Levitated Mass Moves to LACMA

Love it or Hate it  the "ROCK" is here!  After a long and slow 105 mile journey the new attraction has arrived at its destination!  The 340 ton boulder from a riverside quarry will be the star attraction for the "Levitated Mass." attraction!

As I write, I am looking outside our 29th story window at the massive attraction and have a few mixed feelings.  I love art, it's pretty cool to see it hanging from the truck it was pulled in on however what true purpose does it serve the community.  I guess I have "limbo thoughts" just as it hangs in limbo from the massive chains awaiting its final placement.  

I do love being in the middle of it all!  If you love being in the thick of the action, there are many homes available in this area for you to pick from.  Please call me with any questions you may have.  As always, I am "Making Miracles Happen from the Miracle Mile"

Underwater Sellers, what are your Options? Cash to Short Sell? Cash for Keys? Foreclosure?

We get these questions and would like to share our thoughts about this dilemma.  Some home owners who are underwater may not know their alternatives. The “Cash for Keys” is a program that banks do for some home owners. The “new twist” you’ll be hearing more about is “Cash to Short Sale”. Lenders are figuring out that if there is anything they can do to make a deal happen, they need to do it. This apparently is what is starting to take place with people that are trying to “short sale” their homes. Instead of “Cash for Keys” to homeowners that lose their homes to foreclosure. This was not offered to home owners who were trying to short sale their home. Often the banks would basically give them a certain time to complete the short sale until they foreclosed.

Now because of tight lending practices, new buyers would take so long to qualify, it is often “too little, too late” to close escrow before foreclosure.  When that happens it seems everybody loses. The lenders lost a willing & able buyer and the seller because, now, not only did they lose their home to a foreclosure, but also because a foreclosure was now on their credit report instead of a short sale. (It may be better to have a short sale than a foreclosure on a credit report?) Plus, the buyer may or may not wait until the home came back on the market at a later date.

Source:  http://realtyworld-sierraproperties.com by Douglas Zeller

Mortgage-Audit Firm -- Surprise! -- Finds Lots of Errors in Foreclosures

A study of California foreclosures released late yesterday found that 99% of the files examined had some sort of irregularity and 84% of them had “one or more clear violations of law.” The study provides fresh evidence, to some, that the $26 billion foreclosure settlement withBank of America and other big lenders was just a down payment on their ultimate liability for “robosigning” and other illegal acts.

But let’s look at the report, and who wrote it. It’s byAequitas Compliance Solutions, a Newport Beach, Calif. firm that says it specializes in “complex litigation, investigation and internal audit issues” for regulators, investors and homeowners. In other words, Aequitas earns its keep by finding errors in mortgage paperwork for lawyers and regulators. It also has a unit that does court- or regulat0r-appointed compliance monitoring of lending institutions — a growing business as regulators crack down on mortgage servicers and get them to sign settlements that require continuing oversight by outside entities. Under the national foreclosure settlement, banks agreed to hire North Carolina’s former banking commissioner, Joseph Smith, as an independent monitor .

There’s nothing wrong with this, and I’m not suggesting Aequitas was biased or found irregularities that weren’t there. But readers should always consider the source. And once again, while the report found extensive errors, they were almost entirely upstream of the homeowners who were failing to make their payments on time. The closest thing to an error that directly affected a borrower was the failure to properly give notice of default “in person or by telephone.” In 6% of the foreclosures, Aequitas found no affidavit attesting to compliance with this requirement under California law. Does that mean that notice wasn’t given, or that the affidavit was missing? And does it mean that any of the 6% were not in default, and only found out they were going to be foreclosed when a sheriff walked up their driveway? The report doesn’t say, but I doubt it.

What Aequitas did find was a laundry list of technical violations in how the paperwork accompanying a foreclosure was processed. Seventy-five percent of the foreclosures had an error in the assignment of the deed of trust, meaning the handoff between one lender and another was botched in some way. This would be of concern to investors who own the underlying notes — but has there been a single case of an investor suing because the collateral ended up in the wrong hands? Aequitas found that in 27% of the foreclosures a trustee or servicer signed an assignment of the deed of trust, instead of the original owner of the note, for example. That couldmean that somebody snuck into the courthouse and stole a deed of trust that actually belonged to somebody else. Has it happened? Does it affect in any way the rights of the homeowner who isn’t paying his mortgage? The only way I can think of is if the homeowner wants to delay the foreclosure by asserting legal errors in the process.

The firm also found a number of foreclosure sales that occurred less than 20 days after the Notice of Trustees sale, casting doubt on the legitimacy of the title transfer to the new owner. That would be a problem for whoever buys the house from the bank. And there’s a thing called title insurance to cover that, I believe. (Though in Massachusetts, it could be a problem.) But no matter, it is a problem, and the banks could be liable for the damage it causes.

Aequitas also found widespread problems relating to MERS, the nationwide database for mortgages that lenders use to streamline foreclosures. In 58% of the sales, the beneficiary listed in the Trustees Deed Upon Sale conflicted with the investor information in the MERS database, the firm found. The report doesn’t explain how the discrepancy could cause a homeowner to be illegally sold out of his house.

Aequitas notes in the introduction that bankers complain “inadvertent violations should not provide windfall benefits to reckless borrowers.” That ignores the important role of California law as a last line of protection for borrowers against abusive practices by lenders, Aequitas notes. California, like many other states, allows banks to include clauses in mortgages allowing for non-judicial foreclosures with less court oversight. That comes at a cost, Aequitas notes — as would requiring every mortgage to allow only judicial foreclosure. Foreclosures in New York City have virtually ground to a halt as judges question the paperwork and require lawyers to personally attest to its accuracy.

Conservatives typically are accused of elevating legal process above substance, of looking only at whether the courts followed the rules and not whether the outcome was just. In this case, the roles are reversed. As the Aequitas report shows, the foreclosure process was “utterly broken,” with missed handoffs and improper documentation nearly every step of the way. Homeowner advocates want to use those errors to slow down foreclosures, distribute $1,500 checks to people who already lost their homes, and impose tougher regulations on lenders. As Aequitas puts it:

What’s at stake here is more than merely fairness and minimal due process. Foreclosures impact not only homeowners, but also entire communities and housing markets. The integrity of California’s record title system is also at stake because the validity of title for subsequent purchasers is dependent on those that precede it.

It’s the conservatives who are saying wait: Despite the errors who was actually hurt? The law makes for ironic role reversals.

Source: Daniel Fisher, Forbes Staff www.forbes.com

A List of My Favorite LA Things ... AND ... Not So Favorite

It's been six months now since my move to Los Angeles.  Every day brings a new adventure and new things that take may take me a little time to get use to.  I know every city has pro's and con's but I thought as a new resident I would share some of my list with you.

First let's discuss just a few of the PRO's.

1. LA has some of the most amazing sunsets! I work on the 29th floor and every evening when I am not out with clients I get to see the sky light up in the most amazing sky show ever.  I once read a bumper sticker that read "God Does Good Lighting".  I must agree.
2. LA has warm winters!  I tend to be on the "chilly side" of life but all in all, we do not have snow and the most we need is a light coat to get through December and January.  It's now February and it's 74°F!  Gotta love that you need sunscreen all year!
3. You never sit and twiddle your thumbs and ask yourself "What is there to do today?" you sit and throw a dart at a list of things and say "THAT ONE".  There is NEVER a lack of activity going on in Los Angeles.  Shopping, shows, beach walks, walking in the sun, basketball games, Dodgers games, etc, etc, etc.  The list never ends!
4. Diversity in culture!  I am a people watcher and sometime just sitting in the park and watching people can be the best afternoon entertainment.  Red and Yellow, Black and White, it's so precious to see this sight!  The languages intrigue me and I love it.
5. FOOD - GOD HELP ME....The food is endless!  Thai town, Korea Town, China Town, Sunset Strip, Melrose, Santa Monica.  You can't take two steps without finding a new place to temp your taste buds! I have yet to try the famous Roscoe’s Waffle and Chicken but that’s next on my list. Which leads me to the perfect realization that I will need a GYM soon and there seems to be one on every corner as well!
6. As I have posted earlier in my blogs…the La Brea Tar Pits.  It’s a childhood dream of mine and now I walk through the park almost daily.  Ah, the fresh smell of tar in the morning.  Nuf said!

There is so much more I can add to this list, but I will save those as we walk through this blog journey together.  So, how you liking the journey so far?

Let’s NOW discuss just a few things from my CON list.

1. The sidewalks are nasty and dirty and I hate to even walk in my own house after being outside.  I guess when you live in a place that has over 3,792,600 people (according to the US Census) it’s a little hard to keep a city sparking clean 24 hours a day.
2. I know this is not my home state of Kentucky, but I hate that people don’t really smile at you. I am use to looking people in the eyes and smiling and saying hello.  I don’t always get that back.  Oh well…that won’t stop me.
3. Traffic…OMG…I don’t think I need to say much more than that.  If you think a drive should take 20 minutes, you better count on an hour!  No logic for traffic at any time a day.  It could be midnight and you can sit in traffic! Being a Real Estate Agent this can be a “LOO LOO” for appointments.  It’s giving me the shivers as I type this.

So now you see at this point I have WAY more items on my PRO list than on my CON list.  All in all I’d say I am a happy California girl!

Follow me on Twitter, Facebook, Yelp, Google+ and Foursquare! Maybe we can share some laughs and smiles along the way.

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Banks Pay Homeowners to Avoid Foreclosures

"This is no joke! Our office just closed a short sale and the owner was paid $30,000" You have to fit into the "box" but if you do it's a great incentive against foreclosure!

Banks, accelerating efforts to move troubled mortgages off their books, are offering as much as $35,000 or more in cash to delinquent homeowners to sell their properties for less than they owe.

Lenders have routinely delayed or blocked such transactions, known as short sales, in which they accept less from a buyer than the seller’s outstanding loan. Now banks have decided the deals are faster and less costly than foreclosures, which have slowed in response to regulatory probes of abusive practices. Banks are nudging potential sellers by pre-approving deals, streamlining the closing process, forgoing their right to pursue unpaid debt and in some cases providing large cash incentives, said Bill Fricke, senior credit officer for Moody’s Investors Service in New York.

Losses for lenders are about 15 percent lower on the sales than on foreclosures, which can take years to complete while taxes and legal, maintenance and other costs accumulate, according to Moody’s. The deals accounted for 33 percent of financially distressed transactions in November, up from 24 percent a year earlier, said CoreLogic Inc., aSanta Ana, California-based real estate information company.

Karen Farley hadn’t made a mortgage payment in a year when she got what looked like a form letter from her lender.

“You could sell your home, owe nothing more on your mortgage and get $30,000,” JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) said in the Aug. 17 letter obtained by Bloomberg News.

$200,000 Short

Farley, whose home construction lending business dried up after the housing crash, said the New York-based bank agreed to let her sell her San Marcos, California, home for $592,000 -- about $200,000 less than what she owes. The $30,000 will cover moving costs and the rental deposit for her next home. Farley, who is also approved for an additional $3,000 through a federal incentive program, is scheduled to close the deal Feb. 10.

“I wondered, why would they offer me something, and why wouldn’t they just give me the boot?” Farley, 65, said in a telephone interview. “Instead, I’m getting money.”

Tom Kelly, a JPMorgan spokesman, declined to comment on the company’s incentives.

“When a modification is not possible, a short sale produces a better and faster result for the homeowner, the investor and the community than a foreclosure,” he said in an e-mail.

A mountain of pending repossessions is holding back a recovery in thehousing market, where prices have fallen for six straight years, and damping economic growth. Owners of more than 14 million homes are in foreclosure, behind on their mortgages or owe more than their properties are worth, said RealtyTrac Inc., a property-data company inIrvine, California.

Foreclosure Holdouts

Short sales represented 9 percent of all U.S. residential transactions in November, the most recent month for which data is available, up from 2 percent in January 2008, according to Corelogic. Bank-owned foreclosures and short sales sold at a discount of 34 percent to non-distressed properties in the third quarter, according to RealtyTrac.

As lenders shift their focus to sales, they are finding that some borrowers would rather risk repossession while they wait for a loan modification, according to Guy Cecala, publisher of Inside Mortgage Finance, a trade journal. In a loan modification, the monthly payment, and sometimes principal, is reduced to help prevent seizure. Homeowners facing foreclosure may live rent-free for years before they are forced out.

“That’s why the banks have got to pay the big bucks,” Cecala said. “The real question is why is the bribe so big? Is that what it takes to get somebody out of their home?”

Multiple Banks

Banks also pay a few thousand dollars to the owners of second liens, whose loans can be wiped out by a short sale, to encourage them not to block the deals.

While JPMorgan is giving the largest incentive payments, other banks and mortgage investors are also offering them, according to interviews with 12 real estate agents in Arizona, California, Florida, New York and Washington. Lenders also provide incentives on loans they service and don’t own when the mortgage investor, such as a hedge fund, requests it.

JPMorgan, the biggest U.S. bank, approves about 5,000 short sales a month. It generally offers $10,000 to $35,000 in cash payments at settlement, real estate agents said. Not all of the sales include incentives.

Borrowers also can receive payments from the federal government’s Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives program, which in 2010 began offering as much as $1,500 to servicers, $2,000 to investors and $3,000 to homeowners who complete short sales.

Quicker Resolution

For banks, approving a sale for less than is owed on the home can cut a year or more off the time it takes to unload a property. From listing to sale, the transactions took about 123 days on average at the end of last year, according to the Campbell/Inside Mortgage Finance HousingPulse Tracking Survey.

Lenders spend an average of 348 days to foreclose in the U.S. and an additional 175 days to sell the property, according to RealtyTrac. In New York, a state that requires court approval for repossessions, it takes about four years to foreclose on a home and then resell it, the company said.

Lenders can often afford to forgive debt, offer the incentive and still make a profit because they purchased the loan from another bank at a discount, said Trent Chapman, a Realtor who trains brokers and attorneys to negotiate with banks for short sales.

Chapman, who also writes a blog on TheShortSaleGenius.com, said he’s heard about 50 homeowners who have received incentives from lenders including JPMorgan, Wells Fargo & Co., Citigroup Inc. and Ally Financial Inc.

Wells Fargo

“My guess is they want to get rid of bad loans,” Chapman said. “If they short sale these types of loans, they have less of a headache and have some goodwill with the homeowner.”

Wells Fargo, based in San Francisco, offers relocation assistance of as much as $20,000 for borrowers who complete short sales or agree to transfer title through a deed in lieu of foreclosure “in certain states with extended foreclosure timelines, including Florida,” Veronica Clemons, a spokeswoman, said in an e-mail.

Bank of America Corp. sent letters to 20,000 Florida homeowners as part of a pilot program, offering incentives of as much as $20,000, or 5 percent of the unpaid loan balance, Jumana Bauwens, a spokeswoman, said in an e-mail. The program expired in December and theCharlotte, North Carolina-based bank hasn’t decided whether to introduce it in other states, she said. About 15 percent of the homeowners agreed to participate in the program, she said.

Citigroup Offers

“The bank is pleased with the response,” Bauwens wrote. “The state is experiencing higher foreclosure rates than other parts of the country and is therefore seen as a viable market to gauge incremental short-sale response and completion rates when presenting homeowners with relocation assistance at closing.”

Citigroup offers $3,000 to most borrowers who qualify for its program, but the “amount may increase based on the circumstances of each individual case,” Mark Rodgers, a spokesman for the New York-based bank, said in an e-mail. “Investor programs have different guidelines for relocation incentives, which we honor.”

Susan Fitzpatrick, a spokeswoman for Detroit-based Ally, didn’t comment specifically on incentives when asked about them.

Borrowers typically can’t negotiate the incentives, which arrive by mail, Chapman, the Realtor, said.

Tap on Shoulder

“It’s not really easy to identify the guidelines because Chase doesn’t tell you, they kind of tap you on the shoulder,” he said. “When I first saw it in January 2011, I thought it was a joke or a typo. I was convinced it must say $3,000, not $30,000.”

Offering enough for the homeowner to put down a deposit on a rental apartment is reasonable, said Sean O’Toole, chief executive officer of ForeclosureRadar.com, which tracks sales of foreclosed properties. Giving tens of thousands of dollars to delinquent homeowners sends the wrong message, particularly if they got into trouble by running up home-equity loans during the housing boom, he said.

“It may make sense for people to walk away, it doesn’t make sense for them to get rewarded for doing it,” O’Toole said. “It’s not the homeowner’s fault that house prices dropped so dramatically, but they have already received months of free rent, if not cash out.”

Cecala of Inside Mortgage Finance said he wonders whether lenders are making big payments on properties with underlying title problems. Evan Berlin, managing partner of Berlin Patten, a real estate law firm in Sarasota, Florida, said representatives of a large bank told him the incentives are primarily given to borrowers when it doesn’t have the proper paperwork needed to win its foreclosure case. He declined to name the bank for publication.

Incentive Disconnect

State attorneys general across the U.S. began investigating foreclosure practices in October 2010 following allegations that the nation’s top mortgage servicers were using faulty documents to repossess homes.

Berlin said his office negotiated about 400 short sales in the past year and about a quarter included an incentive, ranging from $3,000 to $48,000. In some cases, the payments aren’t incentives at all because they’re offered after the borrower has almost completed the short sale, he said.

“The idea is that this is relocation assistance,” Berlin said. “But when you’re offering $48,000, obviously it doesn’t cost $48,000 to relocate.”

Cooperation Sought

The size of the payment may have little to do with sales price. JPMorgan gave one Phoenix homeowner $20,000 after she sold her property in June for $32,000, according to Royce Hauger, the real estate agent who represented the seller and shared a copy of the settlement sheet with Bloomberg News. The bank also agreed to forgive more than $70,000 in debt, she said.

Kelly, the JPMorgan spokesman, declined to comment on the payment.

The homeowners are getting the money in exchange for their cooperation, said Kris Pilles, a Riverhead, New York-based real estate broker who represents banks, servicers and hedge funds that own distressed housing debt.

Pilles is frequently dispatched to the homes of delinquent borrowers to explain the benefits of avoiding foreclosure, he said. His clients have paid as much as $92,500. In return, the lenders expect the seller to clean the house before showings, and trim the grass.

“Money talks,” Pilles said. “From the bank side, it’s anything to initiate a conversation with someone who may not be listening to them.”

SOURCE: By Prashant Gopal

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-02-07/banks-paying-homeowners-a-bonus-to-avoid-foreclosures-mortgages.html

3 Ways Homebuyers Kill Their Own Real Estate Deals

Here are three ways homebuyers are defeating their own deals in today's market:

1. House hunting too long. As many as 60 percent of the homes for sale in some markets are short sales. Many other listings are bank-owned (also known as real estate owned or REO) properties, and those homes tend toward two extremes: terrible condition, or so nice at such a low price they receive multiple offers.

Even the nicer, nondistressed homes on the market can end up in and out of contract over and over again due to appraisal or other lending-related issues.

As a result, it is not at all bizarre to hear homebuyers today say they've been house hunting for a year, 18 months, even two or three years. When you house hunt that long, you become susceptible to house hunt fatigue, which causes irrationally extreme overbidding out of sheer exhaustion.

Alternatively, it can cause you to settle for whatever house you can get, even if it doesn't actually meet your needs -- then spend the next 10 years obsessively spending to upgrade, improve, repair and furnish the place to try to make it more like the home you actually wanted. 

Both of these outcomes negate and deactivate the bargain you stood to score. 

To avoid house hunting too long, it's uber-important to get and stay clear on the differences between what you want and what you need, and to work with a local real estate professional you trust.

Look to your agent to get and keep your expectations centered in reality, so you can make more strategic decisions throughout your entire house hunt, like house hunting in a price range where you're likely to both find homes that will work for your life and be successful in your efforts to obtain one.

2. Making lowball offers way too low. Overbidding seems like an obvious way to cancel out the bargain potential of your deal. But making excessively low offers -- offers sellers couldn't afford to take if they wanted to -- can have the very same result.

Buyers who think they can operate strictly on the basis of buyer's market dynamics -- without realizing that most sellers will need to make enough to pay off their mortgage or at least receive the fair market value for their home -- are cutting off their own noses to spite their faces, all in the name of trying to score an amazing deal. 

Note to "lowballers": If you don't actually secure the home, the superlow price you offered is no deal at all.

3. Freak-outs, stress, drama and mayhem. Once was, it was mostly the buyers uneducated about the homebuying process who tended to freak out and stress the most, especially at the top of the market. These were the folks who found themselves defeated at every turn by buyers who knew what they were up against and were prepared to make their best offer on their first offer.

Fast forward, and now the norm is for buyers to spend much more time reading up on what to expect, but the inundation of information can create brand new mindset management challenges.

Almost every buyer is stressed about whether they can qualify for a loan, and about buying into a down market. Some buyers try to apply national headlines about home prices being depressed to the superlocal dynamics of their neighborhood market.

This is unwise if you happen to be, for example, trying to buy a home in the boomtown real estate markets of Silicon Valley. Others go the opposite direction and deny that the basic truths about, say, buying a short-sale listing will actually apply to them (attention homebuyers: buying a short sale usually takes a long, long time). 

The emotional freak-outs that result from having your expectations shattered, sometimes brutally, in the course of buying a home often lead to panic-based and fear-based decisions, which can be costly in the short and long term. Additionally, the stress itself can take a toll on your ability to be productive at work, and can even impair your relationship with your mate, neither of which are worth any deal you think you stand to strike. 

Again, managing your expectations by working with a trusted broker or agent you feel comfortable relying on to understand the market in your neck of the woods and the type of transaction you want to pull off is essential to downgrading the role emotion plays in your real estate decision-making.

Call Laura Key today to schedule a one on one appointment to learn more!  310.866.8422 or email Laura.A.Key@gmail.com

Source: http://lowes.inman.com/newsletter/2012/02/02/news/175752 by Tara-Nicholle Nelson 

The Most Important Short Sale Facts!!!

Do educate yourself. This is THE most important thing you can do.  Short sales can be complicated. You need every bit of information you can get when you jump into the short sale process.

Don’t wait until it’s too late. If you drag your feet and hide from the fact that you’ve stopped making mortgage payments, it will cost your credit rating and it will put any chances of a short sale in risk.

Do be diligent. There have been very closable short sales that fail because the homeowners either stop responding to their agents, stop returning paperwork, stop returning phone calls, stop caring, etc. It can be a difficult process, but at the end of it you will be free of the mortgage, the upside-down house and your financial future will have a better foundation.

Don’t stop taking care of your home. Yes, you will be moving, but if you stop mowing the lawn or keeping the place tidy, that unkemptness will discourage any potential buyers.

Do keep paying your HOA dues! Any unpaid HOA dues will need to be settled either before or at the close of a short sale escrow. Sometimes the buyer or the first lien mortgage bank will contribute to these outstanding bills, but not every time. And Home Owner Associations will send your defaulted HOA bill to a collection lawyer who will slap you and your property with their own outrageous charges.

Don’t rent your home out. In these economic times there are unsavory renters, many of them lost their own homes, that don’t mind giving you the first month’s rent and a security deposit, only to never pay you another payment. You lose the house to foreclosure, but they live rent free for the foreseeable future.

Do your homework when choosing a real estate agent or broker when you go to list your house for a short sale. The wrong short sale agent can ruin your chances of avoiding foreclosure.  Short sales require diligence, confidence and an unmatched work ethic. Find that short sale REALTOR that knows her stuff, knows how to work and knows exactly what the banks want to approve your short sale.

Don’t think that you need a real estate agent that knows your neighborhood to short sale your home. In a short sale transaction, it’s about the short sale negotiation and working relationship with your lender(s), not that your home’s location is special compared to the listing around the corner. Out-of-area agents easily price properties using a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA). In fact, banks regularly pay agents and real estate brokers a minimal fee, usually $50 or $75, to price out-of-area properties for them. Your local neighborhood real estate agent may not be the right person. You need a tough and knowledgeable short sale specialist.

Do expect to move soon, or not for months. When your home receives an offer that is just the start for your short sale transaction. But the bank could decide to approve your short sale right away, which means you may only have 30 to 45 days to relocate. But, the approval process could take up to three to six months!

Don’t move prematurely. It makes no sense to pay rent while your home sits empty. Communicate with your agent and keep updated on where the short sale process is.

Don’t stop paying your water bills, sewer bills or trash bills! Any unpaid bills may slow down or stop the short sale process.

Do consult your tax man or even a tax attorney when considering a short sale. Even the best short sale agents are not legally allowed to advise on tax implications of your particular situation, and the best short sale real estate agents don’t. A tax accountant CPA or real estate attorney has a better understanding and the legal right to advise you on such matters.

Don’t think that you must have a real estate attorney to execute your short sale. Most times these lawyers don’t understand real estate or the short sale process as well as an experienced short sale agent does. In fact, many if not most of these lawyers offering short sales require an upfront fee to process your short sale.  real estate agents and brokers only collect commissions from the proceeds of the sale, which comes out of the bank’s pocket, not yours.

Do let your real estate agent put a yard sign in the yard. Yard signs tell buyers trolling streets looking at neighborhoods and houses that yours is a possible candidate.

Don’t make viewing appointments unavailable and hard on buyers and their agents. The more potential buyers that see your home the better chance of short selling it and avoiding foreclosure. Make that home as available to buyers as possible!

Do yourself a favor and remember that millions of Americans are going though their own short sale, or unfortunate foreclosure. This economy is dreadful, and many are experiencing financial hardships and your particular situation is nothing to be ashamed of.

Don’t apply for a home equity line of credit or any other type of credit. If you own other properties that have equity, refrain from pulling money out of any of them during a short sale approval. Your bank and any of your bank’s back-end investors will dig deep into your credit history and find this activity. This kind of action says you are just out for your own financial bottom line, and yes, they will take offense to that.

Do a quick pick up of toys, laundry and any other items lying around when a buyer’s showing appointment is scheduled. Buyers will criticize your messiness like your mother-in-law, and worse, it could affect their offer which in turn could affect your short sale!

Don’t make the mistake of thinking a foreclosure is not much worse than a short sale. It is. A foreclosure will decimate your credit; it will keep you from owning another home for years and it will be a part of your financial incompetence far more than you hope it won’t.

Do keep your hardship letter short and sweet. Explain your situation as-matter-of-factly as possible. Then your bank will look at your finances, tax filings and other documents to verify and support your story. But DO NOT include in your hardship that you bought your home for more than it’s worth. The bank does not care your home is underwater. The bank is losing money too.

Don’t strip the house of its fixtures or other potentially valuable assets. Taking the pool system, or the ceiling fans or the beloved touch-action faucets will degrade your home’s marketability, and for what? A few hundred bucks will not make the financial blow of foreclosure any softer.

Do all your paperwork and return to your real estate agent in a timely matter.  Short sales can die if the proper paperwork is not supplied. It’s a silly way to screw your short sale, but it happens all the time.

Don’t use a short sale negotiating company. They will charge you large upfront fees that they don’t have to return to you even if they do not complete the short sale. And these companies aren’t held up to the same Department of Real Estate code of ethics that real estate agents and REALTORs are. In fact, some banks will not work with them!

Do call and communicate with your bank(s) and let them know you are attempting a short sale. They have thousands of mortgages defaulting, and if they don’t know you are pursuing a short sale, your property may automatically be classified as a pre-foreclosure. Not keeping your mortgage holder informed of the status of your short sale can help expedite your house to foreclosure which will not help your short sale.

Don’t violate the bank’s At Arm’s Length requirement for the short sale. The Arm’s length agreement required from the short sale lender prevents you from “renting the house back”. To avoid any fraud or risk that can result in the bank coming back at you for the balance of your loan. Do it by the book and follow the rules. The risk is not worth it.

Do know that credit card companies may decide to pull your credit due to foreclosure. When a foreclosure shows up on your credit, it says that you are in financial distress and your credit risk increases dramatically.

Don’t think you can’t short sale if you own other properties. This is a common mistake many multiple property owners make. A bank will more than consider a short sale even if you own two or more homes.

Do clean the home and property when you move out. Remove any trash, debris and take or dispose of any of your personal property. The condition of the property before transfer can have a negative effect on the buyer and their desire to own the home, and give them a reason to back out. Cleanliness is next to Godliness, and Sold Short Sales!

Don’t assume the information about short sales you read on the internet is always correct. There are many real estate professionals, and many not-so-professional individuals, giving advice regarding short sales. Some do not have a clue how to handle a short sale, let alone give advice on the subject. Your best bet is to call and talk to any prospective short sale experts. Get a feel of their knowledge base and real estate confidence, and above all else only hire a real estate short sale agent with experience.

DO CALL Laura Key at 310.866.8422!  I am a Short Sale Expert! HAFA, Making Home Affordable, and many more programs, just give me a call, I will  help you through this difficult time!

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Source:  Garrigus Real Estate Blog

California State Senate Votes to Extend Mortgage Protections

California lawmakers voted Monday to extend a law passed during the peak of the mortgage crisis that provides added protections for property owners, renters and neighbors of foreclosed properties.

The law passed in 2008 says foreclosure proceedings can’t begin until the lender has tried for 30 days to work out alternatives with the delinquent homeowner.

Lenders also must notify renters that they are beginning foreclosure proceedings. And they must give renters 60 days’ notice before evicting them from a foreclosed property.

They also are required to maintain vacant foreclosed houses or risk fines up to $1,000 a day.

The law was set to expire after this year, but senators voted to extend it another five years, through 2017.

“Unfortunately, foreclosures remain a major problem throughout the state. This legislation continues important protections for homeowners and renters that have proved tremendously helpful in this trying time,” Sen. Ellen Corbett, D-San Leandro, said in a statement after her SB708 passed on a 32-1 vote.

Senators unanimously approved a second bill, this one designed to prevent the California Housing Finance Agency from foreclosing on certain borrowers who rent out their homes.

The prohibition is limited to homeowners who are current on their mortgage payments, but rent out their homes because they owe more than their house is worth. The bill’s author, Sen. Mark DeSaulnier, D-Concord, said it is designed to help property owners who find themselves in financial trouble because of circumstances like a lost job or growing family, and is not aimed at helping housing market speculators.

Housing agency officials previously said they believed they were required to foreclose if the property was no longer the borrower’s primary residence. The agency suspended those foreclosures in October at the urging of DeSaulnier and Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento.

The agency’s board is scheduled to consider the policy at its meeting in March. DeSaulnier said his SB447 would give the agency the statutory authority to change its policy.

There was no opposition and no debate on either bill. Both bills now go to the state Assembly.

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By DON THOMPSON, Associated Press

The Miracle Mile is Back, Baby

In its latest issue, the Los Angeles Business Journal, which calls 5700 Wilshire home, highlights the frenzied activity the Miracle Mile’s seen in the past few years on the back of the office space boom in the area. The neighborhood had slowed down starting in the sixties, although it never fell on truly hard times. Still, thanks to giant mixed-use projects, like developer BRE’s derided asshat at 5600 Wilshire and Legacy Partners’s much better-liked 5550 Wilshire building(and in a few years, BRE’s giant Wilshire/La Brea project), the neighborhood is lately seeing a fresh influx of young residents and trendy burger places like The Counter (and Umami and Five Guys). Revamped offices spaces and comparatively low rents have attracted music and media companies (notably Oprah’s OWN) from Hollywood and Beverly Hills, while new hotels and luxury car dealerships are opening. Send a thank you note to Michael Govan, the director of LACMA, who’s helped double the museum’s attendance, extended the campus, helped attract a movie museum, and helped make the whole vicinity more desirable. Though some storefronts remain empty and certain retail is less than upscale (Ono Hawaiian BBQ, the Gold for Cash store, etc.), optimism is strong, especially since two subway stations, and maybe a trolley, are on their way.

Monday, January 23, 2012, by Neal Broverman www.LACurbed.com

The Joys of Life! Om Shanti

I really enjoy sharing all the wonders of real estate with you. I know you just can't wait to read my blogs about foreclosures and short sales.  It's such an exciting world and I know you hang on every word like a soap opera, (SMILE) but what I love the most about blogging is I can share my own personal world with you.  I am more than a Real Estate Agent, more than a wife, more than a mother....I am a being with dreams, hopes aspirations and goals.  We all are and although we all have important roles in our life they all fall apart if we don't take care of "self"!

Since moving to Los Angeles, I have been blessed with the opportunity to attend new things.  I have always been interested in meditation and on Wednesday evenings I have been attending classes at the Brahma Kumaris Raja Yoga center.  What a blessing and it is also FREE.  

In this busy world, I feel its important to have some time of calm and peace in your day and meditation has so many benefits! So as I learn and grow in this adventure I will share it with you along the way.  If you are interested in mediation the Brahma Kumaris Yoga  Meditation centers have locations across the world!  You can check out their official website at: www.bkwsu.org 

Even though I have started with the Braham Kumaris Yoga, there are so many other types of meditation, so if one does not fit your personality you have many to chose from.  Check out these types of meditation: Mindfulness Meditation, Spiritual Meditation, Focused Meditation, Movement Meditation and Mantra Meditation.  Here is a great beginners website: www.fitsugar.com/5-Types-Meditation-18949375

My beginning goal is just to be able to quiet my mind and block out outside distractions.  Sounds easy right....well, I'll let you know how that works out for me.  

I am enjoying my journey and I hope you share in my adventures, it seems I have become a California girl quite quickly!

Om Shanti (I am a peaceful soul)...and I hope  you are too!

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Foreclosures fall to lowest level since 2007

Foreclosure filings and repossessions fell to their lowest level since 2007 last year.

Total filings, including default notices and bank repossessions were down 33% for the year to 2.7 million, according to RealtyTrac, the online marketer of foreclosed properties.

One in every 69 homes had at least one foreclosure filing during the year, while 804,000 homes were repossessed. That's a significant improvement from the peaks reached in 2010 -- when 1.05 million homes were repossessed -- and the lowest levels seen since 2007.

More than 4 million homes have been lost to foreclosure over the past five years.

While the declines seem like good news for the housing market, where a flood of foreclosed homes has depressed home prices, much of it is due to processing delays caused by fall-out from the "robo-signing" scandal that broke in late 2010.

During the year, banks spent more time making sure paperwork was legal and proper, creating a backlog in the foreclosure pipeline. As a result, the average time it took to process a foreclosure climbed to 348 days during the fourth quarter, up from 305 days a year earlier.

"Foreclosures were in full delay mode in 2011, resulting in a dramatic drop in foreclosure activity for the year," said Brandon Moore, chief executive officer of RealtyTrac.

However, Moore said there were "strong signs" during the second half of the year that lenders are working through foreclosure backlogs in certain markets. He expects foreclosure activity to rise above 2011's level but remain below the peak hit in 2010.

Low rates offer some help for homeowners

Early in 2011, many forecasters were predicting a wave of foreclosures due to resetting adjustable-rate mortgages, but low mortgage rates helped many borrowers refinance into more affordable loans, said Moore.

The government helped as well, through efforts like the Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP), which made refinancing easier for borrowers who owe more on their mortgage than their homes are worth.

Turning foreclosures into rentals

Government foreclosure prevention programs, including HARP and the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP), have started about 5.5 million mortgage modifications since April 2009, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

"Programs like HAMP and HARP have definitely made a dent in the foreclosure problem," said Moore "However, they are certainly not living up to their billing of preventing several million foreclosures. In addition, many [HAMP] homeowners fall back into foreclosure later on."

Of course, there were still plenty of factors working against homeowners in 2011, including the continued erosion in home prices. Falling prices rob homeowners of home equity, which they can tap if they need emergency cash.

Foreclosure hot spots

Hot spots for foreclosures remain mostly in "bubble states," where speculative investors helped drive up home prices beyond their fundamental values during the mid-2000s housing boom.

Nevada, where one out of every 16 households received some kind of default notice during the year, was the worst hit of all, a distinction it has held for the fifth consecutive year.

Arizona had the second highest foreclosure rate and California came in third. Florida, which had been running neck-and-neck with the other "Sand States" in past years, fell to seventh, behind Georgia, Utah and Michigan.

Among metro areas, Las Vegas suffered from the highest foreclosure rate in 2011. California put seven cities in the top 10, led by Stockton in the second slot. Other cities in the top 10 included Phoenix, which finished sixth, and Reno, Nev. was eighth. 

By Les Christie @CNNMoney January 12, 2012: 8:18 AM ET

California House Dems Call for Recess Appointment at FHFA

Brian Beutler writes that President Obama will likely have to make more recess appointments if he wants to staff key positions, including the newly-created vacancy at the Office of Management and Budget, as Jack Lew has become White House Chief of Staff. The assumption here is that Republicans will react to recess appointments at the CFPB and the NLRB by refusing to confirm any other Presidential appointee, and that’s a reasonable assumption.

But the President won’t get pressure just from Republicans on naming recess appointments. House Democrats in the California delegation, the largest in the Congress, wrote a letter late yesterday to Obama asking him to recess-appoint a new director to the Federal Housing Finance Administration. That institution has been without a confirmed director for over two years, since David Lockhart left.

The President has never had his own nominee at FHFA. And Democrats believe that FHFA, which currently oversees Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, is uniquely positioned to help the country out of the housing mess. They accuse acting director Ed DeMarco of obstructing efforts to aid the housing market and keep borrowers in their homes. Here’s an excerpt from the California Dems’ letter, which I’ll put in its entirety on the flip:

As part of the FHFA’s ability to promote policies that will prevent foreclosures, they have the authority to establish rules over residential mortgages that Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and other government enterprises are able to underwrite. FHFA has consistently and erroneously interpreted its mandate far too narrowly and as such has failed to take adequate action to help homeowners and has brought an end to successful, local initiatives—such as the PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) program [...]

As the fiduciary of government-backed entities, there are steps that the FHFA can take to help prevent future foreclosures while also protecting taxpayers. Installing a permanent Director of the FHFA will allow the FHFA to move forward to make key decisions that will help keep families in their homes and improve our economy. We appreciate your recent appointment of Richard Cordray as the new Director of the United States Consumer Financial Protection Bureau over similar Republican opposition and we urge that you take the same action to put in place a permanent Director to the FHFA.

I’m of two minds on DeMarco. He has interpreted his mandate very narrowly. It’s a bad thing when he refuses to engage in principal reductions for troubled borrowers, even though that would make more money for Fannie and Freddie in the long run, because he doesn’t want to take the short-term financing hit. But it’s a good thing when he sues 17 banks over misrepresentations of the mortgages in the securities they sold to Fannie and Freddie, with the hope of forcing repurchases of those mortgage pools.

There have been signs that DeMarco is warming to a more activist stance. He agreed to the changes to HARP, which is more of a stimulus program than a program that will save homes, but which will allow expanded refinancing come March of this year on GSE-owned properties. Freddie Mac just initiated a program for a 12-month forbearance (where the borrower can skip payments) for unemployed borrowers, although Democrats maintain that not everyone eligible will receive that forbearance.

Most promisingly, DeMarco is considering a principal pay-down program put forward by a California Democrat, Zoe Lofgren, that would allow underwater homeowners with GSE loans to have their mortgage payments go entirely to equity for five years, waiving the interest payments. DeMarco said he would look into the idea back in October, and there have been leaks since then suggesting that principal pay-down would happen. However, there has been no final word, and officially FHFA “continues to evaluate” the Lofgren proposal, even though in a meeting with House Dems they promised an assessment within two weeks.

I don’t think some in the Administration would have any problem getting rid of DeMarco – they don’t particularly like his aggressive stance on bank repurchases. But that would not necessarily be the best news for the housing market or the rule of law. If anything, the California Dems’ action shows that the previous recess appointments have opened a Pandora’s box for the Administration, and now everyone wants a recess appointment tailored to their concerns.

The entire letter from the Congressional Dems in California is below the fold.

The President The White House Washington, DC 20500

Dear President Obama:

We urge you to act on behalf of the American people and immediately make an appointment for the Director of the Federal Housing Financial Agency (FHFA). For two and a half years, Senate Republicans have been blocking the appointment of this position, causing there to be no permanent Director. The FHFA regulates and oversees Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which together hold 70% of mortgages in the US. The current economic crisis began in the housing market and our economic recovery is dependent on the important work pending before the FHFA. It is time to move forward and put in place a permanent FHFA Director.

According to RealtyTrac, 224,394 U.S. properties had foreclosure filings in November, 2011. This means that 1 in every 579 housing units received a foreclosure filing nationwide. In California, 1 in every 211 housing units received a foreclosure filing. And there are fears that a new set of foreclosure waves may come in the next few months. According to RealtyTrac cofounder, James Saccacio, “November’s numbers suggest a new set of incoming foreclosure waves, many of which may roll into the market as REOs or short sales sometime early next year…some bellwether states such as California, Arizona and Massachusetts actually posted year-over-year increases in foreclosure activity in November.”

It is clear that we must take immediate steps to prevent more foreclosures. As part of the FHFA’s ability to promote policies that will prevent foreclosures, they have the authority to establish rules over residential mortgages that Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and other government enterprises are able to underwrite. FHFA has consistently and erroneously interpreted its mandate far too narrowly and as such has failed to take adequate action to help homeowners and has brought an end to successful, local initiatives—such as the PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) program. The PACE program allows property owners to finance energy efficiency measures and renewable energy projects for their homes and commercial buildings, thereby reducing their energy costs and making them better able to make mortgage payments. It has been successful in many of our districts, however, in July of 2009 FHFA issued a decision that essentially put an end to PACE programs across this country.

As the fiduciary of government-backed entities, there are steps that the FHFA can take to help prevent future foreclosures while also protecting taxpayers. Installing a permanent Director of the FHFA will allow the FHFA to move forward to make key decisions that will help keep families in their homes and improve our economy. We appreciate your recent appointment of Richard Cordray as the new Director of the United States Consumer Financial Protection Bureau over similar Republican opposition and we urge that you take the same action to put in place a permanent Director to the FHFA.

By: David Dayen Wednesday January 11, 2012 7:00 am

Short sales better option for homeowners

MSNBC reports that the recent increase in short sales may be the relief that the housing market needs during its slow recovery. The number of short sales has increased by 26,000 this year following a jump in the number of foreclosures and short sales in 2010.

According to the source, short sales may also be a better option for homeowners when compared to foreclosures, especially for those who don't qualify for loan modification.

Homeowners who choose short sales can stay in their homes and start rebuilding their credit sooner than those who find themselves in foreclosure, says the source. FICO reports that the number of points homeowners lose is the same when foreclosing or selling the home for less than the amount owed on the mortgage, but those who opt for short sales will likely obtain a loan quicker, which will help improve their credit scores.

The source reports that some economists are concerned that the decrease in foreclosures may be a result of a built up amount of foreclosures that have not been processed.

"Foreclosures are going to be a drag on the market for a long period of time," Dean Baker of the Center for Economic and Policy Research told the source. "Until these distressed homes are resold and assimilated back into the market, real estate prices can't stabilize."

Source: Today's MLS Real Estate Dec. 30, 2011

Holiday Hangover

Most of you probably do not want to hear the word "HOLIDAY" for at least a few more months!   However I must share with you my first first set of "Holiday Joys" with you.  Being new to Los Angeles really opens up so much fun and wonder for the holiday season.  We kicked off with the Halloween Festival in West Hollywood (if you have not had time to read that post please do now, it's full of excitement!) Then as we all know the world goes crazy over Christmas and ignores our wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday!  In our home, we take the holidays one at a time so no cards, no tinsel, no trees, no gifts...NOTHING until after the Thanksgiving feast has been eaten!  

This is our first year not being around family so it was very unusual for us to not have people over.  My husband and I decided to scale it down!  Off we went to market to gather the feast for the day!  Mind you, my husband said we would SCALE it down since it was two of us, YET he came home with a 22lb turkey! (giggle) I guess that is scaling it down since we always get the ones that are 25lbs and up!  This year I did not make my mom's homemade rolls or eggplant casserole which is a tradition but we did have my husbands wonderful yams made with rum and brown sugar, mac and cheese, dressing, collard greens, and of course TURKEY.  The feast was set!  We are so Thankful for the Blessings we have and being able to move from Denver to Los Angeles was one of them and even though we did not have our family surrounding us we enjoyed being "together" and that is what it's all about.

On to Christmas!  Once again this holiday was one of family in our home.  Our house was the PLACE TO BE!  Normally we'd have tons of family. three times the amount of food, family singing, tree trimming, cards, and homemade hot chocolate for the season.  Christmas is a time for us to celebrate our beliefs in Christ and we do it up BIG!  Yet once again we experienced change.  We decided it would be a year for new adventures since we had no family around.  We headed up to Big Bear!  At least we would see some snow in California!  So on Christmas Eve, we fired up our DVD, played our favorite holiday movies and enjoyed being "together" (keyword for this post!)  The next morning we woke up, we watched our final favorite movie  "The Christmas Story" and prepared for the drive.  I made our homemade hot chocolate for the thermos and off we went.  When we left LA the weather was in the 70's and not feeling much like Christmas.  Traffic was heavy but as we climbed to our destination the season felt more and more like Christmas.  We started seeing the snow and the air became crisp!  Perfect day!

Once there we watched the snow tubers, played our Christmas music and went to dinner.  Just the two of us...once again blessed.

So for 2011 I must report to you that I am blessed!  Even though it was a year of major change, up's and down's and adventure, I am here!

So from me to you....HAPPY NEW YEAR, may your year be full of love and TOGETHERNESS!

(as for the New Year celebration, well...stay tuned!)

Peace, love and blessings from the Realty Goddess!

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Actress Jodie Foster has sold home in Beverly Hills Home

The Los Angeles Times reports that actress-producer Jodie Foster recently sold her Beverly Hills home. The home was first listed at $9.975 million in April 2011, but reportedly sold for $8.3 million in November. Foster is best-known for her roles in movies including The Accused and The Silence of the Lambs, both of which made her an Oscar-award winning actress. She has recently directed and starred in films including Carnage and The Beaver.

The home was reportedly built in 1949 and sits on nearly an acre of land. The main house has seven bedrooms and eight bathrooms, while the guesthouse has two bedrooms. The Times says the home has an East Coast vibe with climbing roses and red brick accents. Other features of the home include a tennis court and swimming pool.

Sources say Foster will likely be moving into another California home as she continues to work as a producer in the Los Angeles area.

From Today's Real Estate news on January 4, 2012

The Realty Goddess has Landed at 360 Realty!

The Realty Goddess has landed at 360 Realty in Los Angeles CA! www.360Realty.com

5900 Wilshire Blvd #2900 Los Angeles, CA 90004

800-399-9659 x361

Halloween in West Hollywood

Warning...this blog post is a long one! After you read you will see why it had to be!  Prepare yourself for Halloween in West Hollywood!

I have always enjoyed the Halloween holiday.  I loved going trick or treating when I was a child, and I loved handing out candy to the neighborhood kids when I became an adult.  I would even throw a treat in for the parents by giving them cups of hot apple cider so they could continue on the journey with their kids, but my husband, well....he LOVES Halloween!  Every year he gets into the season and plans cool outfits and ways to celebrate the holiday in true fashion.  He would even dress up to hand out candy to the kids!  But THIS year no candy for the witches and warlocks because it was our first Halloween in Los Angeles, the city where movies are made and the party never dies!

As the days got closer you could feel the excitement in the air.  Never had I seen SO MUCH to do over Halloween.  The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) had an exhibit with Tim Burton's wonderfully twisted creations which we did not get to attend because it was sold out, the costume stores were full of wonderful and freaky things to delight the eyes and there seemed to be hayrides, mazes and haunted houses EVERYWHERE.  I had resigned myself to just handing candy out this year but hubby had other plans.  He was so excited that I got excited so on Halloween day he ventured out and obtained two great costumes for us so we could celebrate in the festivities of the Halloween Carnival in West Hollywood.

Ah yes, West Hollywood holds one of the largest Halloween parties in the world!  This party rivals Marti Gras in SO MANY ways.  Little did I know this would be one of the best Halloween's of my lifetime.

The evening started with my husband picking me up from work so we could get a jumpstart on the evening.  He also wanted to show me the treasures of his Halloween shopping. I was going to be an Egyptian and he had obtained the needed items to pull it off, at the last minute to boot!  How he manages to get these costumes is beyond me, but the labor of his day showed.  All I needed was a little bit of makeup and I was set for the evening!  We headed home and started the dress up!  I know,  I know...you want to know what he dressed up as, but you will have to wait on that for now!

We had been warned not to drive and that it would be best to catch the Metro. So we routed our way and planned our time carefully so we could jump in the pool of ghoul as soon as possible.  I am so glad we live close to the Metro, we headed to the station dressed to the 9's.  It was an evening of treats for the eyes.  It seemed everyone was headed to the same party so the train was full of ghosts, vampires, princesses, ax murderers and a host of other creatures.  One short ride to the bus stop and the night amped up.  There must have been 100 dressed up people waiting on the bus to get to the party.  All of us checking each other out, buzzing and ready to get the party started right.  After two buses PACKED full of people passed us up, it was our time to cram into the bus like sardines.  I am sure we were over capacity, there was NO way you could not get to know the riders around you intimately in some way because you had no choice of being pushed together.  As we bounced and bobbled down Santa Monica Blvd we chanted out street names, laughed together and helped create the pre-atmosphere of the night, even the bus driver was cool and sang out the stop names as we got closer.  

Final stop....FAIRFAX and SANTA MONICA, we all poured off the bus and streamed in droves to the party.  You just can't take it all in, so much to see, so much music, the lookie loo's, the street vendors with yummy smells of hot links, and my appreciation of the flats I had decided to wear instead of heels!  (HA) Yes a girl can only go so far in heels at a party like this!

On the way to the party, we decided we would stop into Hamburger Mary's to grab a burger, it was one of the places we had wanted to stop so tonight would be a perfect complement!  YUMMY, YUMMY and more YUMMY.  I can't tell you how HUGE the burger was but I was only able to eat a 4th of it and another patron decided it was worth a photo!  Blue Cheese, Onions, Sauces, the bun, oh my....I ate like the Egyptian Queen I was!  And all around us a free show of people dressed in costumes, we saw a "Lucy", a pirate, a flasher, Aladdin, and more than I can recall, and that was just the people standing in the line for the restroom!

Belly's full, still full of anticipation and ready to let loose, we finished off our meal and joined the parades of people headed to the main attraction.  The beauty of this night is the feeling of oneness.  Everyone was happy, not a fight in sight.  People taking photos with strangers, talking to each other like old friends and helpful if you had a question.

Then BAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Let's get this party started!  The streets opened up to the masses.  Wall to wall crowds, all moving and grooving to the free music provided for soundtrack of the night.  West Hollywood KNOWS how to throw a party.  There were stages on each street, music pumping, people smoozing.  If I thought I had seen the best of the costumes on the way to the party, I was sadly mistaken.  Some people just know how to do it up right.  Now obviously you have the people who like to dress sexy, or want to just see people's eyes bug out, and you can bet there was plenty of those....but those who love Halloween to the core, well they just know how to blow the mind.  It's Hollywood ya'll, city where movies are the blood pulse of the town. Most are performers at heart and dedication to this holiday makes them rise to the occasion.  My favorite of the night was the creepy zombies that would make your blood cold.  Check out the one who would really made me take a triple take.

As we headed into the pulse of the party we let it all go, my stresses of the day, GONE!  Now was MY time to be something else, walk the walk, talk the talk and just enjoy my world around me. As you can see from my photo below, I had  many laughs that night.

We had a goal, we were headed to the Troubadour where there was no cover and dancing!  Mind you, this was about a mile away from where we entered the adventure so the parade was ON. We pushed, bobbed, weaved, pulsed, ooo'ed and ahhh'ed at the eye candy all around us, enjoying the time together, experiencing this new world together!  My hubby is a tall man so it was to our benefit that people tend to move out of his way when we are in thick crowds such as that night!  I grabbed hold to his hips, conga line style and off we went. Every once in a while we would stop to breathe and take photos!  This Halloween had to be documented!

Finally we arrived at the Troubadour and we danced, danced, danced and DANCED!  Oh, did I mention we passed LaToya Jackson on the final block?  Well we did and she was dressed up as a sort of clown, her voice was unmistakable and she was TINY.  (I digress)  Anyway, it was time to head back home, it was about 1am and the crowds had started to clear.  The confetti of the night showed on the streets and those who did not want the night to die still walked up and down getting every second of the time crammed into their memories.  The hike back to the bus stop was just as adventurous as the journey there only now it was police chasing hot dog vendors down the street, and sirens in the background.  Nothing serious, just the city putting into place the rules and regulations for ending the party.  There was even a riot guard ready for action in case of trouble!  OH MY...PARTY OVER

Tired but happy, we tracked on. Once we met our destination we had a brief encounter with a very drunk gentleman who decided that my hubby would be his best friend for the rest of the night.  He took phones calls, only to give the phone to us for tell the person on the other end that our new friend was just too happy" to talk, we finally had to ditch him because he thought he was coming home with us!  

Finally at our bus stop we waited along with other the other tired party people, we crammed on the bus, and endured the loud rantings of another drunk gentlemen of the night and fought the heavy eyes we were starting to feel.  Home, oh yes, HOME.  Happy and home!  What an evening, and I am so glad to share it with you!  Our first Halloween in West Hollywood and the experience is one to share with the masses.  

Oh, I guess I can let you in on what hubby was....he was a ZOMBIE FOOTBALL PLAYER! Done up all the way, he got all sorts of gasps and looks through the night, enough to make him one happy creature of the night! (don't ask, he won't let me upload a photo!---party pooper)

It was 3am before we were able to crawl into bed with visions of ghouls playing in our head, but not before one more treat from my loved one, we enjoyed a bag of Coconut M&M's to end the evening.  Thank you hubby, oh what a treat it was.

So now you see why this entry was so long, and I hope you felt it was worth your time to share with me! I enjoyed sharing my time with you!

To see more of the 2011 West Hollywood Halloween Costume Carnival visit:  http://www.weho.org/index.aspx?page=845 

Peace, love and blessings from the Realty Goddess!

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HELLO....Life is Calling

We live in an "instant" world and I think that has caused us to be a society of selfish, inpatient and sometimes uncaring people.  Life steps in sometimes and decides to slow you down whether you like it or not.  During this "Lull" in my career it has made me appreciate the little things in my business and in my life.  It's the little things that matter.  Like taking a few minutes to just breathe and be grateful for the little things.  

Have you ever just stopped what you are doing in your busy world and just "LOOK".  I mean, REALLY look!  Yesterday I was walking my pups and decided I needed to stop looking down.  I made a HUGE effort to slow down and look at the things around me.  Guess what I saw?  BEAUTY.  California is beautiful.  You do not have to be by the beach to appreciate the simple beauty among the hustle and bustle of city life.  Now, I am not sure you know that I am a true country living girl.  Not cowboy rodeo type, but rolling country side, bluegrass, garden fed, run through the yard barefoot, type of girl.  When I grew up, I had fields to play in.  I remember laying in the grass and just watching the sky and finding animals in the clouds.  Somewhere along the way we stop this process.  We get caught up in business, in life, in raising children, being a wife, being everything to everyone.  In that tornado of life you forget there is a beautiful world calling out to you.  Things get rushed and pushed to the next day, only to find your list never gets done.  

SCREECH...back to the walk?  I stopped to breathe. Here is what I saw. Tall, lean, majestic palm trees, wonderful vines full of pink delicate flowers, a clear blue sky and the smells of home cooking coming from the homes around me.  There were kids playing in the front yards, laughter coming from the distance, a church bell calling people to worship, you know...the little things you tune out in the busy daily life that you lead when trying to get to your next destination. So now, I have decided that each day I am going to take at least 15 minutes to just hold my head up and use my true eyes to see.

Yes, that's all spiritual and stuff. (giggle)  But I noticed when I  made that decision it made it easier to study the material in front of me.  I even stopped to think how blessed I am that I can even take my Real Estate Course online.  Really...no joke...just a few years ago you would have to go to classes but I have the luxury of sitting in front of my computer and getting it done in the comfort of my home.  Which made me think of how I do business.  I have a cell phone, a fax machine, a copy machine in my home and IN MY CAR! I am a fully functionally office where ever I am.  If I need to look up a property or a fact it is at my fingertips.  Who needs the World Encyclopedia book set anymore.  Yes, indeed, this Realty Goddess is blessed and happy to live in a world where I can access info at a snap of a finger, but for this weeks lesson I am glad my spirit called out to me and made me slow down.

Because of this little spiritual awakening, I finished my course, passed the school test and now I am awaiting a state exam test.  I'll keep you updated!

Peace, love and blessings from the Realty Goddess!

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Reflections of the Journey.....Denver to Los Angeles

My life consists of a few things at this point.  Studying, walking my pups, and looking for jobs.  Now I know that does not sound very exciting, but there is some lessons to be learned in my daily items.

First, California real estate is very different than Colorado real estate.  Some of what I have learned in the past five years has to be unlearned and re-learned in a different way.  Now, this isn't a bad thing, just a difficult thing at times.  The excitement of learning new things, new rules, new areas get's me all tingly inside, but taking the practice tests frustrates me so much at times I just have to get up and leave the house.  Hence, the walking of the pups.  I don't think they have been walked this much in their whole lives!  I am sure they hope my frustrations get the best of me at this point, but I digress!

So I have a hump to get over, ok....I can handle that, but can get I get over it quickly and move on because I am SO ready to get to work.

This "downtime" in my real estate career has made me realize just how much I LOVE what I do.  The thrill of helping someone buy their first home excites me.  I think I get more excited than my clients at times.  The idea that I have been a part of something so important and life changing makes me want to do it even more.  My clients are more than "clients" they become friends and what more can a "people loving" person ask for?  I have photos of my clients first babies, graduation photos, Christmas cards, thank you notes, etc.  The list goes on and on!  I LOVE IT. And all that excitement just comes from being a buyers agent.  There are new thrills on the listing agent side.  Makes my teeth buzz!

All this leads to my revelations of the job market.  You see, you don't just get your real estate license and promptly close on a house the next day.  (I WISH!) You have to find the clients, let the relationship bask in the listing or searching, go through escrow, financing, closing...etc.  You know all the background noise that is necessary to get to the really fun stuff.  You didn't think it was all just confetti and party horns did ya?

So, back to the job topic.  I was a secretary for over 15 years before becoming a Realtor, so I just KNEW I would not have any issues with finding a part-time, full-time, temp job while I am building my other part of my life.  I just thought I'd sign up with a few temp companies and everything would be fine.  Guess what folks....NOT.  At this point I have over 275 resumes out and I have three temp companies in my pocket, who have yet to produce any job, not even a one day job!  This unemployment thing....well, it's real.  There are so many people unemployed and looking for any type of work that I am in the many numbers who apply for any job they see. Cover letters, resume's, online posts, interviews (if you can get them) are what most unemployed fill their days with.  It is a very eye-opening experience and it makes me feel so much more for my clients when they let me know they have lost a job.  It's so simple to say, Oh you will get another one" when in actuality it may be months before they find one.  So all this will just prove to make me more compassionate to my clients in the future.

I don't know what tomorrow may bring on the job horizon but I do know this girl is not wasting any time with getting her real estate testing complete.

But in the meantime....can a sister get a job? Resume is ready and waiting!

Peace, love and blessings from the Realty Goddess!

Follow me on twitter, facebook, yelp, google+ and foursquare! Maybe we can share some laughs and smiles along the way.