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January 26th, 2012 3:04 PM

December 2011 Real Estate Market Update

Posted by Dario Barba on January 26th, 2012 3:04 PMPost a Comment (0)

November 17th, 2011 3:26 PM
  1. Decide what you can afford. Generally, you can afford a home equal in value to between two and three times your gross income.
  2. Develop your home wish list. Then, prioritize the features on your list.
  3. Select where you want to live. Compile a list of three or four neighborhoods you’d like to live in, taking into account items such as schools, recreational facilities, area expansion plans, and safety.
  4. Start saving. Do you have enough money saved to qualify for a mortgage and cover your down payment? Ideally, you should have 20 percent of the purchase price saved as a down payment. Also, don’t forget to factor in closing costs. Closing costs — including taxes, attorney’s fee, and transfer fees — average between 2 and 7 percent of the home price.
  5. Get your credit in order. Obtain a copy of your credit report to make sure it is accurate and to correct any errors immediately. A credit report provides a history of your credit, bad debts, and any late payments.
  6. Determine your mortgage qualifications. How large of mortgage do you qualify for? Also, explore different loan options — such as 30-year or 15-year fixed mortgages or ARMs — and decide what’s best for you.
  7. Get preapproved. Organize all the documentation a lender will need to preapprove you for a loan. You might need W-2 forms, copies of at least one pay stub, account numbers, and copies of two to four months of bank or credit union statements.
  8. Weigh other sources of help with a down payment. Do you qualify for any special mortgage or down payment assistance programs? Check with your state and local government on down payment assistance programs for first-time buyers. Or, if you have an IRA account, you can use the money you’ve saved to buy your fist home without paying a penalty for early withdrawal.
  9. Calculate the costs of homeownership. This should include property taxes, insurance, maintenance and utilities, and association fees, if applicable.
  10. Contact a REALTOR® like Dario Barba. Find an experienced REALTOR® who can help guide you through the process. Call me today at 619-651-0433.
Posted by Dario Barba on November 17th, 2011 3:26 PMPost a Comment (0)

New California Debt Forgiveness Bill stops All Lenders from Pursuing Borrowers After an Approved Short Sale

Breaking news about short sales. Governor Jerry Brown has signed a new law that will have a profound effect on the short sale industry:

Previously, SB 931 and Civil Code 580e prevented first mortgage lenders from pursuing a seller for a deficiency after a short sale. However, holders of second or third mortgages could still pursue the seller.

However, Governor Jerry Brown just signed Senator Corbett’s bill 458 which states that once a short sale has been approved, all mortgage debt is forgiven. This includes mortgages on primary residences, investment properties, second or third liens, etc. Once you get approval for a short sale, and once the short sale is complete, lenders can no longer pursue you for money that you previously owed them.

People who were hesitating to do short sales can now take a deep breath and sell their homes with no fear of deficiency after the fact. This bill goes into effect immediately. If you live in Chula Vista, San Diego, Bonita, National City, San Ysidro or any other South County city, and you have questions about short sales, contact me immediately. I have facilitated many short sales transactions and would love to help you avoid foreclosure by doing a short sale instead.

For FREE information about our NO COST Short Sales, please call 619-651-0433.

Posted by Dario Barba on July 29th, 2011 3:18 PMPost a Comment (0)

July 25th, 2011 12:36 PM
Posted by Dario Barba on July 25th, 2011 12:36 PMPost a Comment (0)

June 15th, 2011 11:23 AM
San Diego School District Map
Posted by Dario Barba on June 15th, 2011 11:23 AMPost a Comment (0)

May 26th, 2011 10:58 AM

HAFA Program

 

On April 5, 2010, the U.S. Treasury Department initiated a new federal program known as HAFA (Home Affordable Foreclosure Assistance Program.) With a new Supplemental Directive issued December 28, 2010 for changes taking place February 1st, 2011; this program provides vital protections for the defaulting homeowner. With either the HAFA short sale or a deed in lieu of foreclosure, the servicer may not require a cash contribution or promissory note from the borrower and may not pursue a deficiency judgment against the borrower. While Allstar Mortgage & Real Estate supports any program which offers to help homeowners in distress, HAFA is not available to all borrowers and it's important that homeowners educate themselves in order to make an informed decision. Here are some facts regarding the HAFA program:

 

·         As of August 1, 2010, Fanny Mae and Freddie Mac have rolled out their own HAFA-like programs, which are very similar to the non-GSE mortgage (Government Sponsored Enterprises) guidelines.

 

·         HAFA does not apply to loans insured by Fannie Mae or Freddy Mac, but now these loans have their own HAFA-like program, very similar to the non-GSE guidelines.

 

·         HAFA does not apply to FHA or VA loans. FHA and VA have their own short sale program, which is substantially different from the HAFA guidelines.

 

·         HAFA is not a law or legislation. HAFA is simply written guidelines for the banks to follow. It is not mandatory, and bank participation is voluntary. However, banks which have accepted TARP funds and are participating in the HAMP program must also offer the HAFA alternative. For a list of banks and servicers who are in the HAMP and HAFA programs, click here: Loan Servicers 

 

·         While many bank servicers have agreed to participate with HAFA, it’s important to understand that the bank servicer typically does not own your loan. It is ultimately the decision of the investor who does own your loan whether or not to participate with HAFA. Just for clarification, your loan servicer is the financial institution that collects your monthly mortgage payments and has responsibility for the management and accounting of your loan. (Servicers are typically banks such as Bank of America and Wells Fargo). The majority of residential mortgages are owned by groups of investors (i.e. Fannie Mae, Freddy Mac) and these investors hire loan servicers (banks) to collect the money from homeowners and send it to the investor.

 

·         If you have a second mortgage, these lenders are not obligated to participate with HAFA, and to what degree. The maximum allowed payoff for all junior or subordinate liens is $6000. Jr. Liens are a particularly tricky issue to negotiate during a short sale, and a primary reason to pursue a short sale in Nevada.

 

·         Jr. Liens are now required to give a lien release and full release of borrower liability in return for payment under the program.

 

·         If the 2nd lien is with the same bank as the 1st, the 2nd will probably cooperate with the HAFA program guidelines.

 

·         Banks can require the borrower to pay all - or - a portion of the mortgage payment during the HAFA approval process. This is not the case with a non-HAFA short sale.

 

·         HAFA does not apply for investment properties, vacation homes, commercial properties, or tenant occupied properties.

 

·         If you have moved out of the home for less than a year, and have not purchased another property, you may still be eligible for the HAFA program.

 

·         A HAFA short sale does not stop the foreclosure process vs. a traditional short sale, where the foreclosure may be stopped with an executed contract between buyer and seller.

 

·         If the home has already been scheduled for a Trustee (Foreclosure) Sale, you cannot start a short sale under the HAFA program. This is not the case with a non-HAFA short sale.

 

·         You must live in the house, have bought it before January 1, 2009, and owe less than $729,750.

 

·         Under the revised guidelines coming into effect February 1st, there is no longer any income qualifying hardship for consideration for HAFA short sale, or a need to provide IRS form 4506-T, request for tax filing information. The borrower must provide a signed hardship affidavit and fill out an RMA (request for modification and affidavit) 

 

·         After requesting a HAFA short sale, the homeowner has 14 days to get the information package back to the bank, or the bank no longer has to consider a HAFA short sale.

 

·         Under the revised guidelines, the bank no longer has the right to evaluate the property and deny a short sale under net present value formula.

 

·         The servicer must complete and send the short sale approval to the borrower within 30 calendar days.

 

·         Under the revised guidelines, within 30 calendar days of receipt of an executed sales contract and request for the HAFA short sale, the servicer must communicate approval or disapproval of the sale, or provide a counter offer.

 

·         The short sale agreement may provide an option for the borrower to continue to occupy the property on a rental basis (deed-for-lease) or provide an opportunity for the borrower to repurchase the property at some future time. Such transactions are eligible for financial incentives under HAFA, so long as all other program requirements are met. At the discretion of the servicer in accordance with investor guidelines, the borrower relocation incentive may be paid either upon the successful closing or at a future time when the borrower vacates or repurchases the property.

 

Please feel free to contact me for any questions regarding the program or on other options to avoid foreclosure, it’s completely free. We do not charge for a short sale or consultations. Go to our Google site to see our reviews from past clients: Click Here

Posted by Dario Barba on May 26th, 2011 10:58 AMPost a Comment (0)

San Diego 2011 FIVE STAR Real Estate Agents

ANNOUNCING: San Diego’s 2011 FIVE STAR Real Estate Agents.

We surveyed recent homebuyers and industry experts to find real estate agents in the San Diego area who scored highest in overall satisfaction. Here they are.

Experts say that at least 90 percent of homebuyers rely on real estate agents for advice and guidance. But with more than 15,200 San Diego area residents holding real estate licenses, how do you find someone who knows the market, represents your interests and operates with an emphasis on integrity and service?

San Diego Magazine can help. The magazine formed a partnership with Crescendo Business Services to find out which real estate agents have most consistently wowed their clients.

Click Here for the full article.

Posted by Dario Barba on May 11th, 2011 10:18 AMPost a Comment (0)

National City gears up to sell $45 million in redevelopment bonds

BY WENDY FRY

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 20, 2011 AT 8:39 P.M., UPDATED FEBRUARY 21, 2011 AT 10:09 A.M.

NATIONAL CITY — National City is preparing to issue up to $45 million in redevelopmentbonds to pay for affordable housing projects on the West Side, street improvements on 8th Street near the city’s business district and to complete a joint project with Chula Vista to build aLowe’s home improvement store.

Cities across the state are racing to protect as much future tax revenue as possible before state legislation that would eliminate redevelopment agencies can be passed. Gov. Jerry Brown has proposed to get rid of such agencies, which are aimed at eliminating blight.

No one is certain if the measures National City is taking will protect the funds.

“We’re doing our best to try to make sure we keep key projects moving forward that we’ve waited a long time for and are very important to our city,” City Manager Chris Zapata said. “We’re just giving it our best shot.”

National City already has $43 million in debt obligation.

Zapata said the city has been working on some of the projects for as far back as 2006.

“If the money goes away, all those projects are at risk,” Zapata said.

The City Council is scheduled to take up the issue at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Civic Center, 1243 National City Blvd.

Link to original post: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/feb/20/national-city-gears-sell-45-million-redevelopment-/

Posted by Dario Barba on February 21st, 2011 11:51 AMPost a Comment (0)

Foreclosure mess: Fake signatures and lavish gifts

By Dugald McConnell, CNN producerOctober 20, 2010: 7:45 PM ET


WASHINGTON, D.C. (CNNMoney.com) -- As the robo-signing scandal continues to unfold, new allegations have been released about attorneys producing fraudulent foreclosure documents and receiving lavish company rewards.

At one of the largest foreclosure-processing firms in the country, documents were signed by an official who hadn't read them, according to documents released on Monday as part of an investigation by Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum.

McCollum joins the attorneys general in all 50 states in investigating the processing of foreclosures and whether homeowners have been evicted by banks without the required reviews or correct procedures.

According to a sworn deposition released by McCollum's office, Cheryl Salmons, the operations manager at the Florida law firm of David J. Sterns, signed off on as many as a thousand foreclosure files per day.

In the deposition, Salmons' former assistant, Kelly Scott, also claimed the law firm rewarded her boss with vacations, jewelry, and a new BMW SUV.

"She doesn't review [the documents]. She just looks," Scott said in her deposition. "She would just sign all of them."

Freezing foreclosures: What does this mean?

When Salmons was out of town, "there was someone else that would sign on her behalf," Scott alleged.

Tammie Lou Kapusta, who was fired last year from her position as the firm's chief paralegal, was also questioned, and she described an overworked office that knowingly filed flawed foreclosures on behalf of banks.

Scott and Kapusta said documents were backdated, signatures were not witnessed, and a notary stamp was passed around for general use -- all in an effort to keep up with a tidal wave of foreclosure filings.

An attorney representing Stern and Salmons said the allegations are untrue.

"No misconduct is occurring at David Stern's law firm, and the firm works very diligently to make sure that all the processing is done correctly," said the firm's lawyer, Jeffrey Tew.

Stern and Salmons declined through their attorney to comment, as did Scott and Kapusta.

If the allegations are true, "that is unbelievable to me, " said Clifford Rossi, a former risk-management official at several top banks who is now at the University of Maryland. "There are a set of legal formalities that have to be processed and gone through."

Link to original article

Posted by Dario Barba on October 22nd, 2010 10:42 AMPost a Comment (0)

August 17th, 2010 12:08 PM

San Diego Property Management

With a growing number of people looking for residential rental properties, it is very important to keep your properties in top shape to make them more valuable. This is not an easy task though especially if you have other businesses to attend to. If you are living in San Diego area, then you have to choose the best San Diego property management service that will take care of your rental properties. Hiring a property management San Diego service can streamline your work and you can ensure that your properties will stay competitive in the market.

When hiring a San Diego property management company, you have to choose an outfit that has a thorough knowledge of the local property rental and leasing market. To determine if the property management San Diego service is up to the task, you have to set a series of meetings and consultations with the property managers. They should know the current demands of the market and will make practical suggestions for you on how to further boost the value of your properties. The property management team should have a firm grasp of current rental rates as well as the causes of tenant turnovers. They should be able to recommend valuable steps that you have to take in order to increase rates while keeping tenants happy.

It is also best if you can ask for references. A reliable San Diego property management service will be more than willing to give you several references so you can verify how they conduct business and how they deal with clients. However, it is also important to do your own research by looking for local property owners who have experienced working with your prospective property management San Diego service. You should get good feedback from present and previous clients. You should ask these clients about the professionalism and reliability of the service. Based on your background check, you must determine if you can work with the property management team.
Posted by Dario Barba on August 17th, 2010 12:08 PMPost a Comment (0)
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