How We Got Here: It's Housing, Stupid

by Chris Isidore
Thursday, September 18, 2008
CNN/Money.com

The Wall Street crisis has been caused by plunging housing prices. So despite the billions of dollars being thrown at the problem, experts say more trouble lies ahead. The nation's financial system is in the midst of a massive shakeup and many on Wall Street and in Washington are pointing fingers and looking for someone to blame. But in the end, it all comes back to one issue - housing. Read the rest of the story...

Richard's commentary...

This story does not mention the huge greed factor nor the lack of government regulation of the financial institutions making these risky "bets" on the housing market. Many mortgages only required a "breathing person". "Yes I work a minimum wage job but I am telling you that my income is $200,000 a year", and that is almost what many of the lenders wrote down. Because the home was collateral for the loan...no worries...we will just take it back on foreclosure and sell it to someone else for a profit....because home prices will ALWAYS GO UP.

What nonsense!!! Real Estate is and always will be cyclical with ups and downs with the overall trend upward. Now there is a large downturn in home values and the financial institutions that bet wrong are going down the tubes.

A little common sense here from common people. Would you just give a property as valuable as your home to someone who told you he made a lot of money but did not show you with proof and with none of his/her cash in the deal? Would you sell your car to someone you did not know who just told you he would pay you but offered no proof that he/she could and drove off into the sunset with you holding a worthless piece of paper? Of course not. Then why did the financial institutions do that? And who is accountable for it?

When Franklin Roosevelt was President during the Great Depression of 1929-1941, Financial Institutions were divided up into commercial banks, savings and loans, insurance, stocks & bonds, real estate....distinctly separate and not allowed to compete in each other's business. Banks could not sell life insurance, Stock Brokers could not have checking accounts and other bank functions...you get the idea.

Then in the 1980's and continuing to now, deregulation was the mantra. Get the government out of business and let the market take care of itself. Now all Financial Institutions seem to be intertwined and offering the same services chasing the same consumer/investor dollar. Now greed and the need to have ever increasing unrealistic profits to push up their share prices on Wall St.

Well, the market has spoken. Many of the very wealthy and influential that were involved in causing this fiasco escaped without loss before the big melt down and may actually be receiving Gov't handouts as well. We the average taxpayer are going to pay for many years for this in many ways.

What to do now??

Get out there and buy your home or investment property now before the coming credit crunch knocks you out of the market with higher interest rates and much tougher qualifying standards. Rates are low, prices are affordable, there is a great selection of terrific deals, and it is still easier to get a good fixed rate FHA loan.

Get moving before you miss out...It's a Buyer's Market now!! The sellers are the ones crying that the market is bad. Think about it....act on it!!

Here are a couple of free resources for you to get started in finding a great deal on a home.

Go here to get access to the Real "Rock Bottom" Priced Home Deals
Many of these homes are great condition and are move in ready.

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on the "Fixer Upper Hot-List"

Free Report: "How to Stop Renting and Own Your Own Home"

Got a comment, thought or opinion? Post it on this blog. That is what its for.

Bargain Hunters are Boosting Home Sales Now

An Article on the front page of USA Today on April 17, 2008 suggests now is the time to get out there and buy a home, especially if you are a first time buyer. I could not agree more. It is a great Buyer's Market. A word of caution... When more and more of these "Get out and Buy Now" articles appear in the media, other potential Buyers will start getting the message. Then your advantage of being there first WILL BE LOST and may cost you BIG MONEY.


Home sellers are reading and watching the media too. They will get stubborn on price and terms. That will cost you BIG MONEY. The time to move is now, before the rest of your potential Buying competition finds their own Realtor and gets Pre-Approved for a home loan. The Summer is the busy season and 2008 promises to be better than the last two years.


I suggest two things to make the most profit on your home purchase:


#1 Read this article and

#2 Contact me or any other competent Realtor and Lender to find out how you can get in now and get a great deal on a home.

Read the complete story in USA Today

Find the GREAT Home Deals here!

Best regards and Happy House-hunting,

Richard Pomisel, Realtor
Dan Schwartz Realty Inc


Toll Free (24hr Hotline) 1(800)474-2841

Direct (602)214-1166

eMail: Richard@Pomisel.com

Rental Strategies - 5 Basics to Remember When Renting Out a House

RISMEDIA, March 10, 2008—Renting out a house isn’t rocket science, but there are some basic rules that should be followed to increase your chances of success: Continued >

Richard says...

I receive many inquiries from investors and home sellers who for one reason or another can not sell their homes right now by the usual means of cashing out and moving on. Renting can be a very good money making strategy if done right and getting all of the ducks in a row.

If you keep your present house as a rental, you may still be able to finance and buy your next home. The rental property income is considered when obtaining financing on your next home. If it is rented out at the same price as your payments, it is a wash. If for more than your expenses, then it is added income on your financial statement. There are additional benefits to owning rental properties but I won't get into them at this time.

Most horror stories I have heard about rentals is related to not following sound practices as outlined in this article and taking short cuts. These "time and money saving" short cuts can ultimately be a very costly financial and legal disaster to the novice landlord.

Some things to consider are...

1. Proper cleaning of the property is very important. Have you gone to rent or buy a home with dirty bathrooms and an oven with crusted food in it? "Next" is what most reasonable people would say.
2. Know what the rents are for similar properties in your area. This is business. Get your numbers. Your property is competing with others in the area. Make sure you are priced right. Buyers of any product or service look for value in what they are paying their hard earned money for just as you do.
3. Do some creative marketing and get the word out that you have a nice property for rent. There are many creative and inexpensive ways to do this.
4. How about not screening prospective tenants properly? This is a big one. Yes, it costs a few bucks but....would you like to trust your home (expensive investment) to a deadbeat or have it turned into a meth lab ? Have a non-refundable application fee cover this expense. Large apartment complexes do, so why not you?
5. Know and follow the laws relating to landlord and tenant rights. Have a well written lease agreement in place. Yes they are renting your property, but you can not do anything you want to tenants. Treat your tenants with fairness and respect. They are putting money in your pocket. They are not the enemy. They may be the perfect buyer for your property in the future.

If you have any questions on any real estate subject matter, feel free to "Ask a Real Estate Expert".

Have a profitable day,

Richard Pomisel

Bernanke: Fed ready to act aggressively

Bernanke: Fed ready to act aggressively

January 10, 2008 1:21 PM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said on Thursday the U.S. economy's prospects were worsening because of a weak housing sector and credit market turmoil and said the central bank was ready to act aggressively to bolster it.

"In light of recent changes in the outlook for and the risks to growth, additional policy easing may be necessary," Bernanke said in remarks to a housing and finance group.

"We stand ready to take substantive additional action as needed to support growth and to provide adequate insurance against downside risks," he said.

Analysts welcomed Bernanke's forthright acknowledgment of the dangers faced by the economy, which many fear could fall into recession.

"I think he's come to terms with the fact that while inflation may be a concern down the road, he has to take care of the train that's coming at him right now, which is the fear of a recession," said Angel Mata, managing director of listed equity trading at Stifel Nicolaus Capital Markets in Baltimore.

Bernanke cited several factors including higher oil prices as well as lower stock prices and falling home values that he said was bound to hurt consumer spending this year.

"Incoming information has suggested that the baseline outlook for real activity in 2008 has worsened and the downside risks to growth have become more pronounced," Bernanke said.

U.S. stock markets surged after Bernanke's comments, while the dollar remained weaker against a basket of currencies as investors concluded that the Fed would aggressively lower interest rates at its end-of-month policy-setting meeting.

The Fed's policy-setting Federal Open Market Committee holds a two-day meeting January 29-30. Bernanke's comments reinforced market expectations that it will cut interest rates a half percentage point.

He said last Friday's employment report, which showed only 18,000 jobs were created in December, was a clear sign of mounting economic risks. "Should the labor market deteriorate, the risks to consumer spending would rise," Bernanke said.

(Additional reporting by Emily Kaiser in Washington and Caroline Valetkevitch in New York, Editing by Andrea Ricci)

Copyright 2008 Reuters

My Commentary:

For those people who are thinking of purchasing their first home or those desperate to refinance out of an adjustable rate mortgage, interest rates are likely to improve. Recent development since the release of this article (see above) strongly suggests that the Fed’s will lower interest rates by 50 basis points later this month. Currently, the prime rate (Wall Street Journal) is at 7.25%, which would decrease to 6.75% if implemented this month.
It is important for me to point out that with lower interest rates on the rise, borrowers may still find it difficult for loan approvals. Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac has tightened up the guidelines over the last several months due to an increase of foreclosures/short sales.
A person looking for loan options can expect a bank/lender to determine interest rates and approval mostly on credit scores and monthly debt income. If your average credit score is 620 to 680, you are likely to have a higher interest rate on a conforming conventional loan. However, the expected rate reduction would still look attractive for anyone who is in that situation.
The good news is that government sponsored loans (non-conventional) such as FHA are starting to be more recognizable to the public. The FHA loan offers excellent interest rates and terms to those who may not have the best or lack of credit profile. The FHA loans limits are expected to increase to the maximum conforming loan amount, which is $417,000.00.
The bottom line is that Mr. Bernanke must continue to act aggressively with the real estate industry to prevent a potential danger of a recession. We must continue to be positive in 2008 and be smart with our decisions whether it is in real estate, retirement, or monthly spending.

Aaron S Brown Loan Advisor - Flagstar Bank Aaron.S.Brown@flagstar.com
888-760-8383 Ext: 130

Is Hiring a Buyer's Agent Important?

Watching Out for You, the Buyer

By Mary Ellen SlayterWashington Post Staff Writer Sunday, November 11, 2007; Page F07

If you're thinking of buying a home, one of your first decisions is whether to work with a buyer's agent.
As the name suggests, a buyer's agent is a real estate agent who represents the buyer in a home sale, as opposed to the listing agent who represents the seller. It's important to understand that just because an agent shows you a house doesn't mean she works on your behalf....read more.

My commentary

If you've read the article you probably reached the conclusion that it is a good move, provided the Realtor(r) has your best interest at heart. It is important that you are in control of the process and have the most complete information possible.

Many agents check the MLS and pick a few homes they think you want. They drive you over to each one and try to sell you one of them. The wrong person is in control.

Many buyers become frustrated by the difficulty in getting the information needed to make an informed decision about buying a home. They drive for hours on weekends through neighborhoods, scan the newspapers and go through the hassle of listening to endless sales pitches from agents over the phone. Some just quit in disgust due to the time and hassle of it all.

My VIP Buyer Profile System takes the hassle factor out of home buying. You receive complete listing information with addresses, maps, pictures, and background data via e-mail that is easy to use. You can pick through the homes that meet your needs, drive by the ones that interest you, and call me when you want to see one on the inside. You are in charge of the homes you want to see. And you are never obligated to buy a home.

Do you think it would help you to have inside information on the house you want to buy?

• Would it be helpful to know what the present owner paid for the home?
• When they bought it? What other homes in the area sold for?
• What about other home-owners in the area not on the MLS that may need to sell?
• What about good deals in Foreclosures or other distress sales?

I'm looking forward to helping you get a good deal on your next home.

For more information call 1(800) 474-2841 toll-free/ 24 hrs. or email me at Richard@Pomisel.com

Living Near Light Rail Can Be Shrewd Investment

Living near ( within 3 blocks) on either side of the Light Rail System may be a shrewd investment even in the current market downturn. The negative sales statistics in the media have disheartened many home sellers and buyers alike. The stats are a very broad survey of a very large area, this "Valley of the Sun".

There are neighborhoods that are holding and even increasing in value. This is one area that is attracting hugh investment. Why not buy a home or condo within 2 to 3 blocks of the Light Rail System in an upwardly moving neighborhood? That's the way people make money in Real Estate.

It is important to research your market position if you are planning to sell. It must be a specific study of your neighborhood. You may be in one of the good areas. If not, then you definately know where you stand and what effective strategies may get you the most money for your area.

For buyer's, they too must do their homework. A home may be very low priced. Why is that? What are the prices in the neighborhood? Is it a desirable place to live? Are the schools good? Even if you do not have children, the school's quality is very important. A good school system will improve your future sale position if you sell later on down the road. Where do you want to live?

Read more about the impact of the Light Rail System on business and Real Estate in a recent article in the AZ Republic.

Post your comment in this issue?

Best regards,
Richard Pomisel, e-Pro, GRI
Richard@Pomisel.com
1(800)474-2841 Toll-Free

Pros fess up to their retirement-building blunders

This is a REAL EYE OPENER. These are the ones that had the courage to disclose this information to the public. I think there are certainly worse blunders that no one will own up to.

We all make mistakes. But when they involve retirement, serious mistakes can mean working till you drop instead of retiring in style. Invest too conservatively? You could fall short of cash in retirement. Too aggressively? A market downturn could wipe out your savings....read the full story here.

What do you think about this story? Let me know.

Find out how to buy a home or investment the smart way.

Have a Great Day,

Richard

Foreclosures on the Rise in Outlying Areas

A recent article in the AZ Republic addressed the rise in Residential Foreclosures in the new communities in the outlying areas of Metro Phoenix. What caused this problem? There are several factors that are responsible, many of which are occurring simultaneously.

Home buyers have long flocked to metropolitan Phoenix's farthest flung suburbs to get the most house for their buck.In the housing market, it's known as "drive until you qualify" - the farther out you go, the less expensive the homes.But where affordability and steady appreciation once enticed many to the Valley's edges, foreclosures are now forcing them out. Read the complete story.

Here is my advice to avoid this happening to you. Stick to the fundamentals. If you can't afford a home now without using a "tricky-dicky loan", you'll just have to wait, save more money, reduce your spending and increase your income until you can. In all fairness, many people lose their jobs, get hit with huge medical bills, get divorced or have some other unfortunate life event hit them that caused them to lose their home. Life happens.

If you are a potential home BUYER , there are plenty of good deals out there with or without Foreclosures. Now you have a much better shot at finding the home you really want because the selection to choose from has never been so large. To find those deals and BUY a home of your own or a good investment property, Click Here.

"Insider Real Estate Secrets Revealed"
...a must-read for Home-Owners and Renters!
It's a FREE 12-lesson course covering more than 20 topics
exposing the realities behind buying and selling a home. Click Here

What do your think about the article? Give me your two cents :)

Richard Pomisel
Realtor
1715 W.Northern Ave., Suite 100
Phoenix, AZ 85021
Toll Free:1(800) 474-2841
Mobile: (602)214-1166
e-Mail: Richard@Pomisel.com

10 "Must Do" Steps to Sell Your Home this Year

This article is an answer to the number one question I get from people who are thinking about selling their homes or tried to sell and were unsuccessful...this time. I hope that this article will be helpful to you. I look forward to your feedback.

10 "Must Do" Steps to Sell Your Home this Year - It's a buyer's market in most areas of the country so if you're selling your home this year, be prepared for a marathon, not a sprint. Following these 10 tips will help you sell soon.

Get more detailed information specifically as it relates to your home selling plans.

Each month, we publish a series of articles of interest to homeowners, renters, families, singles, and seniors -- money-saving tips, household safety checklists, home improvement advice, real estate insider secrets, etc. Whether you currently are in the market for a new home, or not, we hope that this information is of value to you. Please feel free to pass these articles on to your family and friends. Sign up today.

Richard Pomisel, e-Pro, GRI
Real Estate Consultant
Dan Schwartz Realty Inc.
1715 W.Northern Ave., Suite 100
Phoenix, AZ 85021
Toll Free:1(800) 474-2841
Mobile: (602)214-1166
e-Mail: Richard@Pomisel.com

You Can Buy and Sell Individual Houses With an Self-directed IRA

Retirement planning is even more important than ever. Most of today's Retirement Plans are much different than the guaranteed pension income of our Parents and Grandparents. If you have a 401K, 403B, or IRA, you are now fully responsible for your investment choices and results. So, in addition to wearing your employee or business owner hat, you must be your own investment expert.

Most of today's investment experts stress diversification as a way to minimize risks of loss. Laws have changed. You are now allowed to invest directly in Real Estate, even purchasing and selling individual properties through your IRA. You are no longer at the complete mercy of the Stock Markets and Mutual Funds. Investing in Real Estate with a Self-Directed IRA can really kick your returns into overdrive. This recent article will give you some valuable tips. I look forward to your comments.

Diversify an IRA with Real Estate - A self-directed IRA allows the owner to invest in real estate, but the rules and risks are many.

Your Real Estate Professional,

Richard Pomisel
Real Estate Consultant
Dan Schwartz Realty Inc.
Toll Free:1(800) 474-2841 (save money on your call)
email: Richard@Pomisel.com

Visit my website http://www.pomisel.com/ for FREE information.
Free Report Fixer Uppers, Facts and Myths
Search for Great Deals in New Homes
Free List of Foreclosures and Bank Owned Properties
--And much more....