Monday, March 28, 2011

Charleston Short Sales: What Does It Mean When The Bank Says File Is Going To Investor Soon?

This is an example of the stack of files an analyst at an investor has to review.Charleston SC – The Stop Foreclosure recently received a question from Georgia E. Here was her question.

" When the bank says the file should be going to an investor soon what does that mean?" Georgia E.

Discover how other sellers successfully did a short sale to avoid foreclosure by clicking here.

Here is the answer. It means that whoever ultimately owns the loan will make the decision. For example, you might be negotiating the short sale with Wells Fargo.

However Wells Fargo may not own the loan. (Around 80% of all the loans they service are owned by someone else.) Wells Fargo will take all of the short sale documentation and send it to the actual loan owner.

(The actual loan owner could be anyone from Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Goldman Sachs, a Pension Fund, or another Wall Street Entity.)

That loan owner will review the short sale file themselves. Then, they will either approve the short sale or deny it. If they deny it, then they will usually let you know why.

Then you can find out the reason they denied the short sale and re-apply. Often they want more money for the house, a missing document, of some other item.

It is a popular misconception that banks own all the loans they handle. Little do most people know that most loans have been sold to a third party.

Many experts agree that this was actually a good thing because it spread the losses across a lot of different people in the economy.

If all the losses has been with 3-4 large banks, then those banks would have experienced crippling losses. Thinking about a short sale?

I can help you short sale your property and never pay the bank another penny. Send me an e-mail at JeffCook@JeffCookRealEstate.com. I will contact you for a free consultation.

When we talk, I will explain how the process works in detail and answer any questions you may have. Or, if you prefer, you can call me at (843) 608-9520

Discover how other sellers successfully completed a short sale and request a free consultation by clicking here.

Thinking about a loan modification? Our Charleston loan modification kit has the instructions you will need to get a loan modification approved with your bank. Click here to request a copy.

Thanks for reading this, Jeff Cook.

Jeff is a Real Estate Agent at AgentOwned Realty Co.

Phone: (843) 608-9520. JeffCook@JeffCookRealEstate.com.



View My homes for sale at www.JeffCookRealEstate.com.

Jeff Cook specializes in loan modification assistance and short sales in Charleston South Carolina. Charleston Loan Modification Help, Charleston short sales. Charleston short sale realtor. Charleston SC Short Sales. Charleston Realtor.

Copyright 2011 SFI Marketing Institute, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Important Notice

Jeff Cook, AgentOwned Realty Co, and the Stop Foreclosure Institute are not affiliated in any way, shape, or form with the government. Our services have not been reviewed or endorse by the government or your lender. Most lenders willingly work with agents on short sales. Why?

Because most short sales are beneficial to a lender. If you accept our offer to help you on a short sale, your lender may not agree to a short sale or to modify your loan. We do offer a loan modification kit.

However, the likelihood of negotiating a modification is like everything else in life. It takes work and persistence to convince your lender to modify your loan. No matter what you or we do, your lender may not approve a loan modification.

We do not recommend that you stop paying your mortgage, because this will cause damage to your credit and could cause you to lose your home. Because we know avoiding foreclosure is so important to any homeowner, we recommend that you speak with the appropriate legal or tax advisor before making any decision.

This is not intended as legal, technical, or tax advice. Please speak with a licensed professional before making any decision. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed as of the date of writing.

You have the option to reject a short sale or loan modification from your lender if it does not meet your approval. If you decide not to go thru with the short sale, then you do not have to pay us our fee. We normally make a real estate sales commission for helping you on a short sale.

The views expressed here are Cook's personal views and do not reflect the views of AgentOwned Realty Co.

This information on Charleston Short Sales: What Does I Mean When The Bank Says File Is Going To Investor Soon? is provided as a courtesy to our viewers to help them make informed decisions.

Friday, March 25, 2011

How will a Charleston Short Sale or loan modification affect my credit score?

Charleston SC – How do foreclosures, loan modifications or short sales affect a credit score? Your credit score will be affected by late mortgage payments and a short sale.

However, there are 2 things that are considered horrible on your credit report. Those 2 are items are foreclosure and bankruptcy.

Discover how other sellers successfully did a short sale to avoid foreclosure by clicking here.

A foreclosure or bankruptcy will almost immediately lower a credit score by around 100 to 120 points. (The number is not hard and fast – it all depends upon what the score was before the foreclosure, and other factors that the credit bureaus don’t like to share.)

The way that they write the algorithm, a foreclosure will keep on pushing your score down for the next 2 years! A foreclosure can also stay on a credit report for 7 years.

Short sales are different from a foreclosure. Short sales and loan modifications by themselves do not hurt a credit score (depending on how they are reported.) It is the missed payments that ding your credit report.

How a short sale is coded/reported to the credit reporting bureau does make a difference in the affect it has on your score. It could be reported as a charge-off, a 120 day late payment, or a settled account.

Any of these are dings on the credit report, averaging 100 points. Here is the good news. The way they do the algorithm, it will damage your score for a shorter length of time than the 2 years a foreclosure does.

How a short sale is reported to the credit bureaus is something that can be negotiated as part of the process of the sales negotiations. Good negotiators can have a positive impact here.

But, in the end, the credit score should not be the first thing to consider when facing the decision to short sale a home.

You need to look at what is best for your family financially. The credit score is secondary to that.

Get advice from a trusted source, and then make an informed decision. Thinking about a short sale?

I can help you short sale your property and never pay the bank another penny. Send me an e-mail at JeffCook@JeffCookRealEstate.com. I will contact you for a free consultation.

When we talk, I will explain how the process works in detail and answer any questions you may have. Or, if you prefer, you can call me at (843) 608-9520

Discover how other sellers successfully completed a short sale and request a free consultation by clicking here.

Thinking about a loan modification? Our Charleston loan modification kit has the instructions you will need to get a loan modification approved with your bank. Click here to request a copy.

Thanks for reading this, Jeff Cook.

Jeff is a Real Estate Agent at AgentOwned Realty Co.

Phone: (843) 608-9520. JeffCook@JeffCookRealEstate.com.



View My homes for sale at www.JeffCookRealEstate.com.

Jeff Cook specializes in loan modification assistance and short sales in Charleston South Carolina. Charleston Loan Modification Help, Charleston short sales. Charleston short sale realtor. Charleston SC Short Sales. Charleston Realtor.

Copyright 2011 SFI Marketing Institute, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Important Notice

Jeff Cook, AgentOwned Realty Co, and the Stop Foreclosure Institute are not affiliated in any way, shape, or form with the government. Our services have not been reviewed or endorse by the government or your lender. Most lenders willingly work with agents on short sales. Why?

Because most short sales are beneficial to a lender. If you accept our offer to help you on a short sale, your lender may not agree to a short sale or to modify your loan. We do offer a loan modification kit.

However, the likelihood of negotiating a modification is like everything else in life. It takes work and persistence to convince your lender to modify your loan. No matter what you or we do, your lender may not approve a loan modification.

We do not recommend that you stop paying your mortgage, because this will cause damage to your credit and could cause you to lose your home. Because we know avoiding foreclosure is so important to any homeowner, we recommend that you speak with the appropriate legal or tax advisor before making any decision.

This is not intended as legal, technical, or tax advice. Please speak with a licensed professional before making any decision. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed as of the date of writing.

You have the option to reject a short sale or loan modification from your lender if it does not meet your approval. If you decide not to go thru with the short sale, then you do not have to pay us our fee. We normally make a real estate sales commission for helping you on a short sale.

The views expressed here are Cook's personal views and do not reflect the views of AgentOwned Realty Co.

This information on How will a Charleston Short Sale or loan modification affect my credit score? is provided as a courtesy to our viewers to help them make informed decisions.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

How To Preserve Your Credit During A Charleston Short Sale

Charleston SC – If the right decision for you and your family is to sell the house as a short sale, then the sale will have an immediate effect on your credit score.

Discover how other sellers successfully did a short sale to avoid foreclosure by clicking here.

You might feel like it’s just overwhelming and demoralizing to see your credit score take any more hits!

But, here’s the silver lining: according to most experts, 78% of Americans have ERRORS on their credit score. Why is that a silver lining?

If you have negative errors on your report that get fixed, that will be a benefit to your score.

Average people can, on their own, take steps to repair and restore their credit report/ credit score after a short sale.

Here is how to avoid any double whammies during and after your short sale.

Follow these simple steps.

1. Review your credit report. I recommend the site: https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/index.jsp.

Do not go to any of those “free credit report” sites. After you get the report, review everything on it.

If you see anything that is negative, inaccurate, or questionable make a note of it. On your list, write down why you disagree with that item on your report.

2. Write letters to the different credit bureaus about what you are disputing on your report. There are several sample letters available online: http://www.creditinfocenter.com/forms.

Here is a simple tip: DO NOT use the online dispute forms that are on the websites of the 3 credit reporting agencies. Write your own letter and make it short, firm, and demanding of action.

3. Mail your letters to the credit bureaus through either registered or certified mail. This is what sets the clock for them to correct issues.

The law lays out a timeline that they have to follow (45 days.) And, this gives you a record of the mailing, too.

4. Keep a file of all that you have done, including dates. Then, track your results, also.

5. When you’ve gotten back responses (or if 45 days pass and you haven’t gotten responses), then it’s time to repeat some of the process again for some item or another on your report.

If you are diligent and proactive, you might just surprise yourself by the benefits you can see in on your credit report – even after your short sale! Thinking about a short sale?

I can help you short sale your property and never pay the bank another penny. Send me an e-mail at JeffCook@JeffCookRealEstate.com. I will contact you for a free consultation.

When we talk, I will explain how the process works in detail and answer any questions you may have. Or, if you prefer, you can call me at (843) 608-9520

Discover how other sellers successfully completed a short sale and request a free consultation by clicking here.

Thinking about a loan modification? Our Charleston loan modification kit has the instructions you will need to get a loan modification approved with your bank. Click here to request a copy.

Thanks for reading this, Jeff Cook.

Jeff is a Real Estate Agent at AgentOwned Realty Co.

Phone: (843) 608-9520. JeffCook@JeffCookRealEstate.com.



View My homes for sale at www.JeffCookRealEstate.com.

Jeff Cook specializes in loan modification assistance and short sales in Charleston South Carolina. Charleston Loan Modification Help, Charleston short sales. Charleston short sale realtor. Charleston SC Short Sales. Charleston Realtor.

Copyright 2011 SFI Marketing Institute, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Important Notice

Jeff Cook, AgentOwned Realty Co, and the Stop Foreclosure Institute are not affiliated in any way, shape, or form with the government. Our services have not been reviewed or endorse by the government or your lender. Most lenders willingly work with agents on short sales. Why?

Because most short sales are beneficial to a lender. If you accept our offer to help you on a short sale, your lender may not agree to a short sale or to modify your loan. We do offer a loan modification kit.

However, the likelihood of negotiating a modification is like everything else in life. It takes work and persistence to convince your lender to modify your loan. No matter what you or we do, your lender may not approve a loan modification.

We do not recommend that you stop paying your mortgage, because this will cause damage to your credit and could cause you to lose your home. Because we know avoiding foreclosure is so important to any homeowner, we recommend that you speak with the appropriate legal or tax advisor before making any decision.

This is not intended as legal, technical, or tax advice. Please speak with a licensed professional before making any decision. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed as of the date of writing.

You have the option to reject a short sale or loan modification from your lender if it does not meet your approval. If you decide not to go thru with the short sale, then you do not have to pay us our fee. We normally make a real estate sales commission for helping you on a short sale.

The views expressed here are Cook's personal views and do not reflect the views of AgentOwned Realty Co.

This information on How To Preserve Your Credit During A Charleston Short Sale is provided as a courtesy to our viewers to help them make informed decisions.

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Charleston Short Sales: Why Do Some People Worship Perfect Credit?

Charleston SC – It always amazes me how some people will do anything to have perfect credit. They would rather go hungry than risk harming their prefect credit rating.

A good example is a guy I will call Seth. Seth has perfect credit. He has worked to keep perfect credit for the last 12 years.

Discover how other sellers successfully did a short sale to avoid foreclosure by clicking here.

Seth has a several credit cards with high balances. He ran the balances up when the economy was strong.

Today, he can barely afford to make the minimum monthly payments. However, Seth was recently turned for a car loan, despite his perfect credit. Why did that happen?

I thought that perfect credit guaranteed that you could get a loan! Well, it turns out that Seth has too much debt.

Most banks won’t lender to someone with a high Debt to Income Ratio (DTI.)They calculate that number by adding up all the bills that you pay each month.

They use these ratios to determine if you have enough money to pay them each month. Seth can barely afford to pay the minimum monthly payments on his credit card debt.

If he pays them, then he can’t afford a car payment. His family needs a car more than they need perfect credit.

In my opinion, he should stop paying the credit cards. He should use the income he does have to take care of his family.

Having a car is more important than perfect credit. If they don’t have a car, then it will disrupt his work. If that happens, then his income could drop even more.

Then he won’t be able to afford the credit card payments anyways. Besides, there are ways he can repair his credit later on, after the economy has recovered.

At least he will be able to afford living expenses in the meantime. Thinking about a short sale?

I can help you short sale your property and never pay the bank another penny. Send me an e-mail at . I will contact you for a free consultation.

When we talk, I will explain how the process works in detail and answer any questions you may have. Or, if you prefer, you can call me at (843) 608-9520

Discover how other sellers successfully completed a short sale and request a free consultation by clicking here.

Thinking about a loan modification? Our Charleston loan modification kit has the instructions you will need to get a loan modification approved with your bank. Click here to request a copy.

Thanks for reading this, Jeff Cook.

Jeff is a Real Estate Agent at [AgentOwned Realty Co.]. Charleston Short Sales Realtor:

Phone: (843) 608-9520. JeffCook@JeffCookRealEstate.com.



View My homes for sale at www.JeffCookRealEstate.com.

Jeff Cook specializes in loan modification assistance and short sales in Charleston South Carolina. Charleston Loan Modification Help, Charleston short sales. Charleston short sale realtor. Charleston SC Short Sales. Charleston Realtor.


Copyright 2011 SFI Marketing Institute, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Important Notice

Jeff Cook, [AgentOwned Realty Co.], and the Stop Foreclosure Institute are not affiliated in any way, shape, or form with the government. Our services have not been reviewed or endorse by the government or your lender. Most lenders willingly work with agents on short sales. Why?

Because most short sales are beneficial to a lender. If you accept our offer to help you on a short sale, your lender may not agree to a short sale or to modify your loan. We do offer a loan modification kit.

However, the likelihood of negotiating a modification is like everything else in life. It takes work and persistence to convince your lender to modify your loan. No matter what you or we do, your lender may not approve a loan modification.

We do not recommend that you stop paying your mortgage, because this will cause damage to your credit and could cause you to lose your home. Because we know avoiding foreclosure is so important to any homeowner, we recommend that you speak with the appropriate legal or tax advisor before making any decision.

This is not intended as legal, technical, or tax advice. Please speak with a licensed professional before making any decision. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed as of the date of writing.

You have the option to reject a short sale or loan modification from your lender if it does not meet your approval. If you decide not to go thru with the short sale, then you do not have to pay us our fee. We normally make a real estate sales commission for helping you on a short sale.

The views expressed here are Cook's personal views and do not reflect the views of [AgentOwned Realty Co.].

This information on Charleston Short Sales: Why Do Some People Worship Perfect Credit? is provided as a courtesy to our viewers to help them make informed decisions.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Charleston Short Sales: Why Lenders Back Off When Threatened With Bankruptcy

Charleston SC – Bankruptcy is one of the scariest words a lender can hear. A bankruptcy filing can stall their ability to foreclose by 6 months, and sometimes as long as a year.

Discover how other sellers successfully did a short sale to avoid foreclosure by clicking here.

The lenders know that most bankruptcies will cause them to lose the ability to pursue you for any losses. This means they can’t go after you for any upside down debt.

The only thing a lender gets in a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy is any collateral they have on a loan. So they can foreclose on your house, but that is about the only thing they can do.

They can’t garnish your wages or bank accounts. So use the bankruptcy threat in your negotiations. Lenders know how much it will hurt their ability to collect from you.

The most effective technique that we have seen is to have all negotiations go thru a bankruptcy lawyer. The lawyer knows how to negotiate from a position of power.

The lawyer will also know full well exactly how bankruptcy will hurt the lender. Even if you have no intention of declaring bankruptcy the lender will get scared and cave in.

Then you can get the loan modification you deserve. Thinking about a short sale?

I can help you short sale your property and never pay the bank another penny. Send me an e-mail at JeffCook@JeffCookRealEstate.com. I will contact you for a free consultation.

When we talk, I will explain how the process works in detail and answer any questions you may have. Or, if you prefer, you can call me at (843) 608-9520

Discover how other sellers successfully completed a short sale and request a free consultation by clicking here.

Thinking about a loan modification? Our Charleston loan modification kit has the instructions you will need to get a loan modification approved with your bank. Click here to request a copy.

Thanks for reading this, Jeff Cook.

Jeff is a Real Estate Agent at AgentOwned Realty Co.

Phone: (843) 608-9520. JeffCook@JeffCookRealEstate.com.



View My homes for sale at www.JeffCookRealEstate.com.

Jeff Cook specializes in loan modification assistance and short sales in Charleston South Carolina. Charleston Loan Modification Help, Charleston short sales. Charleston short sale realtor. Charleston SC Short Sales. Charleston Realtor.

Copyright 2011 SFI Marketing Institute, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Important Notice

Jeff Cook, AgentOwned Realty Co, and the Stop Foreclosure Institute are not affiliated in any way, shape, or form with the government. Our services have not been reviewed or endorse by the government or your lender. Most lenders willingly work with agents on short sales. Why?

Because most short sales are beneficial to a lender. If you accept our offer to help you on a short sale, your lender may not agree to a short sale or to modify your loan. We do offer a loan modification kit.

However, the likelihood of negotiating a modification is like everything else in life. It takes work and persistence to convince your lender to modify your loan. No matter what you or we do, your lender may not approve a loan modification.

We do not recommend that you stop paying your mortgage, because this will cause damage to your credit and could cause you to lose your home. Because we know avoiding foreclosure is so important to any homeowner, we recommend that you speak with the appropriate legal or tax advisor before making any decision.

This is not intended as legal, technical, or tax advice. Please speak with a licensed professional before making any decision. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed as of the date of writing.

You have the option to reject a short sale or loan modification from your lender if it does not meet your approval. If you decide not to go thru with the short sale, then you do not have to pay us our fee. We normally make a real estate sales commission for helping you on a short sale.

The views expressed here are Cook's personal views and do not reflect the views of AgentOwned Realty Co.

This information on Charleston Short Sales: Why Lenders Back Off When Threatened With Bankruptcy is provided as a courtesy to our viewers to help them make informed decisions.