For the last 3 months sales of resale homes have dropped in value month after month. We sit in the office day after day and with very few calls. We've retired and didn't know it. It looked like it was going to be another dismal spring and summers.

February 2, 2009 there is this awful noise and its insistent at the office, Oh it’s the phone and its ringing. People are calling and want us to show them houses to buy. That’s Good! Take 2 listing over the weekend and one has 4 offers, that’s good! And 2 of the offers are over full price, that’s even better!

As for the 5 new buyers who want to start look at property, into the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) we go looking for properties that fit their needs. Plenty of properties listed that fit their needs. Start calling offices and agents to make sure properties are available to show. Ugh! Over half the properties we called on were in escrow or have multiple offers. Wait a minute I though no one was buying!

The phone is still ringing and we are filling our days with appointments to show buyers. YaHooooooooooooo! The times are a changing and let it be Southern California that starts the economy moving again. After all this is one of the best places in the US to live.

Whether you are a first-time home buyer, or interested in moving from your current home to a larger one, or downsizing, the Southern California Homebuyer's Fair, sponsored by the Los Angeles Times and the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®, offers a free, two-day, power-primer on the home buying process, packed with dozens of educational "how-to" seminars designed to help you navigate today's real estate market with confidence and peace of mind.

The next Home Buyers Fair is Saturday & Sunday April 18-19, 2009. For more information go to www.homebuyersfair.com. The Home Buyers Fair is FREE!!!!!!!!!
 
 

Call it a clearinghouse for contractors, but Chiefmall.com aims to be consumers' one-stop database for contractors of all specialties. Vistors can search by city, Zip code, and specialty-from air conditioning to waterproofing plus vie portfolios of contractors work.

With Chiefmall you can submit your job to all registered contractors you have searched for. Simply complete the form , and they will take care of the rest.

I have not had the opportunity to use this service yet, but I will give it a try in the future.

The following information is intended for REALTORS® and homeowners seeking information on existing mortgage workout programs.  In general, the loan modification programs on the chart (see link below) and consumer information sheets (see links below) are intended for primary residences only.

For an informational chart on existing mortgage workout programs, click here (Word Doc).  The chart is a compilation of programs offered by the larger lenders and government entities. If a specific lender or loan servicer is not on the chart, homeowners may wish to contact the lender or loan servicer to determine if a workout program is available.

For consumer information sheets containing detailed information on specific programs that REALTORS® can share with their clients, please click on the appropriate link below.
.  HOPE For Homeowners (H4H)  (Word Doc) 
.  Countrywide Financial (Bank of America)  (Word Doc) 
.  Citigroup, CitiMortgage (Word Doc) 
.  JP Morgan Chase & Co.  (Word Doc) 
.  IndyMac Federal Bank, FDIC  (Word Doc)

Federal Government Loan Modification (Word Doc)   (Participants include: Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Federal Home Loan Banks, Hope Now participants, Department of the Treasury, Federal Housing Administration and the Federal Housing Finance Agency, and Wells Fargo.)
Mortgage loan modifications typically are handled on a case-by-case basis. Homeowners having difficulty meeting their mortgage obligation or interested in finding out more about a loan modification program should start by contacting their lender. Prior to calling a lender or loan servicer, homeowners should have the following information available:
.  Loan number
.  Income information and documentation
.  Most recent mortgage statement
.  Bank statements
.  Letter demonstrating financial hardship

REALTORS® who wish to assist their clients in seeking loan modifications should ensure they are in compliance with California law.  For further information, please visit the California DRE Web site at http://www.dre.ca.gov/mlb_adv_fees.html . REALTORS® also may direct clients to work with a U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)-approved counselor.  For a list of HUD-approved counselors in California, visit the HUD Web site at http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/hcc/hcs.cfm?webListAction=search&searchstate=CA .

Information was provided by the California Association of Realtors web site if you are concerned about clicking on the links above go to www.car.gov or www.car.org/legal/mortgage-workout-programs/?view=Standard 

Through the City of Brea Community Services Department, a series of  free

exercise and craft classes are available at the Brea Senior Center, 500 Sievers

(Brea Blvd. & Elm) and Pioneer Hall (adjacent to the Senior Center). Read

through the weekly schedule to see what interests you. For more information,

call (714) 990-7750. Click here for more information.

Selling a home is like climbing Mount Everest – getting a signed contract is a great accomplishment, but that's only half the journey. The typical home sale today involves more than 20 steps after the initial contract is accepted to complete the transaction.

Much of what needs to be done before the closing is the responsibility of appraisers, loan processors, attorneys, and inspectors — the REALTOR®'s role is to coordinate those responsibilities, helping to ensure that others do their jobs promptly and correctly and that the closing isn't jeopardized.

Many steps between contract ratification and closing involve the cooperation of both buyer and seller, and attentive REALTORS® on both sides of the transaction will troubleshoot and keep everyone on track.

Home Selling from A to C (Acceptance to Closing)

Time Estimates for Delays

When things go wrong, closing can easily fall behind. Here's how much time to expect on particular delays:


One-Week Delays

Buyer submits incorrect information to lender.

Source of downpayment changes.

Escrow fails to notify parties about missing documents.

Principals leave town without signing all necessary papers.

Unknown defects are discovered in the property.

Last-minute liens discovered.

Cloud on title.

Move-out date changes.

Two-Week Delays

Lender decides at the last minute it doesn't approve of the borrower or the property.

Lender raises interest rates.

Lender requires last minute reappraisal or repairs.

Appraisal too low.

This calculator lets you compare the costs of your current home heating system with the savings offered by newer equipment and other sources of energy. It is for homes using one heating source: electricity, natural gas, propane or oil. The results should be used only as a guide. For a detailed evaluation, consult a heating contractor or other qualified professional.

The calculator requires that you enter the following information:

• Current cost of fuel for space heating (fuel cost per unit)
• Current cost of fuel for hot water (fuel cost per unit)
• Total annual heating costs (based on your fuel bills)
• Price of purchasing new heating or hot water equipment (including installation and taxes)
• Value of any rebate or incentive received for purchasing new equipment

Click here to go to the Natural Resources of Canada website

The crooks are really getting good.

Snopes.com http://www.snopes.com/ says  this is true.  

Link to this scam: http://www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/creditcard.asp

This one is  pretty slick since they provide YOU with all the information, except  the one piece they want.

Note, the callers do not ask for your  card number; they already have it. This information is worth reading.  By understanding how the VISA & MasterCard Telephone Credit Card  Scam works, you'll be better prepared to protect yourself.

One  of our employees was called on Wednesday from 'VISA', and I was called  on Thursday from 'Master Card'. The scam works like this: Caller:  'This is (name), and I'm calling from the Security and Fraud  Department at VISA. My Badge number is 12460. Your card has been  flagged for an unusual purchase pattern, and I'm calling to verify.  This would be on your VISA card which was issued by (name of bank).  Did you purchase an Anti-Telemarketing Device for $497.99 from a  Marketing company based in Arizona ?'

When you say 'No', the  caller continues with, 'Then we will be issuing a credit to your  account. This is a company we have been watching and the charges range  from $297 to $497, just under the $500 purchase pattern that flags  most cards. Before your next statement, the credit will be sent to  (gives you your address), is that correct?'

You say 'yes'. The  caller continues - 'I will be starting a Fraud investigation. If you  have any questions, you should call the 1- 800 number listed on the  back of your card (1-800-VISA) and ask for Security.'

You will  need to refer to this Control Number. The caller then gives you a 6  digit number. 'Do you need me to read it again?'

Here's the  IMPORTANT part on how the scam works. The cal ler then says, 'I need to verify you are in  possession of your card'. He'll ask you to 'turn your card over and  look for some numbers'. There are 7 numbers; the first 4 are part of  your card number, the next 3 are the security Numbers that verify you  are the possessor of the card. These are the numbers you sometimes use  to make Internet purchases to prove you have the card. The caller will  ask you to read the 3 numbers to him. After you tell the caller the 3  numbers, he'll say, 'That is correct, I just needed to verify that the  card has not been lost or stolen, and that you still have your card.  Do you have any other questions?' After you say No, the caller then  thanks you and states, 'Don't hesitate to call back if you do, and  hangs up.

You actually say very little, and they  never ask fo r or tell you the Card number. But after we were called on  Wednesday, we called back within 20 minutes to ask a question. Are we  glad we did! The REAL VISA Security Department told us it was a scam  and in the last 15 minutes a new purchase of $497.99 was charged to  our card.

Long story - short - we made a real fraud report and  closed the VISA account. VISA is reissuing us a new number. What the scammers want is the  3-digit PIN number on the back of the card Don't give it  to them. Instead, tell them you'll call VISA or Master card directly  for verification of their conversation. The real VISA told us that  they will never ask for anything on the card as they already know the  information sin ce they issued the card! If you give the scammers your  3 Digit PIN Number, you think you're receiving a credit. However, by  the time you get your statement you'll see charges for purchases you  didn't make, and by then it's almost too late and/or more difficult to  actually file a fraud report.

What makes this more remarkable  is that on Thursday, I got a call from a 'Jason Richardson of Master  Card' with a word-for-word repeat of the VISA scam. This time I didn't  let him finish. I hung up! We filed a police report, as instructed by  VISA. The police said they are taking several of these reports daily!  They also urged us to tell everybody we know that this scam is  happening. 
  

Energy Auditing Tips:
1 Check the insulation levels through your home.
2 Check for holes or cracks around your walls, ceilings, windows, and electrical outlets.
3 Check for open fireplace dampers
4 Maintain appliances and heating and cooling systems.
5 Look for ways to reduce lighting energy use.

Heating & Cooling Tips:
1 Set your thermostat low in the winter and high in the summer.
2 Clean or replace filters on furnaces once a month or as needed.
3 Turn off kitchen, bath, and other exhaust fans within 20 minutes after you are done cooking or bathing. 
4 when replacing exhaust fans, consider installing high [efficiency, low – noise models.
5 For furnaces, look for high Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) ratings. The national minimum is 78% AFUE. Look for Energy Star models, some exceed 78% AFUE.

Lighting
1 Compact fluorescent bulbs are four times more energy efficient than incandescent bulbs, provide the same light levels and last about 4-10 times longer.
2 Turn off the lights in any room you’re not using, or consider installing timers, photo cells, or occupancy sensors to reduce the amount of time your lights are on. Instead of brightly lighting an entire room, focus the light where you need it.
3 Use outdoor lights with a photocell unit or a motions sensor so they will turn on only at night or when someone is present.
4 Turn off decorative outdoor natural gas lamps, just eight such lamps burning year-round use as much natural gas as it takes to heat an average-size home during an entire winter.

Window Tips
1 In a warm-climate, install white window shades, drapes, or blinds to reflect heat away from the house.

(All information contained herein intended as helpful information only. If in doubt about any action, contact a professional.)