Short Sale and Information Overload   by John Occhi, Hemet - San Jacinto Valley REALTOR   Hemet - San Jacinto CA Real EstateOnce you receive the "Short Sale Package" from the bank, you will know specifically what they are looking for.  You need to gather these documents and put them in the specified order.Do not spend a lot of time with fancy report covers thinking that you are going to wow them with your package because you spent $10 on a report cover with some really trick graphics - you are not.  You are going to fax them the package - so they have it NOW.I know one very successful Investor who faxes it to the Loss Mitigation agent of the lender and then looks for telephone confirmation an hour later.  If he gets the run around answer that the agent does not see it, he re-faxes it ri... 06/23/2007

So You Have a Short Sale Lined Up - Find the Buyer -  Step #4by John Occhi, Hemet - San Jacinto Valley REALTORHemet - San Jacinto CA Real Estate We have done our diligence and now know what we need to about the market and what it is we should be telling the bank. We have found a deal and gotten the ball rolling. You have put in your offer and are expecting positive results very soon.  We have identified our potential buyer, if we are going to flip the property and now we need to know how to go about getting the word out.So, as a REALTOR I may sound a bit biased - but I speak from the heart when I suggest that the best use of your time is to put your newly acquired treasure chest in the hands of a local professional Realtor.  There are many advantages, that I will not address here - but ... 06/23/2007

So You Have a Short Sale Lined Up - What Will You Do Once it is Approved?  Step #3by John Occhi, Hemet - San Jacinto Valley REALTORHemet - San Jacinto CA Real EstateAs an investor you always have to have an exit strategy with any property you acquire, in Hemet CA or elsewhere.  In essence, you have two alternatives - ‘buy and hold' or ‘flip'.  Now each of these methods have their own sub-categories of variances on these two basic methods.For the sake of this article, lets just consider the alternatives as part of either of the two choices - you are either going to hold on to the Hemet CA property for the long term or you are going to get in and get out as quick as you can, creating as much cash as possible.The advantage of holding Hemet property for the long term is that is how real wea... 06/23/2007

If you are considering a new house in Hemet, Graham Holmes offers a free service to clients designed to save you time, money and provide the inside information you need about new home builders in Hemet so that you can make an informed decision.New Home Tour InformationThis fantastic and exclusive service allows you the opportunity to tour all available new home developments that meet your specific needs with and industry professional that will provide:Insight about new home developments in Hemet. Information about neighborhood Schools and services. Quality and customer satisfaction ratings of specific builders. Incentives and special programs offered by builders. Taxes and fees that may apply to the development. Information that builders may not tell you up front. Tours in our vehicles ... 06/22/2007

 Another exclusive service fromThe Valley's Premier Real Estate Offices.Are you looking for a new home in Hemet or San Jacinto?Have a Mission Grove Realty New Home Specialist be your local guide.With our exclusive "New Home Tour" services, experienced agents with extensive local knowledge and no affiliation with local builders can be your unbiased guide to new homes in the Hemet and San Jacinto Valley.At no cost to you, an experienced and licensed guide will:·        Determine and address your specific needs in a new home.        (Finding homes and creating a personalized tour that meets your needs)·        Tour new home developments and model homes that meet your specific needs.        (Saving you time, money and gas! by touring homes with an experienced guide)·        Provide unbiased... 06/19/2007

So You Have a Short Sale Lined Up - Who Are You?  Step #2   by John Occhi, Hemet - San Jacinto Valley REALTORHemet - San Jacinto CA Real EstateAs an investor, you have found the perfect short sale property in the Hemet - San Jacinto valley.  You have everything ready to move forward.You are ready to contact the loss mitigation department of the mortgage bank that holds the note that is in the process of foreclosure.  The homeowner is expecting you to stop the foreclosure and prevent the big ugly mark on their credit.You now know form reading the first article in this series that you need to have confidence when talking to the loss mitigation representative of the mortgage lender and initially all you want them to do is fax you their short sale package.Remember, Confidence.But you wonder... 06/18/2007

HUD & Loss Mitigation:  The Carrot and the Stick   by John Occhi, Hemet - San Jacinto Valley REALTOR   Hemet - San Jacinto CA Real Estate   In April of this year, the United State Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released new guidelines to mortgage banks in an effort to reduce the reduction of FHA loans going bad.  One might consider their approach similar to a carrot and the stick.The HUD guidelines will be punitive to those mortgage lenders who fail to offer loss mitigation services to distressed homeowners as well as incentives to those mortgage banks who do offer their distressed borrowers the opportunity to work through and resolve their delinquencies in a more amicable fashion than foreclosure.What I find interesting is that HUD released their guidelines three da... 06/18/2007

So You Have a Short Sale Lined Up - Now What?  Step #1by John Occhi, Hemet - San Jacinto Valley REALTORHemet - San Jacinto CA Real EstateOk, so you are new to investing in Short Sales.  You have heard the hype for the last 6 months or so and you are ready to get in and get going.  Let's say you have found the perfect investment property in the Hemet - San Jacinto Valley, CA.  You recognize the area as one of the hottest investment opportunities in all of Southern California as the medium price for a single family home is still hovering right at the $300,000 markPerhaps you are working with Hemet REALTOR, which I highly recommend.  Not only can a Hemet REALTOR spot the deals as they happen with direct access to the local MLS (not all MLS access is equal - yes out of area MLS's can tap in... 06/18/2007

Why Work with Short Sales, Foreclosures and Home Equity SalesWhat Must a REALTOR Know About Foreclosure - Pt1by John Occhi, Hemet - San Jacinto Valley REALTORHemet -San Jacinto CA Real EstateThe California Association of Realtors (CAR) recently printed a distributed a 12 page Special Report (SR) on the topic, "Legal Guide to Foreclosure-related Transactions".  Specifically, the SR covers issues concerning Short Sales, foreclosures and home equity sales. This series of blog articles is meant to digest and break down the guidelines that CAR has provided.The SR starts by highlighting the reasons a REALTOR might want to consider getting involved in this unique market.  They emphasize that there is a steep learning curve to master the art of closing these types of transactions.Some of the re... 06/17/2007

Short Sale Investors Want to Know What to Tell The BankBy John Occhi, Hemet - San Jacinto Valley CA REALTORHemet-San Jacinto Valley, CA Real EstateThe real estate market in the Hemet San Jacinto valley should be heating up with the triple digit temperatures we are experiencing in the Hemet CA area.  Unfortunately, it seems like the only segment of the Hemet CA Real Estate market that is heating up is the Short Sales, Pre-Foreclosures and REO properties.Ouch - this can't be good for the overall economy, can it?  I don't think so.  However, as a Real Estate investor you have the opportunity to help your country and stimulate sales of real estate in Hemet, San Jacinto, Riverside county, the Inland Empire, southern California - heck the whole darn country needs your help right about now.Ok,... 06/17/2007

Hard Questions A Bank Must Ask About a Short Saleby John Occhi, Hemet CA REALTORHemet-San Jacinto Valley Real EstateThe Hemet-San Jacinto Valley real estate market is becoming more and more influenced by short sales and foreclosures as the year 2007 marches on.I addressed this issue in my February 5, 2007 blog article, Why would a Lender Consider a "Short Sale"?  At that time, I correctly predicted that more and more properties would find themselves in this situation.  Today, I don't think I need a crystal ball to suggest that the problem has barely been addressed and the number of homes in trouble today will continue to multiply as more and more loans are headed into default.The banks and mortgage lenders all have analysts who are a lot smarter than I am and spend more time looking at ... 06/17/2007

The NFL and Real Estate Fraudby John Occhi, Hemet, CA REALTORHemet-San Jacinto Valley Real EstateReal Estate fraud is an epidemic in this country.  After all, why use a gun to rob a bank and risk getting caught and/or possibly hurt when you can do it with a computer and pen.  Today bank robbers don't need to worry about high speed get-a-ways and shoot outs with the law - heck apparently they are so bold they don't worry about very much.Five people  were indicted in Texas for their alleged (I love the use of this term) roles in a mortgage fraud scheme in Texas, reported to be in excess of 42 million dollars.So, what makes this case any different than so many of the others that are taking place every day - it's who is involved.  Take a look.A former NFL defensive lineman Dwight Sean Jones... 06/17/2007

Foreclosure Filings are Going Through The Roofby John Occhi, Hemet-San Jacinto CA REALTORHemet - San Jacinto Real EstateIt is no secret that the local real estate market in the Hemet - San Jacinto Valley is starting to be dominated by the bank foreclosure market.  It seems everywhere you turn, you see foreclosure home after foreclosure home where the landscaping has died off and become a weed field.Unfortunately these foreclosure properties are not just being found in Hemet CA.  No, every where I drive in South West Riverside County shows the same signs of bank foreclosure properties everywhere.  The Temecula - Murrieta area is plagued with foreclosure homes for sale as well as the rest of Riverside County, the Inland Empire and all of Southern California.The problem is not focused on ... 06/14/2007

Facing Foreclosure? Consider a REALTOR by John Occhi, Hemet CA REALTOR Hemet CA Real Estate In the new economy of 2007, in Hemet CA, more and more Hemet homeowners are facing foreclosure and want to be able to stop foreclosure before it has a huge negative impact on their credit score.  Many more have not yet missed a monthly mortgage, on their Hemet homes, but they know that their loans are going to change and the monthly mortgage payment will go up which will potentially force them to deal with a delinquent mortgage.  These homeowners are known in the industry as ‘pre foreclosure'.  A homeowner who is in pre-foreclosure has a much better opportunity to avoid foreclosure and preserving both their credit rating and their dignity if they take the appropriate steps of stopping foreclosur... 06/13/2007

 Hemet Local Guides by Mission Grove Realty (951) 927-8940 San Jacinto, CA local guides provided by Mission Grove Realty as a service to our community. Thank you for using our guides and hope that they provide a glimpse into our wonderful community. Your comments and suggestions are welcome. For concrete, block work and patios, we recommend: Steve Yepi (951) 662-4071Quality workProfessionalCourteousReliableEconomicalIf you would like more information or, would like to be featured, call us today. We do not charge for placement in our guides. Those listed have been recommended or, are local companies with ties to our valley and committed to customer satisfaction. Thank you for viewing. 06/12/2007

Flipping Real Estate Investment - California Real Estate Tax by John Occhi, Hemet CA REALTOR Hemet CA Real Estate As a REALTOR I am not allowed to provide my clients with either tax advise or legal advise.  Everyone has a unique situation that should be addressed by an individual advisor that they trust and work with - year in and year out.However, as a California Realtor working the Hemet-San Jacinto Valley as my predominate real estate market, I do come across investors all the time who seem to think the tax codes and tax laws go one way, when I believe something else completely different is applicable.Of course, I always advise them to check with tier tax or legal professional who would be best qualified to guide them.  I wonder how many really do.Then I came across this great artic... 06/10/2007

How do Short Sales Affect the Economy?By John Occhi, Hemet CA REALTORHemet CA Real EstateDoes anyone really know what the future holds as far as real estate values - in Hemet or any other market in Riverside County or the rest of the Inland Empire?  I think not!Yes, there are many wise men and women who study all of the different economic and social factors and come up with their opinions.  Recently, the National Association of Realtors reported that we may have seen the worse of the downturn and others, like the Federal Reserve are predicting even deeper cuts.Interest Rates have a lot to do with our current situation.  A recent Market Rate Commentary published by Inman News discusses the history or interest rates and the effects they have had on the economy of this country.Myself, I ha... 06/10/2007

What Is A Short Sale?By John Occhi, Hemet CA REALTORHemet CA Real EstateA Short sale is simply a program that lenders have in place to satisfy their need to liquidate properties, without undertaking the expensive and time consuming foreclosure process.  It is their way of cutting their losses.  They do this by accepting less than the amount owed on mortgages that meet their criteria and have fallen into default.In Hemet CA, real estate market has taken a turn, as it has throughout all of Riverside County and the Inland Empire region of Southern California.  Today many homeowners cannot afford the mortgages they entered into only a couple of short years ago.  Many of these loans had a low teaser rate that has dramatically escalated - or will very soon.  It is not uncommon for a Hemet ho... 06/10/2007

7 Different Flipping Techniques   by John Occhi, Hemet REALTOR   Hemet CA Real Estate   There are many ways investors make a profit in real estate.  I learned along time ago that true wealth is built by owning real estate for the long term and that cash flow is generated by flipping real estate.Wikipedia defines "Flipping" as a term, used primarily in the United States, which refers to the practice of buying an asset and quickly reselling (flipping) it for profit.Though flipping can apply to any asset, the term is often applied to the practice of buying real estate at below market value, making needed repairs and improvements to the property, and reselling it for a higher price (generally near market value), thus making a profit.As the market continues to adjust in the early days of the... 06/09/2007

Ten Tips:  How to Fix up a HomeBy John Occhi, Hemet CA REALTORIf you own residential property that you either want to rent or sell, you should be prepared to fix the place up a bit in order to attract the best renters or buyers for your Hemet CA Real Estate.Yes, we know that fresh paint and new carpet are almost always required to rehab any property and these two expenses often cost thousands of dollars.  In order to maximize the return on this investment there are a number of other projects that should be considered - and the good news is that all of these are very inexpensive.So, if you own Real Estate in Hemet CA, or anywhere else in Riverside County the Inland Empire  - or heck, anywhere - these tips should help you receive the highest return on your investment (ROI).One last note b... 06/09/2007