Call Code: 929O

ACTIVE:

Searching for perfection? The sellers thought they’d stay forever, but instead created paradise for you. This exquisitely built home has rich finishes including granite countertops, 40 inch stainless gas range, commercial hood, custom cabinets, pullout shelves, pendant lighting, plush carpet, high ceilings, 10 foot doors, hinged glass doors for showers, and custom designed and installed Andy Gagnon back landscaping with automatic sprinklers front and back.

Call Code: 308S

ACTIVE:

Could there be a more breathtaking view than this? The 18th fairway, the magnificent oak tree, and Folsom Lake!!!!!! Truly a one in a million home. Live the Serrano golf lifestyle in this 3 bedroom + casita 3.5 bath residence. Enter through the private gated courtyard with fountain and separate casita. Once inside the home, enjoy the dramatic high ceilings, curved staircase, artist niches. Mahogany cabinets in kitchen, slate flooring and more. Outdoor Serrano room with fireplace, pool and more!

His background includes over 33 years of sales experience, including 20 years in the real estate industry. He has lived in the Sacramento Valley since 1964. His knowledge of the market goes beyond details of price and amenities; he is also in tune with the local market trends. Ricky holds a bachelors degree in marketing and business.

I have been sour on real estate since I sold my home in Florida in 2006. Back then, I predicted home prices were headed for a crash. Many people thought I was crazy for saying it. Today, my former Florida home is probably worth a little more than half of the selling price.

In one of my first articles on USAWatchdog.com in August of 2009, I said this about the real estate market forecast, “This does not mean there are not bargains out there in the market, but let’s not confuse a plateau on a downward trend as a bottom. Please keep the picture above on your “favorites” and every time you hear “the real estate crisis has bottomed” take a long look at it. When I gaze at the Credit Suisse chart, I do not see a bottom until at least 2012.” (Click here to read the complete original post) The picture I am talking about comes from Credit Suisse Bank. It is actually a chart that has been updated since that post. Please check it out on the left side of the screen below:

I updated my “2012” real estate bottom in March of 2010 to be “2013 at the very least” because Credit Suisse updated their chart. The most recent chart shows the resets don’t really slow way down until around October 2012. Back when I made my first real estate bottom prediction, there were plenty of people who thought I was too negative on the real estate market. Today, I look downright optimistic. A Philly.com story out this week said, “If you were hoping to sell your house for top dollar in the next few months, you’d better wait. Until 2014, or maybe later. That’s when 54 percent of Americans responding to a semiannual survey by two real estate search engines believe the housing market will recover from its now four-year-old malaise. Six months ago, when Trulia and RealtyTrac had Harris Interactive poll more than 2,000 adults 18 and older online, 42 percent estimated 2014 as the turning point.” (Click here for the complete Philly.com story.)

Foreclosures are the biggest drag on housing prices. MSNBC reported last week, “Since the housing market peaked in 2006, some 6.5 million homes have been lost to foreclosure. There are likely another 4.3 million more homeowners who are “seriously delinquent,” meaning they are more than three months behind in their payments, according to data released by the Mortgage Bankers Association this week. Many of those homeowners will soon enter the foreclosure pipeline.” (Click here for the MSNBC story.) Banks are sitting on nearly a million foreclosed properties and are expecting to take back another million homes this year.

Even though the Credit Suisse chart above shows the resets will crest at the end of this year, housing prices could keep going down for some time to come. The Wall Street Journal reported a week and a half ago, “. . . Zillow.com reported that real-estate prices fell nationwide in March for the 57th month in a row, echoing other home-price indexes that have kept dropping and defying hopes of a recovery in housing values. Economists are forecasting a decline of 1.4% for 2011. And, while unlikely, “a 30-year decline in home prices [adjusted for inflation] is certainly a possibility,” says Yale University economist Robert Shiller. It wouldn’t be the first time prices dropped over three decades’ time; they fell by 14% cumulatively, after inflation, between 1912 and 1945, according to Prof. Shiller’s data.” (Click here for the complete WSJ report.)

In past interviews with me, Professor Shiller said real estate declines are on average “10 years” in length. What happened in the last decade was the biggest real estate boom and bust in history. It was a global phenomenon according to Professor Shiller. I don’t know how much further prices could decline, but we are nowhere near the bottom. Home values are still falling right now, and that is despite low mortgage rates of around 5%. The Federal Reserve has been keeping rates suppressed artificially by purchasing government and private debt. (Please read “the Fed’s Biggest Fear.”) When that stops, interest rates will go back up to a more normal level. What will happen to home prices then? My real estate market forecast is they will surely drop more.

A Short Sale is when a seller owes more money to the bank on a property than the sale proceeds will cover and is unable to continue making mortgage payments. The property is offered for sale by a Real Estate brokerage and marketed as a Short Sale listing. Any offer received is approved or disapproved by the bank holding the mortgage. Short Sales are not foreclosures. Typically Short Sales happen when home owners are no longer able to meet the monthly obligation due to health job or other hardships. Often time’s buyers see this as an opportunity for a great deal.

How does it work?

Remax Gold professional and team will determine your home market value less what is owed. If more is owed than the sale proceeds will generate it will be marketed as a Short Sale. You, the owner will provide detailed information to show the hardship scenario and inability to continue paying on the loan. Remax Gold will market your home for sale to the fullest extent possible and negotiate with the bank on your behalf.

What are the advantages?

Avoid a foreclosure and bankruptcy. Also it will be less damaging to your credit rating than a foreclosure. Also enables you to move on without the burden of too much of a mortgage debt. Avoid having a foreclosure or Bankruptcy on your credit for seven years.

How does it affect the owner’s credit?

Late payments leading up to a Short Sale will negatively impact your credit however if your bank accepts a Short Sale and does not negatively report the short sale will not in
itself negatively impact your credit score.

What are the drawbacks?

Any debt that is relieved will typically be treated by the IRS as taxable income in the year of the Short Sale. A qualified CPA or tax consultant should be sought out for advice.

Why would someone want to do this?

Of course a Short Sale is a last ditch effort to preserve credit in difficult times. If it’s possible to continue making payments it is best to do so. If it is not possible, a Short Sale may be your best alternative. Banks will consider a short sale as an alternative to costly foreclosure proceedings, lost payments, remarketing costs and reconditioning.

What are the alternatives?

Apply to your lender for a new payment schedule if possible and allowed by the bank. If not, as is often the case, foreclosure and bankruptcy. Forbearance – An agreement between a mortgage company and a borrower in which the borrower promises to stay current on the mortgage going forward and agrees to a repayment plan for delinquent payments and costs and fees associated with the foreclosure action. A Forbearance Agreement is a tool that allows the borrower to keep the property. How to contact us for help with your questions:

Contact the Short Sale Team at 916-505-0862

Choosing the best real estate agent to market and sell your home can make all the difference, turning an otherwise difficult, stressful process into a comfortable, informed experience that you are in control of.

As a top Sacramento area real estate agent, I will make sure that you get the best price for your home, in the least amount of time. I analyze and determine home values in the Sacramento market every day. As a top real estate expert in this market, I can help  you determine exactly what your home is worth in the current
market. Then, as an experienced professional, I’ll market your  home and negotiate on your behalf to sell your home at the best price possible.

• I will aggressively market your home not just locally, but on a national basis. Through my professional contacts and affiliations, as well as my advanced technology tools, I can instantly put your home listing in all of the places qualified buyers are looking. Within minutes, I can alert every real estate agent in the Sacramento area, as well as national  firms that specialize in helping people relocate to new areas.

• I will come to your home and personally advise you of how to best prepare your home to get the highest price, in the shortest amount  of time.

• I will protect your best interests throughout the entire process. You can leverage my years of experience as top real estate professional to answer all of your questions about every aspect of the selling and closing process. You will be informed and in control, every step of the  way. It’s my job to make sure your home selling experience is as comfortable and painless as possible!

Reasons Why You Should Use an Experienced Realtor | from Realtor.com

1. Your REALTOR® can help you determine your buying power — that is, your financial reserves plus your borrowing capacity. If you give a REALTOR® some basic information about your available savings, income and current debt, he or she can refer you to lenders best qualified to help you. Most lenders — banks and mortgage companies — offer limited choices.

2. Your REALTOR® has many resources to assist you in your home search. Sometimes the property you are seeking is available but not actively advertised in the market, and it will take some investigation by your agent to find all available properties.

3. Your REALTOR® can assist you in the selection process by providing objective information about each property. Agents who are REALTORS® have access to a variety of informational resources. REALTORS® can provide local community information on utilities, zoning. schools, etc. There are two things you’ll want to know. First, will the property provide the environment I want for a home or investment? Second, will the property have resale value when I am ready to sell?

4. Your REALTOR® can help you negotiate. There are myriad negotiating factors, including but not limited to price, financing, terms, date of possession and often the inclusion or exclusion of repairs and furnishings or equipment. The purchase agreement should provide a period of time for you to complete appropriate inspections and investigations of the property before you are bound to complete the purchase. Your agent can advise you as to which investigations and inspections are recommended or required.

As your agent, my focus is on getting you the best possible home at the best possible price. I will work hard not only in finding you potential new homes to see, but also in keeping you informed of everything that takes place. As your agent and a top expert in the local market, I’ll negotiate the best prices and terms for you and answer all of your questions as they arise. I’ll be representing you, not the seller. This assures that my experience and expertise in the local market will be used in your best interests during the negotiation process.

As your agent, I will:

• Assure that you see all the properties in the area that meet your criteria. Not just those listed on the local MLS, but also many un-listed properties that I find through my local contacts and affiliations.
• Guide you through the entire process, from finding homes to look at, to getting the best financing.
• Make sure you don’t pay too much for your new home. As a real estate expert in this area, I help people negotiate and make home purchase decisions every day. I can help you avoid costly mistakes.
• Answer all of your questions about the local market area. Not just about homes for sale, but about schools, neighborhoods, the local economy and more.

Let me help you find your dream home and assure your best interests are protected throughout the entire process. Feel free to call or e-mail me with any questions you may have at any time. Fill out this form and I’ll get back to you right away.