Time Is Moving Along for First Time and Repeat Buyers

The Southern California Home Buyer's Fair will be taking place March 13 and 14 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. It's a great start for the keys to homeownership, if you're free to go that weekend. However, the $8000 tax credit for 1st time buyers will be ending in April 2010, and will be extended only to complete your escrow if you have signed a contract at that point in time. Per the IRS site, the credit

• Applies only to homes used as a taxpayer's principal residence.


• Reduces a taxpayer's tax bill or increases his or her refund, dollar for dollar.


• Is fully refundable, meaning the credit will be paid out to eligible taxpayers, even if they owe no tax or the credit is more than the tax owed.

And, although this new proposal by Gov. Schwarzenegger is still "up in the air", to continue encouraging homeownership among Californians, the Governor will propose to extend and expand the $10,000 homebuyer tax credit to include the purchase of existing homes in addition to new residences for first-time homebuyers. The buyer must not be a dependant and must be purchasing a home that does not belong to a relative. Under the Governor’s proposal, the Franchise Tax Board will extend the credit to buyers who purchase homes until $200 million dollars in tax credits have been granted.

PLEASE, if you're thinking of buying this year, do not assume that the $8000 tax credit will once again be extended as it was at the end of 2009. Many Congressional members were not in favor of this extension for various reasons. Californians may benefit from the additional proposal, however, that is unknown as of yet.

If you want to buy, start taking action now. If you need loan options, I will be happy to refer you. Remember, for purposes of these programs, a 1st time buyer is one who has not owned property in the last 3 years.

Please contact me if you are ready to proceed--remember, rates are still low.

For more information on buyer programs, go to http://www.juliahuntsman.com/.

Quick Fact: More Single People Buy Real Estate

Many developments have taken place in just the last 10 years:

According to National Association of Realtors in Dec. 2009, the percentage of U.S. homes bought by married couples has declined in the last decade.
Married couples bought 60% of homes last year, down from 68% in 1999. Single women purchased 21%, up from 15% in 1999, and single men bought 10%, up from 7%.

Fewer people are buying detached single family homes, but more people are buying in the suburban neighborhoods.

Today, 90% of the buyers are searching online first--up from 37% 10 years ago.

But, unchanged is the median age for homebuyers--it's still 39 (did Jack Benny do this survey?) And neighborhood qualify, affordability and convenience to work location are still the top buyer priorities. And 8 out of 10 surveyed consumers believe owning a home is an investment in their future.

Foreclosure Timeline in California

If your loan was obtained between 2003 and 2007, and you meet certain other guidelines, your timeline (for a non-judicial foreclosure, the most common in California) from the first day of the pre-foreclosure period up through the Notice of Sale, will be about 152 days.

The Notice of Default may be filed 30 days after the lender contacts the borrower to explore options avoiding foreclosure for the borrower.

Three months after the NOD is filed, the Notice of Trustee's Sale may be recorded and then published over a period of 3 weeks. The borrower has 5 days prior to the sale to cure the default, which means catching up on the entire debt, and all other interests and costs. On Day 152 of this timeline, the lender may sell the property to the highest bidder at public auction.

If the seller is contemplating selling, there is a minimum of 4 months at the time the NOD has been filed. Since many sellers are in a short sale position and would need to list their property, find an eligible buyer, submit their entire financial package to the lender and obtain the lender's approval, 4 months is not enough time since the standard bank approval time is still around 90 days.

If the homeowner is experiencing financial distress and is now starting to not pay the mortgage, they need to immediately recognize their situation and allow for 6 to 8 months in which to get their property listed and sold, if that is to be the course of action. Most people do not want to sell, and make the mistake of hanging on too long until they lose the house through foreclosure. This is usually the worst course of events from which it takes longer to recover in terms of credit eligibility and future mortgage eligibility. Credit is checked for rental applications, insurance, and employment, so the distressed homeowner may be affected in many other ways.

If an owner is in bankruptcy, or has surrendered the property, the initial 30-day notice requirement does not apply.

For other owners not in the 2003-2007 loan origination period, the original foreclosure timeline applies, which is about 121 days total.

A First Time Buyer Story in Surf City USA

The City of Huntington Beach did not seem like a likely place to find an affordable first time buyer program. During the high point of the market, it was tough to find a single family home there under $600,000. The home of the Seacliff and other high end developments located within a stone's throw from the coastline were not within reach of the average buyer needing down payment assistance. But that's all changed. Huntington Beach is now offering a program giving up to 20% of the purchase price, not exceeding $100,000, as down payment assistance in the form of a silent second mortgage loan at zero percent interest.

As of August 2009, the maximum purchase price is $515,000, a minimum 3% contribution from the borrower, and annual income limits apply: Between $72,300 maximum for one person up to $136,350 for a family of 8 persons in one household. This and similar programs are for buyers who intend to occupy the property as their principal residence.

So how many houses or condos currently on the market might work for this program? There are currently 124 houses and condos in this price range in Huntington Beach. One of them might be for you and your family, if you fit the qualifications of this program. A 20% down payment at zero interest is an opportunity not to be overlooked. If you have the 3%, or $15,450, for your contribution, plus meet the lender's other loan requirements, please call me for more details on this program and finding a lender who can carry out this program.

Long Beach CA Sales Report for November 2009

The downward slide in amount of inventory is not in sight. For houses, condos and lofts, as listed in the SoCalMLS, the number of properties for sale in November 2009, per MLS data, numbered 1,180, about 100 properties fewer than in October, and 795 fewer than in November 2008.

The Long Beach months supply of inventory has gone from 8 months a year ago to 3 months in November 2009, a steady decline.

The high months for new inventory this year were January, March and June.

Properties in escrow--272--are up by 30% compared to one year ago, with the highest number in escrow during May and June, 2009.

The median sold price for Long Beach is up 12% from one year ago, citywide. from $318,000 to $354,750. (Local zip codes or neighborhoods may reflect a different percentage for specific areas.)

The listings decline is just part of the larger picture: Per Zip Realty's survey nationally, the 579,413 multiple listing service listings in the markets is down 27.64% from November 2008. It’s the 17th straight month that gross listings for all markets declined month-over-month.

In the meantime, the distressed properties make up about 50% of the market, and many more are not yet on the market. Foreclosure Radar allows a free map search by city or zip code of REO, auction and pre-foreclosure properties. Most properties still show lower estimated market values than their loan amounts, which could ultimately lower prices in some areas, but the overall median price increase may be testimony to demand for inventory.

Call for a customized report for your area or zip code--this is a great tool to see the overall trends for value and activity, and to see where your listing price or home value is in relation to other competing MLS listings near yours.

For a free general and area property searches, go to the MLS searches at www.juliahuntsman.com.

How Does Bankruptcy, Foreclosure or a Short Sale Affect the Borrower?

The FICO® score was established by the Fair Isaac Corporation and is one of several systems which evaluate a borrower's credit worthiness by assigning a numeric value. A score of over 720-740 points is considered the desired range of eligibility for a conventional loan by many lenders. Before the current economic downturn, a score of 680 was acceptable and eligible for many conventional loan programs, but that score now does not meet many, if not most, current guidelines. The borrower should take into consideration that FICO® or other credit scores are now checked when applying for home insurance, rentals, a car loan, and employment, to name a few, an individual's credit worthiness is an important fact of life. When a borrower is considering the best course of action, they often do not realize exactly for how long and in what ways a distressed property situation will affect them.



The pie-chart shows the parts of a FICO® score found at www.myfico.com and the aspects of a credit score. While there are general estimates as to the "hits" to your score for bankruptcy, foreclosure, short sales, and late payments associated with these events, opinions differ and are not exact, in spite of what information you may find on various internet sites. Other factors in the borrower's credit history may also impact the total score.

However, certain Fannie Mae borrowing guidelines are known:

• A 10% down payment purchase of a principal residence is allowed 5-7 years after a foreclosure sale completion date (3 years for "extenuating circumstances").
• A 10% down payment purchase is allowed for a principal residence and other types of properties 4-7 years after a deed-in-lieu was executed.
• 2 years after a "pre-foreclosure" sale (may or may not be same as short sale conditions).
• 4 years after a bankruptcy discharged or dismissed.
• 2 years after a Chapter 13 bankruptcy is discharged or dismissed.

FHA may have slightly more lenient guidelines for post-event home purchases, and the borrower should check with a lender. The idea here is not to give a complete listing of guidelines--a discussion with an experienced lender would be good for that--but to let the borrower know what the timeline will be depending on his/her actions and plan accordingly. The potential tax consequences depending on circumstances of the property should be reviewed before filing for bankruptcy, for example.

The choices in some cases are not avoidable, but in all cases, a borrower should obtain more information to be prepared.

No More Paying Loan Modification Fees in Advance

Effective October 11 through January 1, 2013, no one (and that includes attorneys, real estate professionals, lenders and everyone else) may charge advance fees for arranging loan modifications for 1-4 residential units--that means your house, condo, duplex, triplex, fourplex, or other type of home.

Many borrowers have paid, and lost, anywhere from $3,000 to $8,000 without obtaining the desired loan modification. For some people, this meant losing their financial cushion to people who could not deliver. Prior to this law coming into effect, the Department of Real Estate's legal requirements for taking advance fees were complied with by a rather short list of entities and individuals statewide--it was extremely short when compared with the huge numbers of loan modification companies, groups or entities advertising their services everywhere you looked.

Fees may now be collected after promised services have been performed (but the law does not apply to loan modification fees and agreements entered into before October 11).

Making Improvements to Your Property: Where Should You Stop?

There are two types of property owners: homeowners who will move in and live in the property, and investors who never plan on living in the property.


The following points are mostly for investors who are "rehabbers", but owner occupants might find some helpful points here as well in order to gain perspective on a project.


Don't overimprove a property. It's a common mistake to think that all the money put into a property will be added to the original buying price so that the owner will obtain a 100% return on the brand new kitchen, brand new bathroom, or brand new hardwood flooring. Watch out for the following problems if you bought a property to fix and sell:

• Falling in love with your property.
• Remodeling it as if it's the home you've always dreamed about.
• Trying to make it a model home.
• Making upgrades or improvements to show how well you do them.
• Justifying an improvement because it adds to curb appeal (non-monetary return).
• Applying the same formula to every property.

Keep in mind that a buyer doesn't care how much you spent. There is a difference between doing a good rehabilitation and fixing up the house vs. injecting your personal living standards into your choices. Buyers often understand the difference, and even though they may like all the expensive hardware that came from the historic replica source, they may not see it as adding to the value of the property. You must know the needs of the your target buyer. Avoid making your project what you would buy for yourself--you must make it serve the needs of your target buyers.

You must get to know your local (very local) market. Learn to look at your project the way an appraiser does: no more than one mile out from your property, and less than that if it's a different type of neighborhood. Learn what people in the area of your property are really looking for: what do they identify with. They buy in a certain area for a reason, so find out what they admire about their location, the style of homes in the area and why they want a 1970's house, a 1950's house or a 1920's house--there are huge differences in those groups. There were major sociological changes in the generations that served those houses, so taking a 1920's house, ripping out a formal dining room wall and adding a breakfast bar is often viewed as a major flaw by buyers who prize that era of housing. Putting in the same formula kitchen and bathroom re-do in an older area built up over time which contains diverse historic architectural styles could be the wrong decision. Buyers who like older homes want precisely that--a rehabber is probably going to serve the local market far better with modern improvements that blend with the era of the particular custom home, not the one-size-fits-all contractor approach. If you're a contractor, you will need to expand your perception of what it takes to market and sell a home.

For homeowners, take time to think out your ideas, consult with an architect if necessary. Do they work well with the original design and purpose of your particular home?. Mistakes I've seen lately include:

• Enlarging a bathroom in an original 1940's house to include the latest jacuzzi bath, window styles, 1920's(?) floor tile, and hardwood cabinetry which does not match the rest of the house, all by taking a closet of the neighboring bedroom. This now changes the number of bedrooms the house has, potentially lowering its value for many buyers.
• Converting a kitchen pantry into a second bathroom which opens directly into the kitchen. Bad floor plan.
• Removing original doorways in order to obtain more kitchen space so that the original circular traffic flow of the home is now obstructed.
• The aforementioned breakfast bars added by losing a dining room or kitchen wall.

Consult with sources about calculating the return on improvements, including cost vs value reports in Remodel Magazine. In the end, it's important to find out what original features of a property are desired by the local market, whether you're a homeowner or a rehabber, because those may be what brings the buyer when the property is on the market next time.

Long Beach CA Sales Report for October 2009

For residential 1-4 unit properties in Long Beach (that includes condos, houses, lofts, for October 2009, the median price is down 3% from one year ago: $340,000 down to $329,000 for the city.

• The number of sold properties reached a high point during the summer, but in October the total number of sales decreased by 20% from one year ago.
  It also took less time to sell a property in 2009 than in 2008.
• One of the most dramatic pictures continues to be the decrease in inventory by over 50% since one year ago--
• This has been a steady decline in inventory over the last 12 months, to just over a thousand residential properties on the market at the end of October 2009.
• The number of properties in escrow is up by 23%.
• The number of new properties listed is down by over 31% from one year ago.
• What this all adds up to is the months' supply of inventory has decreased from 7 months one year ago, to 2 months this year, meaning at the current rate of sales, all housing inventory in the category would be gone in two months, if no new listings came on the market.

For buyers, especially in the market under $400,000, this has meant fierce competition, not just in Long Beach but in the entire Southern California area, since this is the market that is in the most demand for 1st time homebuyers that make up at least 60% of home sales at this time. Buyers in this range continue to be out bid by all cash, or more cash down payment, buyers. For this group of buyer it's very important to be persistant and to be patient (although after both buyer and agent have been through many many rejected offers, it takes even more fortitude than ever).

The West Coast market should be helped out in 2010 as the temporary jumbo loan limits initiated for 2009 have been extended through 2010 . Nevada, California and Florida are the top 3 states nationwide in number of foreclosure filings, and according to RealtyTrac, and October was the third consecutive month for a drop in numbers of foreclosed properties, however, what the impact of foreclosed inventory will bring in 2010 with new scheduled loan resets remains to be seen.

For a more specific look at your neighborhood or zip code and pricing your property to sell, please call me or e-mail me to receive a local report. To find all active listing on the market, go to the MLS property tab at www.juliahuntsman.com.

How to Buy a Bank-Owned Home

Just a little humor here, but sometimes how true!