investor

Foreclosure
An Investor who allows a property to go to Foreclosure will not be eligible for a Fannie Mae backed investment mortgage for a period of 7 years.

Successful Short Sale
An investor who successful negotiates and closes a short sale may be eligible for a Fannie Mae backed investment mortgage after only 2 years.

Conventional investor loans will take 5 to 7 years depending on late payments.

_____________________________________________________

Future loan with any Mortgage Company

Foreclosure
On any future 1003 application, a prospective borrower will always have to answer YES to question C in Section VIII of the standard 1003 that asks "Have you had property foreclosed upon or given title deed in lieu thereof in the last 7 years?" this will affect your future interest rates.

Successful Short Sale
Does not apply on a short sale.

________________________________________________________

Credit Score - FICO Score

Foreclosure
May be lowered anywhere from 250 to 300 points or more.
Typically this will affect the credit score for over 3 years.

Successful Short Sale

Only the late payments on loan will show and after the sale. The loan will be reported as paid as agreed or negotiated or settled. This will lower the credit score as little as 50 points provided all other payments are being made on time. A short sale's affect on credit can be as brief as 12 to 18 months.

_________________________________________________

Credit History

Foreclosure
Foreclosure will remain as a public record on a person's credit history for at least 10 years.

Successful Short Sale
Short sale is not reported on your credit history. There is no specific reporting item for 'short sale'. The loan is typically reported “paid in full, settled” or as “paid as negotiated”.

__________________________________________________

Security Clearances

Foreclosure
Foreclosure is the most challenging issue against your security clearance outside of a conviction of a serious misdemeanor or felony. If a person has a foreclosure and is a police officer, in the military, in the CIA, Security, or any other job that requires a security clearance, the clearance will be revoked and position will be terminated, in almost all cases

Successful Short Sale
A Short Sale by itself, does not challenge most security clearances.

_______________________________________________________

Current Employment

Foreclosure
Employers have the right to, and are actively checking, the credit regularly of all employees who are in sensitive positions. A foreclosure in many cases can be grounds for termination or immediate reassignment.

Successful Short Sale
A short sale is not reported on the credit report and therefore is not a challenge to employment.

_____________________________________________________

Future Employment

Foreclosure
Many employers are requiring credit checks on job applicants. A foreclosure is one of the most detrimental credit items an applicant can have and in most cases will be a challenge to employment.

Successful Short Sale
A short sale is not reported on a credit report and is therefore is not a challenge to employment.

__________________________________________________
Deficiency Judgment

Foreclosure
In California, there is no deficiency judgment for purchase money loans for 1-4 units.

For non-purchase money loans, the lender has the right to pursuit a deficiency judgment against the homeowner in some cases.
Successful Short Sale
In some successful short sales, it is possible to convince the lender to give up the right to pursuit a deficiency judgment against the homeowner. If you are approved under HAFA, there can be no deficiency judgment.
_______________________________________________

Strategic Default/Foreclosure or Short Sale.
Which one is better for you?

See my Short Sale and Foreclosure Avoidance Web Site at
http://HAFAShortSaleConsultant.com/
for more information and free reports.

This article was revised 5/3/2010, after the new HAFA guidelines came out.

As always, this article is for informational purposes only and is not legal or tax advise. You should contact the appropriate professional to see how a Strategic Default/Foreclosure or a Short Sale will affect you.

Dennis Smith, ABR, SRES, e-PRO, CDPE, Realtor® DRE# 00476662
Certified Distressed Property Expert

Donna "Sunshine" Smith, SFR, Realtor® DRE# 01249837
Short Sale, Foreclosure Resource Certified

RE/MAX By-the-Sea
Formerly with Taylor Place Real Estate
Buy or Sell a Home with Me, Use my Moving Truck - F R E E for life.
dennis@SanDiegoHomes4u.com
760-436-0087, or cell at 760-212-8225
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/home.htm

My Market Trends Report with graphs and charts for North Coastal San Diego will give you the Sales Statistics for the month and compare it with last year, by city!
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/RealEstateTrends.htm

You can view all available San Diego area homes for sale at
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/MLS_Search.htm
You can search by address, by MLS number or by general criteria.

Providing quality Real Estate services in the North Coastal San Diego area including Del Mar, Solana Beach, Rancho Santa Fe, Cardiff by the Sea, Encinitas, Leucadia, Olivenhain, Carlsbad, La Costa, Aviara, Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos, San Elijo Hills, Escondido & San Diego Count

San Diego Real Estate Newsletter - Prices & Sales up sharply

2010-04-09T17:01:00.000-07:00

San Diego Real Estate Newsletter -
Prices and Sales up sharply in San Diego County

See the full newsletter here
http://tinyurl.com/4-9-RE-Newsletter

As of 4/09/2010
House and Condo Sales by the Month with Average Price:

Mar 2010 were 2793 at $423,372 at $246.45/sqft
Feb 2010 were 2113 at $397,932 at $234.06/sqft
Jan 2010 were 2040 at $391,775 at $230.39/sqft
Feb 2009 were 2197 at $341,818 at $209.39/sqft

WOW!!! Prices Up 7% from last month
Sales up 32% over last month
Cost per SqFt is also up.
Active listings: 9535, up over 5% from February, only a 3.6 month supply
Of those, only 773 (up from 667 in Feb) are Bank Owned Foreclosures, a 32 day supply.
2217 (2120 in Feb) are short sales (almost 25%)
There are also another 6170 Short Sales that are Contingent or Pending!!!

Five to six months inventory is a balanced buyer/seller market.
In the lower price ranges, we are in a strong sellers market,
in the higher prices, we are in a buyers market.

Pending Listings: 4528, down from 5785 in Feb.
1025 of these pending sales are Bank Owned.
1981 are Short Sales and 1585 are regular sales (down from 2744 in Feb).

21 days left for the $8000/$6500 Tax Credit

That's only 3 weeks till the Tax Reduction/Credit is scheduled to expire!

We now have a new State buyers tax credit for $10,000.
That takes over where the Federal Credit stops…Close after May 1st,
and you need to be under contract by 12/31/2010.
Limited funding so may not last long. Some say in 2-3 weeks!!!

YES, you can double dip if you are in escrow by 4/30 and closed by 6/30/2010.

Check out the important details and BIG differences at:
http://sandiegohomes4ucom.blogspot.com/2010/03/new-ca-homebuyer-tax-credit-up-to-10000.html

5 Reasons why you should be Under Contract by 4/30/2010…or not.
1 Federal Tax Credit Expires 4/30/2010 for 1st timer

2 Double Dip on the State Tax Credit for 1st timer or new construction

3 Free Mortgage Protection Program ends 6/30/2010 for 1st timer

4 Entry Level price homes Rising

5 Interest Rates are Rising
Why you do not need to be under contract by 4/30/10
If you are not ready – timing, finances, home to sell, job uncertainty/relocation or ?

Call me ASAP if you want to be in escrow by the deadline so you can Double Dip!
Or just get a home.

Dennis Smith, ABR, SRES, e-PRO, CDPE, Realtor® DRE# 00476662
Certified Distressed Property Expert

Donna "Sunshine" Smith, SFR, Realtor® DRE# 01249837
Short Sale, Foreclosure Resource Certified

RE/MAX By-the-Sea
Formerly with Taylor Place Real Estate
Buy or Sell a Home with Me, Use my Moving Truck - F R E E for life.
dennis@SanDiegoHomes4u.com
760-436-0087, or cell at 760-212-8225
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/home.htm

See my Short Sale & Foreclosure Avoidance Web Site at
http://HAFAShortSaleConsultant.com/

My Market Trends Report with graphs and charts for North Coastal San Diego will give you the Sales Statistics for the month and compare it with last year, by city!
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/RealEstateTrends.htm
You can view all available San Diego area homes for sale at http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/MLS_Search.htm
You can search by address, by MLS number or by general criteria.

Providing quality Real Estate services in the North Coastal San Diego area including Del Mar, Solana Beach, Rancho Santa Fe, Cardiff by the Sea, Encinitas, Leucadia, Olivenhain, Carlsbad, La Costa, Aviara, Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos, San Elijo Hills, Escondido & San Diego County.

Short Sale & Foreclosure Avoidance Program

2010-04-06T16:33:00.000-07:00

Short Sale and Foreclosure Avoidance program that works

I just completed a seminar on the new HAFA Short Sale program. This is the best government program yet to help those people who are underwater on their homes, to avoid foreclosure.

See my site to learn if you, or a friend, qualifies for HAMP, HAFA, Short sale or Loan Modification instead of foreclosure. Click on "Government Programs Eligibility" in the upper right corner.

Answer most of your questions on how to avoid foreclosure.
http://HAFAShortSaleConsultant.com/

Dennis Smith, ABR, SRES, e-PRO, CDPE, Realtor® DRE# 00476662
Certified Distressed Property Expert

Donna "Sunshine" Smith, SFR, Realtor® DRE# 01249837
Short Sale, Foreclosure Resource Certified

RE/MAX By-the-Sea
Formerly with Taylor Place Real Estate
Buy or Sell a Home with Me, Use my Moving Truck - F R E E for life.

dennis@SanDiegoHomes4u.com
760-436-0087, or cell at 760-212-8225
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/home.htm

See my Short Sale & Foreclosure Avoidance Web Site at
http://HAFAShortSaleConsultant.com/

My Market Trends Report with graphs and charts for North Coastal San Diego will give you the Sales Statistics for the month and compare it with last year, by city!
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/RealEstateTrends.htm

You can view all available San Diego area homes for sale at
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/MLS_Search.htm
You can search by address, by MLS number or by general criteria.

Providing quality Real Estate services in the North Coastal San Diego area including Del Mar, Solana Beach, Rancho Santa Fe, Cardiff by the Sea, Encinitas, Leucadia, Olivenhain, Carlsbad, La Costa, Aviara, Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos, San Elijo Hills, Escondido & San Diego County.

New CA Homebuyer Tax Credit up to $10,000. AB 183

2010-03-23T22:39:00.000-07:00

New CA Homebuyer Tax Credit up to $10,000. AB 183
Assembly Bill No. 183 passed the Assembly and Senate on 3/22/2010
The governor signed it the next day.

AB 183 picks up when the $8000 Federal Tax Credit leaves off - May 1, 2010.
If you are under contract by 4/30/2010 and close by 6/30/2010, you could get $18,000.

1. The purchase of a qualified principal residence on or after May 1, 2010 and before August 1, 2011, pursuant to a contract executed on or before December 31, 2010, and before August 1, 2011, pursuant to an enforceable contract executed on or before December 31, 2010, until the $200,000,000 is gone.
Some say in 2-3 weeks!!!
(Under contract on or after 5/1/2010 and by 12/31/2010, and closed before 7/1/2010)

2. The amount of the tax credit is the lesser of 5% of the purchase price or $10,000, which means any home over $200,000 in price will be limited to the $10,000 credit.

3. The total allocation of $200,000,000 in tax credits is divided between first time home buyers and purchasers of homes that have never been lived in (new homes), $100,000,000 being allocated to each type of purchaser.

4. Only one credit will be issued to a first time homebuyer that buys a new home.

5. A “qualified principal residence” is an attached or detached home that will be used as the principal residence of the purchaser, and has either never been occupied, or is purchased by a first time home buyer.

6. A “first time home buyer” is and individual, or individual's spouse, who has no present ownership interest in a principal residence now or over the three previous year period, ending on the date of purchase.

7. The tax credit is non-refundable, meaning it is a use it or lose it credit. NOTE...You would need to have $3,333 of state tax liability each of the next three years to utilize the maximum amount of the credit available. It will be allocated over three years, beginning with the year the escrow closes on the new home.

8. You must apply for the credit within 2 weeks of closing or lose it.

9. Buyer must live in the home for 2 years or return the money.

If you are under contract by 4/30/2010 with a qualifying home, and close by 6/30/2010,
you should be able to double dip!!! You can get both the State and the Federal Tax credits but you must hurry. competition is high and inventory under $500K is low, therefore we are getting multiple offers on most properties under $500K.

AB 183 is the New CA Homebuyer Tax Credit for up to $10,000.

Dennis Smith, ABR, SRES, e-PRO, CDPE, Realtor® DRE# 00476662
Certified Distressed Property Expert
RE/MAX By-the-Sea
Formerly with Taylor Place Real Estate
Buy or Sell a Home with Me, Use my Moving Truck - F R E E for life.

dennis@SanDiegoHomes4u.com
760-436-0087, or cell at 760-212-8225
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/home.htm

See my Short Sale and Foreclosure Avoidance Web Site at
http://HAFAShortSaleConsultant.com/

My Market Trends Report with graphs and charts for North Coastal San Diego will give you the Sales Statistics for the month and compare it with last year, by city!
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/RealEstateTrends.htm
You can view all available San Diego area homes for sale at
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/MLS_Search.htm
You can search by address, by MLS number or by general criteria.

Providing quality Real Estate services in the North Coastal San Diego area including Del Mar, Solana Beach, Rancho Santa Fe, Cardiff by the Sea, Encinitas, Leucadia, Olivenhain, Carlsbad, La Costa, Aviara, Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos, San Elijo Hills, Escondido & San Diego County.

The Owl Box streaming video - WOW

2010-03-22T21:56:00.000-07:00

No time to get hooked on Nature?
Do not go to this site or you are done.

The Owl Box cam at http://www.ustream.tv/theowlbox

My friend and past mentor/broker, Carlos Royal, is live streaming 24/7.

Color during the day, b/w infared at night.

Momma barn owl is on 4 eggs & 1 chick. Dad brings food.

Warning, it can be addicting.

Are you REALLY ready to buy a home?

2010-03-17T17:32:00.000-07:00

Are you REALLY ready to buy a home?

Scenario...
We are out looking at homes and we see a for sale sign being installed. We call and the agent says it will be in the MLS tomorrow. The agent states that you MUST Pre-qualify with THEIR preferred lender. We have the chance to beat everybody to the property.

Are you ready to supply the following information to their preferred lender?

Is it all packaged in one place where it can be sent within the next 5 minutes?

1 - Last 2 to 3 years of Tax Returns
2 - Recent pay stubs proving year to date earnings
3 - A photocopy of the driver's license
4 - Copy of all recent bank statements
5 - Copy of all investment accounts
6 - Front page of your Credit Report with FICO score (may require their own)
7 - Copy of a completed loan application (may require their own but now easy to complete)
This is the basic for most lenders but they may have other requirements.
These will be needed for each person on the loan.

If you are not ready to provide this info ASAP, you may end up in the middle of a competitive bidding situation instead of the first offer.

Which is your choice? Are you REALLY ready to buy a home?
PS, bring your checkbook for a good faith deposit.

Of course, all this assumes that I have already received your Pre-Approval from a Direct Lender. If not, that is your first step. I can provide you with a referral to a top lender here or almost anywhere in the US or Canada.

If you are buying with ALL cash, you will need:
Recent copies of bank statements (dated within 30 days, including your name, institution & the account numbers with enough money for the purchase & closing costs. Some banks will not allow stock accounts.)

Dennis Smith, ABR, SRES, e-PRO, CDPE, Realtor® DRE# 00476662
Certified Distressed Property Agent

RE/MAX By-the-Sea
Formerly with Taylor Place Real Estate
Buy or Sell a Home with Me, Use my Moving Truck - F R E E for life.
dennis@SanDiegoHomes4u.com
760-436-0087, or cell at 760-212-8225
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/home.htm

My Market Trends Report with graphs and charts for North Coastal San Diego will give you the Sales Statistics for the month and compare it with last year, by city!
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/RealEstateTrends.htm

You can view all available San Diego area homes for sale at
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/MLS_Search.htm
You can search by address, by MLS number or by general criteria.

Providing quality Real Estate services in the North Coastal San Diego area including Del Mar, Solana Beach, Rancho Santa Fe, Cardiff by the Sea, Encinitas, Leucadia, Olivenhain, Carlsbad, La Costa, Aviara, Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos, San Elijo Hills, Escondido & San Diego County.

Buying but concerned about job stability

2010-03-06T17:36:00.000-08:00

Thinking about buying a home but concerned about your job stability?

If that is a concern, the C.A.R. H.A.F. Mortgage Protection Program may help.

If you lose your job, you can get up to $1500 a month and a co-borrower can get up to $700 if they lose their job. You could get that money for up to 6 months. Some conditions apply.
There is no cost to the buyer!

TO QUALIFY FOR THE C.A.R. H.A.F. Mortgage Protection Program APPLICANTS MUST:
· Be a first-time home buyer – someone who has not owned property in the last three years. (includes co-buyer).
· Close on or before June 30, 2010 (or till funds run out)
· Use a California REALTOR® in the transaction (me, hopefully)
· Be a W-2 employee (cannot be self-employed)
· Purchase the property in California

Please call me for more details on the C.A.R. H.A.F. Mortgage Protection Program or any other questions on buying or selling Real Esate.

Dennis Smith, ABR, SRES, e-PRO, CDPE, Realtor® DRE# 00476662
Certified Distressed Property Expert

RE/MAX By-the-Sea
Formerly with Taylor Place Real Estate
Buy or Sell a Home with Me, Use my Moving Truck - F R E E for life.
dennis@SanDiegoHomes4u.com
760-436-0087, or cell at 760-212-8225
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/home.htm

My Market Trends Report with graphs and charts for North Coastal San Diego will give you the Sales Statistics for the month and compare it with last year, by city!

http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/RealEstateTrends.htm

You can view all available San Diego area homes for sale at
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/MLS_Search.htm
You can search by address, by MLS number or by general criteria.

Providing quality Real Estate services in the North Coastal San Diego area including Del Mar, Solana Beach, Rancho Santa Fe, Cardiff by the Sea, Encinitas, Leucadia, Olivenhain, Carlsbad, La Costa, Aviara, Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos, San Elijo Hills, Escondido & San Diego County.

HANDBOOK for 2010

2010-01-13T20:53:00.000-08:00

HANDBOOK for 2010

Health:

1. Drink plenty of water. (If you can't dump soda, drink lemon selzer water)
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants..
4. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy
5. Make time to pray.
6. Play more games
7. Read more books than you did in 2009
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day
9. Sleep for 7 hours.
10. Take a 10-30 minutes walk daily. And while you walk, smile.

Personality:

11. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
12. Don't have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
13. Don't over do. Keep your limits.
14. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
15. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.
16. Dream more while you are awake
17. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need..
18. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner with His/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.
20. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
21. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
22. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
23. Smile and laugh more.
24. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree...

Society:

25. Call your family often.
26. Each day give something good to others.
27. Forgive everyone for everything.
28. Spend time w/ people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
29. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
30. What other people think of you is none of your business.
31. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch with them.

Life:

32. Do the right thing!
33. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
34. GOD heals everything.
35. However good or bad a situation is, it will change..
36. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
37. The best is yet to come..
38. When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it.
39. Your Inner most is always happy. So, be happy.

What resonates for you???

One of my favorite sayings from William Johnson is:
If it it is to be, it is up to me.

My friend and client, George Seymour, sent this to me. It has been going around the internet recently but it is well worth re-posting.

What is “Value Range Marketing, VRM, price range marketing

2010-01-07T13:27:00.000-08:00

What is “Value Range Marketing, VRM, price range marketing
I brought the first buyer that successfully closed a “price range” listing on 8/16/1995.

Range Pricing started in San Diego and San Diego has remained the stronghold. Some other MLS’s do not allow it.

I use price ranges for sellers when, and how, it makes sense. It works well in the right circumstance but it can be confusing for the inexperienced agent or the homebuyer.

Conventional thinking for many buyers is “Why would I offer more than the low end of the range?” That is a valid question. I always recommend that buyers use the range pricing as a search guideline only. Then place their offer according to the comparable prices I provide. Same thing with the bank owned properties. Some banks are pricing properties 10-20% below the comparable sold prices and letting the buyers bid them up to market value or above.

Bank owned listings almost never use a range (only 23 of 7078 in the last 6 months). Since much of the lower end inventory was bank owned, we did not see ranges as much. Now that prices are going up, and bank inventory is dropping significantly (only 696 active bank owned house or condo listings as of today in all of San Diego County out of 7456), we see more regular sellers entering the market, along with investors selling their flippers. Both groups are more likely to use price ranges.

The Value Range Marketing good: More buyers will see the listing.
If the property is worth at, or a little above, a big round number such as $300,000, the seller is in a quandary. If it is priced $10K above that round number, say $320K, most buyers who only want to spend $300K will not see it. If they price it lower, they are afraid they will not get offers over asking, to where the actual value is.

The Value Range Marketing bad: Not understanding how it works.
1 - Agents that have too big a range…20% or more on each side. $240K to $360K. Get real! Are you a professional or not?
2 – Too small a range. $10,000 spread on the range. $270K to $280K
3 - Range pricing top just under the big round number: $270K to $299K
4 - Weak agents that can not convince sellers of the real value of their property. The agent knows the home will sell for no more than $400K but the seller thinks it is worth (or seller needs to get) $500K. Therefore, $400K to $500K range.
5 - Ineffective pricing: having the bottom price range just above the big round number such as $305K to $330K. The low price probably should have been $299K.
6 – Agents who do not know how to properly explain how range pricing works.

Where you ultimately end up closing in relation to the high and low price with a range listing is dependant on what the range pricing is, compared to the market value of a home and how the range is used.

In the “hot” market, I would call the listing agent and ask, “Do we have to be over the high range?” Often the answer was yes because the market was moving up so fast.

From 2007 to Feb of 2009, as prices dropped, more offers were accepted under the low range price. That is changing now with the low amount of inventory under $500K

I just checked 100 range price listings of the 362 sales within the last quarter over $500K and they sold as follows: 27 under, 61 within & 14 at or above the high range.
The under $500K was similar: 14 under, 64 within and 23 at or above the high range.

Ultimately, every situation is different for the buyer and for the seller in what their goals and negotiation strategies are.

The MLS states “The seller will entertain offers between low price and high price”.
If you offer near or under the low price, the sellers says ”That is entertaining, now lets start negotiating”.

Call me so we can meet your Real Estate Goals for 2010. The opportunities are there!

Dennis Smith, ABR, SRES, e-PRO, CDPE, Realtor® DRE# 00476662
Certified Distressed Property Expert
RE/MAX By-the-Sea
Formerly with Taylor Place Real Estate
Buy or Sell a Home with Me, Use my Moving Truck - F R E E for life.
dennis@SanDiegoHomes4u.com
760-436-0087, or cell at 760-212-8225
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/home.htm

My Market Trends Report with graphs and charts for North Coastal San Diego will give you the Sales Statistics for the month and compare it with last year, by city!
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/RealEstateTrends.htm

You can view all available San Diego area homes for sale at http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/MLS_Search.htm
You can search by address, by MLS number or by general criteria.

San Diego Area Home Buyers Alert

2010-01-04T14:47:00.000-08:00

San Diego Area Home Buyers Alert

The first quarter of 2010 is going to be a challenging time but worth the effort for the greater San Diego area home buyers,
especially for the under $500,000 houses and condos.
(This is good news for sellers. Call me for the sellers plan.)

The available total inventory is down from the peak 14,709 on 2/6/09
to 11,317 on 1/4/2010.
Only 3726 homes under $500,000 are available which is a 50 day supply.
1407 of the homes under $500,000 are Short Sales.
The number of bank owned properties is 70% lower than it was a year ago. There is only a 3 week supply (734 on 1/4/2010).
Each quarter we hear that the banks will start dumping homes on the market but not yet and probably not ever…see my Blog article at http://sandiegohomes4ucom.blogspot.com/2009/10/where-are-all-foreclosures-san-diego.html

Short Sales are still taking 3 to 9 months to close, despite a push from Obama. They keep telling us they will get quicker but that is what we have heard all last year.

You must be in escrow by April 30, 2010 to get your Tax Rebate.
A big time pressure for buyers...but many will procrastinate...DON'T.
For best results, START LOOKING NOW! Plan to buy in Jan. or Feb.
There is some talk or extending it but, can you take that chance?
Many will wait till Mar or April and will loose out.

The Senate Finance Committee and Capitol Hill in general, are not inclined to extend this program again. The National Association of Realtors, the lobbyist for this program, were cautioned that any discussion regarding a further extension of the program was not likely, and would certainly be met with opposition..
Lenders have tightened up on the requirements again.
Interest rates will go up, possibly to 6% which is a 16% increase, over the current 5%.
See the Washington Post article at http://tinyurl.com/ylpk9ag about how the Fed will not buy MBS - Mortgage Backed Securities after March 31st and how it will cause interest rates to rise.

What can the serious buyer do to get a home?
1 – Be totally ready with your financing. That means a fully documented loan package submitted to the lender before you start looking for a home. Banks & FHA continue to tighten up their requirements. They want to see higher credit scores (640+ FICO), at least 3 active credit lines (suggestion: pay your utilities on line or buy a tank of gas a few times a year so every card shows activity), no late payments or new collections in the last year. Keep all credit cards below 40% of your limit at all times.

2 – Be prepared to make several offers before you get one accepted. There is a lot of competition as many buyers are fighting for a limited pool of homes and they also need to buy before the Tax Rebate deadline of 4/30/2010. There is no perfect home so do not fall in love with the home until it closes. Remember what your goals are for this home. It probably will not be your last home so think 3-5 years or 5-7 years…whatever your time frame is.

3 – Be prepared to pre-qualify with several lenders along the way. You may still use any lender you chose. Each bank owned property wants you to qualify with them for 2 reasons…they want to find out if you are really qualified, and they want to have a chance of getting your loan. Strategy: keep a copy of your loan application from your first lender along with your credit report & FICO score, copies of pay stubs, bank statements, 2 years of tax returns and more.

4 – Make your first offer, your “Highest and Best” offer. Most of the time the banks will come back to some or all of the buyers in a multiple offer situation and give everybody a second chance. However, some banks will take the first good offer, or the best looking offer without a counter. Wouldn’t it be great if it were your offer that was accepted.

5 – Prices are going up (they have for 10 months in a row). So reasonably higher offers are OK. Todays appraisers often come in on the low side of the property value. If your offer is way too high, the bank will see through that ploy. However if you offer a reasonable amount over the comparable sales, the appraisal may help you bring the price down. Since prices are going up, even if you think your offer is high, you will look back and say “Remember when we bought this house for $X.XX and now it is worth much more than that…we could not afford to buy our own house today”.

This first quarter will be a challenging time but worth the effort for the greater San Diego area home buyers. I do not expect to see these prices again.

In the San Diego Union Tribune on 1/3/2010, the caption to the housing chart was "Median price 48.4% higher than January 2000". Real Estate will always be a good long term investment and sometimes a good short term investment. Now is the time to buy near the bottom and ride the prices up while you live in, and enjoy your home.

6 – Be on top of the listings and the market. Many of the San Diego area bank homes and regular homes are getting multiple offers and are going into escrow quickly, some in 1 or 2 days of being listed. If you know the market, you will see the value and be ready to make a decision right away without “sleeping on it”. A one day delay could be all it takes to loose the home.

7 - Keep looking, even after you have submitted an offer. If you do not get this one, you must be ready when the next one appears.

Buyers, we need to schedule an appointment to plot our strategy to get you into your San Diego area home. Call me to set an appointment to meet, review your needs and wants, then visit some homes. Call my cell at 760-212-8225 today!

Dennis Smith, ABR, SRES, e-PRO, CDPE, Realtor® DRE# 00476662
Certified Distressed Property Expert
Taylor Place Real Estate
Buy or Sell a Home with Me, Use my Moving Truck - F R E E for life.
dennis@SanDiegoHomes4u.com
760-436-0087, or cell at 760-212-8225
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/home.htm

My Market Trends Report with graphs and charts for North Coastal San Diego will give you the Sales Statistics for the month and compare it with last year, by city!
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/RealEstateTrends.htm

You can view all available San Diego area homes for sale at http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/MLS_Search.htm
You can search by address, by MLS number or by general criteria.

Providing quality Real Estate services in the North Coastal San Diego area including Del Mar, Solana Beach, Rancho Santa Fe, Cardiff by the Sea, Encinitas, Leucadia, Olivenhain, Carlsbad, La Costa, Aviara, Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos, San Elijo Hills, Escondido and San Diego County.

Fed to allow interest rates to rise in the first quarter 2010

2009-12-21T22:23:00.000-08:00

Fed to allow interest rates to rise in the first quarter 2010

"ALL GOOD THINGS MUST COME TO AN END..." Last week, the Fed restated that, once again that their Mortgage Backed Security (MBS) purchase program (the program that has done much keep home loan rates low for most of the last year...will end on March 31, 2010.

This means there will be less money to borrow. Simple supply & demand...less money to borrow means interest rates to rise!

It is important that buyers get in line for the lower current interest rates early while the supply is high and the rate is low.

This will put double pressure on prices in the short term, especially from early Feb. through mid March. Higher interest rates on the horizon and the end to the tax credits, along with a shortage of inventory means prices will rise quickly in the first quarter, especially in the under $500K market.

Buy early and save 3 ways...Lower prices and lower interest rates now along with the tax credits.
Call me now to see how you can beat the rush, get a great home with low interest rates at a good price and use your $8000 or $6500 tax credit. 760-436-0087

Dennis Smith, ABR, SRES, e-PRO, CDPE, Realtor® DRE# 00476662
Certified Distressed Property Expert
Taylor Place Real Estate
Buy or Sell a Home with Me, Use my Moving Truck - F R E E for life.
dennis@SanDiegoHomes4u.com
760-436-0087, or cell at 760-212-8225
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/home.htm

My Market Trends Report with graphs and charts for North Coastal San Diego will give you the Sales Statistics for the month and compare it with last year, by city!
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/RealEstateTrends.htm

You can view all available San Diego area homes for sale at http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/MLS_Search.htm
You can search by address, by MLS number or by general criteria.

Providing quality Real Estate services in the North Coastal San Diego area including Del Mar, Solana Beach, Rancho Santa Fe, Cardiff by the Sea, Encinitas, Leucadia, Olivenhain, Carlsbad, La Costa, Aviara, Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos, San Elijo Hills, Escondido & San Diego County.

Dennis Smith earns Certified Distressed Property Expert Designation

2009-12-18T09:20:00.000-08:00

Dennis Smith earns Certified Distressed Property Expert Designation (CDPE) to help homeowners in danger of foreclosure.
PRESS RELEASE

Dennis Smith of Taylor Place Real Estate & Triad Properties has earned the prestigious Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE) designation, having completed extensive training in foreclosure avoidance and short sales. This is invaluable expertise to offer at a time when the area is ravaged by “distressed” homes in the foreclosure process.
Short sales allow the cash-strapped seller to pay off the mortgage at the price that the home sells for, even though it is lower than what is owed on the property. With plummeting property values, this can save many people from foreclosure and even bankruptcy. More and more lenders are willing to consider short sales because they are much less costly than foreclosures.
In the San Diego area, more than 5500 homes are in danger of foreclosing. It is happening in all price ranges. Local experts say that even high-priced homes are not immune.
“This CDPE designation has been invaluable as I work with buyers, sellers and lenders on complicated short sales,” said Smith. “It is so rewarding to be able to help sellers save their homes from foreclosure.” Smith offers free counseling to people that are in distress with their Real Estate, whether it is Pre-Foreclosure, Short Sale, Loan Modifications, Late Payments or are just concerned about their future options. Call 760-436-0087.
Smith has been a Realtor in San Diego County since 1994. Smith says “Both Real Estate firms I have worked for have specialized in “distressed” properties. I have worked in the pre-foreclosure arena for 15 years and the CDPE designation enhances my ability to help homeowners who are in trouble, or may be in the future.”
"The CDPE education also helps me work with buyers who want to take advantage of deals in "distressed" property such as Short Sales and Bank Owned REO's and Foreclosures."
Alex Charfen, founder of the Distressed Property Institute in Boca Raton, Fla., said that Realtors® such as Dennis Smith with the CDPE designation have valuable training in short sales that can offer the homeowner much better alternatives to foreclosure, which virtually destroys the credit rating. These experts also may better understand market conditions and can help sellers through the emotional experience, he said.
Are you, or do you know someone, in a "distressed" situation with real estate? Do you need knowledge or assistance with Pre-Foreclosure, Foreclosure, Short Sales and Loan Modifications. We can help with free consulting. You can learn what your options are and you get to decide the course of action to take.
I have a large network of Real Estate experts in other areas of the US that can help people in distress (or just want to buy or sell Real Estate. Please call me for a referral.
The CDPE education also enhances my ability to work with buyers who want to take advantage of deals in "distressed" property such as Short Sales and Bank Owned REO's and Foreclosures.
For more information about Pre-Foreclosure, Foreclosure, Short Sales and Loan Modifications, please call Dennis Smith at 760-436-0087.
Dennis@SanDiegoHomes4u.com

See my Short Sale and Foreclosure Avoidance Web Site at
http://HAFAShortSaleConsultant.com/

Dennis Smith, ABR, SRES, e-PRO, CDPE, Realtor® DRE# 00476662
Certified Distressed Property Expert
Donna "Sunshine" Smith, SFR, Realtor® DRE# 01249837

Short Sale, Foreclosure Resource Certified

Taylor Place Real Estate
Buy or Sell a Home with Me, Use my Moving Truck - F R E E for life.
dennis@SanDiegoHomes4u.com
760-436-0087, or cell at 760-212-8225
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/home.htm

My Market Trends Report with graphs and charts for North Coastal San Diego will give you the Sales Statistics for the month and compare it with last year, by city!
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/RealEstateTrends.htm

You can view all available San Diego area homes for sale at http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/MLS_Search.htm
You can search by address, by MLS number or by general criteria.

Providing quality Real Estate services in San Diego County.

Holiday Sale Pricing on Homes

2009-11-20T07:43:00.000-08:00

Buy now to get Holiday Sale Pricing on Homes.

Nov., Dec. & Jan. are traditionally the best time for buyers to buy a home or an investment property. There are usually fewer buyers to compete
for the homes and some sellers need to sell without regard to the season.

Many of the banks want to clear out their inventory by the end of the year.
That means you need to be in escrow by December 1st to have a reasonable chance of closing by Dec. 31st, especially with the holiday season slowing down the process.

Some regular sellers will hold firm but many are willing to negotiate
instead of waiting till the Spring when the market heats up again.

The disadvantage of buying now is that you will have a
smaller inventory to choose from. Many sellers are aware that
the Spring time is the best time for the sellers,
so many of them wait until then to market their homes.

The other problem with buying now is that the inventory is low
and we have had 7 straight months of price increases in San Diego County. We have almost 1/3 fewer listings than last year at this time. Foreclosure listings are almost 70% lower than they were a year ago. About 630 active at this time in the whole County.
There is increased competition as buyers realize that the
housing market is turning and is unlikely to go back down from here.

In San Diego, home buying and selling goes on all year as we do not have to contend with snow impeding our ability to get around and making it difficult to see what the yard looks like without 3 feet of snow.

Holiday Sale Pricing on Homes wont last long.
These are bargain prices compared to where the prices were
and where they are heading.

Call me today to find out how you can get Holiday Sale Pricing.
Only 10 more home shopping days this year!

Dennis Smith, ABR, SRES, e-PRO, CDPE, Realtor® DRE# 00476662
Certified Distressed Property Expert
Taylor Place Real Estate
Buy or Sell a Home with Me, Use my Moving Truck - F R E E for life.
dennis@SanDiegoHomes4u.com
760-436-0087, or cell at 760-212-8225
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/home.htm

My Market Trends Report with graphs and charts for North Coastal San Diego will give you the Sales Statistics for the month and compare it with last year, by city!
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/RealEstateTrends.htm

You can view all available San Diego area homes for sale at http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/MLS_Search.htm
You can search by address, by MLS number or by general criteria.

Providing quality Real Estate services in the North Coastal San Diego area including Del Mar, Solana Beach, Rancho Santa Fe, Cardiff by the Sea, Encinitas, Leucadia, Olivenhain, Carlsbad, La Costa, Aviara, Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos, San Elijo Hills, Escondido & San Diego County.

Property Tax Reduction Deadline is Nov 30th

2009-11-18T21:10:00.000-08:00

Property Tax Reduction Deadline is Nov 30th to reduce your taxes due to “Decline of Value”.

If you, or a friend or family member, bought a home in CA between
2003 and 2006, you can probably reduce your property taxes by 10% to 60%, depending on your area. (Location, Location, Location)

The County Tax Assessor must tax properties at the value of the property on January 1st of each year.
You can challenge that San Diego County assessment between July 1st & Nov. 30th. (Other counties may only go to Sept 15th)

The next appeal period is between March 1 and May 30
so you can appeal it again for Jan 2010 comparable sales.

Please be advised that the application will only be effective for the one year appealed. Subsequent years will normally require additional filings.

Here is the information you will need.
See http://www.boe.ca.gov/proptaxes/pdf/pub30.pdf

Here is the application:
http://www.sdcounty.ca.gov/cob/docs/aab/aabadobeapp.pdf

The Assessor will determine the price/value as of Jan 1st, 2009.
If you disagree, then you have to go to the appeals board with your proof.

There are many companies that will assist you with your Property Tax Reduction.
You do not need to use these companies because the data is free.
Sometimes it is more convenient to use a company to assist you. EasyTaxFix.com is one.
I have not checked them out but they only charge $49.99.
They also show you the comparables but not the addresses.
All you need to do is click on the following link.
http://tinyurl.com/PropertyTaxReduction

The clients who have bought or sold a property with me are welcome
to receive free comparable sales date from us.
Please call or e-mail your request. This applies to SD county properties only.

If you are not a client, www.zilow.com has comparable data
but it is not as complete or as easy to understand.
Just type in your address and click on "Comparable Data" in the info box.
Your results will display below the map.
Please note that their "Zestimates" can be as much as 30% of in either direction.
Do not use that number, just use the comparable sales.
You may only use sales comparables from November 2008 through
March 2009 as they are only looking at the value as of 1/1/09.

Here is an article in the Newspaper with more info.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20081108/news_lz1c08taxes.html

Remember, the Property Tax Reduction Deadline is Nov 30th

Dennis Smith, ABR, SRES, e-PRO, CDPE, Realtor® DRE# 00476662
Certified Distressed Property Expert
Taylor Place Real Estate

Buy or Sell a Home with Me, Use my Moving Truck - F R E E for life.
dennis@SanDiegoHomes4u.com
760-436-0087, or cell at 760-212-8225
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/home.htm

My Market Trends Report with graphs and charts for North Coastal San Diego will give you the Sales Statistics for the month and compare it with last year, by city!
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/RealEstateTrends.htm

You can view all available San Diego area homes for sale at http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/MLS_Search.htm
You can search by address, by MLS number or by general criteria.

Providing quality Real Estate services in the North Coastal San Diego area including Del Mar, Solana Beach, Rancho Santa Fe, Cardiff by the Sea, Encinitas, Leucadia, Olivenhain, Carlsbad, La Costa, Aviara, Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos, San Elijo Hills, Escondido & San Diego County

Contingent listing - what the heck is that?

2009-11-17T13:50:00.000-08:00

A CONTINGENT LISTING is the step between Active & Pending.
These properties fall into several catagories.

Offer contingent on Court approval - This is usually for a Probate Sale

Offer accepted or submitted pending lender approval of Short Sale

Offer submitted awaiting buyer or bank approval of a REO (foreclosure)

Offer accepted with ____ hour right of first refusal - Usually the buyer has a house to sell before they can buy this one.

Contingent listings still show up on most web sites as active properties. They have to be looked at on an individual basis to determine what the underlying status is...REO, Short Sale, Probate or time clause.
Then it can be determined if it is reasonable to submit an offer.

Please contact my about listings in any Status including CONTINGENT LISTINGS. I am here to help.

Dennis Smith, ABR, SRES, e-PRO, CDPE, Realtor® DRE# 00476662
Certified Distressed Property Expert
Taylor Place Real Estate
Buy or Sell a Home with Me, Use my Moving Truck - F R E E for life.
dennis@SanDiegoHomes4u.com
760-436-0087, or cell at 760-212-8225
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/home.htm

My Market Trends Report with graphs and charts for North Coastal San Diego will give you the Sales Statistics for the month and compare it with last year, by city!
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/RealEstateTrends.htm

You can view all available San Diego area homes for sale at http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/MLS_Search.htm
You can search by address, by MLS number or by general criteria.

Providing quality Real Estate services in the North Coastal San Diego area including Del Mar, Solana Beach, Rancho Santa Fe, Cardiff by the Sea, Encinitas, Leucadia, Olivenhain, Carlsbad, La Costa, Aviara, Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos, San Elijo Hills, Escondido & San Diego County.

Wachovia & World Savings Offering cash for short sales.

2009-11-15T22:45:00.000-08:00

Wachovia & World Savings Offering cash for short sales.

If you have a Wachovia or World Savings mortgage and qualify for a Short Sale, Wachovia is paying you to move. Homeowners with Wachovia and World Savings mortgages who are upside down on their property and have a finantial hardship, can get 1 percent of the price of their short sale, with a minimum of $2,500 ($250K sale).

Wachovia understands that a short sale is quicker and less costly for them than a foreclosure.

You will be expected to move out promptly and keep the property in as good or better condition as when the process begins.

Sellers must act quickly because the program is temporary and could end anytime.

Another important thing for sellers to note is that Wachovia has agreed not to pursue sellers for any part of the balance due if you cooperate with this program.

If you know anyone who is in finantial problems and upside down in their mortgage, do them a favor and call me with their contact information and I will give them free foreclosure counseling. This way, they will know what their options are and can act accordingly.

It does not matter if the lender is on the Short Sale, Wachovia, World Savings or any other lender, I would love to help them understand their solutions.

See my Short Sale and Foreclosure Avoidance Web Site at
http://HAFAShortSaleConsultant.com/

Dennis Smith, ABR, SRES, e-PRO, CDPE, Realtor® DRE# 00476662
Certified Distressed Property Expert
Donna "Sunshine" Smith, SFR, Realtor® DRE# 01249837

Short Sale, Foreclosure Resource Certified

Taylor Place Real Estate
Buy or Sell a Home with Me, Use my Moving Truck - F R E E for life.

dennis@SanDiegoHomes4u.com
760-436-0087, or cell at 760-212-8225

See my Short Sale and Foreclosure Avoidance Web Site at

http://HAFAShortSaleConsultant.com/
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/home.htm

My Market Trends Report with graphs and charts for North Coastal San Diego will give you the Sales Statistics for the month and compare it with last year, by city!
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/RealEstateTrends.htm

You can view all available San Diego area homes for sale at http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/MLS_Search.htm
You can search by address, by MLS number or by general criteria.

Providing quality Real Estate services in the North Coastal San Diego area including Del Mar, Solana Beach, Rancho Santa Fe, Cardiff by the Sea, Encinitas, Leucadia, Olivenhain, Carlsbad, La Costa, Aviara, Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos, San Elijo Hills, Escondido & San Diego County.

It is all about friends...

2009-11-05T18:43:00.000-08:00

It is all about friends...
This story touched me but I do not send chain e-mails.

We all know or knew someone like this!!

One day, when I was a freshman in high school,
I saw a kid from my class was walking home from school.
His name was Kyle.
It looked like he was carrying all of his books.
I thought to myself, 'Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday? He must really be a nerd.'
I had quite a weekend planned (parties and a football game with my friends tomorrow afternoon), so I shrugged my shoulders and went on.

As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running toward him.
They ran at him, knocking all his books out of his arms and tripping him so he landed in the dirt.
His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him.
He looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes
My heart went out to him. So, I jogged over to him as he crawled around looking for his glasses, and I saw a tear in his eye.
As I handed him his glasses, I said, 'Those guys are jerks.'
They really should get lives.

He looked at me and said, 'Hey thanks!' There was a big smile on his face.
It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude.
I helped him pick up his books, and asked him where he lived.
As it turned out, he lived near me, so I asked him why I had never seen him before. He said he had gone to private school before now.
I would have never hung out with a private school kid before.
We talked all the way home, and I carried some of his books. He turned out to be a pretty cool kid.
I asked him if he wanted to play a little football with my friends
He said yes.
We hung out all weekend and the more I got to know Kyle, the more I liked him, and my friends thought the same of him.

Monday morning came, and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books again.
I stopped him and said, 'Boy, you are gonna really build some serious muscles with this pile of books everyday!
He just laughed and handed me half the books. Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends.
When we were seniors we began to think about college.
Kyle decided on Georgetown and I was going to Duke.
I knew that we would always be friends, that the miles would never be a problem.

He was going to be a doctor and I was going for business on a football scholarship.

Kyle was valedictorian of our class.
I teased him all the time about being a nerd.
He had to prepare a speech for graduation.
I was so glad it wasn't me having to get up there and speak Graduation day. I saw Kyle. He looked great.
He was one of those guys that really found himself during high school.
He filled out and actually looked good in glasses...
He had more dates than I had and all the girls loved him.
Boy, sometimes I was jealous! Today was one of those days.
I could see that he was nervous about his speech.
So, I smacked him on the back and said, 'Hey, big guy, you'll be great!'
He looked at me with one of those looks (the really grateful one) and smiled.
' Thanks,' he said.

As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and began
'Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years.
Your parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach...but mostly your friends....
I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give them
I am going to tell you a story.'

I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the first day we met.
He had planned to kill himself over the weekend.
He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his Mom wouldn't have to do it later and was carrying his stuff home.
He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile.
'Thankfully, I was saved. My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable.'

I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest moment.
I saw his Mom and Dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile.

Not until that moment did I realize it's depth.
Never underestimate the power of your actions...
With one small gesture you can change a person's life.
For better or for worse, God puts us all in each others lives to impact one another in some way.
Look for God in others.

You now have two choices, you can : 1) Pass this on to your friends or
2) Delete it and act like it didn't touch your heart.
As you can see, I took choice number 1.

'Friends are angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly.'

There is no beginning or end. Yesterday is history.
Tomorrow is a mystery.. But today is a gift. That is why they call it
THE PRESENT!

$8000 Homebuyer tax credit update

2009-11-04T12:09:00.000-08:00

$8000 Homebuyer tax credit update…The tax credit has been extended!!!!

Under the law, individuals with income up to $125,000 a year and couples earning up to $225,000 may be eligible for the $8000 Homebuyer tax credit. The extension would cover homes under contract by April 30th and closed by June 30th, 2010. And as we had also predicted, the homebuyer tax credit will be expanded to non-first time homebuyers as well. There are a few tweaks for non-first time homebuyers - the credit is reduced from $8000 to $6500, and they must have owned and lived in their primary residence for at least five of the past eight years. Their new purchase must be for their primary residence, not a second home or investment home.

This is a great deal for home owners who want to more up, downsize or get a job transfer.
The purchase price of the home is capped at $800,000 in both instances.

Under additional provisions included in the bill, taxpayers can claim the credit on purchases completed in 2010 on their 2009 income tax returns. The legislation maintains the provision that home buyers do not have to repay the credit provided the home remains their primary residence for 36 months after purchase, and waives this requirement for active duty military personnel who move due to a military order.

Military veterans earn one-year federal tax credit extension

Military personnel, members of the Foreign Service, and employees of the intelligence community
have an extra year, through June 2011, to buy their principal residence in the U.S. and claim the federal tax credit. The deadline for a binding contract is April 30, 2011; the deadline to close the purchase is June 30, 2011. The extension applies to any individual (and, if married, the individual’s spouse) who serves on qualified official extended duty service outside of the United States for at period of least 90 days during the period beginning after Dec. 31, 2008, and ending before May 1, 2010.

The bill also adds some fraud protection. Buyers will now have to include proof of purchace with their tax return.

For more details:
http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=204671,00.html

http://www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com/glance.php

How does all this work in my case? Ask your tax professional/

Dennis Smith, ABR, SRES, e-PRO, CDPE, Realtor® DRE# 00476662
Certified Distressed Property Expert
Taylor Place Real Estate
Buy or Sell a Home with Me, Use my Moving Truck - F R E E for life.
dennis@SanDiegoHomes4u.com
760-436-0087, or cell at 760-212-8225
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/home.htm

My Market Trends Report with graphs and charts for North Coastal San Diego will give you the Sales Statistics for the month and compare it with last year, by city!
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/RealEstateTrends.htm

You can view all available San Diego area homes for sale at http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/MLS_Search.htm
You can search by address, by MLS number or by general criteria.

Providing quality Real Estate services in the North Coastal San Diego area including Del Mar, Solana Beach, Rancho Santa Fe, Cardiff by the Sea, Encinitas, Leucadia, Olivenhain, Carlsbad, La Costa, Aviara, Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos, San Elijo Hills, Escondido & San Diego County.

Where are all the Foreclosures San Diego County?

2009-10-31T10:13:00.000-07:00

Where are all the Foreclosures in San Diego County?

San Diego County has less than 600 Bank Owned Foreclosures or REO’s currently in the San Diego Multiple Listing Service (MLS). A year ago, we had over 3000 active REO’s.

There were 1063 and 1044 REO’s sold this June and July. There were 861 and 846 REO’s sold this August and September.

The sold prices for REO’s have been steadily rising in these months: $242K, $240K, $248K. $256K, $276K. That is a 13% increase in the last 4 months.

Of course, these are not the figures we hear in the media.

Why are there so few Foreclosures in San Diego County?
There are several opinions.
Banks are waiting till the prices go up.
Because of the TARP funds, they have been told to make Obama look good.
They are getting tax breaks.
They do not want to show the write-offs on their books. (Didn’t some banks report huge profits recently? Not the case if they report the “real value” of the assets. That will hurt their stock price.)

The best of the answers seems to be from Sean O’Toole of Foreclosure Radar, a Foreclosure tracking service. In his Blog http://www.foreclosuretruth.com/blog/sean he states that the lenders are getting more money from the Government (WE TAXPAYERS) by holding on, than they can get from the Foreclosure.

“I speculated that foreclosures had dropped primarily because of U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson's announcment to seek troubled asset relief for banks. The result being that banks are incentivized not to foreclose thanks to mark-to-model accounting changes, and an implied promise that the Fed or taxpayers will take bad loans off their hands at a premium if necessary.”

Dennis Smith, ABR, SRES, e-PRO, CDPE, Realtor® DRE# 00476662
Certified Distressed Property Expert
Taylor Place Real Estate
Buy or Sell a Home with Me, Use my Moving Truck - F R E E for life.
dennis@SanDiegoHomes4u.com
760-436-0087, or cell at 760-212-8225
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/home.htm

My Market Trends Report with graphs and charts for North Coastal San Diego will give you the Sales Statistics for the month and compare it with last year, by city!
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/RealEstateTrends.htm

You can view all available San Diego area homes for sale at http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/MLS_Search.htm
You can search by address, by MLS number or by general criteria.

Providing quality Real Estate services in the North Coastal San Diego area including Del Mar, Solana Beach, Rancho Santa Fe, Cardiff by the Sea, Encinitas, Leucadia, Olivenhain, Carlsbad, La Costa, Aviara, Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos, San Elijo Hills, Escondido & San Diego County.

Senate plans to extend an $8,000 tax credit for first-time homebuyers

2009-10-28T17:01:00.000-07:00

Senate plans to extend an $8,000 tax credit for first-time homebuyers and allow benefits for some people who already own residences.

The proposal would also let existing homeowners qualify for a $6,500 credit if they have lived in their residence for five years.

The homebuyers’ credit would be available to individuals earning up to $125,000, or $250,000 for couples, up from $75,000 for individuals and $150,000 for couples under the current law.

The plan would extend the $8,000 tax credit for first-time homebuyers, due to expire Nov. 30, to home purchases under contract by April 30, 2010, with borrowers allowed another 60 days to close the sale.

It is not a done deal yet because it is tied to bill to extend unemployment benefits along with several other "pork" amendments. Fortunately, there seems to be little resistance to the home buyers credit. We will have to see exactly comes out of the bill.

Dennis Smith, ABR, SRES, e-PRO, CDPE, Realtor® DRE# 00476662
Certified Distressed Property Expert
Taylor Place Real Estate
Buy or Sell a Home with Me, Use my Moving Truck - F R E E for life.
dennis@SanDiegoHomes4u.com
760-436-0087, or cell at 760-212-8225
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/home.htm

My Market Trends Report with graphs and charts for North Coastal San Diego will give you the Sales Statistics for the month and compare it with last year, by city!
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/RealEstateTrends.htm

You can view all available San Diego area homes for sale at http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/MLS_Search.htm
You can search by address, by MLS number or by general criteria.

Providing quality Real Estate services in the North Coastal San Diego area including Del Mar, Solana Beach, Rancho Santa Fe, Cardiff by the Sea, Encinitas, Leucadia, Olivenhain, Carlsbad, La Costa, Aviara, Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos, San Elijo Hills, Escondido & San Diego County.

760 Area Code must now dial 760 for all calls

2009-10-23T16:13:00.000-07:00

760 Area Code must now dial 760 for all calls.

It changes tomorrow 10/24/2009!

From a land line you will need to dial 1-760-436-0087 to reach me.
From a cell phone you can dial 760-436-0087 with or without the "1".

You will also need to change all your autodialers for Area Code 760.

Notify alarm service providers of the appropriate area code + telephone number(s) so alarm service records and equipment can be updated as needed.

This will include your preset numbers in your cell phone, call forwarding, fax, modem and any other devices that you have that automatically dial a phone number.

Individuals can still just dial only three digits to call phone numbers such as emergency 911, 211, 311, 411, 511, 611, and 711.

Calls that were local before the area code change will remain local calls. The distance, time of day, and length of a call determine the price of a call not the dialing pattern.

Dennis Smith, ABR, SRES, e-PRO, CDPE,Realtor® DRE# 00476662
Certified Distressed Property Expert
Taylor Place Real Estate
Buy or Sell a Home with Me, Use my Moving Truck - F R E E for life.
dennis@SanDiegoHomes4u.com
760-436-0087, or cell at 760-212-8225
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/home.htm

My Market Trends Report with graphs and charts for North Coastal San Diego will give you the Sales Statistics for the month and compare it with last year, by city!
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/RealEstateTrends.htm

You can view all available San Diego area homes for sale at http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/MLS_Search.htm
You can search by address, by MLS number or by general criteria.

Providing quality Real Estate services in the N Coastal San Diego area including Del Mar, Solana Beach, Rancho Santa Fe, Cardiff by the Sea, Encinitas, Leucadia, Olivenhain, Carlsbad, La Costa, Aviara, Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos, San Elijo Hills, Escondido & San Diego County

San Diego Real Estate Market Report

2009-10-12T09:36:00.000-07:00

San Diego Real Estate Market Report

The median price for San Diego County single family,
re-sale homes rose 2.4% in September compared to August.

Year-over-year, the median price was up 1.4%. This is the first time the median price has been higher than the year before since June 2006.

The median price for homes is now at its highest level since August 2008.

Home sales were up in September, gaining 6.4% from August.
Year-over-year, home sales were down 1%.
This is the first time since June 2008 home sales
have down compared to the year before. Year-to-date,
home sales are up 16%.

San Diego County Condo sales were up 5% month-over-month, and down 2.5% compared to last September.
Year-to-date, condo sales are up 17.6% but
prices dropped 8.9% from August, 09.

My complete on-line report is available here: http://dennissmith.rereport.com

Please contact me to see how this information affects your and your home buying or selling needs.

You can view all available San Diego area homes for sale at
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/MLS_Search.htm
You can search by address, by MLS number or by general criteria.

Dennis Smith, ABR, SRES, e-PRO, CDPE, Realtor® DRE# 00476662
Certified Distressed Property Expert
Taylor Place Real Estate

dennis@SanDiegoHomes4u.com
760-436-0087, or cell at 760-212-8225
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/home.htm

Ways to Get or Increase Your Downpayment

2009-10-05T11:23:00.000-07:00

Ways to Get or Increase Your Downpayment.

It can be a maze.

1. Ask for a gift from any family member. Most lenders accept gift letters for your down payment.

2. Borrow the money from a family member. Many lenders accept family loans.

3. Borrow the money from a non-family member: employer, friend, Non Profit Group or Government. $8000 Tax Rebate but must be closed by 11/30/09

4. Borrow from your insurance policy.

5. Borrow from your stock account.

6. Borrow from your retirement account. Your home is a great retirement asset. Why not own one as soon as you can. http://www.brokeragentsocial.com/BobPhillips/blog/2981/

7. Borrow from your credit cards. Most lenders do not approve of this unless your down payment is over 20%

8. Get one or more unsecured loans from your bank or credit union.

9. Find a partner to buy with you: friend, relative or investor.

10. Find a co-signer. You and cosigner must qualify.

More Ways to Get or Increase Your Downpayment:

11. Finance or refinance another asset you have:
House, lot, boat, car, jewelry or ? you may be able to use that asset as collateral.

12. Sell an asset: Anything of value! Many people are getting great prices on Internet auction sites, the worlds largest free classifieds.

13. Trade something of value with the seller. One of your assets or your skills. (What do you do for a vocation or hobby that may be of value to the seller)

14. Get a second job. There can be significant tax benefits to an “in home” business, even if you live in a rental.

15. Ask the seller to pay for your down payment, closing costs or even pay off your debits. The presentation of this type of request is critical. You must show why it is in the sellers best interest to do so.

16. Increase the price so the seller feels comfortable paying your costs or debits.

17. Ask the seller to carry some or all of the financing.

18. Spend Less! Do you really need a Starbucks 1-2 times a day when regular coffee will work. Slim down those TV and Cell Phone packages for awhile.

19. It’s all about determining what is REALLY important to you. What are you willing to do to own a home and reap the tax, lifestyle, appreciation and equity benefits you will get?

If you can think of other ways to legally get or increase your downpayment, please let me know.

Dennis Smith 760-436-0087
Taylor Place Real Estate

Rates - APR - Points - Fees: How the Playing Field is Still "Crooked"

2009-10-03T11:06:00.000-07:00

Rates - APR - Points - Fees: How the Playing Field is Still "Crooked"

This is a re-blog with permission from Steve Kappre, a Mortgage Planner with Treasury Mortgage

I talked to a client today who was shopping me against some other lenders. I don't blame people, and frankly if I think someone else has a better offer and they are legit, I advise "my client" so and have no hard feelings.

In the scenario today, said client was offered 4.5% with no points. I told him it wasn't possible, but lest I be ignorant, I dropped by this other lender's website. Indeed, the lenders website quoted 4.5% with no points and an APR of 4.878%. The website gave the assumed loan amount and purchase price. So I went and did the math. What did I find out? To make the rate and APR accurate, I had to add 2.25% in points ON TOP OF all of the regular fees (title, appraisal, etc.).

In other words, even though the quote was 4.5% with zero points, the TRUE cost was 4.5%, plus typical closing costs, PLUS 2.25% in additional fees/costs.
Please send me your Goofy Good Fake Faith Estimate!

There are several issues with this scenario

APR is supposed to HELP consumers, not confuse them. Clearly this bank (a large bank at that) is charging hefty fees instead of points. This brings us to our next point ...

Points are tax deductible costs - most other fees are not. Charging high fees in lieu of points is an injustice to the consumer. We see rates quoted with NO POINTS to make them look better to consumers. However the total cost is ultimately higher than a lender that is straight forward, charging the same dollar amount but in the form of points. A loan with the same cost in points (versus fees) is a far better deal, saving a consumer hundreds or thousands in tax deductible costs.

APR is "pliable" - Certain fees are calculated into the APR calculation, others are not. Do not assume lenders don't play with the "names" of fees to artificially lower their APR's. That doesn't seem to be the case in the above example, nonetheless keep this in mind.

Lastly, said bank WOULD NOT give the buyer a good faith estimate without having him apply for a mortgage. OK, not so crazy, but the good faith estimate would not be given for 3 days. And if the bank charged an application fee? That would just be another deceptive way to lure a consumer in and tie them to the bank.

Any lender should be able to offer you a good faith estimate (GFE) in a fairly short amount of time, 24 hours or less, allowing some time for when a lender is very busy. Assuming the lender is honest and accurate with their fees, you should be able to see the true cost of their offered rate. You should be able to see, as in the above scenario, that their rate of 4.5% with no points really has a lender fee of $4,119 (Actual additional cost based on their APR). This same week I had another rate shopper send me a goof good faith estimate with 1% in points and $2,100 in application fees. THIS IS NOT NORMAL or fair to you as a consumer, especially on a purchase loan.
I am not angry for losing business, because I didn't lose business. I am however angry because of the lenders and loan officers that mislead and deceive consumers who are just looking out for themselves by rate shopping. What we often see, is that many consumers that search the world over for the lowest rate, actually end up paying much higher costs via deceptive lenders. Consumers can be blinded by a low rate, not allowing them to see the true cost.

Steve Kappre is a Mortgage Planner with Treasury Mortgage. Steve specializes in
• All areas concerning NJ First-Time Home Buyer Mortgages, grants, down payment assistance, tax credits, and more.
• Reverse Mortgages
• Equity Management strategies for high-end homes and high net worth individuals
Contact Steve Kappre directly at 856-419-3561 or at http://www.stevekappre.com/

End of his Blog at http://activerain.com/blogsview/1266423/rates-apr-points-fees-gfe-s-how-the-playing-field-is-still-crooked-

_________________________________

My comments: I agree with Steve completely!

This deceit is not just with online lenders although they have a higher percentage of problems. You can even see it at your local bank. A point dressed up as a fee still costs you money and most fees are not deductible.

This is why I use 2 local lenders who I know and trust to get the loan done right and charge REASONABLE fees. Everybody deserves to make a fair living but not by deceit.

I have worked with both of these local lenders for over 8 years each. They have both done an outstanding job with my clients which is why I continue recommending them. Please call me for their contact info. 760-436-0087

Dennis Smith, ABR, SRES, e-PRO, CDPE, Realtor® DRE# 00476662
Certified Distressed Property Expert
Taylor Place Real Estate
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/
dennis@SanDiegoHomes4u.com

15-30 days left for $8000? First Time Home Buyers Scramble!

2009-09-29T20:52:00.000-07:00

First Time Home Buyers may be too late for $8000 tax credit.

The $8000 tax credit expires Nov 30th however, it currently takes 30 to 45 days to close an escrow. That means you only have 15 to 30 days to get an offer accepted.

(Update - Credit has been extended. You must be under contract by 4/31/2010, The Senate Finance Committee and Capitol Hill in general, are not inclined to extend this program again. The National Association of Realtors, the lobbyist for this program, were cautioned that any discussion regarding a further extension of the program was not likely, and would certainly be met with opposition.)

I would not count on the extension. Bernanke said the recession is over and we have started back to recovery. Therefore, he states, we need to cut back on some of the stimulus money. Will it mean the $8000 is gone - maybe?

See my Blog below from Monday, September 7, 2009 for more information on how to get your $8000 share of the Stimulus Money.

Call me now to set up time to see property and get you into your new home.
Don't be left alone on the fence.

Dennis Smith, ABR, SRES, e-PRO, CDPE, Realtor® DRE# 00476662
Certified Distressed Property Expert
Taylor Place Real Estate
760-436-0087

Furniture Fantasy Sale Sat., 8/26/09

2009-09-14T21:58:00.000-07:00

Furniture Fantasy Sale Sat., 8/26/09 was GREAT!
Watch for it again next year

Have you ever walked through a Model Home and wished you could get a good deal on the furnishings in the home? BIA can help. The Building Industry Association of San Diego County has an annual fundraiser in a 23,000 SqFt warehouse full of great furnishings from Model Homes.

Well now you can.
As much as 90% off retail.

You must be there early since people start lining up at 4AM. It is open at 8AM and mostly gone by mid morning.

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
September 26, 2009
8:00am till SOLD OUT
Note: they made over $60K for charity this year - 2009. Watch for it again in 2010.

FEATURING:

HIGH-END MODEL HOME FURNISHINGS

OFFICE FURNITURE, APPLIANCES

ACCESSORIES

CONSTRUCTION/REMODEL SUPPLIES

All sales are final and items must be removed that day!!!
Cash and Credit Card (MC, Visa, Amex& Discover) accepted

Dont miss the Furniture Fantasy Sale.
Visit: http://www.biacares.org/ for more information.
http://www.biasandiego.org/pdfs/Sales_Flyer.pdf

SALE LOCATION:
3574 Ruffin Road South
San Diego, CA 92123

Exit Interstate 15 on Aero
Go West 1 Mile
Location is one block south off Aero Drive

Follow the Signs!!!

ANOTHER GREAT DEAL!
After you are done there...if you have any money left...
go to the Habitat for Humanity ReStore for more bargains.
The ReStore is having a sale THE WEEK BEFORE on Sat 8/19/2009 to 70% off.
http://www.sdhfh.org/
10222 San Diego Mission Rd
San Diego, CA 92108
(619) 516-5267

Up to 70% OFF every Item: cabinets, doors, appliances, granite countertops, windows, lighting, plumbing, flooring, antiques, architectural items and more.

Proceeds to benefit construction of affordable housing in San Diego County.

Dennis Smith, ABR, SRES, e-PRO, CDPE, Realtor® DRE# 00476662
Certified Distressed Property Expert
760-436-0087

Credit Scores: What's Important to Know Now?

2009-09-14T20:00:00.000-07:00

Credit Scores: What's Important to Know Now?

FICO FICO FICO FICO

Your good credit may be taking a beating even though your score has not changed.
Lenders have tightened up the requirements by 120 points in some cases.

The Wall Street Journal had a great article on Credit and Credit Scores. Here are some of the things covered there.
Paying off your cards each month may not give you the best score possible.
Taking advantage of reward cards may affect my creditworthiness.
One 30 day late will ding your credit for a year.
Your credit report stays with you for life.
The score I pay for or get for free may not be my real score.

Check out the article for more information at
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204348804574400700026852702.html#articleTabs=article

Your score does make a difference.
This is on a 30 year, $300K, fixed loan on 9/11/09
FICO        APR       Mo. Pmt.
760-850   4.768%   $1,568
620-639   6.357%   $1,868

Another interesting article from the San Diego Union Tribune talks about how much damage is done to your credit score with a Loan Modification, short sale, foreclosure or bankruptcy.

http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/sep/13/nations-housing-kenneth-harney/?home

Want more info on credit scores, call or e-mail me and I can e-mail you more info.
Dennis Smith, ABR, SRES, e-PRO, CDPE, Realtor® DRE# 00476662
Certified Distressed Property Expert
Taylor Place Real Estate 760-436-0087
http://SanDiegoHomes4u.com

Too late for $8000? First Time Home Buyers Scramble!

2009-09-07T23:04:00.000-07:00

First Time Home Buyers
may be too late for $8000
The Government Real Estate Stimulus Package, first time home buyers tax credit of $8000 is scheduled to be gone on Dec 1st, 2009. A first time home buyer is someone who has not owned a home in the last 3 years. See the details:
http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=204671,00.html

Will the government extend this program? Do you want to take this risk when many are saying we are past the worst in the Real Estate market?

December 1st seems like a long way away, and it is, except in home buying terms.

With the changes in lending and appraisal, getting an escrow completed in 30 days can be very difficult. Many are taking 45 days to fund and close. That means we should be in escrow by October 15th. Preferably earlier if we find any inspection or appraisal problems and have to find another home to buy.

Here are the 7 things you have to do to make this happen for you.

1 Loan Approval – The first step and one of the most important. If your offer is to be accepted above the others, you must present the best likelihood to close. You will have to have a strong approval letter from a lender and documentation to back it up like proof of liquid funds and a copy of your credit report.

2 Watch the clock. You have about 5 weeks from Sept., 8th 2009 to get your offer accepted and you may have to write 5 to 10 or more offers just to get one accepted.

3 Be aware of the competition. Finding a home can be a challenge in this marketplace. The homes that you are looking for are the same as most other first time buyers are looking for. Competition is very high and will be even higher as the deadline nears. We are seeing multiple offers on all reasonable priced homes and on many homes that are over priced. Five to ten offers is normal and I have been in competition with more than 30 offers on some homes.

4 Know the market. Be ready to look at the lists you receive and be ready to write an offer immediately. That means you need to know what you are willing to accept for your first home. We will need to meet, discuss your needs and wants then see how they match up to the properties and prices that are currently available.

5 Be flexible and be realistic. Remember, this is your first home, not your only one. Maybe you can remodel or add on later, or convert it to a rental sooner than you planned.

6 Keep your credit in top condition by not opening new accounts, not closing old ones and keeping ALL the balances below 40% of your credit limit on each account at all times. The lender usually pulls another credit report near the end of the transaction.

7 Avoid Short Sales that are not approved, unless they have been Pending or Contingent for at least a month and preferably much longer. Consider these only as a last resort. Banks have been known to change their minds or even foreclose while in escrow on a short sale.

Call me at 760-436-0087 if you are a first time home buyer and want to get the $8000 tax credit while it is still here.

Dennis Smith, ABR, SRES, e-PRO, CDPE, Realtor® DRE# 00476662
Certified Distressed Property Expert
Taylor Place Real Estate
Buy or Sell a Home with Me, Use my Moving Truck - F R E E for life.
dennis@SanDiegoHomes4u.com
760-436-0087, or cell at 760-212-8225

http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/home.htm

Money Saving Tip for Home Buyers at SDG&E

2009-09-06T16:24:00.000-07:00

Money Saving Tip for Home Buyers at SDG&E

Buying a San Diego area home? Save money buying a home whenever you can.

You could save money when you buy a home by timing the start of your gas and electric service within one week of the meter read. This works especially well if the home is vacant, like bank owned REO's. If it is occupied, you may want to ask what the monthly useage is, then decide.
SDG&E charges $15.00 for new service for each meter, gas or electric. If you are within 7 days of the meter read date, they could charge you as little as $5.00 per meter. When you call to start service, ask SDG&E if the meter reading is close enough to get a discount.

Dennis Smith, ABR, SRES, e-PRO, CDPE, Realtor® DRE# 00476662
Certified Distressed Property Expert
Taylor Place Real Estate
Buy or Sell a Home with Me, Use my Moving Truck - F R E E for life.
dennis@SanDiegoHomes4u.com
760-436-0087, or cell at 760-212-8225
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/home.htm

My Market Trends Report with graphs and charts for North Coastal San Diego will give you the Sales Statistics for the month and compare it with last year, by city!
http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/RealEstateTrends.htm

You can view all available San Diego area homes for sale at http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/MLS_Search.htm
You can search by address, by MLS number or by general criteria.

Providing quality Real Estate services in the N Coastal San Diego area including Del Mar, Solana Beach, Rancho Santa Fe, Cardiff by the Sea, Encinitas, Leucadia, Olivenhain, Carlsbad, La Costa, Aviara, Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos, San Elijo Hills, Escondido & San Diego County.

Foreclosed/bank owned homes, Short Sales and regular sales in the San Diego market

2009-08-30T23:25:00.000-07:00

Foreclosed/bank owned homes, Short Sales and regular sales in the San Diego market .

All 3 are very different in the way they transpire, from the offer, to the transaction and sometimes even the closing. Each one has its advantages and disadvantages.
Regular transactions are usually the easiest and least trying for all parties. Communication is usually good between everybody involved…buyers, sellers, agents. You have a willing buyer and a willing seller. You have a home that is usually in good condition, often pride of ownership. Minor repairs have been made before they become major problems. And the sellers will usually take care of any major defects and some minor defects in the home before closing.

Bank Owned Properties, REO’s (Real Estate Owned - by the bank) or Foreclosed Homes are the next easiest properties to buy. You can find them in all areas of the county but they are more prevelant in Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos and Escondido along with the South Bay and East county areas. There are currently only 648 bank owned foreclosures for sale in the San Diego MLS. That compares with over 3000 a year ago. Available Bank Owned properties make up only 7.5 % of the listings and account for 33% of the sales. They turn quickly!

But you must follow very strict bank guidelines or you will lose your good faith deposit or pay a per diem of at least $100 per day, depending on the price of the home…and who caused the delay. The following are the guidelines that most banks require. They are all doable, but the buyer and the buyers team must be ready, willing and able to proceed very quickly.

· You will have to sign the banks addendum/counter if you want the home…read them carefully!!!

· 30 to 45 day escrow.

· 7 to 10 days to complete buyers inspections & investigations.

· 10 to 17 days for loan, appraisal & all other contingency removal.

· Seller chooses Title and Escrow services (often overworked and understaffed)

· Pre-Qualify or double apply with their lender (you can then use any lender you want).

· Require proof of funds for the good faith deposit check with the offer.

· May require a Cashiers Check for the deposit within 24 hours of verbal acceptance.

· Proof of liquid funds for any all cash offer – lines of credit or stock accounts are usually NOT OK.

· Offers contingent on the sale of the buyers property are not accepted.

· Time lines are strictly followed. The bank may cancel or charge you per diem if late.

· You often compete with other offers if the home is priced right. Overbids common on good homes.

· Make your offer based on the value, not to the list price. Banks sometimes under price homes.

· Bank asks for your “Highest and Best” offer. The best “net dollars” and best terms to the bank. In many cases, the bank will not return counter-offers after they have requested this. Sometimes they will not counter and just take the best offer.

· Banks & Trusts are exempt from most disclosures. Get a complete professional inspection.

· Banks rarely pay for Home Warranty policies and often do not pay for termite repairs/treatment.

· Properties are usually sold “AS IS” and they rarely fix anything or give a buyer credit for repairs. If you want anything repaired or included, you must ask for it in the original offer.

· You get a front door key. Garage door openers, pool, mailbox & Assn. keys (if any) are a bonus.

· Properties still show active on the MLS while you wait 1 - 14 days for bank signatures on verbally accepted offers. Yes, sometimes you will wait that long for the bank to get the fully executed contract to you, and they still want to close in the original 30-45 days. That’s tough on your lender.
We are seeing many multiple offers on the lower end of the market for both houses & condos. As many as 80 offers on one listing. Five to 10 offers is common. Investors have been seeing positive cash flows & they have been buying. There is a lot more money on the sidelines waiting for the “right time”.

Short Sales are the most difficult, uncertain and time consuming. They can take 1 week to 8 months before the bank responds to your offer, then another month to close. Sometimes they will never respond to an offer (even a good offer), or they can foreclose while you are in negotiations. There are currently 1702 active Short Sales and 3927 contingent Short Sales in the San Diego MLS. That makes up 36% of the inventory but only 20% of the closings

The bank may even come to the seller and do a “workout” during the negotiations, canceling your sale. They are definitely not short in time or emotion. An “approved” short sale can usually be done in 30 to 90 days. “Approved” means the underlying lender has accepted that they will take less than what is owed on the property and acknowledge that the seller has an acceptable hardship. Often that approval has a required price for the property. If you offer less than the approved price, that can mean a complete new package must be sent to the lender, causing an additional 30 to 90 day delay.
Short Sale buyers should make their offer and continue to look because they may never be able to buy the property until after the foreclosure. Rarely does the first offer get the home because they can’t wait for the bank.
Do not mentally move in. Many fail. Do not lock your loan rate or give notice to move.

Be patient and be prepared for the long haul. Status updates are infrequent.
Short sale properties often have deferred maintenance issues, some significant, as the sellers usually do not have the money or desire to keep the home repaired or upgraded.

Always have the home professionally inspected.
Properties are sold “as is” because the seller has no money and the bank will not pay.
Banks can come back and ask the seller or buyer to pay the back taxes, HOA dues or part of the second Trust Deed. Banks can ask the seller to carry a personal note (most sellers refuse).
Short Sales are not usually great, or even very good, deals. The bank asks the listing agents for comparable sales and, if the comparables are near the home value, usually sends out their own appraiser. Banks usually counter back at MARKET PRICE. They are a business that does not want to loose more money. If you get your offer accepted (1-6 mo. later), you still get to look at the current comparables and decide if you want the home before you spend your money on an appraisal & inspections.

In San Diego County, short sales currently make up over 50% of the available inventory (very location dependant – much higher in some areas/price ranges) but only 20% of the closings (6/30/09 San Diego MLS Stats).
If you are an investor & the property is in foreclosure & owner occupied, there are major rule changes that, if not followed properly, could hit you with fines &/or jail time. Ask me first!

A "Short Sale" can occur when the loans are more than the value of the property and the seller is "short" of enough funds to pay off the existing loans, taxes, HOA, closing costs and other obligations against the property. The seller requests the bank take an amount which is short of the amount owed instead of foreclosing on the property. The bank will consider a short sale if the seller has a verifiable financial hardship, and, the bank will get more for the property than it will in a foreclosure.

The bank is not obligated to do a Short Sale. The seller receives nothing from the transaction except debt relief.

When it is time to buy or sell a home, call me. I am here to guide you through the transaction while avoiding the land mines.

Dennis Smith, ABR, SRES, e-PRO, CDPE, Realtor® DRE# 00476662
Certified Distressed Property Expert
See my Short Sale and Foreclosure Avoidance Web Site at

http://HAFAShortSaleConsultant.com/
Taylor Place Real Estate
760-436-0087
dennis@SanDiegoHomes4u.com

View area homes for sale at http://www.sandiegohomes4u.com/MLS_Search.htm
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