Curb Appeal Tips: How to Sell A Home Quick With Some Simple Curb Appeal Tips

Some times we come across properties that are in great condition,
and those are great, but more often in Real Estate you get properties
that in one way or another could use a little love…

Curb appeal is one of the most important factors in selling a home
fast. Buyers determine whether they like a house or not in the first
15 seconds.

And you know what they say… you never get a second chance
to make a first impression.

Many buyers are looking for flaws and if they see them  outside,
there is a good chance that the thought of what the  home looked
like is going to stick with them. Before they buy a home, the
buyers want to envision themselves living in the home.

Here are a few ideas that a home owner can use to make a huge
difference in selling the home but won’t break the budget.

 

• Swap out the old “Welcome” mat with a new one.

• Make sure that the doors are easy to open and they may want to paint them.

• Replace the porch lights and house numbers if they are broken or tarnished

• Add a nice bench or a couple of chairs on the porch, if you there is space available.

• Make sure the yard is manicured, weeds pulled and the shrubs are cut.

• Remove any cobwebs, dead plants, old mail etc

• Clean foggy and dirty windows

• Sweep the driveway and the entrance to the house.

Take a walk through the inside of the property and see what
the home needs. Some less expensive updates you can do to a
home is new lighting and replacing older mirrors in the
bath.

Make sure that the property smells clean and neutral. Get an
air-freshner and you could even wash or paint the interior walls
and ceilings. This will aid in keeping the home smelling fresh.

Cleaning the bathroom and kitchen counters will also assist
with making the home feel clean and smell fresh.

Take the time to do some of these quick cheap and easy
fixes that can help you sell a property quickly.

Contact me for any help with Real Estate.

How to Buy a House Step 1 "Get Prequalified for Your Loan" - Real Estate Mortgage Prequal

When Buying a Property many people ask, what is the first step, Should I Get Pre-Qualified for a Loan first?




The answer is Definitely Yes! Before you start looking to purchase a new home or condo, you should review your finances, discuss your home loan options, figure out how much you can afford, and get pre-qualified. Getting Pre-qualified is a simple process thatwill put you in a much better position because you will have the confidence to move forward with a purchase and it will give you significantly more negotiating power when purchasing.

What does it take to get pre-qualified for your loan? Not as much as you might think... With a short phone conversation, we can briefly review information about your employment, debts, income, and assets. We can also look at your credit profile, discuss your down payment options, and cover the different loan programs that can work for you.

Once you get pre-qualified, your loan officer will give you what's called a Pre-Qualification Letter. This letter states that, as your loan officer, they have reviewed your finances and can get you qualified for a loan up to a certain amount. The whole process is simple and to the point,the paperwork is kept to a minimum, and generally your loan officer can provide most clients with a "Pre Qual letter" within about 15 minutes.

Once pre-qualified then you can go out and find the home or condo that catches your eye. Once you and you decide on "the one", being pre-qualified for your mortgage will do a couple of things. First, it lets you know in advance how much you can offer. Second, your real estate agent(me) wil submit your mortgage prequalification letter with your offer so that the seller knows that a lender has reviewed your situation and that you can afford the home.

It puts you in the best possible position and gives you the most negotiating power when buying a house, so make sure you get qualified in advance.

Contact me if you have any questions or need any help,

Oliver Graf

Real Estate Expert
http://www.ThinkOG.com

Why Invest in Real Estate Now?

Now more than ever Residential real estate ownership is gaining ever-increasing interest from retail investors for many of the following reasons:

--The current market can provide incredible deals and even in a "bad market" Real estate provides more predictable returns than stocks and bonds.

--Real estate provides an inflation hedge because rental rates and investment cash flows usually rise by at least as much as the inflation rate.

--Real estate provides an excellent place for capital in times when investors are unsure of prospects in the stock and bond markets or when investors expect long-term returns in stocks and bonds to be inadequate.

-- Cash Flow, Cash Flow, Cash Flow

--The equity created in a real estate investment provides an excellent base for financing other investment opportunities. Instead of borrowing from a 401(k) or family member to get the capital, investors can borrow against their equity to finance other projects. The relative ease in borrowing against a real estate investment combined with the deductibility of the mortgage interest makes this option a less-expensive method for financing other opportunities for investors who are comfortable taking on the additional financial risk.


Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.



To your success,

Oliver Graf

Real Estate Expert
Follow me on Twitter: Twitter.com/OliverGraf360

Exactly what is a Short Sale?

A short sale describes a Real Estate transaction in which a sellers
lender or lenders (depending on how many mortgages there are) agree
to allow the homeowner to sell the property for an amount less
than what is owed on the loan(s).

The consent of the seller’s lender(s) is needed because without
it there wouldn't be enough money from the sale to pay off the
lenders in full in addition to the other costs of the sale (like
commissions and other closing costs.)

As a result, the lender’s lien(s) would remain on title, and
the homoeonwer selling the property would be unable to
transfer title to the buyer free of monitary liens.

Simply put, a short sale is where the lender agrees to allow
the homeowner to sell the property for less than what is owed
on the mortgage (s).

Peroperties that are worth less than the amount owed to the
secured lender(s) are often referred to as being “under water”
or distressed properties.

Big Industry News affecting Short Sales in California...

Big Industry News affecting Short Sales in California...

Senate Bill 931 was recently passed giving much relief
to sellers who are in a short sale position.

The bill expands existing anti-deficiency laws for first lien
holders regarding loans secured by properties of 1-4
units to short sales and took effect on January 1, 2011.

This is BIG for Sellers, Investors, and Agents!

In part, the new law provides that: "No judgment shall be
rendered for any deficiency under a note secured by a first
deed of trust or first mortgage for a dwelling of not more than
four units, in any case in which the trustor or mortgagor sells
the dwelling for less than the remaining amount of the indebtedness
due at the time of sale with the written consent of the holder
of the first deed of trust or first mortgage."

Simply put, California sellers who are granted a short sale
by a lender holding a first mortgage will now be exempt from
a deficiency judgment.

This is great news for any of your deals your currently working on
and great news for the business over the next year!

One of the most discouraging aspects for a homeowner facing
a short sale is the threat of deficiency they will experience for
selling their property short.

Fortunately, with Senate Bill 931 homeowners will no longer
be responsible for a deficiency on first mortgages in California.

Full text available here:
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/09-10/bill/sen/sb_0901-0950/sb_931_bill_20100930_chaptered.html

What impact do you think this will have on the market and sellers in general?

To your success,

Oliver Graf

Real Estate Expert

Follow me on Twitter: Twitter.com/OliverGraf360



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The FHA’s 203(k) Rehab Program provides loans that cover Rehab & Renovation costs

Here is a great loan program if you are looking to do Rehabs or buy a property that needs work...

A little-known loan program for fixer-uppers

Home buyers thinking of purchasing a distressed property in need of repair, but who are concerned that the cost of the repairs could drain their savings account may qualify for the Federal Housing Administration’s (FHA) 203(k) rehabilitation program.

MAKING SENSE OF THE STORY FOR CONSUMERS

* The FHA’s 203(k) rehabilitation program provides loans for covering renovation costs as well as the purchase price of the primary residence. Investors are not eligible for this program. Additionally, similar to traditional FHA loan programs, the rehab program allows for a down payment of as little as 3.5 percent.

* A common misperception about the program is that the house needs to be unlivable. Realistically, the property just needs to be outdated, according to a lender familiar with the program. The property “just has to appraise below market value and then at market value with the repairs.”

* Improvements deemed “luxury” are ineligible; however, the program has a wide range of definitions for “repairs” and “modernization.” Covered repairs include items such as a new roof or heating system, as well as decorative changes, like replacing vinyl with ceramic tile on the kitchen floor or painting the interior.

* In addition to putting down at least 3.5 percent of the current value of the property, buyers also must use a HUD-approved lender, appraiser, and a contractor approved by the lender for the repairs. One list of approved businesses can be found at 203kcontractors.com.

* Borrowers considering the FHA rehab loan program should be aware that loan rates typically run around a percentage point higher than conventional loans, and come in 15- to 30-year terms, either fixed or adjustable. Additional paperwork for inspection, appraisal, title updating, and the like can increase closing costs by $1,000 or more higher than the average.

* For additional information about the FHA 203(k) rehabilitation program, please visit http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/203k/203kabou.cfm

From Oct. 21st, 2010. Market Matters Weekly Advisory
Reprinted with permission of the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

How do you think buyers can benefit from this program?

How to Price a Property correctly - Sell Real Estate FAST

How to Price a Property correctly so you can sell it quick and get the most amount of money - Sell Real Estate FAST

When you put a property up for sale, the price you set is the most critical factor in terms of the return you’ll receive on your investment. That’s why you should always get a professional evaluation before deciding the price (You can contact me anytime if you would like a FREE help pricing property). Look at the facts and do an honest assessment of the property, based on several factors, including but not limited to:


• Market conditions
• Condition of your home
• Repairs or improvements
• Selling timeframe


In real estate terms, “market value” is the price at which a particular house, in its current condition, should sell within 30 to 90 days.

If the price of your property is too high, this could cause several things:

• Limits buyers visiting the property. Potential buyers may not view the home because it appears to be out of their buying range or “over priced”.

• Limits the number showings. Other salespeople may be more reluctant to view your home and show it to their prospective buyers.

• Used as leverage against you. Other Realtors® may use the price of the subject property to drive the sale of other homes that are more competitively priced.

• Longer time on the market. When a home is on the market too long, it may be perceived as “stale” or defective. Buyers wonder, “what’s wrong with the property,” or “why hasn’t this sold yet?”

• Lower price. An home that is priced too high, still on the market beyond the average selling time, could lead to a lower selling price in the end. To sell it, you will have to reduce the price – sometimes more than once. In the end, you run the risk of getting less than if it had been properly priced in the first place.

• Wasted time and energy. A bank appraisal is most often required to finance a home, so if it is overpriced it will not appraise and they buyers lender will force a reduced price.

Real Estate Professionals have known it for years – well-kept homes that are priced right from the start get you the fastest sale for the best price! And that’s why you need a highly trained professional to assist you in the selling of your home.

Often, in a seller’s market, homes that are priced slightly below market value initially will sell for more, simply because of the extra interest they incite. This can be a risk, however, and when it comes to such a decision you can contact me for help any time.



If you have any other questions please contact me anytime


Oliver Graf
Real Estate Expert


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Real Estate Sales
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Real Estate Purchase
San Diego Based Real Estate Blog

How to STOP a Foreclosure Sale: Tips on getting a Foreclosure Sale Date (Notice of Trusee Sale) Postponed

How to STOP a Foreclosure Sale: Tips on getting a Foreclosure Sale Date (Notice of Trusee Sale) Postponed

If you are a Realtor, Investor, or Homeowner who has a property that has an upcoming foreclosure sale date soon, use the following....

Submit everything on the list below and more important is the actions taken after you submit it. Call and note the account multiple times until you get someone who is ready and willing to help you. Leave messages, send emails, and fax them, hit them on every front possible until you receive the postponement. DO NOT “wait for them to get back to you”, keep calling until you confirm

1) URGENT cover letter – Outlining the entire situation
2) Authorization form – All loans
3) Hardship Letter – Highlighted and Emphasizing “Permanent Nature”
4) Listing Agreement and Short Sale Addendum
5) NODPA – Notice of Default Purchase Agreement (Price Filled in)
6) COMPS – Underlined, Circled and Broken down with cover letter
7) HUD – Make sure all names, numbers, and payoffs are correct and settlement agent states “buyers choice”

Complete Every Step in this order… Get all rep names and numbers and save/note them. Start this process a minimum of 3-7 days before the projected sale date.

1. Send a FORMAL STOP SALE request with “Urgent” cover letter to every fax number and email that you have on the file. Resend Entire package above if necessary.

2. Call Negotiator and Supervisor to Note in the account that you are trying to postpone the sale. Also have rep review the account and make sure that all the required postponement items are showing up and ready for review. Stay on the phone with them until they confirm both.

3. Call Foreclosure AND Customer Service department to confirm that the request to post pone was made. If they say they cannot help you, keep calling back until you find someone that will help you.

4. Get the Trustee Sale Number and Trustee contact info one of three ways: 1) Check the NOTS letter, 2) Request Trustee Company Name and Contact Number from Customer Service, or 3) Get it off title.

5. Also, check if the Trustee Sale company is co-owned by the servicer / lender, if so any postponements can be made directly in house via email or phone by the negotiator (stay on the phone with them while they do it).

6. Call and confirm with Trustee Company that the request to postpone was received. If the request was never made, call lender back and escalate the postponement. Keep checking back until confirmed.

7. Go higher up with all parties if necessary. Repeat by phone until all parties confirm the postponement.

Obviously nothing is guaranteed, but using these techniques will help you get a Foreclosure date postponed.

Let us know about your success with these tips

To your success,

Oliver Graf
Real Estate Expert
Follow me on Twitter: Twitter.com/OliverGraf360



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Real Estate Apps
Real Estate Tips

Real Estate Help San Diego Based Real Estate Blog

Tips on loans and financing for Mobile and Manufactured Homes

What are mobile home loans?

Mobile homes are actually manufactured homes which are normally found in campsites or mobile home parks. They are transported by tractor-trailers over public roads to sites. Sometimes they are used as temporary accommodation on campsites. These houses can be placed in one location permanently as well as can be moved to other areas. If you want to buy this kind of homes, then you can take the help of mobile home loans from FHA (Federal Housing Administration) approved lenders. FHA approved lenders generally give loans from their own funds to eligible borrowers to finance the purchase of mobile home. FHA insures the lender against loss if the borrower can't make the payments.

Objective of the loan
The mobile home loan is used to purchase a manufactured home, a lot on which a manufactured home is to be placed.

How to qualify for mobile home loans?
The eligibility criteria for the mobile home loans are as follows:
• Borrower should have sufficient income to make the minimum required down payment.
• Borrower must be able to prove that they can make the payments on the loan and cover their other expenses.
• Borrower primarily intends to occupy the manufactured home as his principal residence.
• Borrower must have a suitable site to place the manufactured home. It can be a rental site in Manufactured Home Park or can be a home site. The site should have adequate water supply and garbage disposal facilities.
• The borrower should have an average credit score.

Loan term
The maximum term for a manufactured home or a single-section manufactured home is twenty years. However, for a multi-section manufactured home and lot, the term is for 25 years. For a manufactured home and lot, the term is for 15 years.

How can you find the dealer who gives mobile home loans?
You can get the contact details of the lenders in your area who give mobile home loans from the local retailers. Contact us if you need help of have any questions.

However, it should be noted that one of the basic criteria for getting mobile home loans is that manufactured homes must be according to the Model manufactured home installation standards.


Investing
Mobile home parks can be a great investment for the short and long term. If your interested in comercial real estate, especially mobile home parks, I recommend you take a look at this system, they give you everything you need to succeed. Click Here to find out how to make money with mobile homes!








Guest Post by:
Sabrina Gomez
http://www.mortgagefit.com/mobile-homeloan.html


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Real Estate Purchase
Real Estate Mobile homes
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San Diego Based Real Estate Blog

5 Reasons to Avoid Foreclosure at all costs! - How bad is a Foreclosure?

5 Reasons to Avoid Foreclosure at all costs!

1) Unlike most negative credit items, having a foreclosure on your credit report is virtually impossible to “repair”

2) A homeowner will always have to disclose that they went through foreclosure on all future mortgage loan applications affecting future financing rates and program availability.

3) Major decrease on your credit report affecting a persons ability to get to get a car, personal loans, or credit cards.

4) When filling out rental applications you must disclose that you have went through foreclosure, greatly reducing the number of apartments available for rent.

5) Many Employers run credit checks when applying for a job, foreclosure is one of the main items putting potential new hires in jeopardy of not getting a job.

To your success,

Preston Matix
Real Estate Investor




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Real Estate Purchase
Real Estate Sales
Real Estate Buying
San Diego Based Real Estate Blog

10 Reasons Professional Investors and Real Estate Agents might want to consider outsourcing their Short Sales

With statistics now showing that 1 in 4 mortgages in the United States are upside down, there is no shortage of short sale business to be found. The question is what are you doing with them? Here are some thoughts to consider on whether to outsource the negotiations or try and negotiate yourself....

1) You have to have a Buyer to start the Short Sale process with the Lender. They will not even look at your package without an offer.

2) Short Sales can take a very long time to negotiate. You risk losing buyers because people want to buy NOW!

3) Short Sales can take a lot of time and effort. As a successful Real Estate Agent, you have better things to do than negotiating with the banks, you should be focused on listing and market properties, finding sellers, and finding buyers.

4) There are some states states where attempting to work a short sale for a homeowner can be looked at as breaking the law because you are “acting as a lawyer.”

5) The Lender will battle you on all aspects of your offer, including the commission. You must be prepared to fight the lender for what you are worth

6) You’re a professional Real Estate Agent, not a professional loss mitigator. Good negotiators have years of experience in the loss mitigation departments and understand how the loss mitigation process works.

7) Working with a negotiation company can benefit you because they have developed relationships with the Lenders that can expedite the Short Sale negotiation process.

8) A Short Sale requires stacks and stacks of extra paperwork that is outside of the normal forms you may be used to. Partnering with a loss mitigation team can help you because they already know the items each Lender requires and can provide them to the lender ahead of time to shorten the Short Sale process.

9) Meeting the BPO agent. Most good short sale negotiation companies will send someone out to meet the BPO agent so you can spend your time on more important things.

10) Short Sales will take your focus from the things you know you need to do in order to be a successful Real Estate Agent and have you working on tedious time consuming tasks. In my opinion its better to hand it over to someone else who has the experience doing the negotiations and focus on getting more business!!!

What has been you biggest challenge with short sales?

Contact me if you would like help finding a company to outsource your short sale negotiations too.


To your success,

Oliver Graf
Real Estate Expert




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Real Estate Submit Short Sale
Real Estate Short Sale
Real Estate Short Sale Tips
San Diego Based Real Estate Blog

Sentate Bill 94 - Does it hurt the chances for getting Loan Modificaion Help?

Sentate Bill 94 - Does it hurt the chances for getting Loan Modificaion Help?

The California Assembly recently passed Senate Bill 94, a bill that aims to protect homeowners from loan modification scammers. However, does it end up having the unintended consequence of eliminating a homeowner’s ability to retain an attorney to help them save their home from foreclosure.

The bill, which included an “urgency clause” and was set to start immediately. SB 94 prevents companies, individuals, and even attorneys… from getting up front fees or any other form of compensation until after the Loan Modification has been completed.

Supporters of the bill say that the state is currently over run with scam artists who take advantage of homeowners desperate to save their homes from foreclosure by charging exorbitant up front fees and then failing to deliver anything of value in return. In their opinion, by making it illegal to charge up front fees, they will be protecting consumers from being scammed.

While there’s no doubt that there have been unscrupulous companies that have taken advantage of homeowners in distress, the number of these “con artists” is unclear. It was time for something to be done, but does SB94 fix or worsen the problem?

Supporters, state that homeowners will still be able to hire attorneys, but that the attorneys will now have to wait until after services have been rendered before being paid for their services. They say that attorneys, just like real estate agents and mortgage brokers, will now only be able to receive compensation after services have been rendered.

People who oppose the bill on the other hand say, “Getting a lender or servicer to agree to a loan modification takes months, sometimes six or nine months. If I worked on behalf of homeowners for six or nine months and then didn’t get paid by a number of them, it wouldn’t be very long before I’d have to close my doors. No lawyer is going to do that kind of work without any security and anyone who thinks they will, simply isn’t familiar with what’s involved. Real estate agents get paid through escrow, where is our security”

Take a look in the future…
California’s ALT-A and Option ARM mortgages are just beginning to re-set, one third of these types of mortgages are still set to adjust in the next 24 months! This will cause homeowners payments to rise, and with almost half of the mortgages in California already underwater, these homeowners will be unable to refinance and foreclosures will increase as a result.


For more information take a look at SB94: http://info.sen.ca.gov/pub/09-10/bill/sen/sb_0051-0100/sb_94_cfa_20090327_152419_sen_comm.html

Does SB 94 end up reducing the number of legitimate firms available for homeowners to turn to? Will SB 94 actually stop con artists from taking advantage of homeowners in distress? Or will it end up only stopping reputable lawyers from helping homeowners?



To your success,

Oliver Graf
Real Estate Expert
Follow me on Twitter: Twitter.com/OliverGraf360



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Real Estate Pre-Foreclosure
Real Estate Short Sale
Real Estate Loan Modification
San Diego Based Real Estate Blog

Short Sale Success! Wachovia short sale with 3 loans!!

The short sale of real estate is not a questionable practice in today's softening real estate market, it may be a necessity. The short sale transaction is a legal and much more beneficial alternative to foreclosure or even bankruptcy. Lenders are motivated to accept short sale offers to for a number of good reasons. The short sale of your home can result in a win-win-win situation for all parties involved

Our latest short sale success was on a property that had 3 mortgages and over 5k in back HOA payments!




1st Lender: Wachovia
2nd Lender: Wachovia
3rd Lender: Dyckoneal


Our team was able to negotiate with all lenders to agree to the short sale terms and pay off ALL the HOA arrears!

Please contact me for NO COST help with short sales!


To your success,

Oliver Graf
Real Estate Expert
Follow me on Twitter: Twitter.com/OliverGraf360



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Real Estate Submit Short Sale
Real Estate Short Sale
Real Estate Avoid Foreclosure
San Diego Based Real Estate Blog

How to Submit a Real Estate Short sale: What you need to know

How to Submit a Real Estate Short sale: What you need to know...

Submitting the Short Sale

So you have met with(or are) the homeowner and have the property on the market getting the proper exposure. Now it’s time to prepare the documents and submit for a short sale. This is the most time consuming part of the Short Sale process especially if you do not stay organized and take notes on all your conversations with the lenders.

What the real estate agent will need:

Authorization to Release Information: This form allows your real estate agent, escrow company, and title company to talk to a lender on behalf of the borrower. The lender will not talk to anyone unless they have this on file.

CMA: With the current Active, Pending, and Sold properties going 90 days back(close of escrow)
Listing Contract: The Listing Contract, Short Sale Addendum, and MLS printout.
Offer to Purchase: Retail offer to purchase on the subject property


What needs to be provided to the lender(Including everything listed above):

Financial Worksheet: Shows your assets, liabilities, and expenses. Great tool for presenting the borrowers current “hardship” to the lender.
Proof of income: You will need the last 2 pay stubs and last 2 years W2's. If you are self-employed, you will need last 2 years tax returns and a Profit and Loss statement for the past 3-6 months.
Bank Statements for the past 2 months: Showing balances and spending history.
Hardship Letter: This is where the borrower has the opportunity to “state their case” to the lender. Why did the situation occur? Why do you need to sell? What is going on with your hardship now?
Last 2 years of tax returns: All pages are needed and if you filed an extension, submit the extension paperwork.


Once you have all of the paperwork together, send it all at once and as soon as possible. Make sure it's complete and legible. Also, make sure you are constantly following up because the lenders a overwhelmed with requests and sometime lose track of progress. There is a long line of borrowers ahead of you so if the file is missing anything, you will get notice but the file will go to the bottom of the pile again.

What have you noticed in your short sale experience?

If you need any help with short sales, contact me today!


To your success,

Oliver Graf
Real Estate Expert
Follow me on Twitter: Twitter.com/OliverGraf360



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Real Estate Submit Short Sale
Real Estate Short Sale
Real Estate Avoid Foreclosure
San Diego Based Real Estate Blog

16 Tips to bring you Massive Success

16 Tips to bring you Massive Success

1. Get and stay out of your comfort zone.

I believe that not much happens of any significance when we're in our comfort zone. When you are out of your comfort zone or uncomfortable, you are growing.

2. Never give up.

Almost nothing works the first time it's attempted. Just because what you're doing does not seem to be working, doesn't mean it won't work. It just means that it might not work the way you're doing it. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it!

3. When you're ready to quit, you're closer than you think.

There's an old Chinese saying that I just love, and I believe it is so true. It goes like this: "The temptation to quit will be greatest just before you are about to succeed." Most people quit when they are 3 feet from GOLD!!

4. With regard to whatever worries you, not only accept the worst thing that could happen, but make it a point to quantify what the worst thing could be.

Very seldom will the worst consequence be anywhere near as bad as a cloud of "undefined consequences." During the toughest times in my business when I felt like nothing was working I would just think to myself “This can’t kill me, one day I’ll look back on this and laugh!” Hahaha…

5. Focus on what you want to have happen.

Remember that old saying, "Whether you think you will or not, you are right." It is always so important to keep a positive mindset. 80% of your success will come from this.

6. Take things a day at a time.

No matter how difficult your situation is, you can get through it if you don't look too far into the future, and focus on the present moment. You can get through anything one day at a time. “This too will pass”

7. Always be moving forward.

Never stop investing. Never stop improving. Never stop doing learning. The moment you stop improving your organization, it starts to die. Make it your goal to be better each and every day, in some small way. Remember the Japanese concept of Kaizen. Small daily improvements eventually result in huge advantages.


8. Measure everything of significance.

I swear this is true. Anything that is measured and watched, improves. Keep track of your numbers. Hold yourself accountable and watch your business grow.

9. Anything that is not managed will deteriorate.

If you want to uncover problems you don't know about, take a few moments and look closely at the areas you haven't examined for a while. I guarantee you problems will be there.

10. Pay attention to your competitors, but pay more attention to what you're doing.

When you look at your competitors, remember that everything looks perfect at a distance.
What is your edge? What make you different? Why should someone work with you over the competition?

11. Never let anybody push you around.

Never let someone tell you “It can’t be done.” Don’t let other people’s opinion determine your success.

12. Never expect life to be fair.

Life isn't fair. You make your own breaks. Don’t let your down falls hold you back. You will fail many times before you succeed. Fail Forward Faster!!

13. Solve your own problems.

You'll find that by coming up with your own solutions, you'll develop a competitive edge. Masura Ibuka, the co-founder of SONY, said it best: "You never succeed in technology, business, or anything by following the others." Be you, and YOU will succeed!

14. Don't take yourself too seriously.

Lighten up. If you are walking around upset and uptight that is what you will get more of. Be happy and positive! None of us are in control as much as we like to think we are.

15. There's always a reason to smile.

Find it. After all, you're really lucky just to be alive. Life is short. Remember: "We're not here for a long time, we're here for a good time!"

16. Money is how business people keep score!

What’s your score?


To your success,

Sam Khorramian
Success Expert

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How to get more Short Sale Business Tip #1 of 8 (For Investors, Realtors, and Brokers)

How to get more Short Sale Business Tip #2 of 8 (For Investors, Realtors, and Brokers)

Tip #1 of 8 on how to get more Short Sale Business

I am committed to growing your business by providing
marketing tips and structuring the short sale so you keep your full
commission and do minimal work.

This tip is all about:

CALLING EXPIRED SHORT SALE LISTINGS.

A MLS search can provide another piece of useful information that most
agents don’t utilize.

An expired short sale listing can sometimes be up for the taking. Approach
the seller by explaining that their property most likely didn’t sell because it was not priced correctly. This can be quite common with the constant fluctuation in the market.

Setup a search in the MLS to deliver updates
to you every day with the following criteria:
1. Expired listings
2. Short sale
3. Price range and location you want to work

By offering them a no-cost solution to their problem by using YOUR listing
experience and Short Sale Pros negotiation expertise, they have the best chance at
selling their home, saving their credit, and insuring their ability to purchase again.


What other methods are you using to take advantage of the short sale market? Look out of tip 2 coming out soon!


Keep in mind, you can contact me anytime to help get your short sales closed, with our model you keep all your commission and do none of the work!

To your success,

Oliver Graf
Real Estate Expert
Follow me on Twitter: Twitter.com/OliverGraf360



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Real Estate Foreclosure
Real Estate Short Sale
Real Estate Avoid Foreclosure
San Diego Based Real Estate Blog

What is the Credit Impact of a Short Sale vs Foreclosure?

I was recently asked the question by a homeowner going into foreclosure…

What is the benefit of going into a Short Sale vs Foreclosure?

Although this is a question we get asked with nearly every client, this particular client wanted to know all the exact specifics. Since you are reading this now, you can probably benefit from the information that we found out when digging even deeper into the issue of what is the best option for most homeowners: Short Sale or a Foreclosure?

After doing all the research I am convinced now more than ever that the decision is a no brainer for most homeowners… A Short Sale is the OBVIOUS choice. Take a look at an email I sent to this client and see for yourself:

“Hope your doing well. We have been playing a little phone tag lately it seems, give me a call back when you get the chance.

After our conversations, you sparked an interest in me getting to the bottom of the question Short Sale vs Foreclosure?

Along with finding out great information on the mortgage debt forgiveness relief act:
http://realestateblog360.blogspot.com/2009/04/what-is-mortgage-forgiveness-debt.html

I also recently contacted Fannie Mae to get their latest guidelines as far as the exact credit impact of a Short Sale versus a Foreclosure, which I thought would be helpful to you in your research:

Short Sale: Fannie Mae refers to these as “Preforeclosure Sales” and requires only a 2 year waiting period after the sale, with acceptable re-established credit to re purchase.

Foreclosure: Standard minimum 5 years waiting period, with minimum of 10% down & 680 credit score for 7 years to re purchase. Primary residences only, no second homes or investment property loans for 7 years.

Take a look at the full report: https://www.efanniemae.com/sf/guides/ssg/annltrs/pdf/2008/0816.pdf

Give me a call when you get the chance and we can discuss how you wish to move forward.”

Meaning: If the property owner goes through a Short Sale they will be able to purchase a home again in the next 2 years. A foreclosure on the other hand, they will have to wait at least 5 years!

The question is simple: Do you want to purchase a home again in 2 years or 5?

Who would want to do a foreclosure? Which do you think is better?

Contact me anytime for help or questions,

Oliver Graf
Real Estate Expert


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Real Estate Foreclosure
Real Estate Short Sale
Real Estate Avoid Foreclosure
San Diego Based Real Estate Blog