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Los Angeles Home Prices Drop To 2003 Levels

by Eileen Walsh

Los Angeles Home Prices Drop To 2003 Levels

Los Angeles and southern California home prices dropped to 2003 levels at the end of 2008. Read the article fro the Los Angeles Times:

Southern California home prices continued their decline at the end of 2008, closing the year at 2003 price levels, a real estate research firm reported today.

The December median sales price for all Southern California homes fell to $278,000, a 35% drop from the same month a year prior, according to San Diego-based MDA DataQuick.

The falling prices were again driven by sales of foreclosed properties, which comprised 56% of all homes sold in the region. Consequently, the lowest median sales prices were reported in San Bernardino County ($180,000) and Riverside County ($209,000), where foreclosures have been rampant.

Los Angeles County's median sales price of $320,000 was down 32% from December 2007, while Orange County's median price fell 30% to $397,000. San Diego's median price dropped 30% from December 2007, to $300,000. Ventura County's $338,000 median December sales price was down 36% from the prior year.

Low prices drove the number of Southern California homes sold in December up by 51% over the previous year.

"It does look like the spigot is being opened a little bit, at least for low-cost home purchases," said John Walsh, MDA DataQuick president.

The typical monthly mortgage payment that Southland buyers committed themselves to paying was $1,239 last month, down from a revised $1,380 for the previous month, and down from a revised $2,060 for December year ago. Adjusted for inflation, current payments were 43.9% below typical payments in the spring of 1989, the peak of the prior real estate cycle. They were 54.0% below the current cycle's peak in July 2007.

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Los Angeles Real Estate: 5 Factors That Decide Your Credit Score

by Eileen Walsh

Los Angeles Real Estate: 5 Factors That Decide Your Credit Score

 

Credit scores range between 200 and 800, with scores above 620 considered desirable for obtaining a mortgage when buying Los Angeles real estate. The following factors affect your score:

1. Your payment history. Did you pay your credit card obligations on time? If they were late, then how late? Bankruptcy filing, liens, and collection activity also impact your history.


2. How much you owe.  If you owe a great deal of money on numerous accounts, it can indicate that you are overextended. However, it’s a good thing if you have a good proportion of balances to total credit limits.

3. The length of your credit history. In general, the longer you have had accounts opened, the better. The average consumer's oldest obligation is 14 years old, indicating that he or she has been managing credit for some time, according to Fair Isaac Corp., and only one in 20 consumers have credit histories shorter than 2 years.

4. How much new credit you have. New credit, either installment payments or new credit cards, are considered more risky, even if you pay them promptly.

5. The types of credit you use. Generally, it’s desirable to have more than one type of credit — installment loans, credit cards, and a mortgage, for example.

For more on evaluating and understanding your credit score, visit www.myfico.com.

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Los Angeles CA Real Estate For Sale: 8467 Willoughby Avenue

by Eileen Walsh

Los Angeles CA Real Estate For Sale:
8467 Willoughby Avenue, Los Angeles CA
$949,000

los angeles real estateBeautifully updated WEHO Adjacant 3 bedroom, 2 bath home. Interior includes gorgeous ebony-stained hardwood floors, Stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, slate floors. Central heat/air, tankless water heater, cat 6 wiring, all new custom blinds. French doors lead to grassy back yard + pastel brick patio. Walled and gated on all sides for maximum privacy. Rooftop deck for watching sunsets. Secure parking for 4. Immaculate condition. Move right in!

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Los Angeles CA Real Estate For Sale: 12602 Pacific Avenue

by Eileen Walsh

Los Angeles CA Real Estate For Sale:
12602 Pacific Avenue, #2
$549,000

Soaring cathedral ceilings above abundant windows showcase towering pine trees. Exquisite updated corner unit. 2 BR, each with own updt ba, are tucked away on the 1st fl. 2nd fl features updt kitch, open living area, fp, 2 outdoor spaces. 3rd fl loft + deck offers a sublime retreat in which to work apart from the family space below or in which to play amidst sunsets and ocean breezes. All this with tons of closets, storage space, inside laundry, low HOA dues and pkg for 2. Move right in & enjoy!

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Citigroup Supports New Home Loan Legislation

by Eileen Walsh

The New York Times reports Citigroup is supporting a plan allowing bankruptcy judges to alter home loans in an effort to prevent foreclosures. Citigroup has previously been against this legislation. Read what the New York Times has to say:

In a move that would help troubled homeowners, Citigroup agreed to support legislation that would let bankruptcy judges adjust mortgages for at-risk borrowers, leading Congressional Democrats said on Thursday.

Financial industry lobbyists, however, said the plan was flawed and vowed to fight legislation aimed at easing up on homeowners facing foreclosure.

Members of the House and Senate said Citigroup had agreed to drop its opposition, providing no future mortgages are covered by the law.

Citigroup, which is receiving more than $300 billion in bailout assistance, says that it is open to measures that would help homeowners.

“Citi shares this legislation’s goal to help distressed borrowers stay in their homes, and believes it will serve as an additional tool to the extensive home retention programs currently in place to help at-risk borrowers,” Vikram S. Pandit, the chief executive of Citigroup, wrote in a letter released Thursday night.

The revised bill that Citigroup endorsed would allow bankruptcy judges to adjust the principal payments or interest rates on existing loans.

Judges could also extend the terms on mortgage loans, according to the language of the bill, which would force lenders to take losses without a say in bankruptcy court proceedings.

Senator Richard J. Durbin of Illinois, the No. 2 Senate Democrat, said he and fellow backers of the plan see it as a way to create more voluntary negotiations between struggling homeowners and financial institutions. So far, voluntary programs have proved ineffective, Democrats said.

Citigroup had been part of the Bankruptcy Coalition of the Financial Services Roundtable, an industry group, since it aggressively lobbied for changes to the bankruptcy code in 2005.

The coalition — a group of major trade associations and lenders like Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo — also fought to block the so-called cramdown legislation last year.

No other bank has broken ranks with the industry on the proposed bill. Mr. Durbin said he hoped the move by Citigroup, should other banks and financial trade associations take the same stance, would lead to backing by enough Democrats and moderate Republicans to push the bill through.

Senator Charles E. Schumer, Democrat of New York, said he had been contacting officials of top financial institutions for months, trying to persuade them that it would be to their advantage to back the plan since it could help stabilize a housing market that has severely hurt the economy.

Three changes were made to the legislation sponsored by Mr. Durbin and Representative John Conyers Jr., Democrat of Michigan and chairman of the House Judiciary Committee: only existing mortgages will be eligible; homeowners will have to certify they tried to contact their mortgage holder lenders regarding loan modifications before filing for bankruptcy; and only major violations of the Truth in Lending Act will cause lenders to forfeit their claims in a bankruptcy.

Backed by bankers and other financial groups, many Congressional Republicans and some Democrats have balked at the plan to let bankruptcy judges alter mortgage terms on primary residences, saying that would drive up mortgage costs.

But officials said financial institutions were coming to the conclusion that it might be better to get a reduced loan payment through a bankruptcy or voluntary negotiations than to get no money at all.

Aides to Senator Richard C. Shelby of Alabama, the senior Republican on the Senate banking committee, said he would have no immediate response to the plan.

Scott E. Talbott, senior vice president for government affairs at the Financial Services Roundtable, said the group opposed cramdown legislation because it “creates huge risks” for the mortgage market.

He suggested the bill would force banks to further restrict lending and absorb huge losses as the economy worsens. He also suggested the bill would create perverse incentives that might encourage more homeowners to seek bankruptcy protection.

Citigroup recently began negotiating with lawmakers, in a move that some observers suggest reflects its desire to win favor on Capitol Hill after receiving billions in funds from the bailout program.

The government has invested $45 billion in Citigroup and agreed to guarantee about $269 billion in highly illiquid mortgage investments.

“If you’re looking at a way to get to the bottom of the economic problems in our country, this is the cause of our economic problems,” said Senator Christopher J. Dodd, Democrat of Connecticut and chairman of the banking committee. “It is the housing foreclosure problem. We’ve got to address that.”

The plan has been backed by members of Congress who see it as a way to help distressed homeowners and balance federal relief efforts that have been aimed at Wall Street and the automobile industry.

Mr. Schumer said he had been in contact with other large banks and he expected they would soon announce their support or at least drop their opposition to the plan.

“Citigroup’s action has broken the dam,” he said.

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Sell Your Los Angeles Home With Feng Shui

by Eileen Walsh

Sell Your Los Angeles Home With Feng Shui

To put the best face on your Los Angeles home and appeal to buyers who follow feng shui principles, keep these tips in mind.

1. Pay special attention to the front door, which is considered the “mouth of chi” (chi is the “life force” of all things) and one of the most powerful aspects of the entire property. Abundance, blessings, opportunities, and good fortune enter through the front door. It’s also the first impression buyers have of how well the sellers have taken care of the rest of the property. Make sure the area around the front door is swept clean, free of cobwebs and clutter. Make sure all lighting is straight and properly hung. Better yet, light the path leading up to the front door to create an inviting atmosphere.

2. Chi energy can be flushed away wherever there are drains in the home. To keep the good forces of a home in, always keep the toilet seats down and close the doors to bathrooms.

3. The master bed should be in a place of honor, power, and protection, which is farthest from and facing toward the entryway of the room. It’s even better if you can place the bed diagonally in the farthest corner. Paint the room in colors that promote serenity, relaxation, and romance, such as soft tones of green, blue, and lavender.

4. The dining room symbolizes the energy and power of family togetherness. Make sure the table is clear and uncluttered during showings. Use an attractive tablecloth to enhance the look of the table while also softening sharp corners.

5. The windows are considered to be the eyes of the home. Getting the windows professionally cleaned will make the home sparkle and ensure that the view will be optimally displayed.

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Los Angeles Home Prices Take Beating In 2008

by Eileen Walsh

Los Angeles Home Prices Take Beating In 2008

According to a recent report by the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R), 2008 marked a year of rising home sales, declining home prices, stricter loan underwriting standards, and the financial market meltdown.  However, despite the negative media coverage, many home buyers realized that current low mortgage rates and lower home prices provided an opportunity to purchase a home that previously may have been out of reach.

The most-recent survey from Freddie Mac shows interest rates on 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages averaged 5.19 percent last week, the lowest level in 37 years.  While lower interest rates have resulted in a dramatic jump in homeowners seeking to refinance, now also is a great time to purchase a home. The lower interest rates also are making mortgage payments more affordable, especially on larger homes that previously may have been out of reach. 

In addition to lower monthly mortgage payments, a lower interest rate also allows more home buyers to qualify for larger mortgages with less income. Generally, a buyer applying for a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage loan of $400,000, with an interest rate of 5.5 percent, needs an income of $92,000, assuming a 10 percent down payment.  If the rate drops to 4.5 percent, the borrower would need an income of $84,000 to qualify for the same mortgage loan.

Despite the increase in the number of homeowners who sold their homes at a loss, home sellers who owned their properties for a longer period of time were less likely to experience a loss from their home sale, according to the "State of the California Housing Market 2008-2009" report.

To read the full story, please click here:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/12/17/BURR14Q2QI.DTL&type=business

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Refinancing Your Los Angeles Home - Is It Right For You?

by Eileen Walsh

Refinancing Your Los Angeles Home - Is It Right For You?


Los Angeles homeowners who are current on their mortgage payments and have equity in their homes may want to consider taking advantage of the lower mortgage rates offered by many financial institutions.  However, refinancing may not be the best choice for all Los Angeles homeowners.

MAKING SENSE OF THE STORY FOR CONSUMERS 

·      Refinancing often requires fees for title insurance, a new appraisal, document processing, and a fee for the mortgage broker or lender.  While it may appear the refinance is free, the costs often are added to the total loan amount or the borrower is charged a higher rate.  Because there are fees typically associated with a refinance, many financial industry specialists recommend borrowers not refinance unless they plan to occupy the house for at least two years.  Although there will be a reduction in the monthly payment, it can take a few years to break even on the refinance.

·      Loan options are more limited today than a few years ago.  Generally, the best rates are offered on traditional loans, such as 15-year and 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages, and loans for borrowers with at least 20 percent for a down payment for buyers or existing home equity for those seeking to refinance.

·      Some subprime loans made during the house boom carry prepayment penalties–a fee or percentage the homeowner pays the lender in the event the mortgage is paid early.  Some lenders may waive prepayment penalties and allow the borrower to refinance with another lender if doing so prevents foreclosure. 

To read the full story, please click here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28302078/


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Los Angeles Real Estate: Mortgage Rates At 37 Year Lows

by Eileen Walsh

Rates on Los Angeles 30-year-fixed mortgages dropped last week to their lowest levels in at least 37 years, as the Federal Reserve pledged to pour money into the mortgage market in an effor spur the moribund U.S. housing market.

Freddie Mac, the mortgage company, reported today that average rates on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages dropped to 5.19 percent, down from the year's previous low of 5.47 percent, set last week.

The rate is the lowest since Freddie Mac's weekly mortgage rate survey began in April 1971.

Read more...

With rates this low it is a great time to think about buying a Los Angeles home. Learn more about Los Angeles real estate by visiting EileenWalshRealtor.com.

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IRS Helps Los Angeles Homeowners With Tax Subordination

by Eileen Walsh

Los Angeles homeowners will have an find it easier to refinance or sell their homes with the help of the IRS. Federal tax liens for owners of 'distressed properties' will be subordinated to help speed up the process - basically moving them down the line so the primary mortgage holder can take precedence. Otherwise, such liens could block the process of refinancing or restructuring a loan. Read the enitre story.

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Displaying blog entries 321-330 of 349

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