Learn how realtors can use self-directed IRAs to help their clients purchase investment property. Kaaren Hall, President of uDirect IRA Services discusses how to use this powerful investment tool. Your IRA can purchase Real Estate. You've been able to use your IRA in this manner for over 30 years but few know the ins and outs. Listen to this informative event and learn how you can help your clients to purchase investment property with their retirement funds. To sign up: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/americor PASSWORD: udirect www.uDirectIRA.com 11/24/2009

Irvine Real Estate is HOT!  Corona del Mar Properties along with Collins Commercial has a new listing available. If you are in the market to purchase Irvine Commercial Real Estate then you have found what you are looking for!  This property is well maintained with over 1 Million in upgrades!   As you walk through the front doors your eyes will be captured by the beautiful and modern designs.  Your eyes will be satisfied with every sight.  Your ears will be soothed by the many ponds and your feet will thank you as you gracefully walk along pebble tech flooring.  No need to bring your lunch to work a full chefs kitchen is at the palm of your hands. After you eat lunch you can work out in the fitness room or relax in the media room.  Your new office building is going to be your home away f... 11/05/2009

Pre-tax or after-tax? That is the question? I'm not a tax professional (I'm a Third Party Administrator for self-directed IRAs). So, check with a tax professional to verify... with that disclaimer out of the way I'll say that income taxes are on sale next year. I mean a red hot fire sale! In 2010 there's something called TIPRA, the Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act. So why should you care? With TIPRA you can CONVERT pre-tax IRA money to Roth money REGARDLESS OF INCOME. Note I say "convert" and not "contribute". The income limits still apply for contributing to a Roth IRA, but you can convert to Roth no matter how much you earn. That's great by itself but the feds are giving us another perk here. When you convert pre-tax to after-tax retirement money you have to pay the tax ... 11/03/2009

If you could ask any question about how to self-direct your retirement savings, what would it be? Go to this website: http://www.justaskkaaren.com/ Ask your question then join us for a live 60-minute LIVE, Teleseminar Interview by expert business coach Larry Gassin to hear your questions answered. Date: Monday Nov 9th Time: 4:00pm PST Cut & paste this link in your browser to ask your question - http://www.justaskkaaren.com/ 11/02/2009

There are less short sales & REOs on the market today compared with a week ago, (when there were 16). The number of short-sales in "backup offers" status is now 26. Of the 50 active Woodbridge listings, 10 are short sales & 2 are REOs. The list-prices range from $320,000 for a 1,000 square foot, 2-bedroom short-sale condo, to $1,399,000 for a 3,400 square foot lake-view 4-bedroom SFR. 26 Woodbridge homes sold in October, and these prices ranged from $281,000 for a 917 square foot 2 bedroom, 2 bath condo, to $1,130,000 for a 3,495 square foot 5 bedroom, 4 bath SFR. Of the sold homes, less than 20% had special conditions, (1 was a short sale, 4 were REO's). The others were all standard sales. Let's see how many short sales close in November..... 11/01/2009

38 of the 57 Woodbridge homes currently on the market for sale, (or two thirds of all properties), are standard sales. The other listings are short sales, (16 homes), and REOs, (3 homes). As far as Woodbridge lease listings go, right now there are 72 available. These range in price from $1,275 per month for a 1-bedroom condo, to $3,800 per month for a 4-bedroom SFR. My beautiful 5-bedroom listing at 1 White Birch has just been reduced in price to $2,950 per month. It's on hold for a couple of days while the handyman & painter do their stuff. 10/25/2009

Orange County, CA condo buyers using FHA financing just got an extra month added to the upcoming deadline of the end of the Spot Approval program. Back on June 12, 2009, FHA Mortgagee Letter 2009-19 was released, detailing new FHA Condo project approval guidelines, and setting a date for the end of the Spot Approval program along with elimination of nearly all condo project approvals in Orange County.New Deadline for Spot Approval Program is December 7, 2009Initially, the deadline was to be October 1, 2009. Then, with a push from the National Association of Realtors, FHA relented and decided to delay implementation of the new policy until November 3. Now, the deadline has been delayed again until December 7, 2009.What Will Happen When, Or if This New Policy Goes Into Effect?FHA financin... 10/24/2009

RE/MAX Homes & Estates Pre-Foreclosure Division  (714) 588 -7676 ∙  www.orangecountyshortsalerealtor.com   If you are in a situation where: • You lost your job • Your Medical Expenses are too high • Just went through/going through a divorce • You are behind on your payments • You have no equity • You can't afford the cost of selling your home • Your income has been reduced • You are in foreclosure   WE CAN HELP YOU! It's easy and doesn't cost you any MONEY! Our services are Free!!! WHEN THE DEBT EXCEEDS YOUR HOME'S VALUE... we can help is with a SHORT SALE.   Benefits of a Short Sale: • Avoid Foreclosure • Avoid Bankruptcy • Reduced damage to your credit • Postpone your foreclosure sale date • A short sale will stay on your credit approx 3 years • BE FREE of financial and emotional burd... 10/20/2009

In the Orange County Register today there was an article about the Irvine Company being optimistic about the economy so much so that they are going to bankroll 685 construction units.  While defaults are still mounting Jobless rates are still high the Irvine Company is still optimistic.  Yet housing starts are at a record low, while new homes sales have dropped in 37 of the past 38 months the Irvine Company is still optimistic. On Monday they are unveiling the 2010 New Home Collection,a project that will put 6 home building companies back to work.  You can see the new home models are beginning to sprout up.  They believe the recovery is underway and that they will come out of the gate strong.  They believe that the consumer is looking for homes while the prices are low. The six builders... 10/18/2009

LISTING AGENTS BEWARE! THE FHA BUYER PURCHASE TRICK!   This also could be titled "How to secure a home for a FHA buyer!". This blog is about housing markets where competition among starter and low end homes is fierce. So there is a property that is listed at 390k. Low end comps at 380k and high end comps at 400k. The FHA buyer's agent makes an offer for 410k! Wow, that is just great and your clients get excited. Ignoring the lower offers that the conventional and cash strong buyers gave, you enter into contract with this FHA buyer as it will net your clients more....or NOT! Guess what, the appraisal comes back at 395k. The FHA buyers do not have more than the 3.5% needed to get the loan. So they re-negotiate the purchase contract at some number (usually appraisal price) and proceed to c... 10/07/2009

September ended with 25 Woodbridge closed sales – more that twice the number that closed in August.   Does that mean the upturn has come?   Not necessarily…. 21 Woodbridge homes closed in July.   A lot has to do with the homes that are in Backup Offers or Pending status, and right now, there are 65 homes in these categories. It’s anyone’s guess as to how many will close in October – if indeed they close at all. Only half these 65 homes are Standard Sales and we all know not to hold our breath when working with Short Sales and REO’s, (bank-owned homes).   It’ll sure be interesting to look back in a year’s time, and analyze this market’s numbers.   The prices of the 25 Woodbridge homes that sold in September ranged from $272,500 to $860,000.   55 homes are Active in Woodbridge at the mom... 10/04/2009

Too often, Orange County real estate transactions fall out of escrow just when they are supposed to be closing. Why? While there are no specific statistics to back an answer to this question, 2106 expenses would seem to be good answer to that question. We know that appraisal issues have also been common in 2009, but too often tranactions fall apart because of the borrower qualification, even after they were supposedly "PreApproved." What are 2106 Expenses and why do they become an issue, at times, late into escrow?What are 2106 Expenses?2106 Expenses are also called Unreimbursed Employee Expenses. These are expenses some employed workers will writeoff on the Schedule A of their Federal Tax Returns. Typically, these expenses are associated with people who have a sales or commission based... 10/04/2009

If You Think That Your Short Sale Owner Is a Retail Owner, then Refer Them Out!   Dear Southern California short sale agents. Have you obtained a short sale listing in which your clients will not: 1. Clean up their home? 2. Be flexible on showings? 3. Allow lockboxes or signs? 4. seem reasonable to you? Well then, please do the right thing and refer them to an agent who knows what they are doing. One that understands the mentality of someone who is in a foreclosure situation.   Dear Southern California Short Sale Owners. Don't hire the wrong agent to do your short sale! Do they want you to do one or more of the following?: 1. Keep your property clean?  2. Make you leave when buyers are visiting your property? 3. Want to put a lockbox and sign on your property? 4. Make repairs? 5. Mainta... 09/28/2009

Homeowners do you have questions about your home? Do you currently owe more money on your home than it is worth? Click here. If you have been thinking what should we do....here is a thought!  Real Estate Prices go up and down, the scary thing is many positive thinkers are saying give a few years,.....who are they trying to kid?  Real Estate is a 10 year cycle.  If you are a homeowner and you owe more on your home than it is worth you have to decide if 1) you are planning to stay in your home for the long run and 2) can you afford to stay in your home for the long run?  Homeowners, if you made it pass the initial shock of reality and you do not want to take the chance of holding on to your home in fear of foreclosure, a short sale may be the best bet.  A short sale is when your mortgage ... 09/26/2009

Are you thinking of buying a home?  Have you noticed that 1 of every 2 homes if not more are Short Sales? It can get kind of frustrating when nearly every home listed is a foreclosure or in default.  The biggest complaint I hear is about the bidding wars.   There are tons of stories of how buyers place offers on properties and never hear ANYTHING back! Rule of thumb, if you have not heard anything, you did not get the property!  Best way to get the home you want, "Common Sense"!  Say the property you want is listed at $535,000 and the homes in the area are selling for $640,000, do you really think the house is going to sell at $535,000?  I guess the best tip I can give you is to work with an agents that has successfully secured a property on a short sale for several clients. An agent wh... 09/20/2009

  It Might Be an Irvine Short Sale, BUT You're still a BARNEY!   So the story goes... It's a busy Monday morning. I get a call from one of my buyers. He's excited, a new listing came on the MLS and he tells me that it is listed very low and he wants to see it TODAY! I said that I will look into it and call him back. The listing is a condo that is located on a four level complex next to Irvine Valley College and there is no view. So basically every unit will be relatively the same price for the same floorplan. Before I even look on the MLS, I have this gut feeling that this property is listed by a Barney short sale agent. Sure enough, it is listed as a short sale by "Stupid & Dense Reality", a private brokerage, who should not be doing short sales! A quick comp check tells me that this u... 09/17/2009

Short Sale Specialist, Orange County California Are you behind your Mortgage Payment?                                                            Esta atrasado con el pago de su hipoteca? Did your lender deny a Modification?                                                           Su banco le nego una modificacion? Are you facing some type of hardship?                                                          Esta atravesando por aglun tipo de crisis? Can't or Don't want to keep your house?                                                           No quiere o ya no puede retener su casa por mas tiempo?   A V O I D    F O R E C L O S U R E  ! !                                                             E V I T E   L A   R E P O S E C I O N ! ! Call Me For a Free Consultation. 714 - 955 -... 09/11/2009

8,000 dlls tax credit in Orange County, Do you qualify for it? 8,000 dlls credito sobre los impuestos en Orange County, Usted Califica? What if you already own a vacation home, are you disqualified? Que tal si ya tiene una casa que usa para vacacionar o que no habita en ella? quedo ya descalificado para este credit? What if your partner owns a house but not you, are you eligible for the tax credit? Que tal si su pareja ya tiene una casa pero usted no, viven juntos pero no estan casados, califica para este credito? This is a great opportunity for first time home buyers, to actually own a property, buy it with very low down payment, home prices are very affordable and interest rates and very low, nevertheless, a lot of buyers don't know whether they qualify for the tax credit, and if they... 09/10/2009

My Property is on FIRE and we are in Escrow now What? Surely this question has come to your mind if your property is located in a fire hazard area, and more than once you have thought what would happen in the event I'm selling my property and during the escrow period a fire strikes my neighborhood therefore my house?   Well, here you will find some information about this event.   What are the general rules relating to who bears the risk of loss in a real estate transaction where a fire or other natural disaster, strikes the property?    If the purchase contract between the buyer and seller does not state who is to bear the risk of damage or loss to the premises during the time between the execution of the contract and the transfer of title, the liability of the parties is governed by th... 09/10/2009

The FHA Spot Approval program  for unapproved condominium projects is going away on October 1, 2009. But realistically, it's already gone. Most lenders are not about to begin the Spot Approval process when only a few weeks remain. According to the new guidelines announced in Mortgagee Letter 2009-19, effective October 1, not only is the Spot Approval process eliminated, but also all current project approvals will be invalid and projects will need to be re-approved before an FHA loan can be closed. The only exception to this is that any project that has been approved after October 1, 2008 will stay approved.What Does This Mean for Orange County, CA Condo Projects?This will mean that virtually no condo projects in Orange County, CA will be approved for FHA financing. Over the past year, i... 09/05/2009