Lowest interest rates in decades… STOP renting, START owning!

Posted on March 28, 2009. Filed under: First Time Buyer help |

As of Friday, March 27, 30 year fixed loans are at 4.5%. This is the lowest rate in over 40 years!

Home sales in Orange County are up almost 49% this year, while home prices are are down for the 18^thconsecutive month.

Here are the facts:

• California lawmakers approved a new budget that includes a $10,000 tax credit for home buyers, the largest home buyer incentive EVER offered in in U.S. History. This incentive is offered between March 1, 2009- March 1, 2010.

• This tax credit is not limited to first time home buyers and you DO NOT have to pay it back as long as you stay in your home for 3 years!

• This California credit CAN be used with the $8,000 first-time home buyers credit made available by the Stimulus Plan.

• This means, IF you are a first-time home buyer in California, and you purchase a home that is over $200,000, you’ll get $18,000 in tax credits if you stay in your home for 3 years.

• If you take advantage of FHA Financing, you can put as little as 3% down on your new home. That could equal a few months of rent, and at the end of the year, you will have a tax credit!

OWN YOUR OWN HOME NOW!   Take advantage of LOW interest rates, lucrative tax incentives, many financing options and low down payment options!

Also,  your home = your decisions! Create your dream garden, paint in bold bright colors, decorate any way you wish!

Did you know only 1% of lenders are actually Certified Mortgage Planners? Contact one of the best! Derek Beisner provided us with the above information and is a WeeksTeam client favorite!

We at the WeeksTeam are here for you and will customize a home search to fit your criteria. Let’s work together to make your housing dreams a reality!

Help!!!!!!! I’m late on my mortgage payment! I got a Notice of Default! I have a sale date! I’m screwed!!!!

Posted on March 8, 2009. Filed under: First Time Buyer help |

Do you have any friends in Orange County going through foreclosure? They aren’t alone, and hopefully you will forward them this link.  Here’s 3 things you should know about foreclosure:

1.  Just because you’re late doesn’t mean you’ll be out on the street
2.  The bank doesn’t want your house back.  The bank is willing to work with you.
3.  There are FREE NONPROFIT organizations who are happy to help

90% of avoiding foreclosure is having the strength to fight your fears and deal with the people you don’t want to when you are down and out on your luck and finances.  Here is a PDF link to Orange County nonprofits who can help you avoid foreclosure:

FREE ORANGE COUNTY AGENCIES

TO HELP YOU FIGHT FORECLOSURE

Other agencies to contact who can help you avoid or deal with foreclosure are HUD, FHA, Freddie Mac and Fannie May.  Even the White House has a blog post to help you.  You worked hard to get the house, now work hard to keep it.  We know its hard & scary but YOU CAN DO IT!!! 🙂

Many banks are also creating home-preservation programs and have offices set up near you where you can talk to a face and eliminate the phone tree nightmare. For example, Wamu/Chase has a center set up in Santa Ana – call 866-550-5705 if you have a loan through them and want to find the closest center to you.

BEWARE:  There are a ton of shady people preying on those who are scared and late on payments right now.  Its ok to talk to professionals about your situation, but before you pay someone money to help you you should:

1.  Make sure they have a good reputation.  I’m talking personal referrals, not good sales staff.  GOOGLE THEM!
2.  Get every service they say they will provide you in writing
3.  Verify they are licensed – only licensed professionals have the right to accept $$ for services!

Its always best to exhaust your free options first.  These people want to help out of the goodness of their heart, not the goodness of their bank account.  USE YOUR RESOURCES its a tough process to go through alone!  Feel free to post your foreclosure solutions and problems below!

If you’re one of thousands who already lost the battle with foreclosure, its ok, most successful investors have been through it too!  Here is a post-foreclosure blog post for you to read.  We are happy to help direct anyone who is at any stage of this process to the right professionals, so don’t hesitate to call 877-230-3211 if you need some help or advice.  After all, its not just our duty to help you buy or sell a home.  We want you to retain it!!!!!