Michael Bloch, Lifestyles Real Estate

Do Your Research Before Starting a Short Sale

Tue, 17 May 2011 13:51:55 GMT

A short sale often is the best option for homeowners who are having trouble with their mortgage payments and can’t sell the property because it is underwater (they owe more on the property than it would sell for in current market). However, it is extremely important that homeowners learn about all their options as well as the pros and cons of a short sale prior to making any decisions. A great place to start is with a CPA and/or Real Estate Attorney for tax and legal advice. There are also free counselors available through the US Treasury: www.makinghomeaffordable.gov or local HUD counselors that can be found on the California Association of Realtors new short sale site: www.shortsalescalifornia.com .

You should also find a Realtor who has training and experience in negotiating short sales. I offer a free consultation to anyone considering a short sale. Although I cannot give tax or legal advice, I can listen to the particulars of your situation and let you know if it appears that you would qualify for a short sale and what the process might look like. If you do decide to go that route, I will do my very best to ensure a successful transaction for you with the least amount of stress as possible.

Michael Bloch

Lifestyles Real Estate

Realtor, GRI, CDPE

Office 831.420.2100

Cell 831.588.1588

E-Fax 831.854.0600

www.AtHomeInSantaCruz.com

www.ShortSalesInSantaCruz.com

Which Properties are Selling in Santa Cruz

Fri, 25 Mar 2011 11:50:28 GMT

Which Properties are Selling in Santa Cruz

We are just about finished with the first quarter of 2011, and it is a good time to reflect on what the market has done so far this year. There is no doubt that we are seeing a lot of activity from buyers, which is a good sign for the local market. The challenge for sellers and property values in general is that buyers are being very particular about what they want to buy and how much they are willing pay. If a property is in a good area, priced well, and staged nicely, there is a good chance to see multiple offers. At the same time if anyone of the three prime factors (Location, Price and Condition) are not attractive to buyers, the property may sit without offers or may receive “low ball” offers. If two of the three factors are strong , then the property will get showings and may get offers. Of course, as in any market, if the price is low enough, there will be buyers who will overlook location and condition.

Right now the market data shows a current trend in declining values. It is hard to say if this is seasonal or if we are really going to see prices go down some. Many say we have hit the bottom, but few are now predicting prices to increase this year.

Today’s Sentinel has an article regarding the drop in median price.

Median home price $450,000 in February - By Jondi Gumz

SANTA CRUZ -- Is this the double dip predicted by some housing analysts last year? Or is it a seasonal dip that happens in January and February every year? View Full Story

Michael Bloch

Certified Distressed Property Expert

Lifestyles Real Estate

Realtor, GRI, CDPE

Office 831.420.2100

Cell 831.588.1588

E-Fax 831.854.0600

www.AtHomeInSantaCruz.com

www.ShortSalesInSantaCruz.com

Are Short Refi's the Answer?

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:43:39 GMT

Are Short Refi's the Answer?

The number of homeowners underwater nationwide is estimated to be at least 25%. That means that 1 in 4 homeowners owe more on their home than it is worth. Although there have been some success stories regarding loan modifications the vast majority of the tales tend to be "nightmares". The numbers are no better for Santa Cruz County. I hear time and time again that after months and months homeowners continue to get the run around with lost paperwork and transferred calls. The frustration level builds and often ends the owner throwing in the towel. Even if they do get an offer for a modification, it is often not affordable. And even if it is affordable, the homeowner does the math and figures out how long it will take to pay off the loan, and how long it will take for the value of the home to come up to the value of the loan, and often decide it just does not make financial sense. This leaves the homeowner no option to stay in the home and their options become short sale, bankruptcy or letting the home go into foreclosure.

So what is the solution? Many believe that the only way out of this mess is for lenders to offer "short refinance". A short re-fi would be a loan modification where the lender agrees to reduce the amount owed to them, A.K.A principal reduction. This means that the homeowner continues to pay the mortgage, but on a loan value that is closer to the actual value of the home. Recently, Wells Fargo and Alloy Financial (formerly G.M.A.C) have started conducting pilot programs to test out an FHA short Refi program for loan in their portfolio. Other major lenders such as Chase, Bank of America and Citibank said they will not get involved without the participation of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. Fannie and Freddie own a huge percentage of the loans serviced by the major banks and will not allow their loans to qualify for Short Refi.

At least it is a step in the right direction that Wells and Alloy are trying it out, and Short Refi has become a relevant topic of discussion. For more info here is an article from the New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/13/realestate/13Mortgages.html?_r=1&ref=realestate

Michael Bloch

Certified Distressed Property Expert

Lifestyles Real Estate

Realtor, GRI, CDPE

Office 831.420.2100

Cell 831.588.1588

E-Fax 831.854.0600

www.AtHomeInSantaCruz.com

www.ShortSalesInSantaCruz.com

States Seek to Overhaul Foreclosure Process

Tue, 08 Mar 2011 13:06:03 GMT

"A HUGE concern from many of my clients seeking a loan modification that the banks are often proceeding with the foreclosure process while their file is being reviewed for a loan modification. The problem is the lenders often take many months to review the files and meanwhile the risk of foreclosure continues to increase, missed payments continue to rack up on the credit report, and the ability to have enough time for a short sale decreases. This just is not fair and put's homeowners back against the wall. Do they start a short sale? If they want to stay in the home, then they at least want to know if they will qualify for a loan modification or not. The state attorneys are looking to change this. Here is a posting from the Daily Real Estate News, March 8, 2011"

www.realtor.org/RMODaily.nsf/pages/News2011030803

Michael Bloch

Certified Distressed Property Expert

Lifestyles Real Estate

Realtor, GRI, CDPE

Office 831.420.2100

Cell 831.588.1588

E-Fax 831.854.0600

www.AtHomeInSantaCruz.com

www.ShortSalesInSantaCruz.com

New Program in California/ Keep your home

Fri, 14 Jan 2011 16:54:44 GMT

I read about a program in the Santa Cruz Sentinel, as well as from a client who is looking into it. It looks like something worth looking into. Basically, there is $2billion in federal money that CalHFA is channeling to homeworkers in CA who are unemployed or under some other kind of distress.

keepyourhomecalifornia.org/

Michael Bloch

Certified Distressed Property Expert

Lifestyles Real Estate

Realtor, GRI, CDPE

Office 831.420.2100

Cell 831.588.1588

E-Fax 831.854.0600

www.AtHomeInSantaCruz.com

www.ShortSalesInSantaCruz.com

Relentless Representation

Tue, 14 Dec 2010 14:02:12 GMT

I recently added the word "RELENTLESS" to my business card. Here is an example of what I am referring to. I just closed this file on Monday. Folow the link below to see the photo of the actual file.

I represented the seller on a Short Sale on a single family home. Wells Fargo had the first loan and Chase had the second. The file was so thick I had to get an additional heavy duty file folder to for the "overflow" paperwork. The bulk of the paperwork is negotiations with negotiations with offer from buyers and with both the first and second lien holders. (Wells Fargo, and Chase) Typically I can close on a short sale in 3 months. This particular file took 6 months due to a variety of situations that arose beyond my control.

Was it worth it? YES, 100%. The seller is facing some serious hardships, and was pretty deep underwater on the home. In the end both lenders agreed to release the liens on the property and waive any future deficiencies, which probably total over $200,000. This means they wiped $200,000 plus of debt out without any right to try and collect in the future. The buyers were a nice family that now have an affordable home for their family with a fixed rate mortgage. The neighbors don't have to deal with a foreclosed property , with overgrown weed and attractive to vandals that is sitting empty.

Many agents shy away from short sales due to all the extra work involved. When I first started doing them, many agents were saying that they stay away from them. Now I am seeing many of those same agents trying to do short sales as they have become a large portion of the market, and there are a lot of hungry agents. Maybe I am weird, but I actually enjoy them. Yes, they can be frustrating at times, but the reward of helping an owner out of a difficult situation, and satisfaction of overcoming a challenging deal is priceless.

www.athomeinsantacruz.com/2010/12/14/relentless-representation-on-short-sale/

Getting HAFA Approval from Bank of America

Thu, 09 Dec 2010 23:01:06 GMT

I am currently working with a couple in Watsonville to help complete a short sale on their home through the HAFA program. They have two loans on the property, both being with Bank Of America. As with many seller doing a short sale, the primary concern is getting the lender to agree to waive the deficiency for the ammount we are short in paying off the liens. One of the huge advantages with the HAFA program is that if the lender participates in the program they automatically waive any rights to a deficiency.

It has been quite apprarent to my self and the sellers that Bank of America is still has some major bugs in processing these short sales. From my experience it appears it is the process that is getting in the way, not the desire to participate in HAFA. For example, Bank of America has outsourced a third party company called UTLS, to process the HAFA portion of the short sale. So not only do we need approval through UTLS for the HAFA underwriting, we also need approval from Bank Of America, as well as well as final investor approval.

It has been somewhere between frustrating and comical watching processing errors by Bank of America and UTLS in this process. For example, a couple of times, Bank of America will assign a task with a deadline to fill out a form. They said if we don't comlete the task on time they will decline our short sale. The problem was we could only get the form from UTLS, and customer service at UTLS says they were supposed to have sent the form to the seller, but made a mistake a never sent it. I found the form on a government website and turned that one in, but they declined it saying they had to get it from UTLS. It took another week to track down our "senior negotiator" at UTLS who finally ordered their processing department to send it to the seller.

The good news is it looks like we are very close to having the approval. As a matter of fact UTLS said they Fed Exed it the approval to the sellers, which they recieved today and will email to me in the morning. I will believe it once I have the approval letter in my hand with the terms we agreed to.

Michael Bloch

Certified Distressed Property Expert

Lifestyles Real Estate

Realtor, GRI, CDPE

Office 831.420.2100

Cell 831.588.1588

E-Fax 831.854.0600

www.AtHomeInSantaCruz.com

www.ShortSalesInSantaCruz.com

No Taxes on Short Sales in California

Fri, 07 May 2010 15:37:15 GMT

California has enacted a new law, SB 401, which state that Californians no longer have to pay tax on forgiven debt that is part of a short sale, foreclosure or loan modification.

It must be forgiven debt on a "qualified principal residence" This law will apply to debts discharged from 2009-2012. If you already filed 2009 taxes you can file for 540X to amend the return.

This is a big relief to homeowners doing a short sale on their home. For example, if you a homeowner owes $500,000 and sells the property for $400,000 in a short sale, that $100,000 difference, may be subject to state taxes. The federal government passed the "Debt Relief Act", which eliminates the federal taxes, but there was still the state tax. Under this new law, the homeowner will not be taxed in California, which could be a big relief.

I spoken with my CPA, as well as a couple of others regarding taxes on a short sale, and they said even without these new laws, many are exempt from paying taxes due to other issues such as insolvency. In other words, the property owner doing a short sale likely has debt exceeding their assets, making them exempt from paying additional taxes.

Whenever taxes are concerned, I always advise home owners to consult with their tax professional as each individuals financial situation is unique.

Michael Bloch

Certified Distressed Property Expert

Lifestyles Real Estate

Realtor, GRI, CDPE

Office 831.420.2100

Cell 831.588.1588

E-Fax 831.854.0600

www.AtHomeInSantaCruz.com

www.ShortSalesInSantaCruz.com

How a Watsonville Teacher Bought her First Home for $2000

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 19:21:38 GMT

Nobody is more deserving to be a home owner in Santa Cruz County than our teachers. As a former teacher, I great pleasure from helping teachers purchase their first home. Heidi works as special education teacher in Watsonville and her husband works for Good Will Industries in Santa Cruz. They were able to qualify for a fantastic program called an 80/17 through CALSTRS (California State Teachers Retirement System) The 80 means an 80% of the purchase price is a first loan. This is a fixed rate, 30 year mortgage at a competitive rate. The 17% is also a fixed rate mortgage at the same rate. The kicker is that that the home buyer doesn’t make payments on the second loan for the first 5 years of the loan. This gives the buyers 5 years to get used to their current payment and prepare for an increased payment. There are no surprises or variable rates.

The remaining 3 % (80+17+3=100) is the down payment. This means that 3% of the purchase price must come from the buyers for the down payment. In addition to the down payment there were about $10,000 in closing costs for title, escrow, and lender fees plus prepaid taxes, hazard insurance and mortgage interest. We were all thrilled when the seller agreed to pay the closing costs so really the only out of pocket expense was the 3% down payment. This one happened to be a short sale, so it was the seller’s lender, Chase, who actually approved the $10,000 credit for the buyer’s closing costs.They will also be getting $8500 back from the IRS for the first time credit, so really their true cost was about $2000!

This was not a subprime loan. This was not a variable rate mortgage. This is a fixed rate mortgage on very nice, ten year old, 3 bedroom 2.5 bath home with a nice yard and a 2 car garage for $2000! (out of pocket)

Michael Bloch

Certified Distressed Property Expert

Lifestyles Real Estate

Realtor, GRI, CDPE

Office 831.420.2100

Cell 831.588.1588

E-Fax 831.854.0600

www.AtHomeInSantaCruz.com

www.ShortSalesInSantaCruz.com

Short Sale and Foreclosure Resource (SFR)

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 15:26:46 GMT

From the National Association of Realtors

Michael Bloch Earns NAR Short Sales and Foreclosure Certification Buyers and Sellers Benefit from REALTOR^® Expertise in Distressed Sales

Michael Bloch has earned the nationally recognized Short Sales and Foreclosure Resource certification. The National Association of REALTORS^® offers the SFR certification to REALTORS^® who want to help both buyers and sellers navigate these complicated transactions, as demand for professional expertise with distressed sales grows.

According to a recent NAR survey, nearly one-third of all existing homes sold recently were either short sales or foreclosures. For many real estate professionals, short sales and foreclosures are the new “traditional” transaction. REALTORS^® who have earned the SFR certification know how to help sellers maneuver the complexities of short sales as well as help buyers pursue short sale and foreclosure opportunities.

“As leading advocates for home ownership, REALTORS^® believe that any family that loses its home to foreclosure is one family too many, but unfortunately, there are situations in which people just cannot afford to keep their homes, and a foreclosure or a short sale results,” said 2009 NAR President Charles McMillan, a broker with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Dallas-Fort Worth. “Foreclosures and short sales can offer opportunities for home buyers and benefit the larger community, as well, but it’s extremely important to have the help of a real estate professional like a REALTOR^® who has earned the SFR certification for these kinds of purchases.”

As you may be aware, Michael is also a Certified Distressed Property Expert. (CDPE).

Michael Bloch

Certified Distressed Property Expert

Lifestyles Real Estate

Realtor, GRI, CDPE

Office 831.420.2100 831.420.2100

Cell 831.588.1588 831.588.1588

E-Fax 831.854.0600

www.AtHomeInSantaCruz.com

www.ShortSalesInSantaCruz.com

Breaking up is Hard to Do

Sat, 12 Dec 2009 17:25:38 GMT

Have you ever been in a relationship that you knew had no real future and yet it was so hard to break it off? You start out by having occasional doubts. Little by little those doubts become all consuming thoughts. You have trouble concentrating at work and may even lose some sleep thinking about. You know this absolutely will not work out long term, and yet can’t imagine giving it up. Finally, you make the decision to break it off and tell the other person the truth. What once seemed impossible, now feels like a huge sigh of relief. It won’t be easy, but your mind already starts wandering about what your new future holds. This is what many troubled homeowners feel when they finally make the decision to do a short sale; a huge weight has been lifted off their back. Although there are challenges and uncertainty that lie ahead, the homeowner can now stop stressing about what has passed and start making plans for a brighter future.

I have witnessed it several times when helping sellers with a short sale on their home. They usually start out overwhelmed. We start by putting all the cards on the table and looking at the reality of their particular situation. We then lay out all of the different options they can take. For many, attempting a short sale ends up being the best option they have. Then at some point, something clicks. You can hear it in their voice and see it their face. They have made the decision to move forward with the short sale. Immediately, the conversation turns from the “would haves” and “could haves” to planning for what will happen next. Doom and gloom seem to be replaced by hope with even a little bit of excitement. There is the obvious relief from taking a big step toward getting the proverbial “monkey off their back”. There are also a variety of other qualify of life improvements to follow.

One example is a single mom who was paying over $3000 a month to pay for the mortgage on her 2 bedroom condo in Capitola. When her regular teacher pay was not enough, she worked the after school program as well as summer school. This left her all too little time to spend with her son and do many of the things they enjoy to do together. She loves to travel, and that was out of the question. She scratched and clawed to stay current on her mortgage and even applied for a loan modification (which was denied). Finally, when she started using her credit card to pay property taxes she knew that something had to change. This was not sustainable. We went over all of her options and then one day it all clicked. She made the decision to do a short sale and never looked back. She starting saving for a deposit on a rental and even planned a well deserved vacation. When it was all said and done, she moved from her two bedroom condo to a two bedroom apartment. My guess is that her housing cost dropped about $2000 per month. She is still in the same neighborhood, and even a little closer to the beach. Her son was able to stay in the same school and best of all they now have the time and resources to do a lot more fun stuff together. I would say her quality of life has improved. Yes, she did lose the down payment she had put on her condo. Yes, she will probably have a couple of missed payments in her credit report. In my opinion, these loses were greatly outweighed by the quality of life gained.

Michael Bloch

Certified Distressed Property Expert

Lifestyles Real Estate

Realtor, GRI, CDPE

Office 831.420.2100 831.420.2100

Cell 831.588.1588 831.588.1588

E-Fax 831.854.0600

www.AtHomeInSantaCruz.com

www.ShortSalesInSantaCruz.com

Wachovia (aka World Savings) Fast Track For Short Sales and Loan Modifications

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 09:50:56 GMT

Wachovia (aka World Savings and Golden West) currently has the most aggressive program to help homeowners avoid foreclosure. Today I attended training at the Santa Cruz Board of Realtors put on by a Wachovia Short Sale Manger from Santa Clara In the current world of processing nightmares for short sales and loan modifications, there is finally one lender is “getting it”. It’s not rocket science. When lenders have to foreclose on a home they lose a tremendous amount of money. However, if they work with the homeowner to keep them in the home with a loan modification or allow them to sell short, they are saving huge amounts of money from the bottom line. Wachovia has streamlined their loan modification process and short sale process, making it a quicker and smoother process. They are calling this the FAST TRACK. This means that if you know anyone with a World Savings, Golden West or Wachovia loan that is underwater or having some kind of hardship, we can help them get answers relatively quickly. This also means that if you are buying a short sale, and the seller’s lender is Wachovia, you will most likely have an answer sooner than later. Wachovia says they will have it approved in 45 days or less.

What is also very exciting to actually have a direct contact with a Short Sale Manager at Wachovia. (Wachovia took over World Savings and Golden West so this applies to those loans as well) We have all been transferred through the never ending maze of a customer service phone tree, only to become increasingly disgruntled. Multiply that frustration tenfold when dealing with a large bank like B of A on a short sale. I know have the name, phone number, email, and physical address of an actual person that can make actual decisions on short sales!

Unlike most lenders, Wachovia is not requiring extensive documentation from the property owner to do a short sale. They only require a hard ship letter from the seller and a phone interview. If it is for a loan modification they will also want to see proof that the owner has the ability to pay. This is smart as many other modifications end up in back in default because they can’t afford their modified terms.

Wachovia is also sending out letters to certain homeowners letting them know that their home was “pre-approved” for a short sale. If you get one of these letters, please contact me I can help you understand what it means.

If you or anyone you know would like help with getting qualified for a loan modification or short sale, please contact me and I will be happy to assist you at no cost to you.

Michael Bloch

Certified Distressed Property Expert

Lifestyles Real Estate

Realtor, GRI, CDPE

Office 831.420.2100 831.420.2100

Cell 831.588.1588 831.588.1588

E-Fax 831.854.0600

www.AtHomeInSantaCruz.com

www.ShortSalesInSantaCruz.com

Successful Short Sale in Capitola

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 23:11:54 GMT

This is a re post of an entry I wrote in 2008. The content however, is still relevant:

I recently completed a short sale in Capitola, in which I represented the sellers. I had read a lot about short sales, taken classes on short sales, and listened to stories from veterans on short sales. Like anything in life the best way to really learn something is by just doing it.

In the current market, “short sale” is becoming a very common term. Sellers are using short sales as a strategy to get out from under a property that they can not afford to keep and the current market value is less than what a buyer is willing to pay. It is often the last resort to avoiding foreclosure. Buyers are using the short sale as an opportunity to negotiate a great price on a property. From my experience with short sales, the best advice I can give to anyone planning on dealing with them is to be extremely well prepared and plan on having a tremendous amount of patience.

For sellers, the most important thing to do is to hire a Realtor that is experienced in short sales and is willing to put in the time it takes to complete one of these deals. I recently represented the sellers on a short sale in Capitola, and must say that it took an incredible amount of time above and beyond the typical listing to get it sold. I was happy to do it because my clients were very cooperative and appreciative and I knew it would help them get out of difficult situation. However, if they had been unorganized or uncooperative, I would have been hesitant to get involved.

Just as with selling any residential property, sellers should have their homes in showing condition, and be prepared to be very cooperative throughout the process. I was fortunate to represent a seller that kept the home very clean and available to show at just about any time. You will also need to provide extensive documentation to prove to the bank that you do not have the income or assets to pay back the loan. Be prepared to supply tax returns, bank statements, and an explanation of the inability to repay. In this case, the bank even wanted to see what they were spending their monthly budget on.

Sellers should also have a back-up plan as there are many variables that are out of you and your Realtor’s control, and there are absolutely no guarantees that the bank will forgive you for the amount you can not repay. Of course, you should always consult with your CPA regarding the financial consequences of a short sale. The good news is that the federal government just passed a bill in December that no longer makes debt forgiveness a taxable event for federal taxes. Previously, if you the bank forgave you for $100,000 the tax code considered that a taxable event, and you would have had to report it as an additional $100,000 in income. There are also other factors to consider such as how it will it will be reported to the credit bureaus and affect your credit score.
For buyers wanting to purchase a short sale property I would also recommend working with a Realtor that is going to be patient, persistent, and knowledgeable about the short sell process. Check back to our blog later, as I will be writing more about the ups and downs of buying short sale properties

Michael Bloch

Lifestyles Real Estate

Realtor, GRI, CDPE

Office 831.420.2100 831.420.2100

Cell 831.588.1588 831.588.1588

E-Fax 831.854.0600

www.AtHomeInSantaCruz.com

www.ShortSalesInSantaCruz.com

Michael Bloch

Certified Distressed Property Expert

Lifestyles Real Estate

Realtor, GRI, CDPE

Office 831.420.2100 831.420.2100

Cell 831.588.1588 831.588.1588

E-Fax 831.854.0600

www.AtHomeInSantaCruz.com

www.ShortSalesInSantaCruz.com

The Truth About Mortgage Modifications

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 08:23:43 GMT

The Truth About Mortgage Modifications

The decisions you make as a homeowner today hold a profound impact on your financial future. However, it is important to safeguard yourself from misinformation and fraud. Get the facts regarding your situation and always have a contingency plan.

For those who qualify, a mortgage modification is the ideal remedy to their financial distress. I’ve prepared a FREE report on the truth about mortgage modifications to guide you through this important process. Simply provide your information below to get this valuable information, and feel free to pass it along to anyone who may need it. One homeowner lost to foreclosure is one too many!

As a Certified Distressed Property Expert, I have training and experience in providing solutions to homeowners facing financial hardship. Together, we can formulate a plan to get back on track.

If you have any unanswered questions, or your circumstances are urgent, please call me today.

Michael Bloch
831-588-1588

Short Sales vs Foreclosures

Short Sale vs. Foreclosure

Making the Right Choice for a Stable Future

The US housing crisis has claimed millions of victims. Unfortunately, many homeowners are losing their homes to the bank because either they think that a short sale will have the same financial effect as a foreclosure or they don't know their options.

The good news is that homeowners don't have to navigate this process on their own. I am available for those who need my expertise to get back on the path to stability.

If you, or someone you know has questions about this information, or would like to get started creating a plan, call me today.

The more proactive we are, the better the chance of finding financial freedom and stability.

Options and Solutions

Thank you for visiting this site and taking the first step toward finding answers. I appreciate what it has taken for you to come here, and commend your efforts to get the facts about your situation. The current real estate environment can be frustrating, with misinformation and conflicting plans for how to proceed.

As a real estate agent, what I often see in troubled homeowners is a belief that they are alone with their challenges. Regrettably, over 70% of homeowners in foreclosure proceed without ANY visible assistance. This is not acceptable for the communities I serve.

That's why I've developed this site: to ensure you get the valuable resources that can reduce your financial strain and change your life for the better. As a CDPE I know the options for homeowners in foreclosure or delinquent on their mortgages, and I can send you a report detailing this information, prepared just for you.

Simply enter your information below and click "Send." I hope that you will review this information carefully, so that your next steps are the right steps toward a real solution.

Let me help you evaluate your options and get back on track to a solid, stable future.

Foreclosure Vs. Short Sale

As a Certified Distressed Property Expert, I have devoted my career to helping homeowners who face difficult situations, taking them from uncertainty to resolution. Lately I've found a lot of conflicting information going around, especially concerning short sales, which you should know about.

A short sale occurs when a lender accepts the selling price of a home, even if it is less than the full amount owed on the mortgage. For particular homeowners, this can be the best option to foreclosure. Yet, I still hear people suggest that short sales are basically the same as foreclosure.

This is absolutely wrong!

You need to have the CORRECT information. That’s why I'm glad you're here. To help, I’ve prepared a free report—just for you—that compares the realities of foreclosures and short sales side-by-side. Simply provide your information below, and I'll send you this report.

If you have any additional concerns about this issue, or your circumstances are urgent, please feel free to give me a call. I can help you evaluate your options and get you back on track to a secure financial future.

Michael Bloch 831-588-1588

Cash for Short Sales

Short Sales are More Valuable Than Ever!

Avoiding foreclosure is always a smart move, but now there are incentives that make it an even better one.

Short sales and deeds-in-lieu are dignified solutions to foreclosure, and now the government is making them easier and quicker through the Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives Program, or HAFA, which also gives the homeowner $3,000 for participating.

With the free report provided here, you can learn all the benefits of completing a HAFA short sale. Simply fill out your information below for details on the program and how you would benefit.

Please read this report to learn the facts, and contact me to start exploring solutions.

Tipping the Scales Toward Foreclosure?

Fear of foreclosure is a national epidemic.

Millions of homeowners fell behind on their mortgage payments last year, and then proceeded to fall further behind every month.

These are tough times and there are no easy answers.

The fact is, major lenders, the federal government, and local agencies across the country have stepped up their efforts to stem the tide of foreclosures. More help is available than ever before.

As a real estate professional who has earned the Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE) designation, I am knowledgeable and adept at navigating among the full range of solutions for helping financially distressed homeowners to make a fresh start.

Looking to learn more? Check out my free report: "Tipping the Scales Toward Foreclosure? Resolve to Shed the Weight of an Unmanageable Mortgage in 2012."

And if you, or someone you care about is looking to tip the scales back into financial solvency, contact me today for a confidential consultation!

Short Sale & Deed-In-Lieu

Contrary to what you may have heard, lenders actually want to avoid foreclosure wherever possible. That’s why they’re accepting more short sale and deed-in-lieu transactions everyday in an effort to eliminate unnecessary foreclosures. This is great news for homeowners facing financial distress.

To help you understand more about these two options, I’ve prepared a free report just for you, called ‘Short Sale & Deed-in-Lieu: Dignified Solutions.’ To receive your free report, please provide your information in the fields below.

I hope you’ll review these options carefully and pass this information along to those who may need it. I commend your efforts to finding a solution to the difficult financial situation that you or someone you know is currently facing. Providing the best advice and information in your time of need is my priority.

Let me help you evaluate your options and get you back on track to a secure financial future.

Are You Living Under the Cloud of an Unmanageable Mortgage

An Unmanageable Mortgage Clouds Everything

When families are tapped out financially and faced with the uncertainty of not knowing how much longer they'll be able to stay in their home, the prospect of planning or having a positive outlook on the future seems out of the question.

Many financially strapped homeowners feel frozen in action and it's no wonder, but here's the most important point that you need to know:

Even though millions of homes have been lost to foreclosure, you and those you care about absolutely do not need to add to that statistic.

More help is available now than ever before.

As a real estate professional who has earned the Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE) designation, I am adept at navigating among the full range of solutions for helping financially distressed homeowners to make a fresh start.

If you, or someone you care about is looking to get out from under the cloud of unmanageable mortgage contact me today for a confidential consultation!

Is Your Mortgage Payment Dragging You Down?

One in seven mortgages in this country is headed toward foreclosure.

If you or someone you care about is feeling burdened by a mortgage that is unaffordable, I can help.

As a real estate professional who has earned the Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE) designation, it is my mission to help homeowners avoid the financial devastation of foreclosing on their home. In the process, I help them move forward on a positive path. If you'd like to learn more, I invite you to access my free report: Is Your Mortgage Payment Dragging You Down?

As my report points out, there are currently 6.5 million mortgages in the country that are delinquent or in foreclosure. Stemming the tide of foreclosures has become a national priority because a foreclosure is nothing short of a disaster for all concerned – families, communities, the real estate market and the national economy as a whole.

As a CDPE, I am tapped into the most up-to-date solutions for financially distressed homeowners, and am distinctly qualified to work with you to determine your best possible option.

Contact me today and let's get started!

Caution: Protect Yourself Against Mortgage Relief Scams

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued regulations protecting consumers against mortgage relief fraud. Due to the growing number of scams that are designed to take advantage of homeowners in distress, the government wants to make sure you won’t be a victim.

As a CDPE, I am fully compliant with the FTC regulations, and want to help you avoid being taken advantage of by unscrupulous individuals or companies, as well.

In fact, I’ve developed a free, detailed report that explains the warning signs of potentially fraudulent activity so you can protect yourself and the ones you love.

If you are facing an unaffordable mortgage and need help from someone you can trust, please contact me today.

I’m here to help.

Don't Walk Away From Your Mortgage

Stop Don't Walk Away From Your Mortgage

At a Crossroads?

Walking away or "strategically defaulting" on your mortgage is not the answer. You will find that there is nothing strategic about foreclosure, especially when there are solutions to avoid it.

You should know that you have options, and that you are not alone. More than 25% of American homeowners now owe more than what their homes are worth, and millions more are having a hard time paying their mortgages.

I've developed a free, detailed report on foreclosure alternatives you can download below. Download it today and give yourself a green light for a solid financial future.

The sooner you take this step, the more time you'll have to act and move toward a more promising tomorrow.

Feeling Trapped by Your Mortgage?

Feeling trapped by your mortgage?

Education is the Key

If you or someone you know feels like a prisoner to unaffordable mortgage payments, you should know that education may be the key to financial freedom. You have options available that can help ease the worry of making payments or losing your home to foreclosure.

To find out more about the options you have to choose from, download the free report I've created at the bottom of this page.

In fact, this entire website has been created exclusively for homeowners like you who need a trusted source for viable solutions to foreclosure.

If you have questions about the information you find here, or would like to get started in creating a plan, call me today.

The more proactive we are, the better chance you'll have in finding financial freedom and stability.