A New Take on Bank Home Foreclosures

by Mark Walters

The real estate foreclosure process has become all too familiar to millions of homeowners. Did many of them make mistakes when they bought homes they could not afford? Did they find themselves upside down and were they forced to use credit cards to meet their monthly mortgage payments? Sadly, the answer for many of them was yes.

On the other hand, thousands of those middles class homeowners tried their best to find a way to head off a foreclosure. They made attempts to contact their mortgage holder to try to workout an extended payoff period. The problem was that thousands of other homeowners were trying to do the same thing and bank's loan mitigation departments were overwhelmed with requests for help.

Many facing foreclosure actually were able to find buyers for their homes if they could get the bank to agree to a short sale. Here again, the lender was so backed up with similar requests that the homes often went to foreclosure auction before a reply was received from the bank.

Lenders were forced to make business decisions that led to a complete breakdown of the real estate finance system. We won't waste time here pointing out that the genesis of the crisis was centered in Washington DC and a certain group of politicians.

With no where to turn who can blame many of the home owners facing foreclosure for just walking away from their homes. Some had the courtesy to drop their house keys into an envelope and send them back to the lender. That was so widespread that it became known as "jingle mail".

We would never advise anyone to walk away from a home just because they couldn't make the mortgage payment. Why do it? There are tens of thousands of foreclosed homes sitting vacant in the U.S. How many months do you think it will take lenders to begin asking people to vacate those homes?

There are not an army of buyers eager to buy homes. Banks don't have enough people employed to even make one visit to many of the homes they have acquired through the foreclosure auction process.

My advice is to stay in the home until you are asked to leave. Even then stall as long as you can. Congress is considering all kinds of giveaway programs and you might find that some type of rescue plan falls right into your lap. During the time you remain in the home you will be free of monthly payments. Begin saving every nickel for a fresh start when you are asked to move.

What about investing in foreclosure homes? There are plenty to choose from and prices have come so far down from peak-of-the-bubble prices that they all seem to be bargains. Recent figures show that home sales have risen slightly, but prices are still trending down… and there's the danger. Exactly what is the true value of a house today?

The U.S. is in for a few years of serious financial problems. What seems like a bargain today could be a buying disaster a few months from now. The long uptrend in home prices has been broken and it could be years before it is reestablished.

If you can buy banked owned homes by the dozen you may be able to get them so far below market value that you will be protected from any further drop in price, at least for awhile.

Another tactic is to have a plan that will allow the houses you buy to produce profitable income no matter what happens to values. One way to do that is to revert to the old fashioned idea of room rentals. Many workers will be losing jobs or taking employment at a greatly reduced earning level. They will need a place to live. You can generate more income by renting rooms rather than renting the home to one person or family.

The world is now living in a "bail out" economy. You must adjust to prosper.

About the Author

Mark Walters is a third generation real estate investor and founder of CreatingWealthClub.com. For a limited time Mark is offering his big guide to finding hard money loans for real estate investing free. Free guide to private money loans. http://www.FindPrivateMoney.info

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Illinois foreclosure listing tops 11,000 addresses, Governor steps in!

By: Bob Smith

Illinois foreclosure listings represent the fourth highest in the country. California is at the top of the list with 32,500 followed by Florida with approximately 27,000 listings and Colorado at roughly 11,000 filings. Combined with Illinois, these four states account for 52% of all homes in foreclosure nationwide.

The staggering foreclosure rates in Illinois prompted Governor Rod Blagojevich to file amendments to HB 4050, the Illinois Predatory Lending Database Program. HB4050 protects consumers fight predatory lending practices by shifting focus on the lenders who offer non-traditional types of loans.

Under the proposed rules for HB 4050, Cook County first time homebuyers and owners opting to refinance their primary residence will be recommended for financial counseling if the loan they are considering contains any of the following provisions:
• Permits interest-only payments;
• Allows payments that results in negative amortization;
• Total points and fees payable by the borrower exceed 5% of the amount of the mortgage;
• Approval of the loan relies on the stated income of the borrower;
• A pre-payment penalty is included; or
• The financing transaction includes a second lien on the property, often known as an 80/20 loan.

HB 4050 main purpose is to alert consumers that subprime lending practices can lead to financial ruin. Todays housing market focuses so much on the credit history of the homebuyer, and with some homebuyers who have had past credit issues, spotty employment or not enough funds for a down payment --- some lenders have gone to great lengths to get their business. However, this practice is costing the same homebuyer way more than they can afford – without them even realizing it. By enacting HB 4050, these same homebuyers will be instructed and informed regarding the types of loans available, the type of loan they are considering and what it means to their financial future. Many of these items are not currently provided by the lenders who practice subprime loan lending.

Luckily, Governor Blagojevich has an eye on his Illinois homebuyers and the lenders who serve the Illinois residents. Currently, HB 4050 is in the pilot program phase and is being piloted in Cook County. Illinois residents outside of Cook County should expect to see it offered to them also in the near future. The governors’ mission is to see the Illinois foreclosure listings numbers drop and this is a great start to realizing that mission.

Bob Smith is a freelancer but regularly writes for ForeclosureListingsNationWide.com. You can get more information on Illinois foreclosure listings at http://www.foreclosurelistingsnationwide.com.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com

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Seven Steps of the Loan Process

Ki Gray

The first time you are getting a loan, it can be confusing what all is needed and how to start. This outlines the steps to getting a loan from picking a lender to closing.

1) Picking a Lender.
Comparing lenders can be daunting. All the components of a loan including the interest rate, origination fee, points, and other miscellaneous fees are hard to sort through. Fortunately, you can get the Annual Percentage Rate (APR) from each lender for each of their programs. The APR is basically an interest rate calculated with the base interest rate plus all the closing costs, so basically, if you have zero closing costs, then the interest rate and the APR will be equal. Zero closing costs would be great, but it is typical to have an origination fee of about 1%, credit application fees, document preparation fees, and the appraisal fee. When comparing rates, the lower the interest rate, the less interest you will pay over the life of the loan. When comparing the APRs, you are comparing the interest rate plus the closing costs. This is helpful because some quoted interest rates may seem low until you realize that the lender is charging you a point (1% of sales price) for that better rate. If you are comparing APRs as well as interest rates, the APR will show as being much higher than anything without points.

There are of course other reasons to weigh in when choosing a lender. Local lenders tend to know the local real estate market better and are familiar with the state laws for lending. Having a responsive and reliable lender is always invaluable because you are going to count on your lender to get you through the underwriting process in a timely manner.

2) Deciding which type of loan is best for you.
To figure out what loan program fits your needs, a lender is a helpful guide. You can speak with one to get a grip on what programs might work and then call around for rates for that program from other lenders. In general, the different type of loans are: 30 year fixed, 15 year fixed, and ARMs (adjustable rate mortgages). The fixed rate loan programs have the monthly payments fixed. The ARMs are typically fixed for a certain amount of time and then adjusts along with the prime. For example, a 5 year ARM has a fixed interest rate (and hence monthly payments) for 5 years and adjusts for the remainder of the loan life. Most of the ARMs are amortized over 30 years, which means the monthly payments are calculated as if you are paying the loan off in 30 years. So, in the 5-year ARM case, the interest rate will adjust for 25 years. Most people refinance or sell the property before the 5 years are up so that they do not have to deal with the adjusting interest rate. This real estate calculator is a good starting point to calculate the different scenarios.

3) Submitting your mortgage application.
Once you have picked your lender, you will submit your loan application. This is usually personal information including your social security number, salary, recurring debt, and savings. They pull your credit score and figure out your debt-to-income ratio. With these two pieces of information, they can find which loan programs you qaulify for and which might work best for you.

4) Getting a Pre-Approval Letter
Once you have submitted your mortgage application, you can get pre-approved. This will provide you with a letter from your lender that basically says your debt-to-income ratio and credit score qualify you for the loan program. This letter is helpful to have when you put in offers to show that you are a strong, qualified buyer. Many listing agents will advise their sellers to not even accept an offer unless it is accompanied by a letter, especially in good markets, where as a seller, you do not want to tie up a property with an unqualified buyer.

5) Processing Your Application
At this point, the application has been just the buyer's word, and now the lender will need to proof of all the income and debts you had provided, so they will ask for documentation like bank statements and w2s. These statements are verified.

6) Underwriting the Loan and Final Approval
At this point, you have found a home and want to get the loan. The lender will need
to send the house contract and your documentation to underwriting to basically give final approval. As well, the lender will have an appraisal on the property to assess its value. This ensures to them that if for some reason the property goes into foreclosure and they end up owning the property, that the value will still cover the amount owed on the loan. The lender will also need to approve the survey. This is to ensure there are no major encroachments on the property. And in addition, they sometimes require flood certificates or wood-destroying insect certificates, depending on where you are located in the country. These again ensure the property is not a disaster waiting to happen. These are all precautions the lender takes before allowing funding on a property because they want to not get stuck with a worthless asset, but it is also another assurance for the buyer that the property is decent.

7) Funding and Closing
Once the sellers and buyers have gone to closing and signed all the papers, including the Settlement Statement showing all the fees and loan amounts, this paperwork is submitted back to the lender. The lender will then double check everything was signed and give a final funding number. This number allows the funds from the lender to be released and the property is funded! The process is complete and you can now enjoy your home, just remember to make your monthly mortgage payments.

Ki Gray is an experienced broker in the Austin Texas Real Estate Market. Visit his site at Escapeso Austin Real Estate to get informed on the local Austin real estate market. His site provides descriptions of Austin neighborhoods and downtown Austin condos.

Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_206234_19.html

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Tips To Avoid Foreclosures And The Foreclosure Process

Nobody likes to talk about foreclosures especially if it is their own. Unfortunately, foreclosures are occurring more than ever in every part of the United States.

Need some advice on avoiding foreclosure?

Here is some general information about foreclosures.

Several states have a record number of foreclosures, such as Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, California, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

CNN Money reports that adjustable-rate mortgages, especially mortgages that are considered, sub-prime adjustable rate mortgages, continue to contribute to foreclosures.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Americans borrowed $2.2 trillion dollars through attractive adjustable rate mortgages between 2004 and 2006.

These adjustable rate mortgages were hard to pass up with low monthly payments.

However, all good things seem to have to come to an end and they certainly have. Experts explain that these adjustable rate mortgages need to reset themselves in order to make up for the difference through higher rates, which means a higher mortgage payment.

You don't need to be an expert in real estate to figure out that when the banks significantly raise someone's mortgage payment, you are going to see many foreclosures.

It's also predicted that as these mortgage loans reset, 1.11 million homeowners will lose their homes. This prediction was reported following a study completed by First American CoreLogic, a firm that documents home mortgage risks.

If your mortgage remains unpaid after the due date for a payment, the lender has the right to start a foreclosure. Many banks will allow you a "grace period," so as not to start any foreclosure process.

After a certain period of time, the lender will send you a certified letter stating that your loan is in default. Included will be any penalties and any unpaid mortgage totals. It is important that you contact the lender to try and work out a plan to pay the bank back.

Banks are not in the business of owning homes; banks are in the business of lending money. Banks do not want the house back! Contact them and try to work out an agreement to pay them back the unpaid payments.

Your loan will likely be reinstated if you bring the mortgage back to good standing if you pay back any outstanding mortgage payments and fees.

If the lender has given you the allotted time to make the loan current, and you cannot make the payments, the loan will still be considered in default and there will be a scheduled auction.

After the auction, if there is still a balance due, you may still be required to pay back any outstanding debts. If there is money left over from the auction, that amount of money will go to the foreclosed homeowner, if all of the fees have been paid to the lender.

With any court foreclosures, the sheriff carries out the sale, which is about 45 days after the county clerk orders the sale. The auction is open to the public which means anyone who has the available funds, may bid on the foreclosed property.

Generally, the accepted bid must be paid to the sheriff no later than 5:00 P.M. on the day of or the day after the auction.

A certificate is issued following the foreclosure sale. If the property is not abandoned at the time of the sale up to the next six months, this is known as the redemption period. Some states will allow the borrower to redeem the property. Any secondary lender may redeem the property within a certain amount of time. In order to redeem the property, the total amount owed including any fees, must be paid.

If there isn't anyone who redeems the property, the sheriff will then transfer the ownership to the winning bidder at the time of the foreclosure auction.

With Out of Court Trustee Sales, notice of the sale is noted which includes the property description, date, time, place, etc. The auction notice is then recorded with the county.

The trustee mails the notice to all interested parties. This notice is sent out three months before the sale date and will be published in the local newspaper.

No less than 20 days before the sale, the foreclosure auction notice is posted on the property and the county courthouse.

The day before the sale is scheduled to take place and leading up to the sale, the trustee must provide the opening bid of the sale to anyone who inquires about the sale. If not, then the sale may have to be postponed.

Out of Court foreclosure sales require every bidder to provide a refundable $10,000 deposit in order to bid. The trustee keeps the deposit of the individual with the winning bid.

The winning bidder has until 5:00 P.M. by the next day to pay his/her bid price.

Following the sale, the trustee then transfers ownership of the foreclosed property within seven days. The proceeds of the sale are paid directly to the primary lender, then to any secondary lenders that exist.

There is no right of redemption following Out of Court foreclosure sales.

Bank foreclosures have occurred in record numbers. If you are an investor, your'e likely to find foreclosures all around the U.S.

Will foreclosures decline in numbers? Only time will tell.

This information is not considered legal advice to help you avoid losing your home. It is always recommended that you seek professional legal advice such as a local real estate attorney.
This article contains information about foreclosures as well as the foreclosure process. This articles also contains helpful tips to avoid foreclosure including lender information, foreclosure laws,

Cecilia Valenzuela is a full time entrepreneur who is an active participant in the online world of business. Cecilia Valenzuela encourages others who would also like to become a successful entrepreneur. If you would like additional information on foreclosures along with more specific tips on how you can avoid a foreclosure, it is available at: http://www.My-Arizona-Desert-Living.com/Arizona-Foreclosures.html

Article Source: http://www.eArticlesOnline.com

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