Western Mass Homes Lesley Lambert

real estate

When Foreclosure isn’t the Final Word

This week an article on foreclosures and short sales came out that even I found shocking. Walking away from your home and allowing foreclosure may not be the end of your mortgage obligation.

The article went on to caution that selling your home via short sale does not automatically absolve you of the debt, either. This I did know, but realized upon reading the article I have never shared this important fact with my readers.
short sale

Short sales go something like this (although each one is very unique):
#1- you go into a default position with your mortgage by missing at least one full payment cycle.
#2- you list your home aggressively for fair market value with an agent that understands the short sale process
#3- you contact your lender and stay in communication regarding the status of the listing
#4- you hire an attorney who specializes in short sales
#5- you present offers to the lender for their approval
#6- the lender approves (you hope) the short sale and the house is sold
#7- IMPORTANT: Your attorney should get a signed release of financial obligation from the lender
#8- you move on to rebuild your credit

Step seven, if missed, can mean that the lender will come after you at a later date for the shortfall between what you owed and what the property was sold for. Be sure to discuss this issue with your attorney BEFORE the closing happens!

If you need help with a distressed situation like foreclosure or short sales, I am here to help with empathy and knowledge to give you a helping hand.

I am Going To PodCamp Western MA 2!

PodCamp Western Mass

I am very excited that this weekend I will be attending PodCamp Western MA 2.  A little less than a year ago I attended the first PodCamp Western MA, which was also my first social media camp of any kind.

What a difference a year (or a bit less) can make!  Since that first camp experience I have attended and taught at many more around the country.

These social media camps provide an energized environment of peer to peer sharing and teaching.  They are the best way I  have found to learn to utilize new media for my real estate business.  The things I have learned at these camps have provided me with tools and strategies to offer my home sellers added marketing that other agents don’t offer.  I have been able to reach out to the residents of Western Massachusetts and share my real estate expertise with home buyers and sellers.

I have met some of the most important people in my life including my boyfriend (Morriss Partee co-organizer of PodCamp Western MA), my business partners in social media training, clients and friends.  I have grown my sphere and become knowledgeable in the use of new media tools…people now turn to me for information and advice.  I wrote this past fall about the gifts that social media has brought me…I am so grateful!

Last year I was nervous walking into PodCamp.  I didn’t know anyone and I wasn’t sure what to expect.   This year I will be surrounded by some of the people I like most, talking about topics that excite me and leading a session:  “Tweetdeck to the Rescue!”.

I left last year’s event so excited and full of new ideas, I practiced my new found skills in a video blog :”A PodCamp Virgin Tells All” about the event.  I know I will leave this year with even more new tools and new friends….I just can’t wait!

If you are attending PodCamp WesternMA 2 and we haven’t met yet, be sure to introduce yourself and feel free to ask me about real estate, Twitter, Facebook, blogging, video blogging, the weather….whatever you want to talk about! I can’t wait!

If you want to start connecting before the event, here are my profiles:

Should You Buy a Short Sale Home in Western MA?

During my work as a real estate agent in Westfield, MA and the surrounding areas of Western MA I run into a lot of discussion about short sales.

There are some things to consider when shopping for a new home and thinking about whether or not you should look at short sales.
short sale

Who SHOULD buy short sale property?

People who don’t have a hard and fast time-line can be great candidates for short sale purchases. They can exchange their ability to give time and patience for instant equity on a below market priced property.

People who are not emotionally involved might be perfect buyers for short sale properties. Investors who are looking to gain a financial edge can make out in this arena.

People who won’t be impacted by the loss of some of their cash outlay (inspections, application fees, etc).

Who Should NOT buy Short Sales:

First time home buyers hoping to get the tax credit should NOT be placing bids on short sales. Short sales can drag on for MONTHS.

People who are tight on cash for their purchase should not be looking at short sales. It is entirely feasible that you could spend thousands of dollars on the purchase expenses only to find out five months later that this whole thing isn’t working out.

If you are a buyer or seller in Western Massachusetts who has questions about the short sale process, please get in touch.

Tax Buyer Credit May Be Extended!

There has been much speculation about the extension of the home buyer tax credit, but until today not much tangible to work with. This afternoon and evening news started coming down the pipeline that shows that there is hope for an extension.

Here is an article by Bloomberg

And another by Boston.com

And the Associated Press via Google News

It seems that these are the points:

1- For first time homebuyers, the income level to qualify is $
75,000/150,000
2- For step up buyers the income level to qualify is $ 125,000/250,000
3-Step up buyers must have been residing in their primary
residence for 5 years
4- The credit is 10% of the sales price, with a maximum of $ 7290.
5- The credit will apply for homes purchased from Dec. 1, 2009 to April 30, 2010.

This still needs to be voted on by the full Senate, reconciled by the House and signed by the President, but it is a move in the right direction!