Today, I have spent some time, trying to get my head around the current market in Poinciana Fl. I need to know how many properties in our MLS(Multiple Listing Service) are currently in foreclosure, bank owned or requiring a short sale. For the purpose of this post I will call these "default properties". I must say, this data is not easy to get.

The problem I'm having is a lot of the default properties are only mentioned in the comments section of the listing. If the REALTOR® hasn't clicked off the appropriate fields then the only way I can know if it is a default property is to read each listings remarks. Well, I can't do that. We have 1682 active listings and it would just take too long.

Anyway, here is my analysis based on what I could find.

OK, it's my opinion, based on my research, that these default property percentages are off quite a bit. I believe they are off by as much as 5%. I'm basing that on the amount of listings where the appropriate fields were not checked. Here is a sampling of the comments from listings that did NOT show up in my search for default properties.

• Short Sale all offers subject to third party approval commissions subject to lender approval & to be split 50/50 with listing and selling agent

• Pre-Foreclosure - Short Sale contracts are subject to 3rd Party Approval - Chance to own this beautiful home at a super low price. Take advantage of the buyers market. BRING ALL OFFERS!

• It's a STEAL of a DEAL! Are you ready to move in? *Pre-Foreclosure* SHORT SALE-SUBJECT TO 3RD PARTY BANK APPROVAL! *Sold As Is*

• Home For Auction: Pre-approved buyers only. Limited Service Listing. To show call Rodney @ xxx-xxx-6300. Home to be sold to HIGHEST and BEST OFFER acceptable to seller. Fax offers to xxx-xxx-6487. Buyer to pay buyer's agent commissions

• SUBJECT TO SHORT SALE APPROVAL.NO QUALIFY RENT 2 OWN WITH 5% DOWN. NO QUALIFY OWNER FINANCING AVAILABLE WITH APPROPRIATE DOWN PAYMENT. BAD CREDIT, NO CREDIT NO PROBLEM!

There are many, many more of these but I just wanted to give you a sampling. Then we have the properties that are priced to sale but are NOT default properties. Check out these remarks.

• *THIS IS "NOT" A SHORT SALE- PRE-FORECLOSUE-BANK OWNED PROPERTY-FAST REPLY FROM SELLER-NOT WEEKS LIKE SHORT SALES-*EASY SHOWING-CALL L.A. GREG-xxx-xxx-9620--IF YOU GET MY VOICE MAIL I WILL CALL YOU RIGHT BACK WITH INSTRUCTIONS---

• BARGAIN PRICED FOR QUICK SALE TO SETTLE ESTATE! INVESTORS DREAM, (Only needs MINOR cosmetics, interior paint & new bedroom carpeting.) Home has good bones and sits on a quiet cul de sac. PRICED WAY BELOW MARKET VALUE for a Quick Sale! Home needs minor TLC, sold as is with right to inspect. Home Warranty. Seller is motivated and wants a fast sale to settle estate. **THIS IS NOT A SHORT SALE OR FORECLOSURE, SO IT CAN CLOSE IN 30 DAYS OR LESS!** A FABULOUS DEAL FOR YOUR BUYERS. WON'T LAST LONG! This is a must see home.

Isn't that interesting? The reason these REALTORS® want you to know it's NOT a default property is because default properties are getting very few if any showings in my area. There are too many low priced properties available where the buyer doesn't have to wait for 3^rd party approval and their REALTOR® doesn't have to be concerned about their commission being sliced at the last minute.

So there you have it, a peek into my World, Poinciana Fl. I showed you mine...want to show me yours?

***The Real Estate Show is my listing. It is NOT a short sale!!!

Copyright © 2007 Broker Bryant Real Estate Ramblings | All Rights Reserved

Hey guys. I took a little time today to put together this resource for you. In case you hadn't noticed there were some excellent posts written over the last few days relating to the mortgage crisis. I've placed all the links in one place so I can send it to my Sellers. This is good stuff.

Ten  Nine Writers with close to 200 years and 1,000s of closed transactions in experience writing their opinions on the mortgage crisis. These writers are Real Estate Brokers, Mortgage Experts, Fraud Experts and Title Agents who work everyday in the trenches. 

This compilation truly shows the power of ActiveRain. Use it.

THE ACTIVERAIN MORTGAGE/HOUSING CRISIS RESOURCE

Ed Rybczynski-Mortgage Fraud Speaker and Expert located in MD

• A Recipe For Unmitigated Disaster
• A Coin Has Only Two Sides
• The Metrics Of A Market Correction

Lenn Harley-Broker/Owner in VA and MD

Broker Bryant-Broker/Owner in Central FL.

Carole Cohen-REALTOR® in Cleveland OH

Renee Burrows-REALTOR® in Las Vegas NV

Gena Riede-Associate Broker in Sacramento CA

• Foreclosures In California will Be Reduced

Janet Guilbault-Mortgage Expert in San Francisco CA

Fran Gaspari-Title Agent with over 35 years experience-Limerick PA

• What's The Solution To The Stagnant Market....The Penthouse Sweet!!! 

Kaye Thomas-REALTOR® with 28 years experience in Manhattan Beach CA.

• California Foreclosures....Stupidity or Greed.

Brian Brady-Mortgage Expert and hard money Lender-San Diego CA

• What then for 2008?

Lola Audo-Broker/Owner located in Grand Rapids MI

• When The Pants Legs Are Two Different Sizes-Why A One Size Fits All Solution Won't Work!

Gabriel Silverstein-Broker/Owner in Chicago IL with over $1 Billion in Real Estate Experience.

• No, I'm Not Going To Bail You Out!

Mike Jones-Mortgage Expert located in Tucson AZ

• Real Estate Correction: I Don't Want Help From My Government

Bob Mitchell-Owner/Broker and Mortgage Broker-Saint Louis MO

• Homeownership Is Too Important To Do Nothing!
• Homeownership Is Too Important To Do Nothing II

Bill Roberts-Real Estate Broker-San Diego CA

• What Mortgage Crisis?

By the way, if I missed any posts please place a link in the comments section and I'll add it if it's suitable.

Copyright © 2007 Broker Bryant Real Estate Ramblings | All Rights Reserved

***Edited: I had to remove one of the post from Ed Rybczynski and the post from Brian Brady. I didn't realize they were for "members only". This post is public so they had to go. Sorry about that.

***2nd Edit:: Ed made his post public so I added it back in. I also added a new post from Lenn. I will contune to add to this list as posts come up.

Hi folks. This post was inspired by Lenn Harley's excellent featured post "CALIFORNIA SUBPRIME BORROWERS MAY GET RELIEF? - More Questions than Answers. If you haven't read Lenn's post, you need to. Make sure to read all the comments as well. She has a great discussion going on over there.

Anyway, I had left a long winded comment on Lenn's post pointing out a few of the different types of Sellers I speak with on a daily basis and what they have done to create their problems. One of the things I pointed out was that Sellers in my area are just walking away from their properties instead of staying and fighting to keep them. Their properties are worth quite a bit less than what they owe on them and since they have no equity left there is no reason to stay.

Lenn wrote this in response to my comment: "There is, indeed, good incentive to make the payments - their good credit".

Lenn's response brings me to the reason for this post. In my opinion, Lenn's statement "nails" where the Lenders made their mistake. If Lenders had been dealing with folks that had proven their good intentions, by paying their bills on time, homeowners in default would indeed have, "......good incentive to make the payments - their good credit".

Unfortunately, a buyer with a 550 credit score, purchasing a home with no money down does not have the incentive necessary to secure the Lender's investments. The Lenders were basing their investment on one thing and one thing only, rapidly increasing property values.

Lenders knew, without a doubt, that these loans would default. They also knew they could make billions of dollars by writing these loans and selling them off on the securities market (mortgage back securities MBS). They also figured that when these sub-prime borrowers got into trouble they would be able to refinance them(starting the MBS process all over again) making more money. The sub-prime borrower would have an incentive to stay because they would have equity in their property.

The mistake, the Lenders made, was in thinking that values would continue to increase. A homeowner, who has already proven that they do not pay their bills on time (sub-prime borrower) is NOT going to stay and fight. They will and are walking away from the financial noose around their neck. They have NOTHING to lose. Their credit already sucks and there is no equity to try and save. Why try to keep their home by working out a loan modification? A loan modification would not change the fact that they are paying way too much for a property that has lost value. Why pay $1,800 a month when they can rent the identical house down the street for $800? To save their credit? Nope. To honor their obligations? Nope. If they believed in "honoring their obligations" their credit score wouldn't be 550.

The mantra, at least in my area, for owners in default is "Easy in....easy out!"

This post is one of the reasons why I feel "Big Gov" needs to stay out of this mess and let the market run it's course. It won't be easy and it won't be quick. But, just maybe, our new mantra will be "No pain....no gain".

This post is 100% my opinion. What's yours?

Here are a couple of links to related posts I had written earlier this year.

Your home is your Castle. Not an ATM machine!

Three blind mice.

Graphic compliments of Mariana Wagner

Copyright © 2007 Broker Bryant Real Estate Ramblings | All Rights Reserved

Isn't that a purdy house? It's right down the street from one of my new listings. Competition is heating up in Poinciana Fl! Folks are starting to get very creative too.

There seemed to be a lot more "For Sale By Owner" and "For Rent" signs than I normally see. In fact, just about every street had one or two. These are certainly signs of the times.

A FEW OF THE SIGNS I SAW TODAY WHILE RIDING AROUND

Now in case you are wondering, below is the sign that was in front of that beautiful home up top there. It's brand new(or so the sign says) and can be yours with no money down. What a deal!!!

Folks, as many of you know, TLW and I don't live in Poinciana. We live in a very small rural town about 20 minutes south of where I work. Here's one of the houses being built about a mile from us.

Notice anything interesting in the picture? Yep.....those are goats and donkeys wandering around the construction site!!! There are actually about 50 of them but they kept moving every time I went to snap a picture.

OK that's all I have to say today. What say you?

****All photos are the property of TLW. Touch and she will shoot you.

Copyright © 2007 Broker Bryant Real Estate Ramblings | All Rights Reserved