It was a hectic year for short sales, but there was some good news, big and little, that brings hope for 2010. Here are my top short sale stories for the past twelve months, some personal, some national.
1. The first story is a Happy Short Sale Saga. One of my Destin Florida sellers regained employment, so did not have to sell the home he and his family desperately loved! I gladly withdrew the property from the market. Specializing in short sales is often more than closing the sale.
2. HAP - The Homeowner Assistance Program (HAP) is a government program expanded to help our military members who have orders to relocate from bases such as Eglin Air Force Base and Hurlburt Field. Many of these servicemen are upside-down in their mortgages, and HAP is supposed to cover 90% of their loss so they can avoid foreclosure. HAP has not helped many yet and is flooded with applications. The good news is that they are improving their information and refining their system, so hopefully more of our military will be helped in 2010.
3. HAFA – The Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternative Program is supposed to get short sale lenders/servicers on board to speed up approvals for homeowners of primary residences. It offers guidelines and incentives to pre-approve short sales and forgive deficiencies. We’ll watch carefully in the spring to report on HAFA progress- or not.
4. Short Sale Training - My first webinar marked the beginning of my business partnership with Bryant Tutas. I prepared for the webinar with nervous trepidation, but ended up loving doing these classes! Simply put, it was a blast! Not only did Bryant and I educate others, it helped me grow personally. We have since incorporated as REGrow, LLC. Expect more good things in 2010.
5. www.ShortSaleSuperstars.com is the community Bryant Tutas and I founded to help short sale agents across the country "Learn, Know and Grow". In little over five months, our group is now almost 750 members strong. Here, short sale professionals jump in to share secrets and information about every and any lender or short sale situation you can imagine. Here, they are unlocking the knowledge to save more homeowners from foreclosure and do it at the highest levels. This is a tight community of giving short sale leaders that is open for membership. If you have not yet joined – we welcome you to come with us on this exciting adventure.
As a final note, for 2010, I hope we all find greater solutions to the foreclosure and home ownership crisis that is touching the lives of every one of us.
It's Wendy!
Wendy Rulnick, Broker, CRP, CRS, GRI, ABR Rulnick Realty, Inc.
Destin FL Real Estate
Destin Short Sales & Pre Foreclosure Help.
Read Wendy's Destin Real Estate Blog
www.ShortSaleSuperstars.com for agents
Call toll-free 1-877-ITS-WNDY (1-877-487-9639) or local 850-650-7883 ext 204
Email Wendy: itswendy@rulnickrealty.com
Wendy is a short sale and pre-foreclosure specialist and has been featured in "Kiplinger Personal Finance Magazine" and "Florida Realtor Magazine". Call Wendy Rulnick, Broker/Owner,to list and sell your home or condo on the Emerald Coast of Florida in Walton, Okaloosa and Santa Rosa County- Destin, Santa Rosa Beach, Fort Walton Beach, Niceville, Bluewater Bay, Navarre, Seagrove Beach, Watercolor, Sandestin, Seaside, Crestview, Rosemary Beach, Mary Esther, Shalimar, Eglin AFB, Hurlburt Field.
Hi folks. When I first realized that Short Sales were going to be a major part of my market I knew I needed to learn how to do them and I needed to learn how to do them fast. So I did what any Short Sale rookie would do...I decided to write