Federal Reserve Cuts Key Interest Rate by Half Point The Federal Reserve, winding down a two-day meeting on interest rates, has cut the funds rate from 1.5% to 1% as it faces the worst financial crisis in decades.  What does this mean to you and/or your clients?First, for the second time in a month The Federal Reserve has lowered rates by .50%, which means the rate on your Home Equity Line and other revolving / personal loans tied to Prime will be lower by at least 1% on next months statement. So, that means if you owe $100,000 and your rate was 5.50% this month, your payment will be approximately $83.00 less next month!  Now, that may not seem like a lot of savings but, that's $996.00 per year that can now go to a retirement vehicle instead of to the bank. Multiply that out by x number... 10/30/2008

Good Evening!Californians lose record number of homes to foreclosure, according to the Los Angeles Times article released just this week. Was this preventable? To a certain extent, yes. A record number of homes were lost to foreclosure in California over the last three months, up 228% from last year to a high of 79,511 homes. MDA DataQuick reported that more homes were taken back by lenders in the three months ending Sept. 30 than at any time since the company started tracking foreclosures in 1992.What's the solution to this problem? How could it have been avoided?A:  Loan Work Outs - Loan Modifications - Forensic Doc Audits Who is best qualified to represent you or someone you care about during this 30 to 90 day process?A:  Qualified Paralegals and Attorneys - Experienced loan modifica... 10/26/2008

FUNDS TO CLOSE for FHA With the extreme ups and downs of the current market, I know many of my clients are wondering how they are going to get the funds needed to purchase a home. But within the FHA guidelines, there are many alternatives. ***Some of these FHA guidelines may have additional investor and industry restrictions so verification per loan is necessary. As we approach the end of the year, there are many people who are wondering if they should scramble to buy a home now or wait until early next year. Whether your client decides to purchase now or wait, it is prudent that you meet with them to determine how much and from where they are going to get their down payment and closing cost funds. Below are just 3 of the 22 Important Ways to know well ahead of the closing date before y... 10/16/2008

FHA Launches New Program to Help Lenders Refinance Troubled Loans Carrie Bay | 10.03.08 The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) rolled out the new Hope for Homeowners (H4H) program on October 1. The program was created as part of the larger Economic Recovery Act of 2008 passed by Congress this summer, and is aimed to help struggling borrowers avoid foreclosure by refinancing into more affordable, sustainable, FHA-insured mortgages.H4H lets lenders and servicers with homeowners at risk of default or foreclosure turn "beyond-their-means" home mortgages into new government-backed 30-year fixed rate loans with lower payments. FHA said that given their fiduciary responsibilities and financial obligations, lenders should assess their portfolio and perform a cost-benefit analysis to determine... 10/06/2008

Only Successful People Fail       "When you make a mistake, don't look back at it long. Take the reason of the thing into your mind, and then look forward. Mistakes are lessons of wisdom. The past cannot be changed. The future is yet in your power." ~Phyllis Bottome1884-1963, Novelist and LecturerGood Afternoon!Well, what can I say?  These times are difficult and we all know it.  While I see amazing opportunity in every downturn for those who have prepared for it by seeking pro-active advice from their team of experts, I'd rather take a moment to share with you exactly what has happened that has created the need for a 700 BILLION dollar "bailout."  It's not really a bailout by the way, it's just what the media is calling it.   I would like to give full credit to Barry Habib for the expe... 10/01/2008

                   Are you asking yourself.. Where can I find Huntington Beach  Bank Owned Homes ?                                                                                             Our service is and there is no hassle! Get all the newest Huntington Beach Bank Owned Homes for sale and or Huntington Beach Bank Owned Condos  that you want sent to your inbox with No Strings attached! Cut through the red tape and get all the great and Properties sent to your Inbox when they hit the market! Sure! You can look for Homes on-line in Huntington Beach, but that does not mean the BEST HUNTINGTON BEACH LISTINGS WILL FIND YOU! Click the easy button below and get set up on our  EASY AUTOMATIC EMAIL UPDATES FOR THE HUNTINGTON BEACH REAL ESTATE MARKET!   Upon Clicking on these buttons below, ... 09/30/2008

The HOME DEPOT announced plans on September 25, 2008, for the opening of its 23rd the OC store in Huntington Beach, which is scheduled for October 30, 2008. We see this as a significant sign that Home Depot and the retail industry are enthusiastic about the future of development and building supplies in Orange County. The new Home Depot store at Magnolia in Huntington Beach will be about 126,000 square feet, including a garden center.   This new store will employ 180 workers and will be the second Home Depot in Huntington Beach.  The Home Depot spokesperson said:    "We continue to open new stores where it makes sense for our business and the community," spokesman said. "We still intend to open 55 new stores this year.  The 50 mentioned in our release are mostly in 2009 and 2010. We hav... 09/26/2008

FUNDS TO CLOSE for FHA With DAPS (Down payment Assistance Programs like Nehemiah) going away and the increased requirement of 3.5% buyer contribution, I wanted to share with you the FHA guidelines of FUNDS TO CLOSE. ***Some of these FHA guidelines may have additional investor and industry restrictions so verification per loan is necessary. So how is your client going to get the necessary funds to qualify for an FHA loan and close their loan on time? After all...they've been looking for months and months and now they finally found the right home, got their offer accepted and you're ready to help them move right on in. Below are just 3 of the 22 Important Ways to know well ahead of the closing date and quite honestly, you should know these before you start looking for a home or helping a ... 09/23/2008

Good Afternoon and Wow, What a week!THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS E-MAIL WILL MAKE YOU MONEY AND WILL MAKE YOU LOOK GOOD! I heard a startling statistic yesterday and the numbers don't lie.  It's a fact that approximately 54% of buyers/sellers will NOT use the real estate agent that they used on their last transaction.  Even worse and it comes as no surprise given the reputation of most lenders and brokers as of late, 83% of lender / broker clients will NOT use the mortgage person they used on their last transaction for their next transaction. So, what separates the good agents and brokers from the not so good?  Answer:  VALUE BASED SERVICES. Is the broker or lender that you are currently referring your clients to providing second to none value based services such as monthly Rate Wat... 09/19/2008

Good Afternoon and Happy Friday, I've been getting several emails this week regarding WAMU.  The main question is "What will happen to my loan?"  Well unfortunately, your loan won't be forgiven or swiped away....you get to keep making payments.  Regardless of the lender who holds your loan, you will either continue to make payments to their servicing company or if that bank is bought or merged with another entity, you will start to make payments to a new servicing company.  Another important note.  If your lender goes under and/or you start to make payments to another bank, none of the terms and conditions of your loan will ever change. I read this important article this morning written by Barry Habib and wanted to pass it on to you. There are some important things going on that you sho... 09/19/2008

What is going on with the LIBOR index?  First, LIBOR stands for London Interbank Offered Rate.  It's often been associated with those who have "sub-prime" mortgages but, they are quite popular amongst those with "A" paper loans as well.  If you have a loan that is tied to the LIBOR index, you should keep reading!LIBOR as well as the actual Fed Fund Rate are rates that banks charge each other.  And while the Fed has set the Fed Funds target rate at 2%, banks are jacking this up closer to 6%.  The same is happening to LIBOR, which is jumping like the chicken.  The reason is due to a lack of confidence that banks will make good on funds borrowed from each other.  The AIG scare, IndyMac Bank, Lehman and others have spooked banks into thinking that they may not be paid back.  And a low 2% ra... 09/17/2008

What Is Is"Circumstances may cause interruptions and delays, but never lose sight of your goal.  Prepare yourself in every way you can by increasing your knowledge and adding to your experience, so that you can make the most of opportunity when it occurs." ~ Mario Andretti Auto Racer Question #1 from Shelly in Scottsdale, AZLoan ModificationQ: "If I am not late on any mortgages, can I still do a loan modification and will it affect my credit rating AT ALL? Will it hit my credit even if it's something a bank agrees to do?" A: Watch Video for the AnswerQuestion #2 from Anonymous in Aliso Viejo, CABeing Upside DownQ: "If I'm upside down in my mortgage and I have to sell my home for less than I owe, what are the options, pros and cons?" A: Watch Video for the AnswerAnd yes, I am quite aware... 09/08/2008

be+DO=have "My greatest point is my persistence. I never give up in a match. However down I am, I fight until the last ball." ~ Bjorn Borg, tennis player Washington has been busy lately. In one of the most rapidly approved bills in memory, the Housing and Economic Recovery Act was passed into law, and could have significant implications on the housing and mortgage industry. The constant volatility in the market requires constant change and A LOT of persistence and perseverance. You can count on me to stay ahead of the game. And while there is a lot to share with you, I wanted to reach out to let you know a couple of things that could impact you or someone you know and care about right away. The first thing that stands to impact many homebuyers is the elimination of what is known as sell... 08/29/2008

Not to be a downer but can you believe Summer is almost at an end??? be+DO=have "My greatest point is my persistence.  I never give up in a match.  However down I am, I fight until the last ball." ~ Bjorn Borg, tennis playerWashington has been busy lately.  In one of the most rapidly approved bills in memory, the Housing and Economic Recovery Act was passed into law, and could have significant implications on the housing and mortgage industry.  The constant volatility in the market requires constant change and A LOT of persistence and perseverance.  You can count on me to stay ahead of the game.  And while there is a lot to share with you, I wanted to reach out to let you know a couple of things that could impact you or someone you know and care about right away.  The first thing that s... 08/28/2008

1- Location, Location, Location. Costa Rica is among the most highly sought-after tourist destinations. Its strategic position in the heart of the Western Hemisphere, infrastructure, access to international markets, labor quality and cost, as well as its government's positive attitude towards foreign investment, make Costa Rica an ideal setting for retiring, investing, or living. Costa Rica's natural and geographical diversity provides sound options for a wide range of luxury, retirement and Costa Rica vacation homes. 2- The view you were looking for. Costa Rica covers 19,730 square miles (51,100 km2), and though it accounts for only 0.3 per cent of the world's land area, it contains 6 per cent of its biodiversity. Whether you are looking for an ocean, city or mountain view, there is so... 08/27/2008

This past Saturday, August 23rd, I attended the event I Survived Real Estate 2008 at the Nixon Library. This event was for two purposes. The first to raise awareness and create solutions for the ailing Real Estate Industry and the second was to raise funds for the Susan Komen Foundation. Both purposes were accomplished with great success. Several people who are well known in the Real Estate industry, city government officials, leading Economists, professors and real estate investors attended. The panelists were given the opportunity to talk about their thoughts and opinions of what has caused the real estate mess, what is currently happening to solve these problems and potential solutions for the industry. Later in the evening, the panelists debated about their position and then comment... 08/26/2008

Get On The Path "Opportunities multiply as they are seized." ~Sun Tzu, Military Strategist First-time buyers and people who have not owned a home in the past three years will get a $7,500 tax credit if you purchase a home on or after April 9, 2008 or if you purchase one before July 1, 2009. Income limitations are: Married couples with incomes less than $150,000 qualify for the entire tax credit. The tax credit phases out for married couples with incomes between $150,000 and $170,000. Couples with incomes exceeding $170,000 do not qualify for the tax credit. Singles with an income less than $75,000 qualify for the entire tax credit. The tax credit phases out for singles with incomes between $75,000 and $95,000. Singles with incomes exceeding $95,000 do not qualify for the tax credit. The... 08/26/2008

  Another great restaurant to visit in the Orange County area is Savannah at the Beach. Formerly known as Chimayo, it is located at: Savannah at the Beach 315 Pacific Coast Highway Huntington Beach, CA 92648 Call: (714) 374.7273 Savannah's is located right at the base of the Huntington Beach pier and actually on the boardwalk, You can sit either inside or outside. There are umbrellas for daytime, and heaters in the evening in case it is cool from the Ocean breeze. Savannah's features a great menu and food. Enjoy the king crab legs, the wedge salad, the grilled romaine salad, or grilled Mahi Mahi. Their fish is fresh and prepared for the most discriminating palate. Not only is the taste excellent, but the presentation is also excellent. The service is fabulous. If you are driving to Sava... 07/12/2008

                                     Search all current Huntington Beach homes for Sale                                         19942 Estuary Lane in Hungtington Beach, CA. Great 2 bedroom, 1 bath home. Apprx. sq. footage : 925, lot : 6,112. BANK REPO !!! Adorable SFR, perfect for the First Time Home Buyer !! Features newer kitchen cabinets w/ granite countertops and harwood flooring.  Newer sliders lead to the large backyard.  Close to shopping, restuarants, parks and schools.  Two car attached garage. Cross streets are Adams and Magnolia, this is south Huntington Beach area. Huntington Beach Union High School District.  No Mello-Roos. Bank owned, sold "as-is". Come check it out !!!!                                                        06/11/2008

Are you looking for something fun and free (with gas prices the way the are, who isn't?) to do for The Fourth of July?  Check out the Pier Plaza Expo.  They will have a pancake breakfast, a 5K run and a fitness expo.  It runs 6 am till 9:30 pm on July 4th at Pier Plaza.  It's located at Main St. and PCH.  The admission is free, although some events and activies are extra.  You can contact 714-374-1535 for more information.  Hopefully the good weather lasts and you can enjoy the day at the beach!  Have a wonderful July 4th!!! You can also contact me at 800-845-8588, via email at reynolds@socal.rr.com or on my website at lindareynolds.com.  I'm here for all of your real estate needs! Linda 06/05/2008