8government affairs - Greater Las Vegas Association of Realtors
Transcription
8government affairs - Greater Las Vegas Association of Realtors
southern nevada realtor® 0 3 . 1 0 in this issue 4 7 32 36 37 38 39 40 pr esid ent fr o m th e d esk of the ce o p h o to o p p o r tu nitie s sin g le fa mily h ome report co nd o / to wn h o m e report a n n u a l mls sta tistics r enta l lea sed r eport ma r ch even t ca l e ndar 8 government affairs GLVAR Awards $20K Grant to Housing Help for Nevada GLVAR allocates “Foreclosure Prevention & Response Program” funds. 9 forms Forms Updated Nye County Disclosure & Short Sale Listing Addendum. New forms for agents and brokers. 10 property management It’s Not Ready How to make your property sell or lease in a timely manner. 15 professional standards Changes to the Interpretations of the NAR Code of Ethics New case interpretation #12-25, advertising role in sales after changing firm affiliation. 16 25 18 26 MLs How to Get Your Offer Accepted on a Fannie Mae Property Without Really Trying. legal Short Sales Everything you wanted to know about HAFA the Feds new program. 14 22 realtor. c o m 88 Million What does that number mean to you? 20 REALTOR® Safety: Showing Properties the Safe Way Simple steps to empower yourself against attack or theft. wcr The Clock is Ticking— Now is the Time for You to Join! The Women’s Council of REALTORS®, ranks 12th in U.S. Women’s Organizations. MLX c h a n g e Do You Want More Training on MLXCHANGE? In-office visits and more. 29 Mortgages Rates Remain Stable Federal Reserve Chairman, Ben Bernanke reports on what’s to come. 30 22 CRS of Southern nevada March Update 8 Tips for Selling REO Properties and more. member benefit partners Discounts on services and products. Want lunch or dinner on us? 16 As you read the SNR, watch for your license number. If you find your license number hidden within an article, call the Association and let Irene Vogel 702. 784.5010 or Felicia Marks, Membership Director 702. 784.5007 know. You will then receive a gift certificate for lunch or dinner at a local restaurant. president’s message [ by rick shelton ] Hello fellow realtors® Shake the dust off, the holidays are behind us and spring is around the corner. We have now successfully completed four short sale certification work shops at the Greater Las Vegas Association of REALTORS®, sponsored by the National Association of REALTORS® and underwritten by REBAC. To date, we have graduated over six hundred (600) GLVAR REALTORS® as certified short sale specialists, as a jump start to the U.S. Treasury directive (HAFA) going into effect April 5, 2010. We feel it would be prudent as a REALTOR® in today’s challenging market to be as educated to the short sale process as possible. The new directive gives banks the right to participate or not. Early indicators would suggest that a good share of banks will. To highlight a few key points of the directive: 1.Banks would have ten (10) days from short sale submission to say whether or not they will entertain the offer. 2.Banks would respect the REALTOR® commission. 3.Banks would be incentivized to President Rick M. Shelton [email protected] Immediate Past President Sue E. Naumann, CRS, GRI, LTG [email protected] President Elect Paul G. Bell, RRG, CRS, GRI [email protected] CHIEF Executive OFFICER Irene L. Vogel, LTG [email protected] Vice President Min R. Melvin, CRS,GRI, PMN [email protected] DIRECT O RS Treasurer Paula L. Smith, RRG, CRS, GRI, ABR [email protected] Commercial Alliance President Robin Civish [email protected] MLS Director Scott A. Beaudry [email protected] staff up as well as the seller for relocation expense. 4.Banks would forgo any right to a deficiency judgment. This outline could prove to be quite promising in the processing of over mortgaged properties. So if you are trying to find new ways to assist your buyers and sellers in today’s market or if you are just an education buff, get signed up today. In addition to the Treasury short sale directive there is more positive news, President Obama has announced that the federal government will be allocating one hundred (100) million dollars to our real estate sector here in Las Vegas. So stay tuned REALTORS®; it would appear we are making some good inroads towards our housing market recovery. n President Rick M. Shelton can be reached by emailing [email protected] Forrest L. Barbee, CRB, GRI, RRG [email protected] Trish Nash, CRS, GRI [email protected] Heidi W. Kasama, [email protected] Norma Jean Opatik, GRI, ABR [email protected] Kolleen L. Kelley, RRG [email protected] Cheryl Smith, CRB, CRS, RRG [email protected] Gina Lyon, GREEN [email protected] David Tina [email protected] Christine P. McNaught [email protected] Debbie Zois, GRI, CRS [email protected] Fafie Moore, CRS, LTG [email protected] from the desk of the ceo [ by irene vogel ] History certainly repeats itself. I was trying to think of what to write for this month that might be a little different about our economy… the market…short sales…REO’S and hit a blank wall. I took out my article from last year at the same time and lo and behold my first paragraph talked about the Stimulus Bill…which all of us hoped would allow us to go forward and improve our economy. We are now talking about a second stimulus bill, which hopefully will have definite parameters that will help our housing market and unemployment. Affordability conditions are at historically high levels…home values are down and mortgage rates are hovering near historic lows. We have many articles on our website dealing with short sales and REO’S…but it is still difficult to get an offer accepted in a timely manner. It certainly appears that the banks are still calling the shots when they are encouraging bidding wars and encourage you to submit your highest and best, which is probably more than the list price. Then I am told by many agents that when the appraisal is ordered the value is not the “highest and best” but closer to what it was listed for and the bank then accepts the appraisal price. We are going down a slippery slope. We need to have our legislators take an active position and set guidelines that are fair to all parties… whether you are the homeowner, the agent or the buyer. President Rick Shelton will be filming a podcast monthly that will address all the current issues. You will be advised thru REALTOR® Bytes when it is posted. Take the time to watch and listen to his message as it will contain valuable information you can use. Now for some real positive information….WHAT DO YOU GET FOR THE “BUCK”? Many of you are not aware that MLXchange offers beneficial programs to our members at no additional charge. A few of them are as follows: DOCUMENT STORAGE MLS has the Document Storage program integrated fully within MLXchange. You can become paperless… The Greater Las Vegas Association of REALTORS® 1750 E. Sahara Avenue Las Vegas, NV 89104 (702) 784-5000 | Fax: (702) 784-5060 www.lasvegasrealtor.com Articles appearing in Southern Nevada REALTOR® do not necessarily carry endorsements of The Greater Las Vegas Association of REALTORS® (GLVAR), its Board of Directors or its Members unless indicated as approved by the GLVAR. follow a transaction from beginning to end at no charge. Many of our members were paying up to $1500 a month for this type of transaction management program…and you can get it FREE. Classes are offered at the MarketLinx training room at 1785 E. Sahara Avenue, Suite #150. Call for class schedule…735-0478. PROPERTY PANORAMA is a Free service included in your MLS fees. This product will create a virtual tour of your listed property by utilizing the photos you upload. For more information and a demonstration of Property Panorama log on to http://www. propertypanorama.com/marketlinx/. STATS PAK A feature that allows you to run many different market analysis reports such as: Inventory Report; Price Analysis; Days on Market; Listings by Status; Days on Market Breakdown, etc. Again if you need training do not hesitate to stop by MarketLinx at 1785 E. Sahara Avenue or call 735 0478. GOOD NEWS MARKETLinx HAS IMPLEMENTED A TEMPORARY SOLUTION allowing Macintosh users the ability to access MLXchange. MarketLinx will be introducing a new product in the near future that will allow access to MLXchange from various platforms. In the meantime to learn how to access the MLS from your Macintosh please click here. ➠ Also to be more transparent…periodically the MLS Committee will host an open membership forum where you will have the opportunity to express your concerns…ask questions, etc. The first one will be held on April 14th in Classroom A. A flyer will be forthcoming with all detailed information. n Chief Executive Officer Irene Vogel can be reached by calling (702) 784-5000 or by emailing [email protected] E D I T OR I A L S T A F F WEBSITES AND HOTLINES E d i t o r I r en e V o gel Pu b l i c at i o n s S pe c i al i st K i p T a yl o r ( 7 0 2 ) 7 8 4 - 5 0 0 6 N a t io n a l A s s o c ia t io n o f REALTORS® www.realtor.org (to access realtor.com and over 2 million New & Resale Homes) A r t i c l e C o o r di n at o r N a d in e M o r r is ( 7 0 2 ) 7 8 4 - 5 0 3 2 N ev a d a A s s o c ia t io n o f REALTORS® www.nvar.org | [email protected] Southern Nevada REALTOR® is edited and produced exclusively by GLVAR. C o py E di t o r C in d y B r im er Annual Subscription Rate Non-members $25.00 Pu b l i c at i o n s A ssi st an t a lek s a n d a r b l a go j ev ic Paid Advertisements in the Southern Nevada REALTOR® are not to be construed as endorsement of the advertiser, product or service by The Greater Las Vegas Association of REALTORS®. Publisher reserves the right to reject or discontinue any advertisement at its sole discretion. For information about SNR’s NEW “INTERACTIVE” ADVERTISING contact Nadine Morris at (702) 784-5032 or [email protected]. N ev a d a R ea l E s t a t e D iv isi o n www.red.state.nv.us L ega l H o t l in e (NVAR in Reno) (800) 748-6999 T ec h n o l o gy H o t l in e (702) 869-HELP (4357) GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS GLVAR Awards $20,000.00 Grant to Housing Help for Nevada [ b y S e a n F e l l o w s , G o v e r n m e n t Aff a i r s D i r e c t o r ] I am pleased to report that after months of formal grant writing, the Greater Las Vegas Association of REALTORS® received funding from the National Association of REALTORS® through their “Foreclosure Prevention and Response Program.” I would like to sincerely thank the Nevada Association of REALTORS®, led by CEO Rob Wigton and 2010 President Linda Rheinberger for their steadfast encouragement and support. A committee was formed to determine the best way to allocate the funding and that committee voted unanimously to give a grant of $20,000.00 to Housing Help for Nevada. homeowner is guaranteed to receive a professional and personally focused resolution. If you would like more information about the efforts of Housing Help for Nevada, I encourage you to attend the 1st Quarter General Membership Luncheon (Friday, March 26, 2010 at the Four Seasons Hotel) where Alisa Juni, Founder & Executive Director of Housing Help for Nevada, will give a presentation of current loan modification programs and the criteria and eligibility for those programs. Reservations are required as seating is limited. You can register at www.lasvegasrealtor.com or by calling (702) 784-5000 by Monday, March 22, 2010. Housing Help for Nevada is a nonprofit agency that was founded in response to Clark County’s housing crisis. The program is solution based, while being deadline and results driven. They undertook careful thought and consideration when establishing their criteria development plan to ensure that every homeowner, regardless of social economic make up, receives the same effort of assistance. Housing Help for Nevada understands that the housing crisis crosses line and demographics like no other time since the great depression. Nevada to receive $100M for Housing Assistance During a February visit, President Obama announced that Nevada will soon receive more federal money to help with our housing crisis. At a town hall meeting at Green Valley High School the President announced, “…a $1.5 billion fund for housing finance agencies in the states that are hardest hit by the housing crisis. And that means here in Nevada.” These funds were allocated from the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, better known as TARP. While no concrete details exist for this assistance, Senator Harry president rick shelton presents check Reid’s office announced that Nevada’s for $20,000 to alisa juni, of housing share will be at least $100M. help for nevada. The complexity and nature of Southern Nevada’s housing crisis makes it impossible for anyone, regardless of their educational level, to understand the full spectrum of solutions without a specific understanding of the lending institutions core makeup and mode of operation. Even then, the variables at each institution make it near impossible for a homeowner to navigate and understand the system and the plethora of options before them. While this program is not a complete solution, it is a step in the right direction. I will be sure to pass along more details of this program as they become available. get involved in the 2010 Campaign Season GLVAR in conjunction with NAR will host an educational program, “Politics for REALTORS®, on Wednesday, March 24, 2010 from 1:00PM-3:00PM. We have lined up a few great speakers to include: John Ferruggiaro II, NAR Managing Director of Field Operations; and Ryan Erwin, principal of Ryan Erwin & Associates, a nationwide political consulting firm. John and Ryan will share the ways to navigate the political landscape and how your involvement can determine the political future of Nevada for decades to come. Please contact Tiffany James at [email protected] or at (702) 784-5038 to register. n The goal of Housing Help for Nevada is to provide a safe, professional and free environment for homeowners in Clark County to learn about and to understand their options. Housing Help for Nevada has a solemn commitment to our community through their pledge to ensure that every homeowner who receives their services is counseled through the entire process until a resolution is obtained. Unfortunately, sometimes the best solution is not always the preferred solutions. However, through their one on one counseling and action plan referral process, every [8] SOUTHERN NEVADA REALTOR® MARCH 2010 www.LasVegasRealtor.com forms forms updated GLVAR recently published a new form to assist agents and brokers working with Nye County properties, as well as an updated listing addendum to use with short sales. Nye County Disclosure Properties in Nye County often experience different issues than Clark County. To ensure that buyers understand the area a bit better, the Nye County Disclosure form advises the buyer on several issues including the flood plain, soil conditions, utilities and water and the planned detention center. official notice MLS, CLS and KEY Access Fees Are Due April 1st In addition, the disclosure informs buyers about a few unique issues such as desert tortoises, exotic animals and the legality of brothels in Nye County. Finally, the disclosure addresses propertyspecific issues such as existence of master plan restrictions outside of common interest communities, division or assemblage or parcels and boundaries. In each case, the buyer is provided with contact information to find out more, and is advised to seek assistance from surveyors and other professionals where necessary. Short Sale Listing Addend um A few minor revisions to the Addendum to Listing Agreement—Short Sale have major impact. First, the paragraphs within the form were re-ordered for a better and more logical flow, starting with defining a short sale, advising the seller that other options are available, and advising the seller of the consequences of a short sale. Next, every paragraph now includes space for the seller to initial. This is designed to encourage agents to explain each paragraph, and ensure that the seller has read and understands each and every paragraph. Finally, additional language was added in paragraph 1 to incorporate other entities that may have an interest in the property (such as mortgage insurers) into the definition of “Lender.” In addition, the seller is advised that the terms of the Lender Approval may not be known until closing, and such terms may or may not be favorable to the seller. As with all short sale listings, agents should continue to advise their clients to seek professional advice for the legal, credit and tax consequences of a short sale. Remember, the banks may be asking for a promissory note for all or some of the difference between a loan amount and the sales price, and sellers need to understand these consequences. n [9] SOUTHERN NEVADA REALTOR® MARCH 2010 www.LasVegasRealtor.com E-billing notices have been sent for MLS, CLS and KEY Access fees. Check your e-mail for our e-billing notice for MLS, CLS and/or D Key or E Key access fees. E-mail is from GLVAR with a subject line: “GLVAR Billing: Semi Annual Service Fees”. Fees are due April 1st for the period April 1, 2010 – September 30, 2010 and are non refundable. Accounts outstanding at 5 pm on Saturday, April 10th will be assessed a late fee and services will be suspended. Make your payment by logging on to www.lasvegasrealtor.com with your public and private ID . Select “view/pay my account” and pay your access fees today. Need help? Please call our accounting department at 784-5053. We will process “auto pays” on Thursday, April 1 for those members who have signed up for that option. Thank You short legal Sales Information, Clauses and Forms for the New Federal Program [ by Deanne M. Rymarowicz, Esq. ] Next month on April 5, a new federal program designed to streamline short sales will officially begin. The “Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives” (HAFA) program is a companion program to the Home Alternatives Modification Program (HAMP). Loan servicers must offer a short sale or deed-in-lieu of foreclosure (DIL) alternative to those borrowers who meet HAMP eligibility requirements, but are still unable to meet other program requirements. How does the HAFA program work? The servicer is required to offer a short sale agreement to a borrower within 30 days after the borrower does at least one of the following: • Does not qualify for a HAMP trial period plan. • Does not successfully complete a HAMP trial period plan. • Is delinquent on a HAMP modification (misses at least 2 consecutive payments). • Requests a short sale or DIL. In a successful HAFA transaction, the seller will have no additional personal financial liability after closing. The lender/ investor, any subordinate lienholder and the mortgage insurer must each agree not to pursue the seller for any remaining deficiency. Thus, the homeowner may initially request a HAFA review. In any of these instances, the servicer will contact the borrower and offer a standard “short sale agreement.” The borrower then has 14 calendar days to respond. Although the government has issued guidelines, the loan servicer may institute its own policy consistent with investor guidelines, so there may be some variations among lenders. These lender policies may include such factors as the severity of the loss involved, local market conditions, the timing of pending foreclosure actions, and the borrower’s motivation and cooperation. Who is eligible for HAFA? The seller must meet the basic eligibility criteria for HAMP: • The property must be the principal residence; • First lien originated before 2009; • Mortgage payments delinquent or default is reasonably foreseeable; • Unpaid principal balance no more than $729,750; and • Borrower’s total monthly payment exceeds 31 percent of gross income. Because in most circumstances the borrower will have already applied for HAMP assistance, the financial documents and proof of hardship will already be available to the servicer, and that will help speed the short sale approval process. However, even if the borrower has not applied for HAMP, the servicer must still consider a short sale if the borrower requests it. If the servicer has never been contacted or spoken with a homeowner about a short sale or deed-in-lieu, the servicer must offer the short sale agreement to the borrower and provide 14 calendar days to respond. If the borrower does not respond, the servicer’s duty to offer HAFA is satisfied. What does the short sale agreement do? The HAFA short sale agreement is not a listing agreement. It is an agreement between the servicer and the borrower that grants a certain time period to list and sell the home. (Extensions up to 12 months are available.) The agreement spells out the terms of the HAFA program, including that the sale must be an arm’s length transaction; that a seller/real estate licensee may not earn a commission from the sale; and that the purchase agreement must include the buyer’s agreement to not sell the home within 90 calendar days of the transaction closing. The short sale agreement also provides a list price, or an acceptable net proceeds number, in addition to acceptable closing costs, closing date (not less than 45 days from the date of the purchase agreement) and other important terms. It is also important to note that the short sale agreement includes the seller’s obligation to complete a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure if the short sale is not successful. CONTINUED ON NE X T PAGE [ 11 ] SOUTHERN NEVADA REALTOR® MARCH 2010 www.LasVegasRealtor.com legal To accept the short sale agreement the borrower/seller must act quickly—within 14 calendar days—and include all of the required information, including a signed listing agreement. For a sample of the short sale agreement, click here. ➠ What do I need to add to the listing agreement? All listing agreements for properties that will be sold under the HAFA program must include the following clauses: • Cancellation Clause: “Seller may cancel this Agreement prior to the ending date of the listing period without advance notice to the broker, and without payment of a commission or any other consideration, if the property is conveyed to the mortgage insurer or the mortgage holder.” • Listing Agreement Contingency Clause: “Sale of the property is contingent on written agreement to all sale terms by the mortgage holder and the mortgage insurer (if applicable).” What do I need to add to the purchase agreement? The sales contract must contain the following clauses: • “Seller and Buyer each represent that the sale is an “arm’s length” transaction and the Seller and Buyer are unrelated to each other by family, marriage or commercial enterprise.” • • Buyer’s documentation of funds or Buyer’s pre-approval or commitment letter on the lender’s letterhead; and A status update on the negotiation of any subordinate liens. The seller has three business days to send these documents to the servicer. Practically speaking, the seller’s agent will likely facilitate this step. For a copy of the Request for Short Sale Approval, click here. ➠ What if the sellers’ home is already listed and they don’t have a short sale agreement, can they still request a short sale approval? Yes, if the seller otherwise meets the HAMP eligibility requirements, a purchase agreement may still be reviewed under the HAFA program. A pre-approved short sale agreement is not required. Once an executed contract is obtained, the seller will use the Alternative Request for Approval of Short Sale which requires some additional information. For a copy of the Alternative Request for Approval of a Short Sale, click here. ➠ Note: at the time of the request for short sale approval (see below), the seller, but not the buyer, is asked to swear to the above two points under penalty of perjury, and also that there are no agreements or understandings between the parties that the seller will remain in the property as a tenant or later obtain title or ownership of the property; and neither seller nor buyer will receive any funds or commissions from the sale of the property. Although these terms are not spelled out as “required” in the purchase agreement, they are nonetheless requirements in the short sale agreement. Thus, it is a good idea that this verbiage be used in an addendum to avoid any misunderstanding or possible rejection. Upon what grounds may a short sale be rejected? The servicer has ten business days to accept or reject a short sale transaction. The HAFA rejection form provides the following points for rejection. The servicer may reject on any of these points, or on the basis that the transaction is not in compliance with some other term of the short sale agreement: • Failure to provide executed sales contract or addenda; • Failure to provide buyer’s documentation of funds to close or buyer’s pre‐approval or commitment letter on letterhead from lender; • Contract sales price below list price stated in Short Sale Agreement; • Net proceeds amount is less than acceptable net proceeds stated in Short Sale Agreement; • Excessive financial concessions; • Excessive commissions; • Excessive closing costs; or • Excessive payments to subordinate liens/mortgages OR release of subordinate liens did not occur. What happens when the seller accepts an offer? Once the seller accepts an offer, the seller must send the servicer: • A completed Request for Approval of Short Sale (RASS); • A copy of the fully executed offer, including all counteroffers and addenda, What about commissions? Under HAFA guidelines, the servicer will pay the commission as stated in the listing agreement, up to six percent. However, neither a real estate broker nor agent may receive a commission if they are a party to the transaction. In addition, there must be no agreement to do side deals to pay a commission indirectly. • “The Buyer agrees not to sell the property within 90 days of closing of this sale.” [ 12 ] SOUTHERN NEVADA REALTOR® MARCH 2010 www.LasVegasRealtor.com What are the incentives to participate in the program? • $1,500 for borrower relocation assistance (paid at close of escrow); • $1,000 for servicers to cover administrative and processing costs; and • Up to $1,000 match for investors for allowing a total of up to $3,000 in short sale proceeds to be distributed to subordinate lien holders (on a one-for-three matching basis; up to three percent of the unpaid principal balance of each subordinate loan). What about second mortgages? The seller must provide the servicer with written documentation on all subordinate liens. HAFA allows up to three percent of the unpaid principal balance of each loan (not to exceed an aggregate of $3,000 for all the loans in total) to be paid from the sale proceeds to help get a lien release. However, it is up to the seller to clear those liens. To start, the seller should determine if there are other loans, judgments or liens secured on the property, such as a home equity line of credit or a second mortgage. If there are such liens, seller will need to either pay these loans off in full or negotiate with the lien holders to release them before the closing date. Under HAFA, the seller must make sure other lien holders will agree not to pursue other legal action related to the pay off of their lien, such as a deficiency judgment. must obtain approval from the mortgage insurer for the HAFA alternatives. What banks are participating? All loan servicers who participate in the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) must participate in HAFA. A complete list of servicers is available at http://www. makinghomeaffordable.gov/contact_servicer.html. Among the participating servicers are Bank of America, CitiMortgage, Countrywide Home Loans Servicing, GMAC Mortgage LLC, JP Morgan Chase Bank, Ocwen Financial Corporation, Wachovia and Wells Fargo Bank. Please note, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will be releasing their own HAFA guidelines. As you can see, HAFA is a complex and detailed program, and brokers and agents are encouraged to use all of the resources available in the sidebar to understand this program. n This article is of a general nature and is not intended to address any specific legal or ethical situation. Suggestions for revisions to GLVAR forms should be forwarded to the Forms Committee at [email protected]. Legal questions may be directed to NVAR’s Legal Answerline at 1-800-748-6999. R e s ou r ce s Sellers may ask their real estate agent to assist with these negotiations, and the HAFA short sale agreement encourages sellers to do so. The Real Estate Division has issued a position statement that when such negotiations are part of a real estate transaction, services that might other require a separate license for loan modification are covered under the real estate license. Be aware, however, that separate compensation is not allowed for such services, even if the click here for a copy of the transaction does not close. Division’s statement. In addition, brokers and agents must always be mindful of the line between practicing real estate and practicing law and advise their clients to seek legal advice when necessary. Click on a resource to open a PDF or link to an external site. What about mortgage insurance? The goal of HAFA is to get the borrower free and clear once the short sale closes. HAFA guidelines state, “A mortgage loan does not qualify for HAFA unless the mortgage insurer waives any right to collect additional sums (cash contribution or a promissory note) from the borrower.” The guidelines indicate that it is the loan servicer/investor who Home Affordable Mortgage Program www.makinghomeaffordable.gov ➠ HAFA Resources Complete HAFA Guidelines NAR’s Frequently Asked Questions NAR’s HAFA Brochure (Text only) NAR’s HAFA Brochure (Full Color) Short Sale Agreement Request for Approval of Short Sale Alternative Request for Approval of Short Sale Other Resources NAR Short Sale Homepage www.realtor.org/realtors/basics_short_sales Nevada Real Estate Division Position Statement [ 13 ] SOUTHERN NEVADA REALTOR® MARCH 2010 www.LasVegasRealtor.com property management Over the past 15 plus years, I have worked with quite a number of REALTORS®, some very experienced, professional and competent – others not so much. Most of these dealings have had to do with rental properties, since I’m primarily involved in Property Management. More than once, I’ve decided not to show particular company’s rental properties because of how one particular property looked. Curb appeal is one thing, but the interior must also be appealing. IT’S NOT READY [ b y D e e Sw e e t P r op e r t y M a n a g e r ] It’s not that these properties weren’t properly staged; they weren’t even cleaned! One house in particular appeared as though the kitchen had been sub-leased to a large family of cockroaches who were enjoying crumbs in the cabinet drawers, grease in the range hood, and who knows what underneath the sink. In another, the carpets in one part of the house had been replaced, but in the rest of the property it was evident that the carpet had not even been vacuumed, let alone shampooed. In still another property, there was a large amount of nasty looking stuff in the master bathtub and the rest of the house was just as bad. In each case, by the time I had finished apologizing to my customers for the condition of the property, I knew I had lost not only my customers but also any referral fee I might have earned. Now, I know what you’re thinking, I should have previewed those properties before I took a customer in. That works fine with sales, but with rentals there frequently isn’t that much time. Most importantly, what can each of us do with each property, whether for sale or for rent, to make that property sell or lease (or just get off the market and out of our hair) in a timely manner? First, put yourself in the buyer or lessee’s shoes. What would you like to see in a property? A HOUSE HAS TO BE CLEAN! No crumbs in the kitchen cabinets or drawers, no greasy residue on the cabinets or the range hood, no bugs anywhere, no rings in the bathtubs and NO nasty smells in the refrigerator or elsewhere. Clean means different things to different people. What is needed is a professional cleaning for each property. There are companies that can take a messy, overlived-in property and turn it into a showplace. We call them turn around companies and they’re not cheap. Property owners must realize that they have become small business owners. They have an investment in the property they bought to rent out. Either that or they need to bring their current home up to acceptable standards to rent. By the same token, they must realize that they may need to invest more money in order to make their income property viable. Carpeting needs to be thoroughly shampooed. Vacuuming alone doesn’t remove the ground in dirt or the depressions left by furniture. Light colored carpet that will not come clean may need to be dyed. Replacing carpet, unless it is totally worn out, is a last resort. Re-painting may not be necessary unless there is visible damage to the walls. Touchup painting, unless a professional is hired to do it, can sometimes make the perceived problem even worse. Have you ever walked into a house, looked at the walls and noticed five or six different shades of the same off-white color? That’s bad touch-up. When you walk into a vacant house, one of the first things you notice is the smell. If it’s too perfumed, you have to think maybe they’re trying to mask something. It should smell clean as well as look clean. We are all in this business to make money. I know of very few REALTORS® who got into the business because it looked like it would be so much fun. (All those marvelous houses! Look at those fantastic, super-fit, smiling people!) I believe you are doing a huge disservice to your clients if you put a property on the market for rent or for sale when it’s simply not ready! Would you buy or rent a property in the condition of any of those mentioned in the second paragraph? I’m thinking not — no matter how good a deal it is. It’s just not ready! n [ 14 ] SOUTHERN NEVADA REALTOR® MARCH 2010 www.LasVegasRealtor.com professional standards Changes to the Interpretations of the NAR Code of Ethics New Case Interpretation #12-25, Advertising Role in Sales After Changing Firm Affiliation, was adopted as follows: REALTOR® Q was a non-principal broker licensed with ABC, REALTORS®. REALTOR® Q specialized in buyer representation. A prominent feature on her website carried the headline “I sold these – and I can help you buy or sell, too!” Under the headline was a list of over a hundred street addresses of properties for which REALTOR® Q had found buyers. For personal and professional reasons, REALTOR® Q chose to leave the ABC firm to affiliate with XYZ, REALTORS®. As she transitioned to her new firm, REALTOR® Q was careful to disclose the name of her new firm in a readily apparent manner on her website. Her website also continued to display the list of properties she had found buyers for during her time with the ABC firm. REALTOR® Q’s parting with ABC had been amicable, so she was surprised to receive a complaint brought by her former principal broker, REALTOR® C, alleging a violation of Article 12, as interpreted by Standard of Practice 12-7, based on her website’s display of sales made while REALTOR® Q had been affiliated with ABC. At the hearing, REALTOR® C, the complainant, noted that Standard of Practice 12-7 provides, in part, “Only REALTORS® who participated in the transaction as the listing broker or cooperating broker (selling broker) may claim to have ‘sold’ the property.” “It was ABC, REALTORS®,” REALTOR® C added, “that was the selling broker in these transactions, not our former sales associate REALTOR® Q. Her advertising our sales under the umbrella of her new firm, XYZ REALTORS®, is confusing at best, and potentially misleading to consumers who may get the impression the XYZ firm was involved in these transactions when that’s not the case.” REALTOR® Q defended herself and her website arguing that the fact that she had found the buyers for each of the properties listed on her website was still true, and that the only thing that had changed was her firm affiliation. “If it was true when I was licensed with ABC, then it’s still true even though I’m now licensed with XYZ,” she reasoned. The hearing panel agreed that REALTOR® Q had, in fact, sold the properties, albeit while licensed with ABC. The ad, however, suggested that the sales were made while the REALTOR® Q was licensed with XYZ, which was not the case. Consequently REALTOR® Q was found in violation of Article 12. n Source: NAR [ 15 ] SOUTHERN NEVADA REALTOR® MARCH 2010 www.LasVegasRealtor.com mls How to Get Your Offer Accepted on a Fannie Mae property (without really trying) [ b y t o dd m i l l e r , m l s c o m m i t t e e m e m b e r ] As an REO agent the #1 question I get is “How do I get my offers accepted?” There are, of course, the usual answers; Bring cash, be owner-occupants, close fast, waive inspections, and write a clean offer. Of course that doesn’t help you when you are working with that FHA buyer who is going to need 45-60 days to close, full inspections, barely has the funds to close, and an entire slew of other conditions and reasons why they need special dispensation during the escrow process. What normally happens is that on a given property there will be numerous offers, and many times, all of them FHA or similar types of financing. The seller typically likes those which are 1) likely to close, and 2) net them the most money. So the going secret strategy (which isn’t much of a secret) is to write an offer for way above list price and market value [ 16 ] SOUTHERN NEVADA REALTOR® MARCH 2010 www.LasVegasRealtor.com to secure the contract, and then try to negotiate it down after the appraisal, which will certainly come in lower. Of course what usually happens is that a lower offer gets accepted because the seller believes that it will more likely financed than the higher offer, and the “secret strategy” seems to be useless. Since most sellers have figured this one out, this leaves the poor FHA buyer with only one other recourse; write as many offers as possible, and hope one gets accepted. In many cases, you are the lucky agent who gets to do this, and many times, you have been the one to suggest this strategy. purchases with HomePath, then it goes up to 25% for the next six (6). 5) No mortgage insurance. That means no extra up front or back end payments for the borrower. 6) Free home warranty. Well, I guess there is really no such thing as free but let’s just say that the buyer doesn’t have to come out of pocket for it. 7) Renovation Financing. Does the property need some light repairs? This option gives the borrower the chance to fund those repairs into the loan and pay for them after COE. Don’t worry if this is your frustration. The good news is you aren’t alone and there are some solutions, one in particular for Fannie Mae REOs. So now that I have your attention, you are probably wondering why you haven’t done this before. You are probably even wondering why no one mentioned this to you as a choice. I’ll save you the hassle of calling your favorite lender and asking him/her why they didn’t recommend this to you. The likely answer is simple. Their company cannot do HomePath financing. The reason is that the product is not highly profitable for lenders, so they tend to not offer it. The good news is that there are a bunch of lenders that do offer it. Simply go to HomePath.com and search for lenders online. Most of them do not have offices in every city, so do some due diligence and interview a few of them with your clients and figure out who you think will give them the best service and go from there. You can spot a Fannie Mae from miles away. No, following the billowing smoke is not the reason why. As a matter of course, Fannie Mae tends to rehab more of their properties than any other institutional seller. The main way to tell if it is a Fannie Mae is, 1) Federal National Mortgage Assn is listed in the tax records, or 2) Homepath is mentioned in the MLS. Since about 97% of all Fannie properties are Homepath eligible, you will likely be able to capitalize on this and have a much better chance of getting an accepted offer. Here’s why. Fannie Mae has partnered with a bunch of lenders to create a type of financing for its properties. This type of financing, Homepath, is only for Fannie Mae properties, but has a few interesting features. 1) No Appraisal. Yes, you heard right. They don’t do an appraisal. If your client wants to offer $50,000 over list price, go ahead. They stand a good chance of getting it accepted over any other type of financing because whatever they offer is what the loan is going to be. 2) Owner occupants as little as 3% down. Additionally, this money can be a gift, from their funds, a grant, from the government, employer, etc. It is less than the 3.5% that FHA requires, and can come from more sources. 3) Fast closings. Most of the Homepath lenders will tell you they can close a loan in 17 days. Certainly the lack of appraisal helps a great deal in this factor. 4) Investors can buy for 10% down. With most other investor loans, the minimum down payment is 25%. Being able to have investors buying with less cash gives them more funds for other purchases They can do this for the first four (4) A couple of extra tidbits are also going to help out. Fannie Mae is offering up to 3.5% incentive for buyers who purchase and close on a Fannie Mae-owned home between January 28 and April 30, 2010. Buyers purchasing properties listed may receive up to 3.5% of the final sales price for the following. 1) Closing costs. 2) The purchase of new Whirlpool appliances. 3) A combination of the above. To be eligible for the above, the buyer must: 1) Offer accepted after January 28, 2010. 2) Must close escrow no later than May 1, 2010. 3) Buyers must be owner occupants. These incentives, along with the newly extended First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit are great tools to help make the home buying process easier for your clients, and you as well. So keep your eyes peeled for HomePath and Fannie Mae in the MLS, and armed with this new knowledge as well as a HomePath Preapproval letter, your clients are going to have a much better time during the entire process. And by default, so are you. n [ 17 ] SOUTHERN NEVADA REALTOR® MARCH 2010 www.LasVegasRealtor.com realtor.com® What does that Number mean to you? [ b y j a s o n p l a t n e r , RE a l t o r . c o m ® ] Last year REALTOR.com® delivered over 88 million leads to Las Vegas agents! Las Vegas leads the nation as the most searched city and REALTOR.com® sends the most leads to its members. How do you as an agent cash in on these outstanding numbers? The first thing you need to do is make sure that your personal account is set up on REALTOR.com®. To access this account please go to www.solutioncenter. realtor.com. At this site you will be able to log into your account. When you go to this web page and log into your account for the first time your user name is going to be your MLS Public ID, and your password is the same Public ID. Once you are into your account you will be asked to change your password. What you do once you are logged in First you need to go to your account information section and fill out all of your personal information. All of this information will be displayed on all of your listings be it resale or rental. Also, all of this information will be displayed on the yellow page feature of REALTOR.com®. If you are having problems with this, please e-mail Jason Platner at [email protected]. In-office Training Jason Platner is the local contact for REALTOR.com®. If you would like for him to teach your office how to use REALTOR.com®, please call him at 702-449-3690 or email him at [email protected] to set up your in-office training. The training is FREE, so please take full advantage of it. How do you capitalize on this lead generation? Make sure that when you spend money on marketing, your message is in front of people that are looking to do a real estate transaction. REALTOR.com® is the number one real estate website in the world and that is what we provide, people that are looking to do a real estate deal sooner than later. Branding Your Service in the Las Vegas Market During the month of March you can do a banner on Realtor. com® at no risk to you. This is the most exclusive part of Realtor.com®. When you sign up for a banner on REALTOR. com® you are going to get a 90 day test drive of that spot. You will still be billed per month for your spot, but you will have a 90 day test period. After this test period has expired and you want to cancel, you can do so at no penalty to you. We have a very limited number of banners in Las Vegas that are still open. Please get in touch with Jason Platner at [email protected] or at 702-449-3690 to place your order. Thought of the Month The definition of Branding: In marketing, the use of logos, symbols, or product design to promote consumer awareness of goods and services. IF YOU BRAND YOURSELF YOU WIN! PERIOD! n [ 18 ] SOUTHERN NEVADA REALTOR® MARCH 2010 www.LasVegasRealtor.com mlxchange DO YOU WANT MORE TRAINING ON MLXCHANGE? [ by Kathy Heaney ] Very often at the beginning of the year, agents decide that this is the year they will become more proficient on MLXchange. We offer many options for this: Classes, office visits and computer labs. Many of you have asked if we can bring the training to you. The answer is YES. We offer on-line training video classes available for you to take advantage of at your leisure. These training videos are located within MLXchange. While you are logged into MLXchange, simply click “Help” at the top right of your MLXchange screen. You will see three tabs: Main, Help & Support. If you click on the Support Tab you will see some options along the left “MLXchange Tutorials.” You can also access this directly from www. mlxhelp.com Select your Association (in the Select your Site, choose Greater Las Vegas Association of Realtors). Then enter your user name and password (same as you use to log into MLXchange or LasVegasRealtor.com). mls t i p You will then be presented with these same three tabs. When you select the Support tab, you will see the following options on the left side of the screen. Select MLXchange Tutorials, and you will be presented with a list of MLXchange Tutorials and Demos. These tutorials contain step-by-step screen shots of advanced MLXchange topics. Please note that these are generic tutorials on the functionality of MLXchange and may not address specific topics pertinent to the Las Vegas Association’s business rules. Please check these out and if you have any questions, please call us at 702-735-0478 or email us at LasVegasSupport@ Marketlinx.com. n open houses 1 2 3 4 Planning on holding an Open House? Were you aware if you add an Open House in MLXchange it appears on the GLVAR website www.lasvegasrealtor.com for consumers to search? To add an open house to a listing in the MLS database: From the Listing Summary page, click Open Houses to expand the section. Click the Add an Open House button. The Add New Open House page opens, with the related fields highlighted. Enter the Open House Type, Date, Time, and Office Phone information. Note: You can even indicate whether there will be refreshments served! Click Submit. [ 20 ] SOUTHERN NEVADA REALTOR® MARCH 2010 www.LasVegasRealtor.com [ 22 ] SOUTHERN NEVADA REALTOR® FEBRUARY 2010 www.LasVegasRealtor.com Mortgage rates Bernanke details how Fed will tighten when time comes remain stable [ by inman news ] Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke says the Fed will hold the line on short-term interest rates for now, but Bernanke also detailed the steps the Fed will eventually have to take to head off inflation, which are expected to raise the cost of borrowing. In prepared testimony to lawmakers, Bernanke said the Fed intends to hold a key short-term interest rate, the federal funds overnight rate, at its current record low for an “extended period” (the Fed chairman was scheduled to testify before the House Financial Services today, but the hearing was cancelled due to weather). of shutting it down are more severe than expected. Bernanke said that once the Fed decides it’s time to tighten monetary policy, it could also choose to sell securities including the MBS it has been purchasing to help keep mortgage rates low. That could put upward pressure on mortgage rates. If the Fed tried to unload its MBS purchases “By increasing the interest rate on reserves, the Federal Reserve will be able to put significant upward pressure on all short-term interest rates…” Ben Bernanke, Federal Reserve Chairman But when the time comes to tighten monetary policy to “prevent the development inflationary pressures,” Bernanke said the Fed intends to raise the rate it pays on banks’ excess reserves. That would push short-term interest rates up, and put upward pressure on long-term rates as well. “By increasing the interest rate on reserves, the Federal Reserve will be able to put significant upward pressure on all short-term interest rates, as banks will not supply short-term funds to the money markets at rates significantly below what they can earn by holding reserves at the Federal Reserve Banks,” Bernanke said. “Actual and prospective increases in short-term interest rates will be reflected in turn in longer-term interest rates and in financial conditions more generally.” too quickly, investors might not be eager to snatch them up, pushing their prices down. When bond and MBS prices fall, yields move in the opposite direction. Mortgage rates are expected to rise after the Federal Reserve wraps up ongoing purchases of $1.25 trillion in mortgagebacked securities (MBS) at the end of March. For now, he said, the Fed is simply allowing the MBS it has purchased to run off as they mature or are prepaid, and is also rolling over maturing Treasury securities. In a Jan. 12 forecast, the Mortgage Bankers Association projected rates on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages will rise from an average of 4.9 percent during the final quarter of 2009 to 6.1 percent in the final quarter of 2010, 6.3 percent in the last quarter of 2011, and hit 6.6 percent during the last three months of 2012. Shrinking demand for purchase loans outweighed a slight bump in applications for refinancings, pushing applications for mortgages down a seasonally adjusted 1.2 percent for the week ending Feb. 5, the Mortgage Bankers Association said in releasing B.0003356 results of its Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey. William Dudley, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, has said that while he expects the Fed to wind down its MBS purchases at the end of March as planned, the program could always be restarted if the consequences Although mortgage rates were mostly down, demand for purchase loans fell by a seasonally adjusted 7 percent from the previous week. Applications for refinancing were up 1.4 percent, the MBA said. n Bernanke promised that any sales of MBS and other investments the Fed has made to prop up the economy “would be at a gradual pace, would be clearly communicated to market participants, and would entail appropriate consideration of economic conditions.” Copyright 2010 Inman News Reprinted with permission of Inman News [ 23 ] SOUTHERN NEVADA REALTOR® MARCH 2010 www.LasVegasRealtor.com SAFETY: KNOWLEDGE AWARENESS EMPOWERMENT Showing Properties the Safe Way When you are showing an empty property, you can take these simple steps to empower yourself against attack or theft. • Be sure to use the lockbox property-key procedure that has been established to improve real estate agent safety. A reliable, secure lockbox system such as Supra® ensures that keys don’t fall into the wrong hands. • Preview the property and don’t go into a neighborhood that you perceive as unsafe. Be familiar with the area so you know the location of the nearest police station. Drive there immediately if you feel you are in danger. S A FE T Y T I P S Tip #6 Block identity theft Contact the fraud department of any of the three consumer reporting companies— Equifax®, ExperianSM and Trans Union®—to place a fraud alert on your credit report. The fraud alert automatically lets credit card companies and other creditors know they must contact you before opening any new accounts or making any changes to your existing accounts. • Try and call the office once an hour to let people know where you are. • At the beginning of the showing, mention to the client that you have another appointment to show the house within a short time. • Tip #7 Auto safety: 99% preparation Prepare a scenario so that you can leave, or encourage someone who makes you uncomfortable to leave. Examples: Your cell phone or beeper went off and you have to call your office, you left some important information in your car, or another agent with buyers is on his way. Keep roadside breakdown essentials in the trunk, including flares, a tire-inflation canister, basic hand tools, spare belts and hoses, water, a flashlight and a first-aid kit. Have your vehicle inspected regularly, keep it well maintained and learn how to change a flat tire. Tip #8 Wear your REALTOR® ID • In showing a property, always leave the front door unlocked for a quick exit while you and the client are inside. As you enter each room, stand near the door. • It is better to not display purses while at a property Lock your purse in the car trunk before you arrive. Carry only non-valuable business items (except for your cell phone), and do not wear expensive jewelry or watches, or appear to be carrying large sums of money. • Park at the curb in front of the property rather than in the driveway. You will attract much more attention running and screaming to the curb area. It is much easier to escape in your vehicle if you don’t have to back out of a driveway. Besides, parked in a driveway, another vehicle could purposefully or accidentally trap you. n Always wear visible company identification such as a badge. It is also best to drive a vehicle clearly marked with your company name. These will be invaluable for identification if you need to get assistance. Tip #9 Choose flight over fight While every real estate agent should take a basic selfdefense course, the primary goal in any threatening situation is to escape from immediate danger and call for help. Visit NAR’s REALTOR® Safety Web site at www.REALTOR. org/Safety. Source: This article is part of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®’ 2009-2010 REALTOR® Safety Resources Kit. [ 25 ] SOUTHERN NEVADA REALTOR® MARCH 2010 www.LasVegasRealtor.com wcr the clock is ticking— now is the time for you to join! [ by sharon exarhos, wcr las vegas chapter president ] The Women’s Council of REALTORS®, ranks 12th in U. S. Women’s Organizations. The WCR have established benchmarks of excellence year after year after year. It is not by accident – it is a very definite plan. What is the secret? They work together – both locally and nationally. Members receive a success mixture of networking, business planning and systems, personal performance, cultural awareness, and negotiation. It is a strengthening formula that empowers every chapter and ALL members. We reach out to each other, member to member and chapter to chapter, providing the winning edge year after year after year. Of course you want to network effectively, be social media savvy, maximize your time, your money, be effective in your negotiations, be aware of cultural preferences, and all the latest elements that will keep your business on the road to success. Annual Fashion Show May 8, Saturday, come to our annual “Dress for Success,” at Cili’s, Bali Hai Golf Club. The extravaganza will show off the latest fashion trends, vendors will have a myriad of accessories, bobbles, and beads. Interspersed will be our photographer, our hat parade, prizes, gift baskets, and plenty of good food. This will be a day of pampering and spring 2009 fashion show fun. This event is open to the public. Sponsorship opportunities are available. Tickets may be purchased for $50. www.wcrlv.org: The Las Vegas Chapter Website Invites YOU to Join or Renew Now. Your membership will include a Free Web Photo and your complete contact information. This is a valuable tool for your networking. n Our local chapter is humming too Diversity Committee – New Networking Tool: The “Recipes for Success” cookbook will be used for networking both locally and nationally. Each member may submit 3 family recipes, their photo and complete contact information. Recipes may be ones that are passed from generation to generation or a new one. These are the recipes YOU are known for preparing better than anyone else. Email me your comments to [email protected] save the date Joint Meeting with CRS Our April meeting will be a joint meeting with CRS Southern Nevada. MARCH 3 • APRIL 7 Join Us For Breakfast ? WCR.ORG Question of the Month When you go to our national website what single piece of information did you find valuable? Cili Restaurant at Bali Hai Golf Club 5160 S. Las Vegas Blvd (1 block south of Russell) 7:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. $25 for RSVP’d members, $35 for RSVP’d non-members Register early to avoid the $5 additional late fee RSVP @ www.wcrlv.org or 702-944-4434 Annual Fashion Show [ 26 ] SOUTHERN NEVADA REALTOR® MARCH 2010 www.LasVegasRealtor.com Saturday 05.08.10 See article for details Using zipForm® 6 Easy as 1-2-3 • Go to www.LasVegasRealtor.com • Log on using your public ID and password 2. Click on the forms button. The first time you log in zipForm® 6 sets up and configures the Form Viewer. • Click on the ZipForm button Important Note—If an alert window appears, install Java. Select NO if asked “Do you want to find a secure website?” Attention 1. Click on zipForm® 6 Professional Edition (online) OR zipForm® 6 Standard Edition (desktop) We have detected that you do not meet the system requirements to run zipForm® 6 Professional You have a missing Java Runtime Environment Between 1.6.0_11 and 1.6.0_15 version of the Java Runtime Environment is required. Click Here to install. Once Java is installed you will need to restart Internet Explorer. 3. Form Viewer page. To download form highlight and Double Click. NEED ASSISTANCE? call Tech Support @ 866.693.6767 or visit online @ http://support.zipform.com crs crs of southern nevada [ by nancy l. anderson, president ] CRS…The Council of Residential Specialist is an organization which certifies residential real estate career professionals who are, or aspire to be, respected industry experts and value education, credentials, and opportunity that certification provides. Unlike other residential real estate professional membership organizations, CRS has stringent requirements for designation, including education and market experience, and is the internationally recognized industry gold standard, providing superior education, exceptional referral and networking opportunities, and relevant, timely resources to keep dedicated professionals and those they serve on THE PROVEN PATH TO SUCCESS… so think about becoming a CRS. MARCH MEETING March meeting will be at Lawry’s The Prime Rib on March 17th, St. Patrick’s Day, so come out and join us at 11am and learn more about what is happening with Robert Noggle and team from Black and LoBello. It should be an interesting meeting with a lot of information regarding this current market. APRIL In April we will be co-hosting WCR’s meeting on the 7th, so plan on attending. Also in April on the 16th we will be in Mesquite hosting a general meeting and CE class on contracts, so if you don’t mind traveling, or if you live in Mesquite, come spend the morning with us. Pat Kornychuk from iMortgage and Lea Jackson from First American Home Protection will be sponsoring the event. 8 TIPS FOR SELLING REO PROPERTIES Just recently I received a paper from friends out in California and I want to pass on what they said about REOs. First, REOs and Short Sales have become our market here in Nevada, so as a CRS you will be involved if you are active in the business. Here are some tips: 1. 2. Identify the obvious buyers – best way is through communication and easier and less expensive is email. 3. In order to be good at REOs set up a good support group consisting of a home inspector, an attorney, a mortgage rep, home protection company, and skilled contractors who can fix anything. 4. Know what makes it a DEAL; is it price, condition, availability, financing? 5. Become the source of information! Use your website to showcase on how to find, buy and sell them. 6. Stay informed!!! Take CRS111 Short Sales and Foreclosures: Protecting your Client’s Interest. 7. Register with HUD to become a seller of HUD REOs. This is something your broker can do so all in your office can sell these properties. HUD is an excellent source of REO properties as well as financing in a “tough” market. 8. All REOs are not created equal – know when to walk away. The listing agent can make the difference; must have excellent communication and negotiation skills as well as extensive information regarding the property and lender requirements. Above are just a few good hints for you in this market place. WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT CRS? CALL US !!!! Nancy L. Anderson, President: 521-3499 Jackie Porter, President-elect: 321-8797 Tim Kurtz, Secretary/Treasurer: 896-5500 n Make sure when viewing the MLS listing that it states it is a REO. Our MLS service does have this function of identification. 11am networking 11:30am-1pm lunch & meeting @ Lawry’s “The Prime Rib” March 17 • June 16 • September 15 • December 15 April 16 Mesquite • Watch for Nye County date [ 29 ] SOUTHERN NEVADA REALTOR® MARCH 2010 www.LasVegasRealtor.com member benefit partners Contact these vendors to see what discounts are available or ➠ click here 1-2-3 Automotive AppleOne Employment CSI Services LLC FixYourPDA.com 1-800-GOT-JUNK? Attention to Signs Victor L. Vega 501-0799 Custom Benefits Consultants Tom Delaney 251-5865 Fung Shui-Design Solutions 1st Choice Flooring bb king’s blues club las vegas george contreras 696-1517 Custom Furniture Rental Dede Beno 485-5555 A & D Cleaning Services Beno’s Flooring Services Nick Beno 221-9241 Dans Heating & Cooling INC Linda Dyar 752-8990 AAA Best Home Pro Desert Shine Window Cleaning Tony Levoyer 622-8440 Jeff Johnston 919-794-3350 Rob Watson 227-7221 A Beautiful Smile Black Ledger Desert Valley Maintenance Candy Dixon 876-2525 Emily Vidrine 801-645-1146 Demetrios Arvanitis 641-6937 A Fresh Clean Carpet BR Signs & Graphics Distinct Energy Performance Harvey Brown 591-3116 Luis Cajueiro 348-9740 Kevin Parkinson / Annette Bubak 396-5080 Accusign Sign Company Brand Source LV Valley Diversified Protection Systems Bill Bilansky 597-2057 Wolfgang Bednar 269-1551 Rod Stanley 332-8034 Advanced Accounting eTax Bush & Levy, LLC Ductz of Henderson Luke Joseph 835-9244 Susan Bush 868-4411 Craig Nuhfer 560-5077 Aesthetic orthodontics camp bow wow las vegas Dumont Cleaning Bob Donovan 784-0500 Jennifer O’hare 255-2267 Margret Dumont 808-9662 Aesthetic Staging & Design Car Perks Edge Design Group, Inc Laurie Baroff 73-STAGE Nicole Martin 904-394-8190 Esther Cruz 378-2464 Affinity Dental Carpets N More Elite Financial Planning Group Robert Donovan 562-5044 krystal brown 458-9999 Dr. Geoffrey VanderPal 383-5092 Aflac City saver Enterprise Rent-A-Car Patrick Sullivan 456-7520 mike clough 325-2338 Marissa Birch 597-4560 Alliance Cleaning & Restoration Clear ER Law John & Kamilla Fox 558-8900 David Mayne 997-1228 Cristina Evans 463-7529 Aliante Dental Club Sport Green Valley Executive Service Contractors Melinda Mindietz 515-1888 Nancy Ottmann 216-3282 Foster Holloway 460-7505 Allegian Identity Solutions Concentra Medical Centers Euro-Kitchen & Cabinets, Inc Jimmy Smith 255-3000 Andrew Klein 227-1835 Georg J Wyink 328-1596 Almost Anything Colonial life Everett Agency kelly ware 275-0515 Jabari Everett 738-8661 Ameriplan Colorful lines Faultless Home Inspections Cheryl Lockhart 735-1181 scott olsen 290-3556 Christian F. Falter 469-6659 Amerigis CORT Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Tricia Bernard 822-7368 Bob Bauer 368-2284 CPG Tours Fingertip Books and Kits Andrew Maline 595-2640 Traci Ignozzi 426-9842 Thomas Fookaris 234-2662 Anthem BCBS Laura Tyler 696-1087 Ann Moore 227-1274 Samantha Kolari 258-3010 Alex Ripoll 838-2777 Larry Burzynski 384-6996 Dan Fleisder 616-2534 Jack Lyons 310-941-7100 Michael Cole 888-525-5251 [ 30 ] SOUTHERN NEVADA REALTOR® MARCH 2010 www.LasVegasRealtor.com Clinton Montgomery 327-4962 Rochiel Wallers 354-6809 Fung Shui Interiors.com Shelley Deegan 947-0857 Health Quotes of Nevada Joe Tegano 228-0715 henderson hyundai gary wesolowsk / joe biscardi 565-1500 Home Staging by Lyn Lyn Houben 768-9273 Howard Marstellar Virtual Tours Howard Marstellar 821-1165 Idea Wide Inc Todd Hartman 835-6888 iHOUSE Web Solutions Lisa Fasana 866-645-7700 x525 INSURELASVEGAS.COM Michael J. Connolly III 914-6911 JCS Video Productions Jack Vosburgh 596-9291 jump 2 it plumbing llc darrick jump 438-3106 kcp properties kevin parkinson / annette burbak 396-5080 Kings Appliance Repair Antonio & Maria Reyes 294-2900 Kruyer Dental Paul Kruyer 432-2223 La Paloma Affinity Pre-Need Sannene Garehime 809-9556 Las Vegas Handyman Mike Ives 248-0550 Las Vegas Home Watchers, Inc Dan & Ginni Kruger 493-2755 Las Vegas Local Advertising Ryan Dunn 630-3866 Las Vegas Publications, LLC Jennifer Mahar 444-4088 ext 224 Legoland California www.legoland.com/buytickets Code 295-DEALS Long term Care Financial Partners Daurene Lee 685-9105 Love Your Carpet & Upholstery Steven Correa 898-6070 Margots Online Insurance Margot Allaire 279-5141 Massage Heights A. Mizener 431-1300 Massage Envy David Nydam 368-3689 Menopause The Musical Linda Germany 238-4187 Metro Bee & Pest Control Scott Krienke 250-5588 MLS Photos Tyrone Boyer 596-5462 Move 4 Less Avraham Cohen 889-6683 National Health Administrators Mitchell Kuhn 1-800-432-0091 Needham Law Firm Evan Needham, Esq. 258-5858 ext. 1 Nevada Drug Card Suzanne Domoracki 510-0100 Nevada Insurance & Financial Peter Kran 326-9229 NY Hair Company Nikki Tucker 515-9445 OBEO.com Kristin Combs 801-637-4663 ODOR Masters Ian Simon 491-2526 OfficeMax Impress Fred Bennett 204-9873 Opportunity Village Document Destruction Paul Shlisky 880-4092 Par 4 LLC Charles Skvarek 232-4922 Paul’s Handyman Service Paul Sanchez 497-8436 Sourcing Point Solutions Waddell & Reed Financial Spectrum Home Services Warren’s Homework Sterling Pest Control Williams Heating & Cooling Inc Storage One World Ventures Straighten Up! Professional Organizing Verticals, Blinds, & Shades Dave Denny 388-9940 PDQ Printing Kristi Swasey 876-3235 Christopher Spahr 214-7928 Photography In Motion David Panter 358-3328 Justin Anderson 293-5533 Power Clean Pressure Washing David Figeroa 489-5985 Alicia Braach 270-2147 Precision Ultrasound Gary Scully 760-327-6770 Samantha Ratliffe-D’Arrigo 630-2448 Presidential Save Shop Nina Williams 248-7428 Steamatic Total Cleaning & Restoration Michael Esposito 633-0383 Professional Pressure David LaMarca 326-9101 Stouall & Associates Michael Iglinski 258-3034 Professional Website Content Terri & Anthony Arnold 592-4446 Surfboard Dreams M.P.D. Penny Tyner 473-9522 Promotional Imaging USA Ester Boyter & Macey Schoen 240-7558 Tastefully Simple Wendy Schaller 561-0132 Rare Capture Photography Michael Markovic 434-5840 Tavarez Handyman Eduardo Tavarez 742-6890 Raquel Stewart Cleaning Raquel Stewart 979-9764 The Block Group Joel Block 888-465-6067 x107 R.C. Willey Home Furnishing Dennis Lucas 801-856-6683 The Daily Post Darrel & Barbara Barnett 878-8513 Recognition Express Jeffrey Tino 798-0800 Robb & Stucky Interiors The International Affiliation Network Sharon Allen 531-0577 Jennifer Pence 796-6363 Scentsy The Maids Karen Winn 349-7422 Peggy Lagomarsini 870-3360 Send Out Cards The Pipeline / The Funding House Jan & Geoff Riddle 813-3671 / 612-9200 Shirlee Rose 542-3421 Sentry West Insurance Services Tire Works Total Car Care Brian Jenson 800-328-1827 Barry Temple 883-7300 Servpro of Southwest Las Vegas Titan Stairs and Trim Inc Randolph Farias 429-3621 Mark Hundley 221-9980 Service Master 1st Response Travel Our Globe Erica Tomlin 896-4197 Randy Sotka 202-6851 Signature Flowers Unique Landscaping LLC Cheryll Icasa 562-8884 Spiros Filios 869-4242 [ 31 ] SOUTHERN NEVADA REALTOR® MARCH 2010 www.LasVegasRealtor.com William Tarasen 736-3656 Kathryn Affentranger 876-9610 Dwayne Williams 403-6096 Dawn Houlf 236-6266 Jack Vosburgh 596-9291 Virtual Tour Outlet Angeline & Scott Olsen 260-7420 Xtreme Advertising, Inc Kurt Schaefer 644-7313 Yosemite Lighting and Home Decor Tami Bogenschutz 327-8585 photo opps toiletry drive GLVAR held its 11th Annual Toiletry Drive; all proceeds benefited Shade Tree, Safe Nest and Child Haven. Members of GLVAR out did themselves again by donating thousands of dollars worth of toiletries to the women and children at these 3 shelters. Once again, GLVAR would like to thank our members who supported this fundraising effort for their support. —Irene L Vogel, CEO MORE PHOTO OPPS PAGE 3 4 Jim Losell a ff i l i a t e Elizabeth Hanson at safe nest. Diane Dobson makes a delivery to child haven’s peggy’s attic. from left: Cheryl Smith, Francine Willis and Joan Katsuda fr o m l e ft : C a s s a nd r a Patterson, J oan Katsu da, R i c h a rd L y b b e r t , Na d ine M orris, K evin Chil d, A sh l e y D e B u sk a nd A l e xi s Ruck. [ 32 ] SOUTHERN NEVADA REALTOR® MARCH 2010 www.LasVegasRealtor.com photo opps Jeremy Daugherty from B ank o f A merica Home L oans hoste d an Aff iliate Lunch & L earn on February 18, 2010, to a ful l ho us e . It provi de d an in formative overview on REG X an d REG Z changes in the real estate in dustry an d a Q& A s e s s i o n o n REO a nd S hort S ale changes with the Tre a s ury cha nge s . from the classroom GLVAR provides seminars and classes from Tech Forums to the “Green” Designation. Here are February’s highlights. b r o k e r ’ s f o r u m — V e r i se C a m p be l l , D e p u t y D i r e c t o r , S t a t e o f N e va d a Fo r e c l o s ure Me di a ti o n Pro gra m gi ve s a n u p d a t e o n t h e p r o g r a m . i nse t P r e si d e nt E l e c t , P a u l B e l l w i t h V e r i se ca m pb e l l . T h e MLS T e c h n o l o g y Ad v i s o r y S u b c o m m i t t e e h o s t ed t h e i r 1 s t q u a r t e r T e c h F o r u m o n February 11, 2010. Over 8 0 memb er s a t t e nd e d t h i s f r e e t r a i ni ng w h i c h c o ve r e d MLX c h a ng e t o o l s & se r vi c e s a s we l l a s the Im m o b e l t r a n s la t io n a p p l i c a t i o n w h i c h a l l o w s m e m be r s t o t r a nsl a t e MLS l i st i ng s i nt o 1 3 d i ffe re nt l a ngua ge s . fro m lef t : W a lt C o ffe y MLS V i c e C h a i r , J a ne t C h o yno w sk i , CEO I m m o be l , G e o r g e T r o m bl e y MLS Tre a s ure r a nd Te rry F it zpa t r ick , M a r k e t L i nx . Lee Barrett teaching another s u c c e s s f u l NAR a p p r o v e d , S h o r t Sale & Foreclosure Resource certification course. [ 34 ] SOUTHERN NEVADA REALTOR® MARCH 2010 www.LasVegasRealtor.com congratulations to the nvar leadership 2009 graduating class from left: Sharon Exharos, Forrest Barbee, Leslie Cain, Linda Murphy, Ellen Fahr, Brett Gordon, Amy Shocket, Gina Lyon, Mike Pristow, G a r y M a n s o u r , H e i d i M c F a dd e n , M a r i s s a M c C o n n e l l , B r u c e S o l i . G l va r r e c e i v e d fundi ng f r o m na r t hro ugh the i r “ F o r e c l o s u re Prevention a nd R e sp o ns e Pro gra m . ” A l i sa J u ni , o f Ho us i ng H e l p fo r N e va da accepts A g r a n t of $20,000 on b e h a lf o f t he nonpro fit a g e n c y fo u n de d in r e s p o n s e t o Clark C o u nt y’ s h o us i ng cri s i s . S t o r y o n p age 8 . guy amato of habitat for humanity photo opps a day of giving bryan menzelle of shade tree marie outcalt of safe nest President Rick Shelton presented checks to reps from the three local charities that benefited from the $20,000 raised at the “Silent Auction” held during the 2010 President’s Installation Luncheon. [ 35 ] SOUTHERN NEVADA REALTOR® MARCH 2010 www.LasVegasRealtor.com single family home report [ january 1- january 31, 2010 ] new listings Existing single family H omes sales price range 2 bdrms 3 bdrms 4+ bdrms total units s/fam units $49,999 or Under 29 73 22 124 136 $50,000 to 59,999 18 61 18 97 77 $60,000 to 69,999 15 57 14 86 116 $70,000 to 79,999 11 69 29 109 146 $80,000 to 89,999 19 80 27 126 205 $90,000 to 99,999 21 89 43 153 241 $100,000 to $119,999 25 224 91 340 480 $120,000 to $139,999 26 224 110 360 511 $140,000 to $159,999 19 175 99 293 465 $160,000 to $179,999 11 108 113 232 374 $180,000 to $199,99 4 66 79 149 311 $200,000 to $249,999 11 66 154 231 469 $250,000 to $299,999 4 31 81 116 266 $300,000 to $399,999 0 23 78 101 251 $400,000 to $499,999 3 11 30 44 108 $500,000 to $999,999 2 7 29 38 121 $1,000,000 to $2,999,999 0 0 5 5 49 $3,000,000 to $4,999,999 0 0 3 3 5 $5,000,000 and Over 0 0 1 1 5 218 1,364 1,026 2,608 4,336 96,600 120,000 167,500 134,925 150,000 114,296 131,903 218,980 164,687 215,253 totals median price average price LISTED VS. solD 70,000 60,000 50,000 40,000 30,000 20,000 10,000 0 38% 2006 24% 41% 2008 2007 LISTED 2009 2010 SOLD For more comprehensive statistical reports 49% 77% ➠ click here [ 36 ] SOUTHERN NEVADA REALTOR® MARCH 2010 www.LasVegasRealtor.com condo / townhome report [ january 1- january 31, 2010 ] new listings Existing condo/townhomes sales price range 1 bdrm 2 bdrms 3 bdrms total units condo units $49,999 or Under 54 98 27 179 245 $50,000 to 59,999 15 42 10 68 131 $60,000 to 69,999 6 62 20 90 109 $70,000 to 79,999 3 58 15 76 111 $80,000 to 89,999 2 30 15 47 70 $90,000 to 99,999 1 11 19 31 54 $100,000 to $119,999 1 24 20 45 76 $120,000 to $139,999 0 11 9 20 66 $140,000 to $159,999 1 6 5 13 47 $160,000 to $179,999 2 6 6 14 15 $180,000 to $199,99 1 3 1 5 20 $200,000 to $249,999 0 3 1 4 18 $250,000 to $299,999 0 1 0 1 6 $300,000 to $399,999 0 0 1 1 8 $400,000 to $499,999 0 0 0 0 4 $500,000 to $999,999 0 0 0 0 6 $1,000,000 to $2,999,999 0 0 0 0 1 $3,000,000 to $4,999,999 0 0 0 0 0 $5,000,000 and Over 0 0 0 0 0 86 355 149 594 987 median price 44,498 65,000 80,000 65,000 70,000 average price 51,094 71,021 86,280 72,045 91,164 totals LISTED VS. sold 20,000 15,000 10,000 5,000 0 37% 2006 21% 28% 2008 2007 LISTED 2009 2010 SOLD For more comprehensive statistical reports 60% 61% ➠ click here [ 37 ] SOUTHERN NEVADA REALTOR® MARCH 2010 www.LasVegasRealtor.com annual mls statistics TOTAL UNITS SINGLE FAMILY CLOSINGS 4000 3500 2006 3000 2007 2500 2008 2000 2009 1500 2010 1000 500 0 Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 1000 900 TOTAL UNITS CONDO/TOWNHOME CLOSINGS Jan 800 2006 700 2007 600 2008 500 400 2009 300 2010 200 100 0 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec $300,000 $250,000 AVERAGE PRICE $170,118 $164,687 2009 Year End Average $200,000 $150,000 $87,696 $72,045 $100,000 2010 Thru January $50,000 $0 SINGLE FAMILY CONDOMINIUM For more comprehensive statistical reports ➠ click here [ 38 ] SOUTHERN NEVADA REALTOR® MARCH 2010 www.LasVegasRealtor.com residential rental leased report [ january 1- january 31, 2010 ] new listings residentia l rent al unit s l eas ed sales price range 2 bdrms 3 bdrms 4+ bdrms total units $500 or Under 16 2 0 18 9 $501 to $800 281 26 2 309 324 $801 to $1,000 155 191 20 366 375 82 421 139 642 539 $1,001 to $1,300 $1,301 to $1,500 25 68 99 192 192 $1,501 to $1,700 10 28 46 84 111 $1,701 to $2,000 14 18 47 79 102 $2,001 to $3,500 12 16 55 83 104 $3,501 to $5,000 0 2 4 6 22 $5,001 to $8,000 0 0 1 1 8 $8,001 to $10,000 0 0 1 1 5 $10,001 and Over 0 1 2 3 2 totals 595 773 416 1,784 1,793 median price 820 1,100 1,400 1,100 1,100 average price 915 1,364 2,938 1,582 1,305 LISTED VS. LEASED average price $3,000 $2,500 $2,000 s/fam units $1,784 $1,784 $1,500 $1,000 $500 January 2009 February 2009 March 2009 April 2009 May 2009 June 2009 July 2009 August 2009 September 2009 October 2009 November 2009 December 2009 January 2010 median price $1,597 $1,419 $1,365 $1,461 $1,348 $1,299 $1,405 $1,255 $1,477 $1,264 $1,261 $1,313 $1,582 January 2009 February 2009 March 2009 April 2009 May 2009 June 2009 July 2009 August 2009 September 2009 October 2009 November 2009 December 2009 January 2010 0 LISTED LEASED For more comprehensive statistical reports ➠ click here [ 39 ] SOUTHERN NEVADA REALTOR® MARCH 2010 www.LasVegasRealtor.com $1,200 $1,200 $1,200 $1,200 $1,200 $1,200 $1,195 $1,195 $1,150 $1,150 $1,125 $1,150 $1,100 SUNDAY M arc H 2 0 1 0 MONDAY TUESDAY 1 UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED ALL MEETINGS ARE HELD @ GLVAR 7 14 WEDNESDAY 8 9:00am Risk Management 3:00pm Zipform Training 15 1:00pm Finance Committee 21 22 28 29 2 9:00am Property Management Committee 9:30am Technology Committee 11:00am Executive Committee 9 16 23 8:30am Grievance Committee 10:00am MLS Committee 10 17 11:00am CRS Meeting (Lawry’s, “The Prime Rib”) 1:00pm Politics 101 for REALTORS® 30 CALENDAR SU B J ECT T O C H AN G E 3 7:30am WCR Meeting (Cili’s Restaurant) 24 THURSDAY 4 FRIDAY SATURDAY 5 6 11 12 13 18 19 20 26 27 10:00am Forms Committee 8:30am Political Affairs Committee 10:00am CALV BOD 25 8:30am Board of Directors Meeting 8:30am Faculty Committee 10:00am Charities Committee 11:00am General Membership Meeting 2:00pm CE Class (Four Seasons Hotel) 31 ➠ ® c l i c k h e r e F O R CURRENT IN F O R M ATI O N REALTOR® Trademark Did You Know… Use non-member, instead of non-REALTOR®, when referring to one who is not a member. [ 40 ] SOUTHERN NEVADA REALTOR® MARCH 2010 www.LasVegasRealtor.com PAID ADVERTISEMENT