Category: mesa

BANKS ACCEPTING MORE SHORT SALES IN MARICOPA COUNTY, ARIZONA

BANKS ACCEPTING MORE DISTRESSED SALES IN MARICOPA COUNTY

March 2nd, 2012

When the housing bubble first burst in Arizona, most banks were taking back delinquent properties versus working with home owner’s to sell their property at a loss. 

Recent statistics show that banks are more and more likely to accept a short sale or sell the home at an investor auction versus taking back a delinquent home.  This is encouraging for homeowners exploring a short sale, as data suggests that there is a higher likelihood of a short sale going through.   

There are many benefits to a short sale – the most important one being that most short sales include a clause where the homeowner is no longer responsible to repay the bank.  When a home is foreclosed upon and taken back, the bank can come after you for a numbers years if they should choose to do so.

STATISTICS FOR DISTRESSED SALES AND TAKE BACKS IN MARICOPA COUNTY:

In 2011, There were 62,156 distressed title transfers

34,634 were short sales or investor sales   /   27,522 were properties taken back.

In 2010, There were 67,208 distressed title transfers

28,490 were short sales or investor sales   /   38,718 were properties taken back by the bank.

In 2009, There were 60,682 distressed title transfers

20,065 were short sales or investor sales   /   40,797 were properties taken back by the bank.

As more and more banks are willing to accept short sales, delinquent homeowners should attempt to work on a short sale versus giving the property back.  In most cases, a homeowner will get a check for closing a short sale and they do not have to worry about the bank coming after them in the future for losses incurred.

*data obtained from Fletcher Wilcox at Grand Canyon Title Agency.

BANKS ACCEPTING MORE SHORT SALES IN MARICOPA COUNTY, ARIZONA

When will I qualify for a mortgage after a short sale or foreclosure?

Many clients who have gone through a short sale or foreclosure after 2007 are now asking me the question, “When will I qualify for a mortgage?” Housing is once again affordable and people want to take advantage of rock bottom deals. Prices in Phoenix, Arizona are hovering around the bottom. You can see from this chart that there haven’t been any drastic plunges or spikes over the past 9-12 months as shown in previous years. Now is the time to buy a house and become a homeowner once again. Now is the time to relocate, invest in a winter home, buy a retirement home, and invest in rental properties and fix-n-flips.


Another reason people are asking if they qualify to purchase a home again is because the FHA loan limits are said to be dropping significantly October 1, 2011. That means the buying power in the 3.5% down payment price range is much lower. In Maricopa County Arizona, the loan limit is currently $346,250. As of October 1st, it will be $271,050. That’s a decrease of $75,200 in buying power!

Others questioning, “When will I qualify for a mortgage?” are homeowners who elected to do a strategic default because the equity is so upside down. These homeowners are hundreds of thousands upside down in a property and are well aware that the value will never rebound in their lifetime to what they originally paid, so they cut their losses short. They are now looking to invest in properties. Interest rates are low, prices are at bottom and there are several opportunities to fix up a foreclosed house and flip it – or buy and hold it to take advantage of the booming rental market.

Finally, the answer to the question: When will I qualify for a mortgage after a short sale or foreclosure?

The Waiting Period to Qualify for a Home Mortgage after a Short Sale, Foreclosure or Bankruptcy

Call Kelli Grant to set up your custom web portal of MLS listings that match the property criteria, location and price range you’re interested in researching. You’ll receive notification emails up to once a day when there are price changes or new listings to see. 

Kelli Grant specializes in short sales, pre-foreclosure options such as the HAFA program, and strategic default options in the cities of Phoenix, Scottsdale, Cave Creek, Anthem, Glendale, and Peoria. Kelli Grant is the neighborhood specialist for Sonoran Foothills and Tramonto. If you need to speak to a reputable, reliable real estate attorney or CPA about the legal and tax consequences of a short sale or strategic default, contact Kelli Grant.

Kelli Grant, Personal Realtor® “Moving People Through Inspiration and Good Deeds”

Call or Text 602-799-5420

 

 

When will I qualify for a mortgage after a short sale or foreclosure?

AUGUST 2011 – PHOENIX, ARIZONA’S HOUSING NUMBERS:

October 10th, 2011

PHOENIX, ARIZONA’S AUGUST HOUSING NUMBERS:

This summer was a record summer for Single Family Residence leases. There were 6,892 single family leases signed compared to 5,664 in the summer of 2010. The numbers reflect the increasing amount of potential homeowners that can not buy due to foreclosures or short sales on their credit. 

Hopefully something is done to lower the amount of time needed to elapse to qualify for a new loan after a foreclosure or short sale. There are a very large number of possible home owners that  have these on their records due to the large drop in home prices.  If the credit requirements do not change, we will continue to see Arizona residents in leases that would typically own a home.

Even though leases are up,   sold inventory continues to post impressive numbers. 8,817 sales were recorded in Maricopa County in August of 2011. This compared to 7,358 for August of 2010. Median home prices are still slightly down compared to this time last year.

Overall, August was a great month for the Arizona housing industry. The more sales we have, the more the industry is turning over the vast amounts of REO and short sale homes on the market. These need to sell and we need to move to a more traditional market for the prices to rise again.

August 2011, Phoenix, Arizona Housing Numbers

A Short Sale in Scottsdale, Arizona Solves Problems For Buyers And Sellers Alike

A Short Sale in Scottsdale, Arizona Solves Problems For Buyers And Sellers Alike

When it comes to short sales, likely you have heard things both good and bad about the process. In general, it is a good way to help a homeowner get out from under mortgage payments that you can no longer afford, without having a major negative impact on their credit score. If you live in the Scottsdale area or are looking to buy a home in the area, learn more about this process and the benefits offered to both buyer and seller.

In today’s economic climate, many homeowners are finding that they owe more on their home than what it is worth. Due to loss of income, unemployment, bankruptcy, divorce or other extenuating circumstances they can no longer pay their mortgage. If this describes you current financial situation, you are likely facing foreclosure, which is something you would rather avoid if at all possible. As Certified Distress Property Experts in Scottsdale, Arizona, we can help you negotiate the short sale process with your lender, so that you can sell your home for less than you owe to a willing buyer.

Scottsdale, Arizona is a very desirable city where home prices may be considered out of reach, but Short Sales and Bank owned properties have lowered prices and this could be a great time to get into the Scottsdale housing market. The short sale process allows buyers to purchase their dream home for considerably less money, which is ideal for today’s home buyer. We specialize in Scottsdale real estate and know the values of the homes in this area, and can easily find a property that fits within the price range of the buyer’s requirements.

If you are a homeowner trying to get out from under your mortgage, you may wonder why a lender would take an amount less than what you owe on your home. Lenders would generally rather have some money on the property, as they are not in the business of owning or managing property. While foreclosure may drop your credit score by as much as 250 points, the short sale process generally drops it by only 100 points. You can also purchase another home of your own quicker, while foreclosure usually results in a wait of 5 to 7 years or longer.

Buyers looking for a home in the Scottsdale area will find that short sales allow them to purchase a beautiful home for a price they can afford. For example, a home may be worth $500,000.00 or more, but the lender may be willing to settle for $375,000. 00. This saves you a substantial amount of money, and you get a lot more home for your money.
Either way, the process is an involved one that most people do not want to enter without the advantage of a Scottsdale real estate professional on their team. As Certified Distressed Property Experts, we can negotiate and handle the bulk of the work, making the process both easier and less time consuming. If you are looking to buy or sell in Scottsdale, Arizona contact a reputable Certified Distressed Property Expert like us to make the entire process quick and seamless.

Stephen Proski

RE/MAX Achievers

Scottsdale, Arizona

602-620-2164

office@az-homes4u.com

A Short Sale in Scottsdale, Arizona Solves Problems For Buyers And Sellers Alike

ARIZONA HOUSING STATISTICS – BREAKING RECORDS!!

ARIZONA HOUSING  STATISTICS  :  BREAKING RECORDS!!

June was a record month for Arizona housing.  10,868 home sales occurred in June of 2011, surpassing the previous record of 10,252 units sold in June of 2005.

June was also a record month for home leases of Single Family Residences.  2,280 new leases were executed last month, beating the previous record of 2,002 leases in July of 2008.

Typically home sales and leases go in the opposite direction, but with all the short sales and foreclosures occurring – there are a lot of people changing residences. 

Arizona short sales also set a record, contributing to 2,734 sold units – up 33% from May.

We are still very much in a market fueled by investors.  41% of Single Family Residences sales were purchased in cash.  29% with conforming loans, 24% with FHA loans, 4% with VA loans, and 2% with others.

Lastly, the median home price in Arizona increased in June to 111,000 from 109,000 in May. 

(Arizona Housing statistics – breaking records – from Reggie Green @ Crossline Capital)

Licensed in Arizona, California and Colorado.

MORTGAGE RATES BACK TO LOWEST LEVELS OF THE YEAR – 6/27/11

MORTGAGE RATES BACK TO LOWEST LEVELS OF THE YEAR:  The bond market closed the week 56 bps higher – pushing rates back to the lowest levels of the year.  This ended 2.5 weeks of the bond market going down, pressuring rates higher.

30 year fixed rates are now back to 4.375% with a portion of a point.  20 year fixed loans are back to 4.25%.  5/1 ARMS are down to 2.875%.

We are now in the last week of the FED purchasing mortgage backed securities program – QEII.  The market will now determine interest rates without the FED manipulating demand.

6/20/11 – Mortgage Rates Rise for 2nd straight week / The Foreclosure Statistics

MORTGAGE RATES RISE FOR 2nd STRAIGHT WEEK:  The Bond market finished slightly down on the week – ending 6 bps lower.  This pushed rates slightly higher on the week.  You can still get a 4.375% on a 30 year fixed rate, but it will cost over a point.  4.49% is the par rate paying less than one point.

Overall, there is some pressure on mortgage rates right now.  The Feds Quantitative Easing measures are about to end, which could push rates a bit higher.  Overall, I don’t see rates going much higher or much lower from where they are right now for the foreseeable future. 

 

THE FORECLOSURE NUMBERS:   According to the US Foreclosure Market Report, foreclosure activity has decreased for the 8th straight month.

There are 3 foreclosure activities they consider in their report.  Notice of Default is when the mortgage company notifies the customer that they are in violation of their contract and they plan on foreclosing unless payments are brought back up to speed.  This can be given out after 3 months of late payments.  Foreclosures scheduled is when a home is scheduled to be taken back by the bank.  REO is when the bank takes back the home and it becomes part of the banks inventory.

From April to May:

Notice of Default rates went down by 7%

Foreclosures Scheduled went up by 3%

REOs went down by 4% 

Although the foreclosure activity has decreased, the results can be misleading.  Many lenders are delaying foreclosure proceedings for various reasons associated with their own process and procedures as well as market considerations in the area where the homes are being foreclosed in.  If they keep pumping more REOs into the market when their current inventory is high, it will push down the values of their existing inventory.

Also, even though the inventory of homes in the foreclosure process has decreased steadily over the past 6 months, the inventory of REOs is increasing.  This is because the amount of REOs being added to the market is outpacing the amount of REOs sold.  This points to a still struggling housing market where the demand is not on par with the supply. 

The states with the highest foreclosure rates in order are Nevada, Arizona, California, Michigan and Georgia. 

6/13/2011 – MORTGAGE RATE RALLY STALLS / 22.7% OF AMERICAN HOMEOWNERS ARE UNDERWATER ON THEIR MORTGAGE

MORTGAGE RATE RALLY STALLS:  Mortgage rates rose slightly as the bond market closed lower for the 2nd time in 8 weeks.  The bond market finished down 34 bps on the week.

This affected interest rates by raising the cost to get each rate by about .25%.  Par rates have remained steady for a number of weeks – right now they are just a bit more expensive.  A 30 year fixed rate is still at 4.375%.  15 year fixed rate is at 3.75%.  5/1 ARM rate is at 2.875%.

Interest rates have seemed to hit their bottom.  Rates will be tested this week with a lot of economic reports and information due out.

THE HOUSING NUMBERS:  According to a new report from CORE LOGIC, 22.7% of all homeowners in the United States owe more on their mortgage than their home is worth.  That translates to 10.9 million homeowners.

Another 2.5 million homeowners are very close to being underwater – having less than 5% equity in their home. 

The state with the highest percentage is Nevada, with a staggering 63% of their homeowners being upside down.  Arizona follows closely behind with 50% of their homeowners being upside down. 

Remember that after 2012, you will be taxed on losses associated with a short sale or a foreclosure.  If you are going to do it, you might as well get started.