Tabla Rasa
Posted on | January 1, 2012 | No Comments
A Clean Slate
It’s a new year. What’s changing in this year? Is it the same ol’ song and
dance or are you bold enough to think you could change things?
I found myself asking “In a world of sham and drudgery, what inspires you?”
In 2008 there was a video that made it’s way across the web. It showed a dog
saving another dog on the freeway. The rescuing dog went into the freeway,
risking it’s own safety, to aid the dog and to help the injured dog to
safety. Watching that video it made me wonder why dogs cared about each
other more than people did. I know that I ignore the person on the street
and avert my eyes from those in need.
I was also impressed when I heard about layaways at Walmart and other
retailers being mysteriously paid off. Many families layaway items in hopes
of purchasing the items later but in time for Christmas. And many of these
people are never able to redeem their items. This year a number of generous
benefactors paid these items in full or mostly in full making Christmas
possible for these struggling children and families. This brings tears to my
eyes.
Keeping people in their homes inspires me. Most people have given up hope by
the time we talk but I feel so blessed when we can work things out for
families. The woman that thanked me and then said she was afraid he’d have
to put her dogs down if they lost the house, fills me up with gratitude and
compassion. I have the best job in the world. I’ve lost a house and I’ve
been homeless, I know the desperation this brought to me and I work hard to
avert that pain for others. It’s a gift to be able to help in the miracle of
preserving stability and safety of another person’s life.
Good parents inspire me. Parents work long hours, pay their kids first in
time and finances, and never ask to be repaid. The personal sacrifice and
generosity provided to help teach a kid to grow and make their way In the
word makes me believe that we really are benevolent beings.
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy. – Desiderata
Do something inspirational today. Your actions are changing the world.
Happy New Year
Drama Queen Alert! SJPD Ain’t Comin’!
Posted on | December 29, 2011 | No Comments
If you cry wolf too many times, the people aren’t going to help you when you really need it.
What Aesop knew 1500 years ago, the San Jose Police Department just figured out: The SJPD will no longer respond to alarm calls, because they are a waste of time and cost San Jose residents $662,000/year.
Every day I walk by a car who’s alarm is going off and no one even notices. We know it’s a false alarm. Security firms sell us “security” or the illusion of security and the tax paying citizen pays for it with 60% of the San Jose City budget going to police and fire. With the current economic crisis, San Jose decided to trim that budget item. San Jose is no longer going to spend the money to track down all those false alarms. Besides, it takes the police 3 hours to respond anyway so anything that’s happened is already done with.
Your best bet in case of a true emergency is going to be 911 dispatch, which is really just a triage nurse trying to asses your emergency. If you have a broken ankle, you may be in a lot of pain but the life threatening motorcycle accident is going to be seen before you.
I wonder if this will start a run on carry permits. Or maybe drama queens will be able to hire their own security to “clear the area” after an alarm goes off. We could have a whole new security industry balloon right beneath our feet. Welcome to yet another class divide where the wealthy have legal representation, health care and now security.
Tags: homes in san jose > san jose police department > san jose politics
Ho Ho Ho!
Posted on | December 23, 2011 | No Comments
How to Get a Loan Modification with Flagstar Bank
Posted on | December 23, 2011 | No Comments
My clients come to me all the time because they need help on a mortgage. They know that I’ve been a mortgage broker for 20+ years and that I speak “bank”. Or as one client said ” I’m not a good negotiator. I don’t know what to ask for or how to ask. You do it for me”
Every situation is different but, in general, you can do this yourself. Your situation has to be straight forward, only one loan on the house and your time before sale needs to be 75 days or more.
I recently had a client come to me after her loan mod had been declined and she had 5 weeks until the sale of her home. Her situation was complicated and if she lost the house she’d have to put down two of her dogs – no pressure 
Once she hired me we got her documents in order, contacted the banks, postponed the sale and got her loan modification approved 10 days after the originally scheduled sale date.
WHEW!
My number one tip with Flagstar is not to fax ANYTHING. Flagstar was one of the first paperless lenders and has a great system to get a loan processed and approved online.
I submitted my clients loan mod package 4 times via their fax system only to have things missing every time – which sets the process back a good 3 weeks.
After so many misses I finally got the log-in from my client and accessed their account online.
Within the Flagstar “my loans” web site there is a tab for “Mortgage Payment Relief”, click that and follow the links for a loan modification.
You’ll find the page below : On this form fill out the Online Application – paying special attention to the hardship, your income to debt ratios and having documents to back up, exactly, everything that you enter. Then go to the bottom of the form and click on the “uploading the documents” file and upload every single file needed or possibly needed for your situation.
They need to have a clear and compelling picture of your financial situation.
*********************************************************************
www.Flagstar.com
If you can no longer afford to make your monthly loan payments, you may qualify for a loan modification to make your monthly mortgage payment more affordable. At Flagstar we have many programs and ways to assist you. We may be able to help ease your situation, even if your home is now in foreclosure. To get a financial hardship workout started, complete the Borrower Financial form1 by using Option 1 or Option 2 below.
Option 1: Fill out the Borrower Financial Online Application.
Option 2: Print the Borrower Financial Form, then manually complete the form, and fax or mail it to Flagstar Bank. Para obtener una versión en español, por favor haga click en lo siguente: Declaración financiera del Prestatario.
Next, please provide the following documentation:2
- Hardship letter explaining the reason for the request.
- Last two current pay stub(s) dated within 60 days of today’s date for each borrower.
- Proof of any household income with supporting documentation dated within 60 days of today’s date for each borrower, for example: child support, alimony, Social Security or disability.
- Proof of rental income, including lease agreement and copies of last three months’ cancelled checks.
- Proof from state unemployment office that unemployment will continue for the next twelve months if applicable.
- Last two month(s) of current bank statements for checking/savings/401(k) accounts. (Front and back – All pages – All borrowers)
- Last two years of W-2 forms and most recent federal income tax return with all schedules. Self-employed borrowers must submit a copy of their YTD profit and loss statement as well as most recent business federal tax returns and all schedules prepared by an accountant.
- Last utility bill in the borrower’s name.
- Copy of the most recent property tax bill and current Homeowner’s insurance policy and invoice, if your taxes and insurance are not collected with your monthly mortgage payment.
- A front and back copy of each borrower’s driver’s license or state ID.
- Listing contract and purchase/sales agreement (only if selling the property).
- Estimated HUD (only if selling the property).
- Copy of buyer(s) approval letter from their lender (only if purchase is being financed).
- Authorization letter to speak with Realtor/broker (only if property is listed for sale).
- Signed and dated 4506 for each borrower.
This documentation can be immediately delivered to Flagstar Bank by electronically uploading the documents, or you can fax them to (866) 234-9845or mail them to:
Flagstar Bank
5151 Corporate Drive
Mail Stop S-142-3
Troy, MI 48098
If you have any questions, please call us at (800) 945-7700, ext. 9780, M-F 9:00 a.m. – 5 p.m., Eastern time.
Or visit the Mortgage Payment Relief section of our FAQs page for answers to frequently asked questions
*********************************************************************
Remember, the hardship letter explains that you HAD a problem, worked through it, and can now responsibly handle the payments. Or that by lowering the interest rate to 3% it puts the PITI within the 30% top ratio guidelines.
Make sure that your documents collaborate and support your hardship.
Take the time to collect every item that is needed and upload it all at once.
Lastly, remember to leave your email address for the Asset Manager to contact you. They won’t call your or even pretend to play phone tag. Last week I was speaking with an asset manager that just got an additional 220 files to work out. At 10 a day that’s 22 straight days of JUST HANDLING NEW FILES. These people don’t have time to track you down. You have ONE SHOT at making this happen. There is too much on the line to overlook anything on the list or leave an incomplete story.
But you got ONE SHOT.
So, do the work, take your best shot and good luck!
Tags: Foreclosure > how to get a loan modification > loan modification > San Jose Homes > san jose loan modification > trustee sale
Waverly Park West Tract of Mountain View
Posted on | December 21, 2011 | No Comments
Basic market overview of the Waverly Park area of Mountain View, the home of free Google Wifi. The hot market of summer is slowing with DOM extending slightly to an average of 31 Days on Market for sold mountain view homes.
| Status: Sold (Closed Sale) (31) | ||||||||||
| List Price | DOM | Sale Price | Beds | Baths | Yr Built | SqFt | Lot Size | Price/Sqft | ||
| Min | $975,000 | 7 | $975,000 | 3 | 2 | 1927 | 1,800 | 4,805 | $514 | |
| Max | $1,949,000 | 193 | $1,820,000 | 5 | 4 | 2010 | 2,584 | 18,375 | $909 | |
| Avg | $1,421,161 | 31 | $1,414,319 | 4 | 3 | 1963 | 2,174 | 9,105 | $650 | |
| Sum | $44,056,000 | $43,843,900 | ||||||||
The lights are out in force
Posted on | December 20, 2011 | No Comments
Willow glen homes get a lot of attention this time of year – cause you can see them from outer space! 
San jose dog
Posted on | December 20, 2011 | No Comments
I like to think of her as “high energy” just like her mom
The other day I was talking to someone about her dog being diagnosed as “wha wha wha wha ” which basically says her dog likes to jump.
I just think my dog likes to jump – it’s not a “problem” but a personality.
Probably why I don’t have a dog behavior show on TV!
3 bed 2 bath mountain view home for sale
Posted on | December 20, 2011 | No Comments
I like the wide plank hardwood floors, cozy sun porch and huge family room. Just reduced to 1.150M
Photos – Asset or Liability
Posted on | November 29, 2011 | No Comments
I have clients that are uber collectors and are afraid of putting photos of their home on the market. Luckily, this is a great problem to have.
Stuff makes a house your house and most people don’t want your stuff in their house. Same thing for Buyers. Most Buyers can’t see the house around all your stuff. Their likes, vibe, and personality may be totally different from yours but as a Seller all you care about is if they qualify to buy your house.
When we get ready to put your house on the market, we’ll go through your house and de-personalize it so that it “fits” more people.
Lastly, I have clients looking in the 1-2 Million dollar range and I am amazed at how crappy the photos are! Come on!
You need a nice view of the drive up, kitchen, views, amenities and anything else that gives a feel for the house. Remember the 1/3 rule and check before you upload.
What you don’t need are photos of the walls. over exposed flashes with dark backgrounds, the clients furniture or photos of anything that’s not staying. If your photos suck no one is going to come and look at your home – no matter how great it is.
Tags: best listing agent > house sale agent > listings in san jose > san jose listing agent
Christmas budgets and how to become a responsible consumer
Posted on | November 26, 2011 | No Comments
It’s black friday. The day that America goes nuts for shopping. Folks were lining up in the middle of the night just to save $10 off their favorite electronic gadget or child’s toy. Driving home from our Thanksgiving dinner, overfull on mashed potatoes and pecan pie, the line of shoppers snaked into the Kohl’s parking lot.
In a period of high unemployment, mortgage defaults, and shaky consumer confidence, it’s a great time to re-evaluate my spending habits. For the last 20+ years my credit has been good, my balances were low and I didn’t have to worry much about going over my Christmas budget. Now that my credit card companies have figured out that I am a real estate broker and, even though my payment history is perfect, brokers have a high default rate so my account should be reduced from $20,000 to $1,000 [true story].
I choose to think of this as a good thing and now put my Christmas list on an excel spread sheet. I list the Giftee, the amount, 10% variance and tax, and a total. I do this for each giftee, total the amount and put the list along with the cash needed, into an envelope.
This is my Christmas shopping list.
If I see something I can’t live without, too bad. I put it on my Christmas list and let someone else buy it for me. If the salesperson tries to upsell me on the lastest upgrade, accessories or warranties. Too Bad. That would mean that someone else on the list gets bumped. I don’t take my credit cards and don’t overspend.
The only person that doesn’t get “too bad” is me. ’Cause I am not paying for Christmas all through spring.