Five Reasons Why You Should Hire Us, Not Them

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In a sea of agents, trust me – you want to hire someone who can keep your deals afloat and get you the best deal on the home of your dreams.  But I’m not suggesting you hire us based only on this one statement, in fact, I can provide you a list of reasons why we are a cut above the rest.

Whether you are considering a new home so you can move up and into something better, or you want to invest in some property to avail the fantastic low rates out there right now, we want you to hire us.  Here are the top five reasons why hiring us for your real estate buying dreams will end up in you getting your dream home and us having a fruitful relationship with years of professional friendship to come.  But don’t take our word for it – the reasons listed below have come from our actual clients, who after years of being asked why they chose us over others, collectively answered with these consistent responses:

We Listen To You

You wouldn’t believe the nightmare stories we have heard about other agents trying to impose their own preferences on buyers.  Well, where we’re concerned, we understand and value the importance of your needs and the first step to implementing them is to foster solid communication – both ways.  That way, you can count on us going after the things that are most important to you and we can count on you trusting us.

Our Team Follows Through

Nothing is more frustrating than to send an email or leave a voicemail for your agent and then spend hours, days or even weeks waiting for a response.  Our mantra is to follow through with everything and that means that every communication we get or every item that needs to be discussed, relayed or investigated – no matter what it might be – we get it done.  If we said we’d do it, you can count on it getting done.

We Know Our Markets

Anyone can become an agent and often there are agents who “handle” markets all over the place, regardless of whether they’ve ever stepped foot in the town or not.  I have personally been in this area since 1983 and have served as your trusted Realtor since 1987 – so when it comes to knowing the area, you know I’m the person.  Inside information on the little nuances of a place can only come from a person or a team that knows the area well.  When you’re looking at buying a property, this inside knowledge is paramount and one that we pass on to our clients by way of our knowledge of the industry and our markets.

Our Team Is Solid and Strong

The hand picked team that we have developed did not happen by accident.  With careful consideration and years of cultivated relationships, we have created the perfect blend of a solid team and strong organization that keeps its promises, while delivering everything according to plan. That, too, is not by accident.  I have personally developed a system for every aspect of our organization so that we can carefully measure our progress and provide our clients with optimum service.

Honesty and Integrity Is Our Priority

Finally, our priority remains honesty and integrity.  We realize that in a business such as ours there can be lots of ups and down – and there is no better demonstration of that than the current state of our real estate market and overall economy.  Our clients know that we will always be honest with them about what to expect, whether or not their expectations are realistic and anything else that may come up in the myriad transactions that take place for real estate.  We take our relationship with our clients and their needs very seriously and work very hard not to jeopardize that trust.  Poor representation can cost thousands of dollars – excellent representation is priceless.
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With these five aspects of our business, we are confident that our clients understand our priorities and have rewarded us with their business in exchange.  I invite you to come visit us to see if there is anything we can do to help you get into your next dream home.  We won’t let you walk away disappointed.

How To Write a Hardship Letter So You Get What You Want From the Lender

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What Is a Hardship Letter?

As the name implies, when a person owning a property with a mortgage on it faces difficult times that result in an impact on their ability to pay the loan, the need to communicate to the lender arises. Regardless of whether the loan can no longer be paid in a timely manner or if it is difficult to pay most of it – there are some avenues other than leading to foreclosure that the homeowner can pursue.

LOAN MODIFICATION HARDHIP LETTER

There are two types of hardship letters that are commonly written in light of the nation’s challenged real estate market these days. First, a loan modification hardship letter which is the initial communication between the homeowner and lender, notifying them of the financial hardship but with the intention to manage most of the loan. The goal of a loan modification is to hold on to the home, only reduce the amount owed or in other words, adjust the loan. The basic language in this type of hardship letter states the type of hardship the property owner is facing, their intention to continue living on site and the expected amount sought to be modified in order for the owner to manage.

SHORT SALE HARDSHIP LETTER

Unlike a loan modification, where the property owner is able to continue living in the residence with the provision of a smaller loan, a short sale request entails the bank accepting less money than what is owed on the home, through a sales transaction. This occurs when the value of the home is worth less than the amount owed on the mortgage. A common occurrence lately, short sales are an alternative option to many homeowners who are unable to maintain their mortgage payments due to job loss, medical situations or anything else.

Given the state of our current economy, there are many cases of short sale applications and each begins with a hardship letter stating that the homeowner’s financial situation does not seem to be improving anytime soon and the only viable option is to move out to avoid foreclosure. Banks prefer this to foreclosures since the latter often result in legal fees and other costs that would not necessarily occur in a short sale transaction. Making that determination, however, is what impacts the amount of time that goes into a short sale application and approval or denial process.

What Should Be Included?

Not too much information is needed in a hardship letter but it should be enough that the reviewer is able to make an informed decision about your case and determine next steps. You will need to include the property address, reference a loan number or numbers if multiple loans are involved and name all persons or parties that are named on the loan. If the motivation for seeking relief from the lender is due to extreme conditions in your life that have hindered your income or caused unemployment, provide supporting documentation and outline the relevant specifics in the letter. Over-exaggerating will frustrate the loan officer and possibly impede processing so it’s important to remain straightforward and write in a clear manner.

Things to Keep In Mind When Writing

Be sure to write clearly, without the use of unnecessary jargon and be as direct as possible. Avoid overly emotional statements, without missing the boat entirely on explaining your financial hardship. Do not write more than one page, as the hardship letter’s purpose is to notify the lender of your current financial state and request review of the loan. The briefer the letter is, the easier it will be for the loan officer to review it. Make sure you are able to corroborate the statements you are making in the letter with documentation.

Why Does This Matter?

Despite news reports, the mortgage industry is very busy and with the influx of short sale applications on many lenders’ tables, the processing times are very long involving arduous and tedious paperwork. When a short sale reviewer receives a short, simple, succinct and to-the-point hardship letter, not only does it make their job easier but it also eliminates the need for further clarification and consequently more time wasted.
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Of course, depending on how complex the situation may be – a longer and more detailed hardship letter may be necessary, but once an application moves forward additional information can be provided. The key is to communicate your request to have your loan reviewed, the reasons for such and relevant specifics that would be needed in order for the application to be considered.