Southern Oregon Seniors, Did You Know You Could Use A Reverse Mortgage To PURCHASE A Home?

A lot of information goes around about the Reverse Mortgage that is the tool many senior homeowner’s choose to use to help bridge the gap between their retirement benefits and their everyday expenses, but Southern Oregon Seniors, did you know you could use a Reverse Mortgage to PURCHASE a home? The general terms are the same as when you already own a home and take out a Reverse Mortgage, aka “Home Equity Conversion Mortgage” or “H.E.C.M.”.

Some general program details:

-You must be 62+ years old
-You never have to make monthly payments on the amount you borrow
-Credit history and income do not matter. The amount of money available to you is based on your home’s appraised value and/or the FHA loan limit (currently $625,500 nationwide) and your age
-Money may be disbursed to the homeowner in a lump sum, through monthly payments or accessed through a home equity line of credit.
-This is a non-recourse loan, meaning the homeowner(s) or heirs can never owe more than the home is worth
-You must reside in the home more than 50% of the year, which will be checked annually
-You must pay your property taxes and homeowner’s insurance, and maintain upkeep on the home.
-When the day comes you no longer live in the home, you or your heirs have time to make arrangements to refinance or sell the home and payoff the Reverse Mortgage

So, if you have sold a home and are purchasing another, you might want to consider using a Reverse Purchase Mortgage, which might work something like this:

Buyer is 65 years old, purchasing a home for $300,000 and is considering paying cash for it. You cover your down payment and closing costs, financing the rest with the Reverse Purchase Mortgage – A HUD FHA insured home loan that has no monthly payments – leaving almost $175,000, with which you may supplement retirement benefits, earn interest, save for a Rainy Day.

Sound like the solution you and your family have been looking for? Call or e-mail for more details.

See you at the closing table!

Karen Cooper – OR/CA Mortgage Consultant – www.Quality4Loans.com

Know a Southern Oregon First Time Home Buyer who could use up to $50,000 for their home purchase?

Oregon is onboard the Neighborhood Stabilization train, and has submitted proposals to HUD on how they plan to allocate funds from the Neighborhood Stabilization Program that was approved under the 2008 Housing and Economic Recovery Act. The number of foreclosed homes in Jackson County has led to allocation of funds from the Neighborhood Stabilization Program to Jackson County home buyers willing to purchase and rehabilitate these bank owned homes. The last update I received from Oregon Housing and Community Services was they are awaiting the final stamp of approval from their legal department before releasing the final guidelines, but here are some you may expect:

• Maximum NSP investment per home buyer will be $50,000 or the difference between the total cost (acquisition and modest rehabilitation) and amount of mortgage eligible buyers can obtain (which ever is less). This means down payment assistance, folks!


• Funds will be in the form of a "soft second" loan, bearing no interest with payments deferred until the homeowner refinances or transfers title.


• A share of the appreciation will be due at transfer of title, and may potentially be waived if OHCS grants an exception.


• Income limits for Medford Area $18,200-83,800 depending on family size (2008).


• Work to be done by a licensed contractor, and cannot be done by the homeowner. Work will be paid for upon close of escrow.

Sound like something that might be a solution to your becoming a homeowner? Call for more details, or go online and apply to be preapproved for your home loan today at http://www.quality4loans.com/.

See you at the closing table!

Karen Cooper - OR/CA Mortgage Consultant - http://www.quality4loans.com/

American Pacific Mortgage, 301 B Crater Lake Avenue, Medford OR 97504 OR License ML-2338; 3000 Lava Ridge Court #200, Roseville, CA 95661 CA DRE Broker License 01180222

Oregon Not Set Up to Fund $8000 Tax Credit Through Closing

It is with regret that I report the findings of my quest to find a way for qualified Oregon home buyers to utilize the $8,000 tax credit recently approved, and apply it to their down payment on home purchases.

The State of Oregon does not have the necessary revolving fund needed in order to be able to advance the $8,000 Federal Tax Credit to buyers through this state's housing programs, such as the Purchase Assistance Loan and/or Oregon Bond Loan. Oregon Bond Loan is already struggling to sell the mortgage revenue bonds that fund the RateAdvantage and CashAdvantage programs, and the RateAdvantage program is about to do the way of the CashAdvantage, Down Payment Assistance and Purchase Assistance Loan programs which all ran out of funds in 2008, and still remain unavailable to qualified Oregon home buyers. The State of Oregon's focus is to fund the Oregon Bond Loan and other existing programs, so starting a new program like establishing a Revolving Fund to help pass through these $8,000 tax credits to qualified Oregon first time home buyers is out of the question.

But, all is not lost, Oregon home buyers! Even though funding has not been released for the USDA Guaranteed Rural Housing program by some lenders, if you buy a qualified property under this fantastic No Money Down program that is a government backed 30 year fixed rate loan, there are still lenders that WILL close on this program right now, letting you get the jump on what just might be a very busy Spring/Summer buying season here in the Rogue Valley in Southern Oregon.

If you have discovered like many first time home buyers that prices have come to levels that make the monthly costs of owning a home almost equivalent to renting one, and want to take the plunge while interest rates are low and before the $8,000 tax creditis no longer available to you (sunsets after December 1, 2009), call me. I'd love to sit down and run through the numbers of the various programs that might be available to you, and tell you about the many wonderful tools available to help you enjoy the many benefits of homeownership. Schedule your free consultation today!

See you at the closing table!

Karen Cooper - OR/CA Mortgage Consultant - www.Quality4Loans.com

REAL Help for Struggling Homeowners On The Horizon?

Although the Making Home Affordable Program is to be made available to struggling homeowners April 4, 2009, and official announcement went out March 4th from the Federal Housing Finance Agency, the banks and mortgage companies have not yet figured out the details of the Home Affordable Modification or Home Affordable Refinance programs. A call made to Countrywide Home Loans today to inquire about Note Modification through the "Making Home Affordable" program resulted in being directed to call back at the end of March. I hope they get on this soon, as some of the people I've been talking to have been teetering on the edge trying to hang on for quite a while now.

I'm getting calls from existing customers who are hearing reports on the recent housing stimulus package released March 4th, so I figured it was time to call in and find out for myself what homeowners are facing when they initiate the process of obtaining a note modification. I was happy to discover that one of the questions asked by Countrywide's automated system was to inquire if the call was being made by the individual or by a "third party", which hopefully means the banks and mortgage companies are cracking down on the many note modification transactions that homeowners have the ability to (and should!) take care of themselves.

CBS Marketwatch. Com published an article that gave more detail than has been available up to this point. Highlights are:

For Note Modifications-
-There are incentives now for removing second liens on loans modified under this program
-There is a refinance option for homeowners who have an existing mortgage owned by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac if their current loan-to-value ratio is above 80%
-Mortgages with an unpaid principal balance of up to $729,750 may be eligible for the program
investor-owned properties may not participate (I've read a contradiction to the investor owned criteria, today)
-This program is scheduled to expire by the end of 2012
-Servicers will receive an up-front fee of $1,000 for each modification, which in turn may be passed through the program participants as "pay for success" fees paid for still-performing loans of $1,000 per year going to homeowners who make their payments on time int he form of principal reduction payments of $1,000 each year for up to five years
-Lenders receive bonus fees if modifications are made while a homeowner is still current on their mortgage payments

For refinances-
-Lenders must reduce monthly payments on mortgages so that the borrower's payment is no greater than 38% of income
-The government shares the burden of reducing payments to 31% of the homeowner's income
-To reach the 31% target, interest payments will first be reduced down to as low as 2%
-If the rate is still above 31%, then the life of the loan can be extended up to 40 years. Only then would the plan forbear principal at no interest to meet the target.

More details need to be ironed out, and I know I have many questions still, like does the 31% include tax and insurance payments? How is income calculated for homeowners whose income is self-employed/commissioned/bonus income? My guess is it will be the same automated underwriting system criteria we've had in Desktop Underwriter for Fannie Mae loans.

So, as unpalatable as all the stimulus bills and bailout programs have been, SOMETHING needs to be done to stem this fast descent we're seeing with our economic downturn. Do you think these programs will help? If not, do you have better ideas?

See you at the closing table!
Karen Cooper - OR/CA Mortgage Consultant - www.Quality4Loans.com

Ready...Set...GO! Get Your $8000 Tax Credit for Your Down Payment!

There is some good news on the horizon for home buyers who are ready, willing and able to enter the world of homeownership!

There are several provisions in the overall stimulus package that President Obama's approved Tuesday. One of the most beneficial provision for home buyers is an $8,000 home buyer tax credit for new home buyers - buyers who have not owned a home in the past three years. For qualified home purchases in 2009, the legislation:

· Stipulates that the $8,000 tax credit does not have to be repaid, unlike the tax credit passed last summer (has a recapture provision if the home is sold in the first 36 months, though);
· Keeps the tax credit refundable, or claimable regardless of tax liability;
· Extends the "sunset" date from July 1, 2009 until Dec. 1, 2009 so that consumers can utilize it during the critical summer and fall buying months;
· Allows tax credit home buyers to participate in the mortgage revenue bond programs, such as Oregon Bond's RateAdvantage program; and
· Permits state housing finance agencies to help buyers at closing by advancing the credit amount as a loan using tax-exempt bond proceeds - this is even better than the Oregon Bond CashAdvantage program, as you may still take the really great rate on the RateAdvantage program.

While much of the focus has been on the home buyer tax credit, there are several other important components in the legislation that will help small businesses and bolster the housing market. Additional provisions that relate to housing in H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, will:

· Help home borrowers wanting to purchase or refinance homes in the high-cost markets by extending the 2008 FHA, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loan limits of $729,750 through the end of 2009;
· Temporarily allow exchange of Low-Income Housing Tax Credit allocating authority for tax-exempt grants and appropriates $2 billion in HOME funding for affordable housing projects (this should make housing developers trying to keep their construction crews busy happy!)

Think $8,000 would help you get the home you want to buy? Want to find out if you meet the criteria? Call me at (541)608-6003 or e-mail me for your free consultation, and I'll gladly share my 25 years of experience with you.

See you at the closing table!

Karen Cooper - OR/CA Mortgage Consultant - www.Quality4Loans.com

A Borrower’s Guide to Locking In Your Interest Rate

Are you in the process of getting a home loan for a home purchase you are planning to make here in Southern Oregon? Or, maybe you heard about the incredibly low interest rates we've been seeing for qualified homeowners looking to get a lower interest rate than they have presently? Want to grab this opportunity before it gets away from you? Confused about the way the pricing can move in this extremely volatile market we've been experiencing in the mortgage industry? You need:

A Borrower’s Guide to Locking In Your Interest Rate

When you “lock in”, you are requesting the lender guarantee the interest rate on your loan and the lock period is for a specific length of time – e.g. 15 days if your loan is approved and ready to have final loan documents drawn so you may close your transaction within this period of time, 30 days which covers the processing time for most conventional refinance times, 45 or 60 days for many purchase transactions which often are scheduled to close within that period of time, longer periods for loans on newly constructed housing. The longer you request the interest rate be guaranteed/locked-in, the more it costs. Say you are approved on a program that offers a 4.75% interest rate, and you are considering a 15 day lock that would have a cost of 1 point (one percentage of the loan amount) or a 30 day lock that would have a cost of 1.25 point. The longer the lock you choose is for, the higher your points may be. Depending on the loan program you are on, you may also buy the interest rate up to have lower points, or down by paying more points.

To know what the true cost of the money you are borrowing is, you will look to the APR – the annual percentage rate – which takes an average of certain closing costs and the interest rate you pay, including mortgage insurance, and average them out over the term of your loan giving you a percentage. The higher the APR percentage, the higher the costs associated with your loan. It is important you check the APR because sometimes a loan quote you have received that sounds good because it's "note rate" - the rate quoted to you - is lower than other quotes, but due to higher fees, mortgage insurance, etc., its APR works out to be higher, making it not the best deal for your long term plans.

With the closing of so many banks and lending companies over the past several months and the laying off of staff due to the market downturn, the remaining lenders sometimes have longer processing times, and this would also need to be considered when choosing the lock period. It is always good to leave a few extra days on the lock period in case there are unforeseeable delays, especially on purchase transactions. Even when you are working with the best of the best professionals on your transaction, with so many factors associated in transactions, things can happen to delay a closing. The stories I could tell after 25 years! Couriers in auto accidents on the way to the recorder’s office with documents to be recorded, sellers who pass away, closing funds that were stolen by a teller from a buyer’s bank account… situations that simply could not be controlled by the parties to the transaction.

These cases have been extreme cases, and the large majority of transactions I’ve been involved in closed on time. Careful attention, to the process and experienced professionals working together, eliminates most delays. Want more information or a free consultation about your individual goals and objectives? Call (541)608-6003 or go to http://www.quality4loans.com/ .

See you at the closing table!

Karen Cooper – OR/CA Mortgage Consultant – www.Quality4Loans.com

Investors May Finance Up To 12 Properties

Here in Southern Oregon where we haven’t experienced the same level of real estate market devastation as California, Florida, Nevada and Arizona there is still a silver lining to be found in our beautiful puffy cloud skies.

With market values in Jackson County Oregon roughly 8% lower in our year over year statistics, we’ve also seen a steady contraction in the inventory of available homes for sale – also 8% lower year over year.

As is customary when the general populace begins to think we are seeing some great values, there are buyers coming out of the wood work…450 of them, to be exact, from August 1st through October 31, 2008 in the Rogue Valley.

Many of these buyers are investors, savvy, experienced, and taking advantage of some great bargains. Until recently, these investors might be able to take out purchase money financing with no limitation on the number of financed properties they owned. This has just changed:

Guideline changes EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY!

• 
  
  Max LTV for investment properties is now 65%.
  


• 
  
  Cash-out on 3-4 unit investment properties is limited to 60% max LTV.
  


• 
  
  The number of financed investment properties owned by one borrower is limited to 10 (this does not include their financed owner-occupied and/or second homes).
  


• 
  
  Out-of-State investors are strictly case-by-case, and limited to 60% max LTV.
  


• 
  
  At this time, there are still no exceptions allowed under the Non-Owner Occupied program.
  

For Investors meeting Fannie Mae Underwriting criteria (680+ credit score) may put as little as 15% down, but cannot have more than 10 financed properties INCLUDING THEIR PRINCIPAL RESIDENCE AND SECOND HOME.

Still not bad, all things considered. So, Southern Oregon investors, call today for your free consultation, or go online at http://www.quality4loans.com/ .

See you at the closing table!

Karen Cooper – OR/CA Mortgage Consultant – http://www.quality4loans.com/

5% 30 Year Fixed Rate, But My Value Is Too Low?

With the recent major improvement in the Bond Market Yields finally translating to improved interest rates on long term fixed rate conventional financing, there has been a bit of a flurry of activity here at Quality Home Loans in Southern Oregon, trying to help clients take advantage of this boon.

Keeping track of the homeowners who may benefit from refinancing as opportunities present themselves is a part of any professional, experienced mortgage consultant’s duties. Since the public doesn’t catch wind of market moves until the media reports come out days/weeks later, the average person often misses the boat by the time they pick up the phone to call to see about getting a lower interest rate on their home loan. Maybe your profession has nothing to do with the finance/mortgage industry, so you go to the professionals who do follow this.

Seeing the lower trend in some mortgage programs’ interest rates, the past several days have been spent checking on value ranges for homeowners who would save enough to warrant the expense associated with refinancing. Then, it’s time to prepare a Good Faith Estimate and Truth-In-Lending Disclosures on the proposed programs for those homeowners and investors who could gain enough interest savings to offset their closing costs.

Unfortunately, many property owners’ values have descended. Those that have tapped in to their equity before may find themselves “underwater” – owing more on their mortgage(s) than their property is worth in today’s market. Others may have purchased their home within the past 1-5 years, and although they haven’t touched their equity by refinancing or taking out a 2nd loan/line of credit, they may be located in areas where foreclosures are prevalent causing the market values to be set by these distressed sales.

I am working with two such homeowners who purchased their homes a year ago and want to get a lower interest rate and eliminate mortgage insurance. Even though the mortgage insurance may be tax deductible for them (this ruling is subject to change), and they got good deals at the time they purchased their homes, the values have either decreased slightly or stayed the same. Having the required mortgage insurance in the equation makes refinancing too costly.

So, the one gentleman who wanted 5% with no mortgage insurance would have to be quoted 5.25% (apr 5.412%) on his conforming 30 year fixed rate $227,000 mortgage – and he may or may not get the appraised value needed to even do this, since his appraisal would need to come in at the high end of the range of sales comparables available today.

But, another family who has owned their home since 2001, has 35%+ equity even after taking out a 2nd to consolidate student loans a year ago WILL be able to take advantage of the really low interest rates we’re seeing right now. Yet another, who has owned their rental since 2003 is sitting right on the edge of whether the numbers “pencil out” or not, so they’ll have to decide if anteing up the appraisal fee to find out is worth while.

If you are wondering if it makes sense for you to refinance your home/property in Oregon or California, call or contact us online for a free consultation.

See you at the closing table!

Karen Cooper – OR/CA Mortgage Consultant – www.Quality4Loans.com

Distressed Homeowners Frequently Asked Questions

In conjunction with the Blog Post "Distressed Homeowners, More Help Is On The Way", here are some questions and answers:

Q. Can I apply even if I'm not 3 months or more behind on my mortgage payments?
A. Not for this program, but there may be other options available to you. Call your lender to see what options are available to you.

Q. Should I stop making my payments so I'll be approved for a Note Modification?
A. If you intentionally default on your mortgage, the lenders will not approve your request for assistance.

Q. What is a Note Modification?
A. A Note Modification is a change of the original terms of your mortgage loan. It could be a change from adjustable rate to fixed rate, a change in the length of your home loan, a change of the interest rate, a reduction in the amount owed on your mortgage loan, etc. with the intent to make your loan more affordable.

Q. I've already contacted my lender for help, and was turned down. Why should I try again?
A. Things have been pretty chaotic in the mortgage industry with the quickly escalating rate of foreclosures, closures and mergers of banks/lenders, changes to regulations, etc. It has taken some of the banks/lenders some time to figure out what works and what doesn't, what is required and what isn't. Make the assumption there may be a new alternative available to you, and call your lender to find out if you qualify for this new Note Modification program, or any other alternative they may now have for you.

Q. Will someone call or write me to let me know I will qualify for these Note Modification programs?
A. Some Banks/Lenders are trying to be proactive, but it will take some time to contact all the borrowers at risk of foreclosure. Be proactive, and call your lender - don't wait for them to call or write to you.

Q. I lost my job, and I earn less than I did before. Will I still qualify? What if I am still out of work?
A. Banks/lenders are working with current incomes and the current home values when considering Note Modifications. If your income is less than it was before, your mortgage payments have increased beyond what you can afford, you need to call your lender to see what options they have for you. If you cannot prove you have steady income to pay the mortgage, chances are your request may be denied, but if you have the means to pay something with reasonable modifications based on income you can prove you make, there may be help available. Even if you aren't yet 3+ months behind on your mortgage, call your lender.

Folks - are you picking up on the common threads here? There are options available for many struggling homeowners and Stay in touch with your lender, no matter what your circumstances are - struggling, starting to fall behind, or way behind. If you don't contact them, you may miss out on an opportunity that would help you to stay in your home. Isn't that the best solution for everyone?

See you out there!

Karen Cooper - OR/CA Mortgage Consultant - www.Quality4Loans.com

To Be Or Not To Be...Higher USDA Incomes for Jackson County Oregon?

It looks like the proposed revisions for the USDA Guaranteed Rural Housing program may go in to effect January 20, 2009 for their programs. If so, Southern Oregon home buyers looking to purchase a qualified property outside of the Medford and Central Point city limits will fall in to only two income categories vs. the many we have been using.

For example, presently the income limits for qualifying USDA Guaranteed Rural Housing Home Buyers in Ashland, Talent, Phoenix, Jacksonville, White City, Eagle Point, Shady Cove, Trail, Gold Hill and the surrounding rural areas would be qualified using the following income chart:

Medford, OR MSA GUARANTEED HOUSING PROGRAM INCOME LIMITS
STATE: OREGON ------------------- A D J U S T E D I N C O M E L I M I T S -----
1 PERSON 2 PERSON 3 PERSON 4 PERSON 5 PERSON 6 PERSON 7 PERSON 8 PERSON*

MOD.INC-GUAR.LOAN

49550 56600 63700 70750 76400 82050 87750 93400

Come January 20, 2009, if no changes are made to the proposed policy, any qualified borrower(s) with 1-4 person household will be qualified up to $70,750 annual income. Familes of 5+ will be qualified using $93,400 annual income.

This will help a LOT more Southern Oregon home buyers to buy a home on this great 30 year fixed rate mortgage program! Plus, it is a much needed solution to offset the loss of the CashAdvantage Oregon Bond program as well as the loss of most down payment assistance sources in our area here in Jackson County, Oregon.

If you wish to find out if you are qualified for this great program so you may BUY instead of RENT your home, contact us today at (541)608-6003 or go online at Quality4Loans .

See you at the closing table!

Karen Cooper - Mortgage Consultant - Southern Oregon Housing Resources

In order to help stimulate sluggishness in the high cost real estate markets, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac had increased their loan limits for the second ½ of 2007 and for 2008 to $729,750. Based on declining values, they are adjusting these limits downward accordingly.

The new maximum conforming loan limit for the continental U.S. will be $625,500 for 2009

Here in Southern Oregon, this loan limit will cover most of our properties, as our medians are well below this limit. But, our neighbors to the South in the high-cost markets of California may still find these loan limits restrictive.

With the relocation of these California folks to the Rogue Valley, their buyers may find their financing choices will be a bit more expensive and can be pretty limited with the mass exodus of investors from the Jumbo Loan market.

Options are still available to you. For more information on financing alternatives for your Oregon/California purchase, like a great portfolio fixed program for Oregon buyers/ homeowners in need of a loan up to $600,000 that is usually priced only 1/2 % higher than conforming loans to $417,000 AND has options available that may take you up to 90% (with self-insured mortgage insurance!) or to higher loan amounts, contact us at (541)608-6003 (Oregon) or (661)478-7564 (California).

See you at the closing table!

Karen Cooper - OR/CA Mortgage Consultant - www.Quality4Loans.com

Is It Time For Your Senior Parents/Grandparents to Simplify Their Home Life?

Do you have a parent or grandparent who is one of the 65,000+ Jackson County Oregon residents aged 50+? Population Growth for the Rogue Valley has averaged over 1.5% per year. One segment is the 50+ age group, a group which represents roughly 33% of the residents of Jackson County’s estimated 199,295 residents in 2007.

Age Characteristics (from City of Medford Comprehensive Plan)
"In 2000, the majority of cities in Jackson County had a greater percentage of residents under age 18 than over age 65, including Medford. However, Jackson County had a lower percentage of residents under age 39 (51%) than Oregon (56%), but a higher percentage of residents over age 50 (33%) than Oregon (29%). This suggests that Jackson County, including Medford, is attracting people who have retired or are soon to retire. Baby boomers (aged 45 to 64) were the fastest growing age group in all of the cities in Jackson County in the 1990s, except for Medford, Talent, and White City. Medford, Talent, and Central Point had the greatest increase in younger residents - under age 44. Medford experienced the highest growth in the County in the 5 to 17 age group, which grew by 3,627 - a 44% increase."
Information Source: 2000 Federal Census via Jackson County Comprehensive Plan, 2007Population Element

With the phenomenal Quality of Life we have here in Southern Oregon, our net migration numbers are some of the highest in the State of Oregon. Many of the 50+ group migrating to the Rogue Valley are active residents still part of the workforce drawn here for the many options available to them to fulfill outdoor interests while having their economic and health care needs met. Some of these folks are focused on the future, knowing when they reach the stage of their lives where they no longer will be living independently there are a multitude of options available to them in Southern Oregon.

There are a large variety of facilities available for those looking to move from their current home in to a home where they will receive the care they may need – from regularly housekeeping to meals to full medical care. Tools are available to help you research the quality of care in these facilities, such as Medicare’s facility inspection results and additional reports/information you may obtain by contacting the DHS or Area Agency on Aging local office and the Long-Term Care Ombudsman program at (800) 522-2602.

If part of the process associated with moving your loved one out of their home includes exploring financing options or the sale of the home, it is critical you look for professionals familiar with these transactions. For the sale of the home, you should work with a real estate broker with the Senior Real Estate Specialist designation who not only has made the effort to obtain the specific training and information for these special types of transactions, but comes highly recommended by other families they have worked with on these types of transactions.

As with all real estate transactions, surrounding yourself with the right team will make what can be a complex process a smooth one.

http://activerain.com/blogsview/553000/Living-Longer-And-Lifelong-Learning-Programs-in-Southern-Oregon

http://activerain.com/blogsview/511319/California-50-Somethings-Ready-to-Begin-Their-Steps-to-Retire

http://activerain.com/blogsview/410880/Rogue-Valley-Manors-Contribution-to-Southern-Oregon

http://localism.com/blog/or/posts/359902/Southern-Oregon-More-Than

See you out there!

Karen Cooper – OR/CA Mortgage Consultant – www.Quality4Loans.com

Bailout or Toilet Plunger? What Does the Passing of L.P.T.A.P.M.A.* Mean to Us Soccer Moms and Joe Six Pack?

Do you think “Bailout” is a good term to describe L.P.T.A.P.M.A.*? This very painful pill we all get to swallow seems rather enormous, even bigger than my Flaxseed Oil and Fish Oil dietary supplements. But like the reasons for taking my dietary supplements, is it necessary to keep our economy healthy?

Having grown from 4 pages to 451 pages, maybe the proposal is now powerful enough to act as a toilet plunger to help unclog our national credit toilet. Depending on which economist you check with, the US economy may or may not be in a recession. My guess is when the latest data available is reflected, the decision will become unanimous – we are in a recession.

As difficult as this pill is to swallow, and I must admit my first instinct was to say “let it ride” and see where the cards may fall, I think the “Credit Market Restructuring Plan” (much better than “Bailout”, don’t you think?) will aid the major block we’re facing in the credit markets.
-Have you noticed the zero percent balance transfer offers are drying up?
-Tried to get a no cost home equity line of credit lately?
-How about short term business financing?
The rules in the credit game have changed dramatically, and although we could debate the pros and cons of this to eternity, overall I think this correction has swung too far the other direction. Now, creditworthy solid borrowers are finding it difficult to get the funding they want.

Although the best laid plans do sometimes go awry, maybe this restructuring plan will thaw out the frozen credit markets, speeding up the necessary recovery process. Here in Southern Oregon, homes are moving again, albeit it at a snails pace. Our illustrious US representatives got our Timber Funding extended for 4 years and tax credits for the manufacturer of children’s wooden arrows, so we’re set now, right (tongue in cheek just got bitten)? Let’s get the Master Plunger and blast this clog through, and see a reasonable flow in the markets again!

*LEGISLATIVE PROPOSAL FOR TREASURY AUTHORITY TO PURCHASE MORTGAGE-RELATED ASSETS

See you at the closing table!

Karen Cooper – OR/CA Mortgage Consultant – http://www.quality4loans.com/

Oregon Jumbo Real Estate Loans Still Available

Here it is September 29, 2008, and did you know you can still get a 30 year fixed rate Jumbo loan up to $600,000 (fully qualifying) up to 80% loan-to-value with an interest rate of 6.125% (6.253% a.p.r.)? Or, how about up to 90% loan-to-value, self-insured (lender pays for the private mortgage insurance), with an interest rate of 6.50% (6.631% a.p.r.)? For buyers purchasing or refinancing in Ashland, Jacksonville, Southwest and East Medford, and purchasing or refinancing waterfront or “gentleman farm”/mini ranch property, these higher loan amounts can come in handy.

See you at the closing table!

Karen Cooper – OR/CA Mortgage Consultant – http://www.quality4loans.com/

Snapshot of the Real Estate Market in Southern Oregon in September 2008

• With a market that is somewhat driven by what’s happening with our neighbors to the South of us in California, we have definitely seen the numbers slowing here in the Rogue Valley. When a percentage of our buyers can’t sell their property in California, it slows things down for us here in Jackson County and Josephine County Oregon.
  
  But, guess what? It appears we may be reaching a turning point here. “Yeah, right!” you might be saying, based on all the doom and gloom reporting we are seeing in the news. Here’s why I think this:
  
  
• Inventory is contracting - Inventory of Homes for sale in Jackson County Oregon, the “hub” of Southern Oregon, has contracted three consecutive months in our year over year numbers posted at www.jacstats.com - by 16% September 1st, by 14% August 1st, and 16% July 1st. Based on the number of “Sold” signs I’m seeing as I drive around town, I’m guessing there will be a further contraction for October 1st.
  

• Sales in California Up - California Buyers, including first time buyers, are taking advantage of low prices and low interest rates there, freeing up those Sellers to make their moves. Sales overall were up July 2008 for the first time in three years. Some of those Sellers will likely be moving here to Southern Oregon, the early wave of migrant homeowners to make up the 1.7 million anticipated by Oregon’s Big Look Task Force.

• Buy while we can still get a loan – This seems to be an attitude many fence sitters have adopted, prompting them to say “good enough” to one of the criteria they have that has had them adopting their wait and see stance… wait for the price bottom, wait for the lower interest. There is no doubt we’re in a Buyer’s Market here in Southern Oregon, with motivated sellers willing to make concessions for ready, willing and able buyers. There is no doubt that underwriting guidelines for home loans are getting tougher. There is no doubt that with the failure of so many banks and mortgage companies, competition is not as prevalent as it was, which Econ 101 tells me will lead to higher pricing.
  
  Is it still tough out there? You bet! Are we still likely to face a few more bumps in the road? I think there will still be some hurdles to face in most real estate transactions that take place over the next year, especially with appraisals, tightening guidelines, and program eliminations. In my 25 years in this business, I've never seen buyers and property owners have to work so hard to obtain their financing, and that's saying a lot since I've been through 2 other major market cycles that had big dips. Is it a good time to buy? I’d get my checkbook out for the right deal, and put my money where my mouth is.
  
  See you at the closing table!
  
  Karen Cooper – OR/CA Mortgage Consultant – www.Quality4Loans.com