The video is my appearance on Channel 12 News story on September 24, 2009 about the infamous “Buy and Bail.” Surpisingly enough, they cut the most important pieces of what I said. . . .Or, not surprisingly.

What they didn’t show of our 45 minutes of talking were these controversial and critical points:

The “Buy and Bail” is not the problem; it’s a symptom of the problem. A problem that occurred years ago when the market was at its height when the legislators, realtors, lenders and builders didn’t act ethically in their own rights; A negative equity problem that is currently not being addressed by our government.

They’re focused on the monthly payment issue when it’s much more widespread than that. The tiny percentage of people who actually qualify for a loan modification, don’t make up the masses. The primary problem is being overlooked: Negative Equity. This problem is going to perpetuate and ail the housing market for years to come.

Why are people bailing?
3-5 years ago, builders sold new homes to investors while having buyers sign off on documents promising they weren’t an investor. Some of these communities ended up having 50% or more investor population. What does that mean? They did zero upgrades, never lived in the home, and didn’t landscape the back and/or front yard. That sure doesn’t help the value of a property, especially when the investors were the first phase of bailing on properties because they couldn’t find renters and couldn’t afford to keep them.

3-5 years ago, what were the lending guidelines? Face it, there were none. If you could sign your name, you got a loan.

The current system has a gaping hole in it. The government is handing out money right and left to the crooks in corporate America, the unfortunate population that has become victim to the economy, and to the people who over-bought on homes and abused their credit.

But, WAIT! What about the huge percentage of the population that did all the right things? The people who are making good incomes, have high credit scores, saved and put 20% or more cash down on a home, got into a conventional mortgage, spent wisely and did not abuse their credit cards and rack up debt throughout the years, and yet are down hundreds of thousands of dollars in equity? I’ll tell you what. They’re left holding the bill for all the neighbors who have abandoned their homes for whatever reason, and the new people who are buying the same house for hundreds of thousands of dollars under what these people paid. They’re the people being scoffed at and called unethical.

This population of homeowners who put tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands cash down and in upgrades has been accused of being immoral for walking away as if they’re not losing anything. When you look at the history of the housing market over decades, you see that the value increases that we saw a few years ago will never happen again in our lifetime. That’s right, NEVER again will we see a home increase 100% or more in one year. With that factoid in mind, then how will these homeowners recoup $300,000 or more in equity? They won’t. Therefore, it can be a good financial decision to cut your losses short and start over. Are they supposed to feel good that they’re paying on jumbo mortgages when all of their neighbors are paying teensy weensy mortgages for the same house? Just because they can pay, doesn’t mean they should have to.

Everyday, I hear things like, “We didn’t plan on spending this much for a home. The lender told us we could” …… “I knew we couldn’t spend this much, but they gave us the loan!”………. “We had no idea how we would make these payments, we just thought we’d figure it out as we go”……… “I have $20,000 in credit card debt and am leasing a brand new BMW. I can’t afford this house payment!” Many of these people were given a free ride and walked away and looked upon as someone with financial “hardship”. Hey, I have all the sympathy in the world for the people who had true financial devastation hit from something bad like losing a job or divorce, but not because they were spend thrifts.

You know as well as I do that there are masses of people who created their own financial hardship, and they’re being rewarded for it. How is that right?

I’ve said it for the past 2 years and I’ll say it again. The people who are 200% or more down in equity and purchased their homes with good credit, money down and have not abused credit cards NEED a SOLUTION or the Buy and Bail will continue because it just plain makes good financial sense. Do the math. “You’ll ruin your credit” they all cry out. What did good credit get them? A swift kick in the a–.

Why don’t they come up with a solution modeled after the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act of 2007 – which was extended to 2012 for a reason! If you bought a primary residence between 2003-2007, you put cash down, you can show income, you have good credit and you’re more than 40% down in equity from the mortgaged amount —- you qualify for a principle reduction of xyz…. Now that makes more sense then letting all these properties foreclose, doesn’t it? Reward the people that DID THE RIGHT THINGS.

** You should always consult your realtor, CPA and a real estate attorney to decide what options you have to make a financial decision about your property. There are tax ramifications to consider. This is in no way intended to give advice or suggest people should walk away from their homes and mortgages. If you make a decision, whatever it is, you’re the one responsible. Don’t try to blame me and this article!

*** FIRE SALE *** What a STEAL *** Owner must sell ** his loss = your gain! *** MLS 4219347 and MLS 4219330
** FANTASTIC LONG TERM INVESTMENT! *** Across the street from PRESTIGOUS Vista Verde Golf Community! Just north of McDowell Mtn Preserve. Short Drive to Scottsdale,Cave Creek, Carefree or Fountains Hills!

Survey available.

Call Kelli Grant, Listing Agent, with questions.
602-799-5420

Venetian Condominiums in Scottsdale Ranch
$189,000
1076 sq ft
2 bdrm/2 bath

Terrific end unit located in the Venetian II condo conversion. Neutral colors. Newer appliances in kitchen. Light and bright living room highlighted by a tiled fireplace. Patio off great room. 2 bedroom split arrangement. Great Location… Great Amenities… Condo located across the street from Mercado at Scottsdale Ranch. Close to the senior center, tennis and park. Schools nearby. Buyer to verify sq ftge/schools. Conversion includes patio/garage.

DISCLAIMER: I don’t condone this behavior, approve of such acts, or recommend doing this at home….but it sure is funny!!

The Rotten House
She spent the first day packing her belongings into boxes, crates and suitcases.

On the second day, she had the movers come and collect her things.

On the third day, she sat down for the last time at their beautiful dining room table by candle-light, put on some soft background music, and feasted on a pound of shrimp, a jar of caviar, and a bottle of spring water.

When she had finished, she went into each and every room and deposited a few half-eaten shrimp shells dipped in caviar into the hollow of the curtain rods.

She then cleaned up the kitchen and left. When the husband returned with his new girlfriend, all was bliss for the first few days. Then slowly, the house began to smell.

They tried everything; cleaning, mopping and airing the place out.
Vents were checked for dead rodents and carpets were steam cleaned.

Air fresheners were hung everywhere. Exterminators were brought in to set off gas canisters, during which they had to move out for a few days and in the end they even paid to replace the expensive wool carpeting. Nothing worked.

People stopped coming over to visit. Repairmen refused to work in the house. The maid quit.

Finally, they could not take the stench any longer and decided to move. A month later, even though they had cut their price in half, they still could not find a buyer for their stinky house. Word got out to the local Realtors and eventually even the local Realtors refused to take their calls.

Finally, they had to borrow a huge sum of money from the bank to purchase a new place.

The ex-wife called the man and asked how things were going. He told her the saga of the rotting house. She listened politely and said that she missed her old home terribly and would be willing to reduce her divorce settlement in exchange for getting the house back.

Knowing his ex-wife had no idea how bad the smell was, he agreed on a price that was about 1/10th of what the house had been worth, but only if she were to sign the papers that very day. She agreed and within the hour his lawyers delivered the paperwork.

A week later the man and his girlfriend stood smiling as they watched the moving company pack everything to take to their new home……… And to spite the ex-wife, they even took the the curtain rods!!!!!!

Breathe New Life Into Your Home!

A new year brings plenty of opportunities for new beginnings, so why not give your home one? Whether you are about to put your house on the market or are just a bit bored with your surroundings, some simple changes can make a world of difference.

Slap on Some Paint
Try something different and stay away from boring beige or wimpy white. Or, at the very least, use the more muted colors with vibrant accent colors on one or two walls. “We’ve gone through an era of everything being very muted and quiet and what we see with the younger generation coming up is that we’re really going to use lots of colors,” says Dixie Lovejoy, owner of Arizona’s Apple Interior Systems, Inc. “Colors on the walls, color on the furniture, such as lime greens, browns, oranges and bright reds.”

A fresh coat of paint will give your home an instant lift since it makes guests (or buyers) feel that your home is clean and well-kept. “Paint is a very inexpensive way to do something new and not have your house seem dated as time goes on,” Lovejoy explains.

Go Big or Go Home
When purchasing accessories, buy bigger and buy less. “People used to buy accessories on a very small scale,” says Lovejoy. “In our office, one of our slogans is: bigger is better.” She means that things like pots, vases, flower arrangements and fountains should all be larger. Replace a lot of knickknacks with one big focal piece. You will make a statement with your decorating rather than making your home look cluttered.

Pillow Talk
Accent pillows are a key home décor item that no home should be without. Pillows can tie together your home’s look, harmonizing colors from the painting above your fireplace with the antique wingback chair. “Accent pillows are kind of a key to all design that ties everything together,” Lovejoy says.

Sliding Away
Sliding glass doors and even French doors are disappearing in newer homes, says Lovejoy. Their replacements are doors that virtually vanish and allow greater access to the outdoors. Installing these doors can replace the eyesore that some sliding glass doors can be. “They actually can slide all the way into a pocket that’s built into the wall or stack on top of each other so it becomes one small window on the left or right side, but the rest of your house is all open,” explains Lovejoy.
Homeowners want more than the typical three-foot opening that French doors or sliding glass doors give. “The newest trend is opening up a 12 to 22 or 30 feet of glass,” says Lovejoy. “It gives you almost the lanai effect like you have in Hawaii where the inside and the outside all become one.” This look is ideal for homeowners who entertain a lot or host big events. These doors allow you to essentially merge the inside and the outside of your home.

The Outdoors Becomes the Indoors
Connected with this trend is the growing trend to decorate the outdoors like the indoors. Patios and decks with fireplaces, couches, chairs and even drapes and pictures are not uncommon and can blur the line between the inside and outside of your home. Today’s designers are incorporating big patterns into velvets and sheer materials on outdoor furniture that still holds up to the elements. These materials allow you to hose off your outdoor couch or chairs or vacuum them to remove dirt or stains.

With Flooring, Hard Is In
Carpeting is on the decline, says Lovejoy. Traditionally, homes have had carpeting in bedrooms and tile or wood in other areas. This is changing to homes that have hard flooring in all parts of the home to create a flow between the different areas of the home, as well as between the inside and outside. “That way, when you open up your house for entertaining, the patio or the lanai on the outside, or your sunroom, has the same surface as the house so you get that huge expanded feeling,” says Lovejoy.

Going hand in hand with this trend is the prominence of rugs. Of course homeowners want some soft areas in their homes, like near couches or beds.

If you need a referral for a quality, reliable painter, designer or other contractor, please contact Kelli!

With the market being so competitive for sellers, I can’t help wonder why realtors would not maximize their client’s exposure by putting photos in the MLS and marketing materials.

What shocks me is just how many homes are in the MLS without pictures! ??? Most realtors AND buyers think the house must be a dump when there aren’t any photos. My initial thought is that they have a lazy realtor.

The theory, “Less is more and not posting pictures will make them come see the house in person,” is not one I would spend time proving. With so much inventory on the market and homes with virtual tours, slide shows and video clips, you may want to rethink that thought process.

Every house, like every person, has its good and bad features. Even your worst fixer-upper has something to offer. It does not take much to go into a house and find a selling feature. Describing the true manner of the house in the MLS is the agent’s responsibility and is imperative…. and the price should reflect that. A home in need of major repairs should be priced substantially lower depending on the severity of the work needed. This lower asking price will attract the buyers and investors looking for a fixer-upper.

Get this! Not every house without photos is a home with physical handicaps. I have seen beautiful homes that failed to show their full potential. Wonderful homes that would photograph beautifully and were not given the opportunity. The real estate market is slow and sellers don’t need another obstacle preventing buyers from seeing their homes.

Sellers, at the very least, make sure you have your realtor put a couple of pictures in the MLS. If they are charging you a full service fee, they should provide full service…. and THAT includes photos! Just my humble opinion. If you are working with a discount broker . . . well, you get what you pay for.

Make sure that the photos show off your house to its full capacity. Dirty dishes in the sink or clothes on the floor will not help your cause. Would you submit a picture of yourself to a magazine or local newspaper with your eyes closed??? I doubt it. Your house deserves the same respect. Remember, a picture is worth a thousand words!

Top 15 Most Expensive Cities in the World

1 Moscow, Russia
2 London, United kingdom
3 Seoul, South Korea
4 Tokyo, Japan
5 Hong Kong, Hong Kong
6 Copenhagen, Denmark
7 Geneva, Switzerland
8 Osaka, Japan
9 Zurich, Switzerland
10 Oslo, Norway
11 Milan, Italy
12 St. Petersburg, Russia
13 Paris, France
14 Singapore, Singapore
15 New York City, U.S.

Moscow is the most expensive city in the world, according to this year’s annual Mercer Human Resource Consulting survey. London comes in second place, up from third last year.

Overall, Asian cities dominated the top 10 of pricey cities. On the other hand, Asuncion, the capital of Paraguay, is the least expensive city for the fifth year in a row.

Mercer surveys the cost of living in 143 cities, comparing the cost of more than 200 household items.

Strong currencies dropped New York City to 15th place and Los Angeles to 42nd. No Canadian or Latin American cities were in the top 50.

“The future belongs to those who see possibilities before they become obvious.”
John Sculley, Business Executive

Remember the infamous episode of Seinfeld when Jerry answered his phone at night and he asked the telemarketer if he could have his home number to call him back?

This tip is for your home phones!

If you’ve received a new phone number or haven’t done this yet - get on the National Do Not Call List:

Either call the 800# number from your phone or go to the web site listed below, 888-382-1222, it only takes about 60 seconds.

www.donotcall.gov

Regarding Your Cell Phone: Click Here

(Checking to see who clicks through) :-)

With the holidays just behind us, many of you have received some handy little gadgets from your loved ones.

I wanted to give you some important tips to keep in mind to “ring” in the new year!

Protect Your Personal Information on Old Cell Phones or PDA’s!

Just when you thought your personal data like passwords and bank information was safe because you deleted it from your cell or PDA…turns out that hackers can still steal the information. Believe it or not, your private data can easily be hijacked from your trashed or turned in device, even when you’ve deleted everything. That could cause some major headaches for a lot of innocent people. But the good news is that you can protect yourself.

With the advancement of PDA’s and cell phones, these devices have become mini computers and contain loads of valuable and private information. Individuals store information in their cell phones like passwords, bank account numbers, appointments, contact information, even social security numbers.

And for most individuals, cell phones and PDA’s are used for about 1.5 years and then replaced, usually by upgrading to a newer model. Old cell phones and PDA’s are sold on EBay, tossed in the trash, or sent off to a cell phone recycling center. Of course, before turning it in or trashing it, most wisely delete the information.

But in reality, the information is not completely deleted…it remains on the device.

The part that is deleted is the pathway for the information to be displayed. Much like with a computer - when a file is deleted the operating system never erases the data, it only deletes the pointers to where the data is located. Hackers have the advanced software available that can resurrect erased data from a cell phone or PDA, even if you have already “deleted” the information.

In fact, the data can be recovered in 85% of cell phones and PDA’s! So hackers are buying old cell phones, extracting this valuable information, and passing it along to identity thieves.

But, there is a solution and it only requires a few additional steps to ensure that the data is permanently deleted and hacker-free.

Simply start by hitting this link www.wirelessrecycling.com, click on the “Cell Phone Data Eraser”, select the cell phone manufacturer, model, and click on the download instructions icon. Follow the instructions and all of the data will be completely and permanently removed. Can’t find the make and model? No worries - just contact the manufacturer of the cell phone or PDA, and ask for instructions on how to permanently delete all information from the device.

With just a few clicks of the mouse you can rest assured that when you sell or trash that old model, hackers and identity thieves will not be able to track where you have been, what your account numbers are, read confidential emails, or view photos or videos of your loved ones. And be sure to forward this important information on to everyone you know. Most likely they have cell phones or PDA’s and may be looking to upgrade. Knowing this valuable bit of information will keep them safe, so pass it on!

Being an e-Pro certifiied Realtor in the Scottsdale-Phoenix area, I utilize technology for several reasons. Among them, two top benefits are:

1) to efficiently manage each real estate transaction and
2) to provide you with access to ground-breaking tools to help us in your home selection and purchase!

Since I rely on technology so heavily, I’m also very diligent about security. Keep your identity and information safe in 2007!