Number of Available Listings Continues to Slide While Contracted Units Escalate (Applied Analysis) Kristy Black from Fidelity National Title just provided some good news for our Las Vegas real estate market this week:
Inventory: The number of available resale homes on the market dropped by another 208 units during the past week, reaching a total of 13,749. The latest availability levels are on par with those reported in January 2006. While availability has declined materially in recent weeks, the number of contingent and pending homes has increased dramatically, reaching a combined total of 13,206 units. These units have been negotiated or contracted. They consist of contingent units (9,292 homes) that are contingent on some action taking place before closing (e.g., a lender approval on a short sale) as well as pending units (3,914) which are transactions waiting for customary closing procedures to complete.
Sales: During the past year, the number of properties listed as available declined by 37.7 percent, or 8,329 units; the number of contracted units increased by 83.9 percent, or 6,025 units. Of the 9,292 units listed as contingent, approximately 58.5 percent (or 5,435 units) are contingent upon a bank approving of a short sale transaction. The timing and viability of these transactions remains unclear.
I have heard from SO many people, including the CEO of Prudential Americana Group Realtors, that there are estimates of up to 20,000 homes that banks have already foreclosed on, but are waiting to put on the market. To be completely honest with you, I wish these properties would get released, because currently I’m seeing as many as 10 offers on properties. Our market can handle more inventory because our prices are so attractive which is creating high demand.
If you would like to search for properties, please click the search icon below for all available listings in Las Vegas or contact me directly at 1-866-589-1646.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
AUSTIN RIDGE AVE, LAS VEGAS PRE-FORECLOSURES, (Reo properties) CLARK - NV
Location: Las Vegas Pre-foreclosure, Clark - NV, Address: Austin Ridge Ave, Zipcode: 89178, Code: 24490681, Style: Single Family, Bed/Baths: / , Price: $304,345.00
Source: www.foreclosurelistings.com
TIPPER AVE, LAS VEGAS PRE-FORECLOSURES, CLARK - NV
Location: Las Vegas Pre-foreclosure, Clark - NV, Address: Tipper Ave, Zipcode: 89122, Code: 24490660, Style: Single Family, Bed/Baths: / , Price: $223,345.00
Source: www.foreclosurelistings.com
Foreclosures Grind on as Lenders Fail to Modify Loans
Foreclosures Grind on as Lenders Fail to Modify Loans USA Today The Obama administration’s $75 billion program to reduce foreclosures has been beset by backlogs and delays, leading many overstretched homeowners to complain about unreturned phone calls…(read more)
Source: www.foreclosurelistings.com
TIPPER AVE, LAS VEGAS PRE-FORECLOSURES, CLARK - NV
Location: Las Vegas Pre-foreclosure, Clark - NV, Address: Tipper Ave, Zipcode: 89122, Code: 24490660, Style: Single Family, Bed/Baths: / , Price: $223,345.00
Source: www.foreclosurelistings.com
Foreclosures Grind on as Lenders Fail to Modify Loans
Foreclosures Grind on as Lenders Fail to Modify Loans USA Today The Obama administration’s $75 billion program to reduce foreclosures has been beset by backlogs and delays, leading many overstretched homeowners to complain about unreturned phone calls…(read more)
How Banks work Short Sale real estate in Las Vegas!
I received an email about buying multiple Las Vegas “Short Sale” homes.
He writes: “I have some questions about “Short Sales”
“1. I actually see a big difference in price ($/sq ft) between “short sale” homes and non-short sale homes… I am just curious … You told me 95% of the short sale homes become foreclosed? What happens after the foreclosure? Does the bank try to sell the home for a higher price than the short sale price? Do the Banks usually succeed in selling higher?”
“2. Can I place offers on a couple of short sale homes at the same time? If one of my offers is then accepted great. But what if more than one of my offers are accepted at the same time? What will happen then?”
The Short Sale asking price has nothing to do with what the bank will accept in 8 to 12 weeks after you submit your offer.
See “The problem with “Short Sales” here in Las Vegas!”
Also See: “Las Vegas homes for sale asking price games!”
The above articles explain that the Seller could care less if they even ask $10 to purchase their home as they are getting nothing to sell it. The Sellers bank is interested in not only getting the most money they can from you (the Buyer) but also extracting additional money from the Seller in order to release them from the home loan.
I recently had a Buyer who offered full price CASH on a short sale based on the Sellers Banks appraisal. The Sellers Bank would not accept the deal unless the Seller paid them an additional $30,000 cash! Since the Seller didn’t have the cash the deal fell apart and I had to help my Buyer find another home to purchase.
This previous Short Sale home is now foreclosed and the Sellers Bank will not receive as much as my Buyer was willing to pay. The market has gone down in price for this home. The Sellers Bank has had the cost of foreclosure and the cost of tax, insurance and other liens on the property.
I know this does not make sense to you. But look at it from the Banks perspective. The Bank must try to make as much money from the Seller/Borrower as possible on the loan. If they think the Seller/Borrower has some money or access to some money then they want it.
There are a number of other Seller/Borrower conditions that will cause the bank to reject even a full price offer. One is if the Seller/Borrower is making payments while they are trying to Short Sale their home. The incentive for the Seller/Borrower is that they help to protect their credit. For the Sellers/Bank there is no reason to accept a Short Sale on a fully preforming loan!
The above examples are why the asking price and your offer price has nothing to do with weather the Bank will accept your offer. They will not sell the home for less than the Appraisal they order on the home! So offering $50,000 on a home with an asking price of $70,000 means nothing if the appraisal value of the home comes back at $100,000 and a Sellers/Borrowers loan amount of $200,000. After 8 to 12 weeks of waiting you will get a counter offer for $100,000 and if the Bank thinks they can get more out of the Seller they will condition the approval on the Seller coming up with cash as well.
The Bank has three separate divisions that handle mortgages:
1) The collection division- this division attempts to get the most out of the Borrower any way they can.
2) The foreclosure division- this group handles the legal processes to take the home back when collection is unsuccessful.
3) The REO (real estate owned) division- this group handles the properties that are taken back by setting values, eviction, sometimes making repairs, listing them with agents, evaluating offers and selling the properties.
Each of the divisions have their own set of rules to operate under and are not in communication with the other divisions. So the Collection and foreclosure Division do not talk with the REO division to see if they should accept the Short Sale offer as it may net the Bank more money. I know this is stupid on the Banks part but that is the way they operate.
Short Sales are handled by the collection division and are therefore under the basic premise of “Borrowers are lying flakes and the Banks job is to get as much as you can any way it can.”
This is why only 5% of Short Sales listed actually Sell. Most will become R.E.O.’s.
As to weather you can make offers on several properties at a time. You can make offer on as many properties as you wish. You must put down an earnest money in each case being deposited into an Escrow Company on acceptance of your offer. If YOU fail to preform on the contract your money is forfeited to the Seller. So if you don’t buy and the Seller fully preforms, you are out your $2,000 to $5,000. A contract requires that each party preforms with provisions for damages if a party fails to preform.
Thanks for asking!
He writes: “I have some questions about “Short Sales”
“1. I actually see a big difference in price ($/sq ft) between “short sale” homes and non-short sale homes… I am just curious … You told me 95% of the short sale homes become foreclosed? What happens after the foreclosure? Does the bank try to sell the home for a higher price than the short sale price? Do the Banks usually succeed in selling higher?”
“2. Can I place offers on a couple of short sale homes at the same time? If one of my offers is then accepted great. But what if more than one of my offers are accepted at the same time? What will happen then?”
The Short Sale asking price has nothing to do with what the bank will accept in 8 to 12 weeks after you submit your offer.
See “The problem with “Short Sales” here in Las Vegas!”
Also See: “Las Vegas homes for sale asking price games!”
The above articles explain that the Seller could care less if they even ask $10 to purchase their home as they are getting nothing to sell it. The Sellers bank is interested in not only getting the most money they can from you (the Buyer) but also extracting additional money from the Seller in order to release them from the home loan.
I recently had a Buyer who offered full price CASH on a short sale based on the Sellers Banks appraisal. The Sellers Bank would not accept the deal unless the Seller paid them an additional $30,000 cash! Since the Seller didn’t have the cash the deal fell apart and I had to help my Buyer find another home to purchase.
This previous Short Sale home is now foreclosed and the Sellers Bank will not receive as much as my Buyer was willing to pay. The market has gone down in price for this home. The Sellers Bank has had the cost of foreclosure and the cost of tax, insurance and other liens on the property.
I know this does not make sense to you. But look at it from the Banks perspective. The Bank must try to make as much money from the Seller/Borrower as possible on the loan. If they think the Seller/Borrower has some money or access to some money then they want it.
There are a number of other Seller/Borrower conditions that will cause the bank to reject even a full price offer. One is if the Seller/Borrower is making payments while they are trying to Short Sale their home. The incentive for the Seller/Borrower is that they help to protect their credit. For the Sellers/Bank there is no reason to accept a Short Sale on a fully preforming loan!
The above examples are why the asking price and your offer price has nothing to do with weather the Bank will accept your offer. They will not sell the home for less than the Appraisal they order on the home! So offering $50,000 on a home with an asking price of $70,000 means nothing if the appraisal value of the home comes back at $100,000 and a Sellers/Borrowers loan amount of $200,000. After 8 to 12 weeks of waiting you will get a counter offer for $100,000 and if the Bank thinks they can get more out of the Seller they will condition the approval on the Seller coming up with cash as well.
The Bank has three separate divisions that handle mortgages:
1) The collection division- this division attempts to get the most out of the Borrower any way they can.
2) The foreclosure division- this group handles the legal processes to take the home back when collection is unsuccessful.
3) The REO (real estate owned) division- this group handles the properties that are taken back by setting values, eviction, sometimes making repairs, listing them with agents, evaluating offers and selling the properties.
Each of the divisions have their own set of rules to operate under and are not in communication with the other divisions. So the Collection and foreclosure Division do not talk with the REO division to see if they should accept the Short Sale offer as it may net the Bank more money. I know this is stupid on the Banks part but that is the way they operate.
Short Sales are handled by the collection division and are therefore under the basic premise of “Borrowers are lying flakes and the Banks job is to get as much as you can any way it can.”
This is why only 5% of Short Sales listed actually Sell. Most will become R.E.O.’s.
As to weather you can make offers on several properties at a time. You can make offer on as many properties as you wish. You must put down an earnest money in each case being deposited into an Escrow Company on acceptance of your offer. If YOU fail to preform on the contract your money is forfeited to the Seller. So if you don’t buy and the Seller fully preforms, you are out your $2,000 to $5,000. A contract requires that each party preforms with provisions for damages if a party fails to preform.
Thanks for asking!
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Life Settlements Industry
If you thought you could escape the global financial crisis by crossing to the great beyond, think again. The $6.4 billion life-settlement industry -– where firms purchase life insurance policies for a lump sum and then collect when the policyholder dies — has been thrown into turmoil over the past several months.
Earlier this month, one of the largest U.S. life settlement firms, J.G. Wentworth, filed for bankruptcy protection after the credit markets seized and it could no longer borrow to buy additional policies. According to InvestmentNews, additional bankruptcies are expected for life settlement firms as a result of tightening credit.
And to make matters worse, people are living longer.
Late last year several of the firms that calculate mortality tables for life settlement firms rocked the industry by increasing the life expectancies for most groups. That’s good news for people’s health, but bad news for life settlement firms that did not see the change coming.
Life settlements firms profit from razor thin margins on the difference between what they pay in the lump sum to the policyholder and the premiums they must pay out until they collect when the policyholder dies. So the longer people live beyond their expected mortality, the more is costs life settlement investors.
As life settlement firms rack up losses — and sometimes collapse — expect the industry to come under attack from all sides. The broader life insurance industry as historically had a tenuous relationship with life settlement business since it blossomed in the 1990s. Insurers fear that the process of selling a policy to a third party as an investment is confusing to consumers and could create thousands of lawsuits as policyholders dispute the “insurable interest” of the contract.
Earlier this month, one of the largest U.S. life settlement firms, J.G. Wentworth, filed for bankruptcy protection after the credit markets seized and it could no longer borrow to buy additional policies. According to InvestmentNews, additional bankruptcies are expected for life settlement firms as a result of tightening credit.
And to make matters worse, people are living longer.
Late last year several of the firms that calculate mortality tables for life settlement firms rocked the industry by increasing the life expectancies for most groups. That’s good news for people’s health, but bad news for life settlement firms that did not see the change coming.
Life settlements firms profit from razor thin margins on the difference between what they pay in the lump sum to the policyholder and the premiums they must pay out until they collect when the policyholder dies. So the longer people live beyond their expected mortality, the more is costs life settlement investors.
As life settlement firms rack up losses — and sometimes collapse — expect the industry to come under attack from all sides. The broader life insurance industry as historically had a tenuous relationship with life settlement business since it blossomed in the 1990s. Insurers fear that the process of selling a policy to a third party as an investment is confusing to consumers and could create thousands of lawsuits as policyholders dispute the “insurable interest” of the contract.
Life settlement fund
Life settlement funds have been forced into changes in fund structures in a bid to avoid being hit by the full extent of US tax changes.
The Obama administration has clamped down on US companies taking profits overseas for tax reasons in a move that could hurt life settlement funds, which trade in US life policies.
Life settlement fund provider Policy Selection Limited claims the new policy will mean returns made on the maturity of US life policies will be taxed at 30% when they are taken out of the country.
The company, which operates the Cayman Islands-domiciled Assured fund, has set up a company in Belgium in order to exploit the country’s double tax treaty with the US.
By housing ownership of the fund in Belgium, Policy Selection said it could get around the tax change. The gains will not be taxed when leaving the US because of Belgium’s double tax treaty. Policy Selection will then issue the gains as bonds which will reflect the exact amount made by the fund and so avoid being hit by Belgian withholding tax.
The Obama administration has clamped down on US companies taking profits overseas for tax reasons in a move that could hurt life settlement funds, which trade in US life policies.
Life settlement fund provider Policy Selection Limited claims the new policy will mean returns made on the maturity of US life policies will be taxed at 30% when they are taken out of the country.
The company, which operates the Cayman Islands-domiciled Assured fund, has set up a company in Belgium in order to exploit the country’s double tax treaty with the US.
By housing ownership of the fund in Belgium, Policy Selection said it could get around the tax change. The gains will not be taxed when leaving the US because of Belgium’s double tax treaty. Policy Selection will then issue the gains as bonds which will reflect the exact amount made by the fund and so avoid being hit by Belgian withholding tax.
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