Treasury: Millions more foreclosures coming

September 10, 2009 · Filed Under Golf, Mortgage, Real Estate · Comment 

Official says a strong housing market is crucial for the economy

Reuters-WASHINGTON - Only 12 percent of U.S. homeowners eligible for loan modifications under the Obama administration’s housing rescue plan have had their mortgages reworked, and millions more foreclosures are coming, the Treasury Department said on Wednesday.

 

A Treasury report showed 360,165 people had their monthly payments reduced through August, up from 235,247 through July, but a senior Treasury official conceded much more must be done to soften the impact of a severe and prolonged housing crisis. Treasury has begun releasing monthly reports on the loan modification program, called the Home Affordable Modification Program or HAMP.

In July, it said that just 9 percent of the estimated number of homeowners eligible had had their loans modified, so Treasury’s assistant secretary for financial institutions, Michael Barr, was able to claim modest progress in August.

He told a House Financial Services subcommittee that the program launched in February, which brings banks and loan servicers together with at-risk homeowners, was on target to help a half million Americans homeowners by November 1.

But that is a small start on a huge problem at the heart of U.S. economic woes.

Barr said that "even if HAMP is a total success, we should still expect millions of foreclosures" as administration and industry efforts continue to stabilize a crisis-stricken housing sector.

Barr said a strong housing market was "crucial" to a sustained U.S. economic recovery and described the slump in prices and demand in the housing sector as being "at the center of our financial crisis and economic downturn."

He noted that analysts anticipate more than six million Americans could lose their homes in the next three years.

"Much more remains to be done and we will continue to work with other agencies, regulators and the private sector to reach as many families as possible," Barr said.

The Treasury report showed that some lenders had not helped any of their borrowers who were eligible for loan modifications. Others had helped varying numbers of those who were 60 or more days delinquent on their mortgages, ranging up to 100 percent for one bank that only had one eligible borrower.

Is Now The Time To Buy In Reunion Resort

August 9, 2009 · Filed Under Golf, Real Estate · Comment 

Now Is The Time To Buy AT Reunion Resort

This really is a great time to buy a home. At least in Orlando Florida, all is not gloom and doom. In fact if the national media wasn’t constantly reminding us of how bad it is supposed to be, you would think the real estate market is doing just fine.

There is definitely NOT a wholesale tumbling of prices in our market, but on the same hand the savvy buyers are getting tremendous values. The key is that certain sellers are in a position that they either have to or really want to sell. Identifying who is serious about selling is an important component right now. There is certainly a great deal of uncertainty

in the economy today, and those people who are able and willing to buy should and are being rewarded
I recently had a cash buyer that bought golfront property at an almost 50% discount from the listing price. This was because the seller was motivated at the time, the buyer was ready to pay cash, and the seller needed the cash in order to move forward with other endeavors. I have a couple of buyers at Reunion Resort that have pending deals where they have finally been able to buy their dream home at an affordable price. I’ve got sellers that are motivated and ready to make deals.

Having said this, I am still hearing many people talk about waiting a year or even two for the market to drop further. People have been asking me ‘what percentage the market is down’. Trying to determine if market prices are going up or down is very tough to do unless taken on a national scale. In a market like Orlando/Kissimmee, or specifically at Reunion Resort, the average sale price is easily ’schewed’ by one or two very low short sales or forclosures. And different homes are bought and sold each year, so you are not comparing apples to apples. The buyers in the mid to high end of the market seem to be benefiting the most from significant decreased values, from my recent experience.

Our area of Orlando/Kissimmee is a resort destination with great golf courses, a down town water park, spa,.tennis courts (night time as well) 5 Star restaurants and theme park attractions. Reunion Resort is a place where people want to visit and to live, and there will always be a demand as long as the amenities are here. Real estate transactions are indeed taking place, and the people with the means to buy now are going to be very happy. One caveat- they will be happy if they aren’t caught up in trying to perfectly time the market in order to flip in a year or two.

Even if someone is able to buy for 10% less in a year, mortgage rates are unlikely to get any lower. The net cost is just as likely to be greater when factoring in financing. For those thinking they can negotiate a better deal next year, that may or may not be the case. The only way to know when the bottom has hit is when we are looking back at it.

Buyers are returning to the market today, however those that are tend to be much more serious and able to purchase. My sellers that I represent are more flexible than they have ever been. For resort property in particular (which is what I typically represent), sales are taking place when the owner is motivated and realistic. There is no reason to think that these properties will still be on the market 6 months from now, if recent activity is any indication.

Since January of 2009 there has been upward movement in all areas of Orlando/Kissimmee Florida We have many smart buyers that have been intelligent with their investments that are looking at the prime location. of the resort. If you’d like to see what is available or get my recommendations on the best pure values in a particular area, please email Frank or search property at : http://fl.living.net/Realtor/FL7185

My personal philosophy for buying real estate has always been to invest in lifestyle, in locations that my family and I will enjoy. What is the monetary value in having that resort home that you have worked so hard for. Maybe you could wait a year or two to buy that same property for 5% less. I think its important to remember that you are also foregoing the personal benefits of enjoying the amenities of a resort while waiting on the market to drop.

Why rent when you can own.

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