California Foreclosure

Don’t we all know that the bailout plan failed at first because the public is disgusted and would rather take a short-term financial downturn themselves than reward the powerful elite who have been fleecing us for decades. The public is sick to death of trickle-down economics, and the outcry was just too loud for government representatives to ignore.

So what does congress need to do? Congress needs to come up with a way of getting cash back into the credit market in a way that is fast and fair to the public. Here you go:

What we should do is take the $700 billion and pay down the mortgages of all the homes purchased between a certain time period, (let’s say 2000 when the real estate prices started going wild and 2006, when they really started going down). That’s it. That’s how simple it is.

Alright, I realize it isn’t that simple, and I anticipate some of the issues below, but first, let’s take a look at how this resolves the problem.

After a little research at the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) website, I found that there were about 26 million homes sold between 2004 and 2007. So let’s estimate there were about 35 million sold between 2000 and 2006 (pretty rough estimate, but in the ballpark, I’m pretty sure). Dividing into the $700 billion, that’s an average of about $20,000 per home. With an average home value of $200,000, that means about 10% of the home value. Are you following?

So if you bought a home for $200K, the Bailout Commission writes a check for $20K that gets applied straight to your mortgage. You paid $500K, your mortgage holder gets a check for $50K, etc. So the first thing that happens is the lenders are all of a sudden flush with cash. They pay their obligations. The credit markets unfreeze. Financial institutions get back to business. (Hopefully not as usual).

In the meantime, you’re happy, right? You may not have gotten a bunch of cash to spend but your mortgage is much lower. If you bought during those years you’re probably still under water, but not drowning as much as before. So you’ll still have to take some punches, but it will surely soften the blow. You’re less likely to default and file for foreclosure and you feel more hopeful.

OK, before everybody starts tearing the idea apart, I’ll point out some of the potential objections:

1. Oh no! It’s Socialism! - Yes, I guess it is. And there will definitely be some people who will object to it on that level. But somehow I believe those objections will come from those who don’t benefit from the rescue plan. I have a feeling the 40 million or so families who get those mortgage reductions will be able to live with it.

2. It’s not fair! What about all the people who bought homes before 2000? - Give me a break! You’ve enjoyed six years of super-low interest rates and hyper-appreciation. And now you want this mortgage reduction too? In the name of fairness? Please. And as for those who bought after 2006 when the market was already falling, well, I’m sorry, but that was just too dumb. You don’t deserve a break.

3. It’s too complicated. How do we decide who gets how much? - We may need to come up with some formulas, but I actually think it will be pretty simple. It’s just a flat percentage of the purchase price of the home across the board.

So what other flaws do you see with this bailout plan? Let me know! And if everybody else thinks this is as simple as I do, let’s push it on our representatives.

My disclosure: In the interest of full disclosure, I should divulge that I am among those who would benefit from this mortgage reduction plan, so I do have an agenda, but at least it isn’t a hidden one.

Fortunately, yours’ is a well-traveled road and those who have gone before have given us these tips. Some organization at the start will help this project go more smoothly.

You Can Save Money By Packing Yourself - Packing your household goods is a very time and energy-consuming task. On average, it will take two people two full days to pack and prepare for the move of a 3-bedroom house.

If you can’t make such a time commitment, be prepared to hire others to do the job for you. Professional movers will do as little or as much packing as you want. If you have something very delicate or valuable, consider having it professionally packed. It is one way of increasing your chances of it safely arriving to your new home. If you pack yourself, though, it can be a real money-saver.

Several weeks before your move, take a realistic look at your belongings and dispose of unwanted or obsolete articles. Some people discover that moving is a great opportunity to ‘purge’ and let go of unused/unwanted items. Now is a great time for that Garage Sale! If not a garage sale, perhaps there is a charity in your community willing to redistribute your extra ’stuff’.

First of all, set up your packing headquarters. Cover a large table with a protective pad for a firm work surface. Start collecting your packing materials.

How Many Boxes Do You Need? Using packing boxes specifically designed for moving can really make the difference in ensuring that your items arrive at their destination safely. They come in shapes and sizes specifically designed to fit a variety of household goods. You can buy them at self-storage facilities. Here are the usual moving box choices

Here is a guide for the number of boxes you might need. Most self-storage businesses will let you bring back unused boxes for a full refund, so take more than you think you need. 1 or 2 rooms: Sm. Boxes - 7, Med. Boxes - 3, Lge. Boxes - 3, China Boxes - 1, Wardrobes - 1 3 to 4 rooms: Small Boxes - 15, Med. Boxes - 8, Lge. Boxes - 6, China Boxes - 1 or 2, Wardrobes - 1 5 to 6 rooms: Small Boxes - 20, Med. Boxes - 12, Lge. Boxes - 8, China Boxes - 3, Wardrobes - 3 7 to 8 rooms: Small Boxes - 30, Med. Boxes - 20, Lge. Boxes - 12, China Boxes - 4, Wardrobes - 4

Box Descriptions Professional moving boxes come in a few different sizes: Smaller (2 cu. ft.) boxes for heavy items such as dishes, files and books Medium (4 cu. ft.) boxes for pots, pans, small appliances, lamps, shades, clothing, linens, and toys Large (6 cu. ft.) boxes for light/bulky items: pillows, bedding, stuffed toys Mirror or Picture Cartons are a great way to move art, framed posters, etc. China Barrels provide extra protection for dishes, fine china and glassware. Wardrobe Boxes are used for packing clothes and drapery (each wardrobe holds approximately 20 garments).

As well as being strong and durable, there is another, hidden benefit to using proper moving boxes. The uniform sizes allow for quick packing and stacking - and that will save you time and money. When you use boxes of every shape and size, you’ll waste a lot of time fitting them all together in the moving van. When you are moving you want less aggravation and frustration. Using professional boxes will make the move easier.

Other Packing Materials Mattress covers to protect box springs and mattresses from moisture and dust Newsprint (preferably non print and in pre cut sheets) Tissue paper and/or bubble wrap for wrapping and cushioning breakable objects Styrofoam chips are necessary fillers for empty spaces and will prevent items from bouncing around inside the boxes Packing tape to seal the boxes Twine to seal boxes and tie loose items together Scissors or a sharp knife Felt markers and/or box labels Notepad and pen to list box contents as they are packed

Final Packing Tips - Label all your boxes on several sides. Include which room the box should be delivered to. - If there are boxes that you want to open first, write a number on them. - Start by packing out of season, or least used items first. Leave the things you use everyday to the end. - Tape important things together such as pins for shelves and bookcases to the bookcase, nuts and bolts for bed frames to the bed frame, etc. - Use crushed newsprint at the bottom of each carton for cushioning. - Fill empty spaces in the boxes with crushed paper. You don’t want anything to slide around. Put heavy items on the bottom and lighter things on the top of each box.

Sooner or later, we all move. When it happens to you, please make it as easy as possible and let the experience of others guide you.

Geography and topography have settled Marin County in a position where temperatures are lower than those in Sonoma and Napa Counties although they are mere minutes away. Furthermore, Marin County’s terrain and weather patterns are must more similar to those of the southern French wine country of Burgundy than of those in its on State of California. For that reason, viticulture in Marin County and its production of wines can easily compete with the world class wines of Burgundy.

Because of its awesome landscape, its irregular climate, its viticultural tendencies and the high quality wines its wine industry produces due to its extended growing season, Marin County has been said to be much more similar to Burgundy, the world renowned giant of French wine country, than it is to Sonoma and Napa, the wine country of Northern California. And like Burgundy, Marin County produces the elegant Merlots, the Pinot Noirs and the Riesligs.

Along with the building of the San Rafael Mission in 1817, the vitis vinifera grapes were launched in Marin County. The County’s residents immediately recognized that their wet winters and very dry summers, their lush soils, the diverse terrain and the warm California sunshine will be perfect for growing grapes and they soon set about cultivating small vineyards.

The vineyards that were started up by the San Rafael Mission to be used as therapeutic work for the Native Americans who did not take well to the Spanish rule were captured by General Mariano Vallejo. Vallejo promptly banned the Mission’s religious attachments, commended that the vineyards be dug out and replanted on his own property in the neighboring county of Sonoma. This action, of course, brought Marin County’s viticulture to a near standstill.

Vallejo’s actions and the Prohibition in the 1920s significantly slowed the budding wine industry of Marin County but what truly brought it to a full stop was the opening of the Golden Gate Bridge in 1937. With Marin County being conveniently reached via the new Golden Gate Bridge, all eyes turned away from its vineyards to its lands and housing.

With twenty-five winemakers of today, the wine industry is slowly being resurrected in Marin County. In spite of their efforts and the first-rate wines they produce, Marin County’s wine industry is still being kept in the shadows cast by its gigantic neighbors, Napa and Sonoma Counties.

To keep them motivated and informed, the Marin County Grape Growers Association was established. Its members meet twice a month to discuss and debate over issues relating to their industry and to share experiences, to exchange ideas and to ponder over improvements and innovations.

The fact is that Marin County has only 200 acres of vineyards and merely twenty-five wineries while Sonoma County has better than 40,000 acres and nearly 300 wineries and Napa County has 45,275 acres and 316 wineries. Those are facts indeed. But there is still one more fact that I would like to share with you and that fact is that Marin County had the extended growing season and produced the first-class cold-climate wines that Sonoma and Napa Counties could only dream about.

People selling their home know the value of curb appeal. As a buyer, you need to be able to look past the staged home to see the real property. One way to do this is to look at the details. In this case, we are talking about the gutters.

The reason why gutters merit a look is their very nature. When a person stages their home to sell it, they do all kinds of things to make it look good. Gutters are almost always overlooked. This means they provide evidence of the true condition of the home.

Gutters obviously are there to move water off the roof in an orderly manner. Most people do not realize they have a second purpose as well. They also must take that water and move it away from the foundation of the structure.

When looking at gutters, start with the basics. How basic? Well, what type of gutters are there? The choices are usually wood, metal or plastic. The prominence of one type or another depends on the part of the country you live in.

The older the home you are looking at, the more likely wood gutters will have been used. The will fall apart if not maintained well. If you are looking at an older home that has older wood gutters in good shape, the house has been maintained well.

Metal gutters are found on millions of homes. They last longer than wood gutters, and give us good insight into a home. Look at the corners, transitions and inside. If no rust is apparent, the homeowner has been maintaining the gutters. The same probably goes for the rest of the home.

Plastic gutters represent the state of the art these days. They do not fall apart when in constant contact with water. They also can take a beating when things bounce off of them. All and all, plastic gutters are a sign the home is updated and in good shape.

Regardless of how bad or good a gutter is, it is useless without a vertical system as well. These vertical attachments are, of course, known as downspouts. They can also tell us a bit about a home.

Assuming there are downspouts, look for a turn at the bottom of them. This turn should keep the water from hitting the ground at a vertical angle. It should also send the water in the direction that moves it away from the home such as along a curb.

Different parts of the country have different climates. If you get snow in the winter, the gutters should be packed up under the edge of the roof. If they stick out, they are new and improperly installed because snow will rip them off.

It can be hard to evaluate a home that has been buffed out by a seller in anticipation of listing it. The truth is found in the details. Get in the gutter and you should be able to tell what you have on your hands.

Moving over long distances or even just across town can be really scary. No one looks forward to packing up a moving van. But searching for the right house can be an even bigger pain. Traveling back and forth to a new town or even just across town to find a property to let is expensive. Now there is an easier way to find the perfect rent house, you can look for rental property online.

It is easy to use the internet to find property to rent. To start all you need to do is use a search engine to find ‘property to let’ websites. Some focus on specific areas but many will cover wide ranges ensuring that you will find a site that will meet your needs. Now you choose a site and start to look. Most rental property websites will have spot for you to enter in the specifics of the property you are looking for. By filling in the search criteria you will narrow down the number of rental properties you must look through. When the list of rental homes and flats appears you will be looking only at homes that are within your budget and size requirements. From this shortened list you can pick two or three that you would like to look into further.

You don’t have to have a large budget to use the internet to find houses to rent. While you can find large multi level houses to rent online you can also find small efficiency flats. Because you can search for your new rent house from anywhere this is a great way to find a house if you are moving across the country. No one can afford to drive around looking for houses to rent, who has the time for that anyway. If you have a lot to spend or you want to be thrifty, using the internet to find houses to rent will make life easier.

A very large rent house can be difficult to find using conventional methods of searching. You would have to call dozens of homeowners until you found a house to rent that would fit your needs without exceeding your budget. The same is true when you are looking for a very inexpensive flat, you would have to use up your precious time traveling around town or talking to a realtor. Luckily there is a better way available.

All you have to do is enter your budget and the size of rental house you need into the ‘property for let’ website and it will narrow the search for you.

Finding a property to rent has never been more convenient. Searching online eliminates the need to travel or to physically look at house after house that doesn’t fit your needs. Once you use the internet to find a rent house you will wonder how you ever did it any other way.

I’m sure everyone knows by now about the real estate crisis going on all across the United States. Bank foreclosures and pre-foreclosures are at record highs and both the home owners and banks are in trouble because of it. It’s a material tragedy that many people, most with good intentions, could lose their houses. Some homeowners face bank foreclosure just after missing one or two payments. It’s the reverse side of the American Dream.

If homeowners facing foreclosure can face reality quick enough, they can go ahead and sell their home for low prices before the banks officially forecloses them. Unfortunately, many homeowners have false hopes of catching up in time with their payments, but they usually never do. The lenders do not go easy on them. The homeowners who do act quickly enough can sell their home during the pre-foreclosure period. Pre-foreclosure is a grace period that is given to many homeowners facing foreclosure that can last anywhere from 3 weeks to 6 months. The pre-closure period varies from state to state. During the pre-foreclosure period, the home still belongs to the borrowers and they have a right to sell it to interested buyers.

The good news about the United States real estate crisis is that many low income Americans now have the opportunity to purchase good homes at affordable prices. Bank foreclosure homes are put up for sell for as low as 10% of the market value due to the lenders’ desires to regain some of their money quickly. This makes it easier for lower income families to afford a home for literally cents on the dollar. Houses that would normally be too expensive for many Americans to afford can now be sold to them for extremely low prices.

Investing in foreclosure and pre-foreclosure homes and reselling them for much more is now an excellent way to earn a lot of money. For instance, you can buy foreclosure and pre-foreclosure homes for 10% of their worth, and then resell them for 70% of their market value. Even if you’ve never had an interest in real estate before, the opportunities are abundant. But where will you find these opportunities?

So how can you find them? The public is usually notified of the homes that are facing foreclosure. You can always look through your newspaper and local advertisements, but there are also listings that can be found on the internet! There are probably many homes in your state right now that are facing bank foreclosure. There are many foreclosure and pre-foreclosure listings on the web and you will be allowed to bid and purchase electronically. Be careful though, there are many scams on the internet. Some so called “foreclosure” and “pre-foreclosure” listing sites will promise you access to many legitimate listings, but they won’t deliver. Many of their listings will be expired or false.

Fortunately there are plenty of legitimate foreclosure and pre-foreclosure listings found on the internet from every state. Many government auction sites are geared toward the real estate market crisis. So how will you know which membership sites are for real and which ones are scams? Fortunately there are government auction review sites that have all the information you’ll need. Experts behind the government auction reviews go digging into government auction sites and test their legitimacy. They have the inside scoop on dozens of government auction sites and listings.

Many of these membership sites offer real, top deals on real estate, bank foreclosures, and pre-foreclosures. Make sure you read the government auction reviews before you venture into foreclosure and pre-foreclosure listings. You will be ahead of the foreclosure buying game and will be provided with the best real estate advice!

When searching for a new home it is best to find a place you’ll be happy in long term. In order to find the living situation that is right for you must ask yourself a few key questions. How much can I afford? Do I want to rent a house or flat? And where do I want to live?

The location in which you choose to live is determined by many different influences. Where you work, where family and friends reside, where you like to spend your evenings are all factors to consider before renting a house or flat.

Living near your work can save a bundle on fuel for the car but many people enjoy living near friends and family. If family and work are located on opposite sides of town you may look at renting in a centralized location which will allow you to minimize your daily travel expenses.

Now you know which part of town will fit your needs it is time to look into your crystal ball. Knowing what the future holds will allow you to decide if you should pay more for a house or save money with flat rent that will cost less for less space. If you are single you may want to rent a small flat but if you are considering marriage a bigger house could give you room to grow. As a couple you may want to rent a house with an extra room if the possibility of children is in the near future. The size of your rent house or flat needs to fit not just your current life, but how you want your life to be in the future.

The most important factor in renting any sized house or flat is how much you can afford. It is important to rent a home based on what you can afford now and not what you plan to earn in the future. You will never get ahead in life if you spend all of your money on housing. A good rule to follow is to try not to spend more than 25% of your monthly income on rent and never spend more than 30%. This will ensure that you will have money every month for daily expenses and hopefully a little left over for saving.

Your house should be more that a shelter. Take the time to really weigh you options and find the rent house or flat that will fit your lifestyle and really become the home or your dreams. Spending that extra time now could save you from moving again before you are ready.