Archive for October, 2009

Mixed Opinions About Extending the Tax Credit

By Raymond Stoklosa · October 29th, 2009

Opinions are mixed about whether the $8,000 Federal Income Tax Credit for home buyers should be extended. I’ve said repeatedly, buying a home just to get an $8,000 tax credit is a foolish notion. You May Be Making a Big Mistake There are many good reasons to buy a home in San Mateo – shelter, [...]

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Belmont Community Forum Hosted by The Belmont Police Department

By Chela Stoklosa · October 28th, 2009

Kudos to the Belmont Police Department for hosting a Public Community Forum on October 22, 2009. The forum was held in the City Council Chambers and also was also televised so the community watching at home could participate and ask questions via Twitter. Yes, our Police Department is now on Twitter: @belmontcapolice. Belmont Police Department [...]

Tags: Belmont CA, living in belmont
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Video: 5 Short Sale Questions to Ask Before Making an Offer

By Rebecca Williamson · October 27th, 2009

Nationally about 80% of short sale requests are denied, meaning less than 20% of all short sales close in the United States. In San Mateo County, we are seeing a failure rate of about 70%, meaning about 30% of the short sale proposals close escrow. Not very good odds if you’re a buyer. How Can [...]

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URGENT CONSUMER ALERT: Upfront Fees for Loan Modifications Now Prohibited…and it’s About Time!

By Raymond Stoklosa · October 27th, 2009

California law now prohibits anyone, including real estate agents and attorneys, from demanding or collecting an advance fee from a consumer for loan modification services. Effective immediately, Senate Bill 94 prohibits any attorney or real estate licensee from demanding or collecting advance fees – money upfront – from a consumer for loan modification of mortgage [...]

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The New World of Real Estate Appraisal – What HVCC Means to You

By Raymond Stoklosa · October 26th, 2009

The recent settlement agreement with the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight (aka – OFHEO) in which the mortgage industry agreed to changes on how appraisals are processed contains many needed and necessary changes to help clean up an industry in disarray. The new Home Valuation Code of Conduct – known as HVCC – imposes [...]

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