Orlando Real Estate News Blog

Anyone looking to buy a home in Orlando, East Orlando or any of the surrounding communities such as Windermere, Winter Garden, Ocoee, Winter Park, Kissimmee, Saint CLoud, or Lake Nona please give me a call because I have some terrific deals. I found this photos recently and I Love it. So, the answer is NO it’s not real and don’t ask where you can find it.

However, I’m seeing short sales and foreclosures right now that are 1/2 price compared to only 3 years ago. I’m hearing people saying that we are not at the bottom and they’re going to wait. Well, very simply if you wait for another $10,000 – $20,000 break in price your thinking is wrong. Let me tell you why.

Interest rates is the answer. Interest rates will rise and trying to save $10-$20 thousand will be nothing compared to a 1/2 point to a point higher in interest rates. Do the math. When you’re done doing the math, give me a call and I’ll find you that perfect home at a huge price reduction at the lowest interest rate. Don’t wait for the media to say it’s turning around, because by then it’ll be too late and you’ve missed the bottom. So CALL TODAY! 407-580-7011

Jerry LaRose is an Orlando Area Residential Real Estate Expert, who can assist you with the purchase and/or sale of real estate in Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden Florida or any place in the country. Jerry has created a team of professionals throughout Orlando and the country to ensure that you enjoy a smooth transition to your new area. Please visit www.JerrySellsOrlando.com for your real estate needs, or visit OrlandoShortSaleExpert.com for information on Short sales and Pre Foreclosures.  Please give me a call if you have questions about the Orlando and Central Florida real estate market.

 Jerry LaRose, P.A., ABR, GRI, e-PRO, CLHMS, REALTOR® 407-580-7011

Fannie Mae, seeking to break the logjam in the housing crisis, loosened its loan restrictions for real estate investors and second homebuyers last week, issuing a new set of selling guidelines.

On February 6, 2009, Fannie Mae released Announcement 09-02, a five-page document that outlines the new rules for real estate investors who own multiple properties.

“Fannie Mae is committed to providing financing opportunities for high-credit quality, bona fide investors,” said Fannie, which accounts for 40 percent of the $12 trillion in U.S. residential mortgage debt. “Experienced investors play a key role in the housing recovery and Fannie Mae’s continued support for investor borrowers is consistent with its mission to provide stability, liquidity and affordability to the nation’s housing system.”

The new Fannie Mae guidelines allow investor and second home borrowers to qualify for Fannie-backed financing on up to 10 properties if they meet strict underwriting and delivery requirements outlined in Announcement 09-02. Previously, Fannie had a “four property rule.”

Other Fannie guidelines include:

Borrowers cannot have a history of bankruptcy or foreclosure within the last seven years.

When more than four properties are financed, the borrower must have a minimum credit score of 720.

There are also reserve requirements dependent on the type of property the borrower is purchasing.

Buyers have to have 25 percent down for a second home and 30 percent for an investment property.

The change is effective March 1, 2009. The requirements apply to any investment property or second home loan being delivered to Fannie Mae — regardless of whether Fannie is the investor on the borrower’s other mortgages.

For professional investors with multiple investment properties, these new Fannie Mae changes are good news. But the restrictions on loan to value (LTV) and cash reserves are tighter than in the past. Still, it allows investors to finance a large number of properties. Now we need Freddie Mac to make a similar move.

To download the policy guidance and get more information on qualifying and underwriting, go to: Announcement 09-02

Jerry LaRose is an Orlando Area Residential Real Estate Expert, who can assist you with the purchase and/or sale of real estate in Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden Florida or any place in the country. Jerry has created a team of professionals throughout Orlando and the country to ensure that you enjoy a smooth transition to your new area. Please visit www.JerrySellsOrlando.com for your real estate needs, or visit OrlandoShortSaleExpert.com for information on Short sales and Pre Foreclosures.  Please give me a call if you have questions about the Orlando and Central Florida real estate market.

 Jerry LaRose, P.A., ABR, GRI, e-PRO, CLHMS, REALTOR® 407-580-7011

A $15,000 homebuyer tax credit, higher loan limits for Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and FHA, and government spending to lower mortgage rates are all in play as Congress and the Obama administration near agreement on an economic stimulus bill and financial stability plan for banks.

The Senate today approved an $838 billion economic stimulus bill that includes a $15,000 homebuyer tax credit, just hours after President Barack Obama’s new Treasury secretary unveiled a multitrillion-dollar financial stability plan that includes $50 billion for foreclosure prevention programs.

The financial stability plan may also lead to an expansion of existing efforts by the Federal Reserve to drive down mortgage interest rates by buying mortgage-backed securities and debt issued by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Ginnie Mae.

The version of the economic stimulus bill passed by the Senate in a 61-37 vote relies less on government spending and more on tax cuts to kick-start the economy than the version passed by the House Jan. 28 Only three Republicans voted for the bill in the Senate –

The House version of the bill would restore the upper limits for Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and FHA loan guarantee programs to $729,750 in high-cost housing markets, where they stood for much of 2008 before being reduced to $625,500 — a step endorsed by many real estate industry groups.

The House version of H.R. 1 also contains another provision backed by the housing industry — elimination of the repayment requirement on an existing $7,500 tax credit for first-time homebuyers that is scheduled to sunset on July 1. But the Senate version of H.R. 1 would go farther, increasing the tax credit to $15,000 and allowing all homebuyers purchasing a principal residence within a year of the bill’s enactment to claim it on their 2008 or 2009 returns.

The National Association of Home Builders welcomed the Senate’s move, saying a $15,000 tax break for all homebuyers could generate nearly 500,000 home sales and create more than 255,000 jobs.

NAHB Chairman Joe Robson said the enhanced tax credit would be “a powerful incentive for homebuyers to get off the sidelines” and urged Congress to make sure the full $15,000 tax credit is included in the final stimulus plan.

In a separate development, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner today released details of the Obama administration’s new financial stability plan, a successor to the much maligned Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP).

News You Need to Know for 2009 – FHA Short Sales Easier than Ever!

As if increased minimum wage laws and ultra-low interest rates weren’t good enough, short sale investors will be downright delirious to learn about changes to FHA laws set to begin in 2009. On December 24th, 2008 the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released “Mortgage Letter 2008-43″… despite the inconspicuous title, this is a powerful boon to every short sale investor in the nation.

For those of you who somehow managed not to be engrossed by this less than climatic title, here are the major changes coming soon to a FHA/HUD foreclosure near you!

1. Elimination of the clause calling for 63 percent or greater property appraisal versus debt. Now properties can appraise at any value and still be eligible for the program.

2. Increased Net. Instead of the former 82 percent net based upon appraisal value the new limits will be 88 percent if sold with 30 days, 86 percent if sold within 60 days and 84 percent thereafter.

3. Increased Closing Costs on Short Sales. Although not a lot – FHA will now allow up to 1 percent of closing costs rather than the former zero.

4. Increased Seller Incentives. Again, although not a lot this will at least allow sellers a reasonable down payment toward a rental home by putting up to $1,000 in their pocket at closing.

5. Increased Lien Allocations. Junior liens up to $2,500 are now allowed – just one more tool that helps sweeten the pot for short sale investors interested in pursuing FHA/HUD homes.

6. Removal of Repair Limitations. This is one change that could potentially add up to thousands depending upon the required maintenance on the home. This opens the doors to many homes that would otherwise be ignored due to excessive damage.

7. Exceptions to Non-Owner Occupant Requirements. This is on a case by case basis but opens to the door to rental properties formerly excluded from the program.

To learn more or read the release for yourself visit:

http://www.brokencredit.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/fha-pre-foreclosure-short-sale-guidelines.pdf

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Jerry LaRose is an Orlando Area Residential Real Estate Expert, who can assist you with the purchase and/or sale of Real Estate in Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden Florida or any place in the country. Jerry has created a team of professionals throughout Orlando and the country to ensure that you enjoy a smooth transition to your new area. Please visit www.JerrySellsOrlando.com for your real estate needs. Please give me a call if you have questions about the Orlando and Central Florida real estate market.

P.S. If you are listing your home as a short sale in Orange County Florida and Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden, or Ocoee Florida make sure you hire an agent who knows how to do short sales and has the experience to get the job done. We are doing successful short sale packages. Call us at 407-580-7011 to find out more about Orange County Short Sales and Orlando Area Short Sales.

Thirty-year mortgage rates fell last week to 4.92% and the low rates that have persisted for the last month attracted thousands of homeowners hoping to refinance to Zillow Mortgage Marketplace in December and early January.

Requests to refinance normally make up about one-third of all loan requests on Zillow Mortgage Marketplace, but in December they made up 67%. So far in January, they have made up 62%. The total number of requests also increased more than 150% from November to December.

The weekly average rates for 30-year fixed mortgages decreased to 4.92% last week, down from 5.10% the week prior, according to the Zillow Mortgage Rate Monitor, compiled by leading real estate website Zillow.com(R). Meanwhile, rates for 15-year fixed mortgages decreased to 4.58%, down from 4.79% and 5-1 adjustable rate mortgages decreased to 5.35% from 5.62%.

Mortgage Type Average Rate Average Rate % Change
Week ending 1/11/09 Week ending 1/4/09
30-year fixed 4.92% 5.10% -3.6%
15-year fixed 4.58% 4.79% -4.5%
5-1 ARM 5.35% 5.62% -4.8%

Rates for 30-year fixed mortgages fell far below 5.00% again on Monday evening, with the average rate on Zillow Mortgage Marketplace at 4.86%.

At a state level, the 30-year fixed mortgage rate in Maryland and Virginia had the biggest decreases, dropping from 5.26% to 4.97% and 5.21% to 4.93%, respectively. Rates on 30-year fixed mortgages were lowest in the states of Arizona (4.80%) and Texas (4.84%), while Maryland (4.97%) and Michigan (5.05%) had the highest rates.

State Average 30-yr. Fixed Average 30-yr. Fixed % Change
Rate Rate
Week ending 1/11/09 Week ending 1/4/09

About the author:

Jerry LaRose is an Orlando Area Residential Real Estate Expert, who can assist you with the purchase and/or sale of real estate in Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden Florida or any place in the country. Jerry has created a team of professionals throughout Orlando and the country to ensure that you enjoy a smooth transition to your new area. Please visit www.JerrySellsOrlando.com for your real estate needs. Please give me a call if you have questions about the Orlando and Central Florida real estate market.

Jerry LaRose, P.A., ABR, GRI, e-PRO, CLHMS, REALTOR® 407-580-7011

(Copyright © 2008 By Jerry LaRose, P.A. All Rights Reserved.)

The House Financial Services Committee adopted H.R. 6694, legislation designed to reauthorize and reform down payment assistance programs that the Bush Administration banned in July.

A last-ditch effort to head off the Oct. 1 ban on the use of seller-funded down-payment assistance with FHA-backed loans is picking up steam as a compromise bill that would mend rather than end the practice of down payment assistance.

HR 6694 would allow qualified borrowers with credit scores of 680 or above to use seller-funded down-payment assistance on FHA-backed loans. Borrowers with scores between 620-680 will be subject to risk-based pricing and higher insurance premium fees.

But the bill still needs to be approved by Congress and the President.

Today’s committee vote was a positive step toward preserving down payment assistance, but it’s far from over. Now more than ever, members of Congress need to know that Americans are watching their vote on H.R. 6694.

I encourage everybody who wants to see seller assisted down payment assistance preserved to tell their representatives in the House and the U.S. Senate that a vote for H.R. 6694 is a vote for the next generation of homeowners.

Many times other Orlando agents and sellers have asked “What should go into a Hardship letter for a short sale” Below I am sharing with you an example that I use with my sellers. It may not be perfect but it works. Hope this Helps. 

Lender Name

Lender Address

 Today’s Date

 Re:  Hardship Letter/Short Sale for 123 Main Street, City, State 12345

 To Whom It May Concern:

 I purchased the property at 123 Main Street in March 2006.  At that time, I had just started my own antique resale business, which had great promise for generating profits capable of supporting my mortgage.  Unfortunately, sales were slow, which I attribute to great declines in tourism after gas prices skyrocketed.  I ran out of money, and began working as a waiter to make ends meet. At the same time I was redoubling my efforts in my own business, but to no avail. After struggling for months to make my expensive mortgage payments, I had no choice but to put my house on the market. In August of 2006 I put my home up for sale by owner at an original listing price of $210,000. The only people to look at the house ran when they saw the extensive damage to the pool and the severe water damage from a leaking roof that had long needed a replacement. I lowered the price, but still had no takers. Over the next couple of months I lowered the home price three times, finally settling at $170,000. This price was the lowest I could list the house at and still afford real estate agent commissions to be deducted, although it leaves me with no profit. The home still has no offers. I am working with a Real Estate agent now, who is listing my house and promises to push it to get it sold quickly. I believe that using an actual agent will ensure that the home sells promptly.

 I love my home, but I also understand that at this point, I cannot afford it.  I am a single parent, now working as a waiter to survive.  My financial situation cannot sustain a home mortgage of nearly $2000.00 per month.  I would like nothing more than to sell my home, avoid foreclosure, and salvage my credit. This is my main concern. I know that a foreclosure on my record will affect me for years to come. I would ask that you please assist me in avoiding this. 

 Please accept this offer as payment in full.  My attorney has advised me to file bankruptcy, but I prefer to avoid further destruction of my credit.  I just want to move on and start over.

 I deeply appreciate your help and understanding in this matter.  If you have any questions, or need anything further from me, please contact me personally.

 Kindest regards,

Home Owner Name

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Jerry LaRose is an Orlando Area Residential Real Estate Expert, who can assist you with the purchase and/or sale of Real Estate in Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden Florida or any place in the country. Jerry has created a team of professionals throughout Orlando and the country to ensure that you enjoy a smooth transition to your new area. Please visit www.JerrySellsOrlando.com for your real estate needs.  Please give me a call if you have questions about the Orlando and Central Florida real estate market.

P.S. If you are listing your home as a short sale in Orange County Florida and Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden,  or Ocoee Florida make sure you hire an agent who knows how to do short sales and has the experience to get the job done. We are doing successful short sale packages. Call us at 407-580-7011 to find out more about Orange County Short Sales and Orlando Area Short Sales.

1. Your credit score may fall 100 points or more.

2. You may be asked to sign a note or take a new loan for the amount of the short fall.

3. The lender may get a judgement against you for the amount of the short fall.

4. You may have to pay income taxes on the amount of the shortfall – it could be taxed as income to you.

5. Understand that you will have to prove that you cannot pay. Similar to how you qualified for the loan, but now you have to prove that you cannot afford this loan. What’s changed?

6. Understand that big discrepancies or a big gap between your income/assets used to obtain the loan may indicate mortgage fraud, unless employment or expense circumstances have drastically changed.

7.You will need to get in writing from the lender that they will approve your contract for a lower payoff.

8. Some lenders won’t talk to you until you’re behind in payments on your mortgage.

9. Make sure you and your realtor disclose everything to the buyers on the front end.

10. Contract must contain ad addendum stating that the sale is contingent upon approval by the seller’s lender of a reduced loan payoff.

11. Property should be sold “AS-IS” to make it as simple as possible for the lender.

12. The home should be listed for sale close to market value at first and the price reduced over several weeks, showing the lender that you tried to sell higher and no one bit on the higher price.

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Jerry LaRose is an Orlando Area Residential Real Estate Expert, who can assist you with the purchase and/or sale of Real Estate in Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden Florida or any place in the country. Jerry has created a team of professionals throughout Orlando and the country to ensure that you enjoy a smooth transition to your new area. Please visit www.JerrySellsOrlando.com for your real estate needs. Please give me a call if you have questions about the Orlando and Central Florida real estate market.

P.S. If you are listing your home as a short sale in Orange County Florida and Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden, or Ocoee Florida make sure you hire an agent who knows how to do short sales and has the experience to get the job done. We are doing successful short sale packages. Call us at 407-580-7011 to find out more about Orange County Short Sales and Orlando Area Short Sales.

Too many agents are afraid to take on short sales, as they should be. They’ve heard that these short sales in Orlando are too complicated, the lenders are uncooperative (and sometimes hostile), or the property gets foreclosed on before they find a buyer. Any of these can happen, but mostly to agents who are unaware of how to successfully negotiate and close a short sale.Let me tell you, if it was that easy, every agent in Florida would be rolling in cash by now. Our Services include:

• Presenting a solution to the lender and negotiating favorable terms
• Allowing the borrower and her/his family to get a fresh start
• Expediting the process with a fast resolution.Our success rate is among the highest in Orlando. Many of our services are FREE OF CHARGE to the borrower and our consultation services are always FREE. If you are considering doing a short sale on your property give me a call and we can discuss the in’s and out’s of doing a successful short sale. You need a Short Sale Specialist and now you’ve found one. Call me today for a Free Consultation at 407-580-7011********************************************************* Jerry LaRose is an Orlando Area Residential Real Estate Expert, who can assist you with the purchase and/or sale of Real Estate in Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden Florida or any place in the country. Jerry has created a team of professionals throughout Orlando and the country to ensure that you enjoy a smooth transition to your new area. Please visit www.JerrySellsOrlando.com for your real estate needs. Please give me a call if you have questions about the Orlando and Central Florida real estate market.P.S. If you are listing your home as a short sale in Orange County Florida and Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden, or Ocoee Florida make sure you hire an agent who knows how to do short sales and has the experience to get the job done. We are doing successful short sale packages. Call us at 407-580-7011 to find out more about Orange County Short Sales and Orlando Area Short Sales.

Do I qualify for a Short Sale? Do You….

• Owe more on your Orlando area property than what you could sell it for, especially after real estate commission, closing costs, late payments, interest, etc?
• Have difficulty covering your expenses each month?
• Not have money in the bank to cover the difference of what you could sell your house for and what you owe the bank?

Are You Having Trouble Making The Payments? Are You….

• Feeling the stress mounting with each missed payment and phone call from your bank?
• Have difficulty covering your expenses each month?
• Getting confused as to what your options are at this point?

Foreclosure Sale Date Approaching?

•·        Are you behind on your payments?

•·        Do you owe more than your home is worth?

•·        Have you lost your job, fell ill, or lost a loved one?

•·        Did your “ARM” adjust & you can’t keep up?

•·        Do you want to just walk away and not owe a dime?

Many Luxury Homes are also facing foreclosure. If you have a Luxury home in Windermere, Winter Garden, or the Orlando area Yes, you can do a Short Sale on Luxury Homes. Call me and I can help!

Jerry LaRose is an Orlando Area Residential Real Estate Expert, who can assist you with the purchase and/or sale of Real Estate in Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden Florida or any place in the country. Jerry has created a team of professionals throughout Orlando and the country to ensure that you enjoy a smooth transition to your new area. Please visit www.JerrySellsOrlando.com for your real estate needs.  Please give me a call if you have questions about the Orlando and Central Florida real estate market.

P.S. If you are listing your home as a short sale in Orange County Florida and Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden,  or Ocoee Florida make sure you hire an agent who knows how to do short sales and has the experience to get the job done. We are doing successful short sale packages. Call us at 407-580-7011 to find out more about Orange County Short Sales and Orlando Area Short Sales.