tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28553114751868306392024-03-18T21:10:59.285-07:00Ventura Real EstateReal Estate Info for Ventura County PropertyVentura Realtorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14059296229903946402noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2855311475186830639.post-63998215262816237792014-04-04T15:55:00.000-07:002014-04-04T15:55:26.922-07:00Wondering if You're Ready to Buy a Home?<br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: mediumblue;"><em><strong>Have you thought about buying your first home & wonder if you're ready yet or where to start? </strong></em></span></span><br style="color: #666666; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;" /><br style="color: #666666; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;" /><strong style="color: #666666; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">There's an upcoming Home Buyer Workshop in Ventura that will provide you with the knowledge you need to make an informed decision and demystify the home buying process.<br /><br />This FREE Home Buying Seminar will cover:<br /><br />1.) Buying vs. Renting<br /><br />2.) Advantages of Ownership<br /><br />3.) Available Loan programs<br /><br />4.) Down Payment Assistance Programs.<br /><br />5.) Understanding the Escrow Process<br /><br />Join us in a non-sales environment. Free credit consutaltion!<br /><br />Thursday, April 10th at 6:30 PM<br />At Aliso Escrow<br />4522 Market St.<br />Ventura, CA 93003<br /><br />Call or email me to reserve a spot.</strong></div>
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<strong style="color: #666666; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">Lynn Kenton</strong></div>
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<strong style="color: #666666; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">805-901-5444</strong></div>
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<strong style="color: #666666; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;"><a href="mailto:lynn@lynnkenton.com">lynn@lynnkenton.com</a></strong></div>
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<strong style="color: #666666; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px;">CalBRE# 01061434</strong></div>
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<a href="http://www.lynnkenton.com/custom8.aspx%20">Home Buyer Workshop Info</a></div>
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Ventura Realtorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14059296229903946402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2855311475186830639.post-78567591038732874752013-01-02T10:29:00.001-08:002013-01-08T16:20:26.204-08:00Mortgage Debt Relief Act Extended (and other good news)Congress finally arrived at a settlement in the “fiscal cliff” debacle late last night. As a result, the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act has been extended for another year. This will continue to exempt from taxation mortgage debt that is forgiven when homeowners and their mortgage lenders agree to a short sale, loan modification (including any principal reduction) <strong><em>or</em></strong> foreclosure. <br />
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If you are short saling your home, keep on rolling with it if it makes sense for you and <strong><em><span style="color: #990000;">be sure to consult with your own tax adviser about your tax situation.</span></em></strong><br />
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The settlement additionally allows capital gains rates to increase from 15 percent to 20 percent for high-income earners. Capital gains rates on the sale of principal residences, however, will remain the same and continue to exclude the first $250,000 for single taxpayers and $500,000 for married couples.<br />
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All in all a decent start to the New Year!Ventura Realtorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14059296229903946402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2855311475186830639.post-49415187070275411822012-11-12T16:14:00.002-08:002012-11-12T16:18:05.743-08:00Wells Fargo Issues Refund Checks to Borrowers <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">A whole lot of Wells Fargo FHA borrowers have gotten refund checks in the mail from the mega bank with a letter stating that they’d been overcharged for their loans.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">The checks were generally for several thousand dollars (nothing to sneeze at) but the caveat was that if they cashed the checks, they give up the right to sue the bank for damages. Apparently the borrowers were placed in more costly loans when they were qualified for less expensive ones… <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">The letters and checks were supposedly sent to up to 10,000 customers. Since the government has previously been looking into Wells Fargo’s actions, it seems they’re trying to do damage control and prevent further problems.<br /><br />The refunds sent out involve <a href="http://www.latimes.com/topic/economy-business-finance/realty/federal-housing-administration-ORGOV000258.topic" title="Federal Housing Administration"><span style="color: #666666; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">FHA</span></a> mortgages done from 2009 through 2011. The FHA loan is a viable and reasonable product. Borrowers with lower credit scores and down payments needed for conventional loans are able to be a part of the American Dream.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">With a minimum down payment of 3.5%, the FHA loans have more costly up front fees and mortgage insurance to offset the risk of default. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">BUT</i> with the loans in question, the customers actually had enough down payment required to get a conventional loan, bank officials said.<br /><br />Wells Fargo hasn't admitted to any wrongdoing. However, the letter enclosed with the refunds stated <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"You should understand that by cashing the enclosed check, you agree to release Wells Fargo … from any and all claims relating to Wells Fargo's origination of a more expensive mortgage loan than the loan for which you may have qualified”<br /><br />The refunds only came to light when The Los Angeles Times acquired a copy of one of the letters. Not surprisingly, the bank never announced them publicly.</span>Ventura Realtorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14059296229903946402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2855311475186830639.post-30047434653127282642012-11-05T15:39:00.000-08:002012-11-05T15:39:05.885-08:00In spite of positive signs of recovery in the economy and Ventura County Real Estate, our nation’s market remains fragile. More than 25% of transactions are still distressed properties. You can take action now and <a href="http://www2.realtoractioncenter.com/site/R?i=HS_V-5N1hhXkfoze2aN0pA" target="_self" title="http://www2.realtoractioncenter.com/site/R?i=HS_V-5N1hhXkfoze2aN0pA">tell Congress to extend Mortgage Forgiveness Tax Relief. </a><br /><br />Without this extension, anyone involved in loan modifications, short sales, or foreclosures will face a big tax bill. Consumers and the housing market do not need that financial burden. Doesn't seem right to me that homeowners should be taxed on money they’ve already lost with cash they never received. <br /><br />It only takes a minute to click on this link and tell Congress to finish their unfinished housing related business upon returning to Washington, DC after the election. We don't need any new obstacles that could throw the housing recovery off track. <strong><u><span style="color: #0066cc;">Help </span></u></strong><a href="http://www2.realtoractioncenter.com/site/R?i=IrmW9rMXmpp9Os8i9rRUgA" target="_self" title="http://www2.realtoractioncenter.com/site/R?i=IrmW9rMXmpp9Os8i9rRUgA"><strong>pass an extension of Mortgage Forgiveness Tax Relief - Click on the link below the picture and take action today. </strong></a><br />
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<a href="https://realtorparty.realtoractioncenter.com/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&page=UserAction&id=2309&autologin=true">https://realtorparty.realtoractioncenter.com/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&page=UserAction&id=2309&autologin=true</a><br />
Ventura Realtorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14059296229903946402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2855311475186830639.post-40737387122233153422012-10-26T10:23:00.001-07:002012-10-26T10:23:59.259-07:00<strong><em><span style="color: #660000;">Whether or not you landed here to check Ventura Real Estate stuff, here's a fun thing you and your family will enjoy over the next week or so...</span></em></strong><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong><em><span style="color: #660000;">We're fortunate to have beautiful autumn weekends here in Ventura County and what better way to spend a few hours than visit Faulkner Farms Pumpkin Patch! Located on acres of Brilliant Multicolored Pumpkins, a Hay Maze, a Red Corn Maze, and climb a Towering Haystack Pyramid. Did we mention Hay Rides too?!!!? </span></em></strong></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt1fI0rIUoGl_2YWQSyleTNKzCZ1M56eUQzsiP5PJ_o2Lk8HgSKTJnhgGGPpEMxf6dscEg7QiB82vb6Wn2bxuFkwmmwmhLfN8hI0OPccqdxNay_8u1xg7l-G_8ckaKCNerugHQx5QEZS-6/s1600/pumpkinpatch3+(Small).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" oea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt1fI0rIUoGl_2YWQSyleTNKzCZ1M56eUQzsiP5PJ_o2Lk8HgSKTJnhgGGPpEMxf6dscEg7QiB82vb6Wn2bxuFkwmmwmhLfN8hI0OPccqdxNay_8u1xg7l-G_8ckaKCNerugHQx5QEZS-6/s320/pumpkinpatch3+(Small).jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: brown;"><strong><em><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">Check it out!</span><br /></span></em></strong>http://www.faulknerfarmpumpkinpatch.com/index.html</span>Ventura Realtorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14059296229903946402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2855311475186830639.post-17790682791575498152012-10-05T16:03:00.000-07:002012-10-05T16:23:17.204-07:00<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}">
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<span class="userContent"><a href="http://www.boccefestival.com/"><span style="font-size: large;">http://www.boccefestival.com/</span></a></span></div>
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<span class="userContent"><em><span style="font-size: large;">Come on out everyone to the Bocce Festival this Sunday!!! (10/7/12 from noon to 5)</span></em></span></div>
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<span class="userContent"><em><span style="font-size: large;">Tickets at the door for General Admission are $20.00 but if you mention NACE you will only pay $10.00 </span></em></span></div>
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<span class="userContent"><em><span style="font-size: large;">Come on out for a great cause (Ventura County Sheriff's Foundation) and a fun day!!! Weather will be perfect & I'll be pouring something. Of course:)</span></em></span></div>
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Ventura Realtorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14059296229903946402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2855311475186830639.post-80154035399825901052012-09-11T16:52:00.000-07:002012-09-11T16:52:49.261-07:00The Gourmet Food Truck and Bocce Ball Festival<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong><em>Mark your calendars!!!!!</em></strong></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMFkjyP4UIeleIx8-6B18VYnILeroVdTulLZv_ABHzkBHSl8a6Nf5VJE20h6NfUe8mGJ7shwJJt64n3CzMHOjKmd76vF55GqV4rUJR4z-lQojRPqArD6p7-ph3CWoUS5ngBKeO5-dKkXMY/s1600/bocce+logo.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMFkjyP4UIeleIx8-6B18VYnILeroVdTulLZv_ABHzkBHSl8a6Nf5VJE20h6NfUe8mGJ7shwJJt64n3CzMHOjKmd76vF55GqV4rUJR4z-lQojRPqArD6p7-ph3CWoUS5ngBKeO5-dKkXMY/s320/bocce+logo.gif" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong><em><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">The Gourmet Food Truck and Bocce Ball Festival</span></em></strong> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">will be held at beautiful Limoneira Ranch in Santa Paula, October 7, 2012 from <span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> noon to 5 PM. </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">The event will benefit the </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ventura County Sheriff's Foundation. </span></span></i></b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Foundation supports the department by helping to fund budget constricted programs such as the K9 unit and Swat Team training.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">In addition to the bocce tournament with cash prizes, there will be gourmet food trucks, beer, wine, live music and a "Kid's Zone" to round it out and make it family friendly event. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> It's a beautiful venue for a great cause which will help keep our communities safe.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Click on the link <span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.boccefestival.com/">www.boccefestival.com/</a></span></span> for more info and I hope to see you there!</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.boccefestival.com/"></a>Ventura Realtorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14059296229903946402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2855311475186830639.post-49784036017340961342012-07-05T06:41:00.000-07:002012-07-05T06:41:51.943-07:00Hot Off the PressExcluding distressed sales, <b>home prices nationwide increased 2.7 percent <i></i></b>on a year-over-year basis in May 2012 compared with May 2011. On a month-over-month basis excluding distressed sales, the CoreLogic HPI indicates <b>home prices increased 2.3 percent in May 2012 <i></i></b>compared with April 2012, the fourth month-over-month increase in a row. Distressed sales include short sales and real estate owned (REO/ foreclosure) transactions.
Locally, in Ventura County real estate, we’re still experiencing limited inventory and multiple offers on all properties in the $450,000 and under price range. Getting pre-approved for a loan is <b>imperative<i></i></b>. And don’t forget patience…Ventura Realtorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14059296229903946402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2855311475186830639.post-82117598496935973822012-04-06T14:41:00.005-07:002012-04-06T14:50:41.778-07:00Home Prices on the Rise?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX4MZGav4kvyuYli9VaRPw_Jtx1oWjYyalqhzfE9s_B3bAlSEQPUvErMm0aAVBfRSXYqA_V5_1WMykRuSRoH0W9MoG6f4NkzZyxF7FEWboIxC3T1rwCmtAOW60RfmWG9TLyNObddZefRus/s1600/IMG_0679+%255B1600x1200%255D.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 242px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX4MZGav4kvyuYli9VaRPw_Jtx1oWjYyalqhzfE9s_B3bAlSEQPUvErMm0aAVBfRSXYqA_V5_1WMykRuSRoH0W9MoG6f4NkzZyxF7FEWboIxC3T1rwCmtAOW60RfmWG9TLyNObddZefRus/s320/IMG_0679+%255B1600x1200%255D.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5728407558153450562" /></a><br />In the Ventura Real Estate Market we're experiencing an uptick in activity and prices inching up ever so slightly in the lower end properties. I saw this article on line today and thought you'd find it encouraging. <br /><br />Copy and paste this link in your browser and take a look...<br /><br />http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/04/05/no-joke-home-prices-rising-some-indexes-say/?icid=maing-grid10%7Chtmlws-main-bb%7Cdl20%7Csec3_lnk2%26pLid%3D149672<br /><br />Inventory of Ventura Homes for Sale appears to be decreasing which is an indicator of an improving market.<a href="//http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/04/05/no-joke-home-prices-rising-some-indexes-say/?icid=maing-grid10%7Chtmlws-main-bb%7Cdl20%7Csec3_lnk2%26pLid%3D149672"></a>Ventura Realtorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14059296229903946402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2855311475186830639.post-43817647632421927172012-04-02T14:19:00.003-07:002012-04-02T14:24:04.630-07:00Real Estate Snapshot<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjINgRGLcGYMpV0-R1dxWVg4KxAphtgOnRhldJapSb_yEr6X2Njy5oKDKLlOidq1Z-2h4RcEchFyp6EB4CqwYKxE5a_78VEKRj2qQU-Jc7t2Zwsv_Lzt-dpsWCudgJ0MgGdKbCYNykxRkl3/s1600/sunset.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjINgRGLcGYMpV0-R1dxWVg4KxAphtgOnRhldJapSb_yEr6X2Njy5oKDKLlOidq1Z-2h4RcEchFyp6EB4CqwYKxE5a_78VEKRj2qQU-Jc7t2Zwsv_Lzt-dpsWCudgJ0MgGdKbCYNykxRkl3/s320/sunset.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5726917229253697794" /></a><br />Pending home sales in California rose in February and increased from the previous month and year according to C.A.R.’s Pending Home Sales Index, based on signed contracts. The index also was up from data recorded in February 2011, marking the <em><strong>tenth month in a row that pending sales were higher than the previous year. </strong></em>C.A.R. President LeFrancis Arnold stated “A lack of inventory in the bank-owned (REO) and short sale market was a contributing factor to the decline in share of distressed sales in February,” “In fact, REO inventory declined 24 percent in February from the previous year, while short sale inventory dropped 17 percent during the same period.”<br /><br />After declining for two consecutive months, equity sales (homes that are not distress sales or “upside down”) increased in February, making up 51.1 percent of sales in February. In January 2012 and February 2011, equity sales consisted of 49.9 and 44.8 percent respectively of all sales.<br /><br />Statewide, the total share of all distressed property types sold went down in February to 48.9 percent, down from January’s 50.1 percent and from 55.2 percent in February 2011. <br /><br />The share of short sales dipped slightly in February. Of the distressed properties sold statewide in January, 23 percent were short sales, down from the previous month’s share of 23.8 percent but increased from last February’s share of 22.9 percent. <br /><br />The share of REO sales also edged down in February to 25.2 percent, down from January’s 25.9 percent and down from the 31.9 percent recorded in February 2011. <br /><br />Locally, in Ventura County, we’ve seen prices <strong><em>increase slightly in the low end price range.</em></strong> Much of this is being driven by investors, though first time home buyers are a large part of the market too. A listing in the under $350,000 range is sure to sell fairly quickly if priced right and in decent condition with multiple offers not uncommon. The mid range homes seem to have stabilized and high end single family homes are still constricting somewhat. <br /><br />Income property, particularly multiple units, are flying off the shelves as well since those with money in the bank are not getting a good return on their money.Ventura Realtorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14059296229903946402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2855311475186830639.post-71054435334159784072012-03-03T15:26:00.000-08:002012-03-03T15:27:03.303-08:00Real Estate SnapshotThe number of American buyers who signed offers to purchase homes went up in January to the highest point in almost two years sustaining the platform that our real estate market is showing increasing improvement.<br /><br />Last Monday the National Association of Realtors stated that its index of sales agreements went up 2 percent last month to a reading of 97. That's the best reading since April 2010, which was the last month that buyers could cash in on the federal home-buying tax credit and the last time the reading was over 100.<br /><br />A reading of 100 is considered healthy.<br /><br />The NAR also released revised data for 2011. That decreased November's initial 19-month high of 100.1 to 96.9. However, contracts have been noticeably higher since summer when many were concerned that a second recession was imminent.<br /><br />Contract signings are usually a bellweather of how the housing market is developing. The time frame between an accepted offer and closing escrow is generally one to two months.<br />This increase in accepted offers sustains other evidence of recovery in the housing market.<br /><br />An economist at Decision Economics, Pierre Ellis, says home sales and building are in the process of “ongoing general, but gentle, progress.”<br /><br />While we are no doubt a few years from a full recovery, housing prices are more affordable than they've been in decades and mortgage rates at all time historical lows. <br /><br />If you’ve been thinking about buying a home or investment property, I’m happy to help you in the decision making process and consider your options. The window of opportunity is still open!Ventura Realtorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14059296229903946402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2855311475186830639.post-77157452212065328082012-02-01T16:46:00.000-08:002012-02-01T16:49:23.976-08:00Detect, Prevent and Report Real Estate FraudIf you know of anyone who is struggling to keep or has lost their home, you may want to read on. It’s easy to be vulnerable when under financial distress and there are people who will prey on those who are.<br /><br />Enter “The Real Estate Fraud Advisory Team” (REFAT) which is a unique collaboration between the Ventura County District Attorney’s Real Estate Fraud Unit and Ventura County real estate professionals. The knowledge and expertise of this volunteer team assists in identify various frauds taking place and stays on top of the ever changing tactics of scammers who seek to take advantage of Ventura County residents.<br /><br />REFAT has done such an outstanding job of finding and prosecuting scammers that they’ve successfully prosecuted over a dozen people for real estate fraud over the last year. Other DA offices throughout California and further have begun doing the same and are using us a model. <br /><br />Here’s some practical advice to prevent consumers from falling victim to a scam:<br />Never pay an upfront fee for loan modification services. These fees are illegal. <br />Watch out for promises or guarantees of any sort. No one can promise that a loan modification will be successful. <br /><br />Anyone offering to take over your payments in exchange for a fee is likely committing fraud. Homes have been lost and life savings have been wiped out.<br />Contact a HUD-approved counseling agency that can provide loan modification services for free. <br /><br />If you think you’ve been approached in this manner or have been a victim of a loan modification or other scam, report it to the DRE, the FTC, the Attorney General, and the Ventura County District Attorney’s Real Estate Fraud Unit. We can’t do it without your help!<br /><br />Check out the REFAT website – you’ll be surprised what’s been accomplished and they’ve only just begun. http://www.refat.org/home Or you can call their hotline at <br />(805) 751-5899.Ventura Realtorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14059296229903946402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2855311475186830639.post-41731795940224105192012-01-27T16:09:00.000-08:002012-01-27T16:13:49.631-08:00Check Out Senior Living at it's Best!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglQfNt9vDPFnONGRO562byEnEE4hyphenhyphenXMrqfvDtpnMocHA0NqyqoR9-NmC5cNqa41yG_iYFDztpiWuGiuT-PraFRvF3L2BJHFkQCxaunaitzbKxRBVRz8iqoOLWTlbrS8H35q2FQB6fGZQh4/s1600/kitchen+1+.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglQfNt9vDPFnONGRO562byEnEE4hyphenhyphenXMrqfvDtpnMocHA0NqyqoR9-NmC5cNqa41yG_iYFDztpiWuGiuT-PraFRvF3L2BJHFkQCxaunaitzbKxRBVRz8iqoOLWTlbrS8H35q2FQB6fGZQh4/s320/kitchen+1+.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702468887400628594" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHiUAY0p9DlIKSf-MpItVBseJTKvAdfPuwvTKjlU_Q4rmnTiLZSO6ILI1KFY-pKsrpNy_YwC9J-ANomi7HaA2100-iMdnB3yMV_plkGiduZRjrve2uHdmxdfBaR4AptIXY3vM7gCYZ-y3U/s1600/IMG_1039+%255B1600x1200%255D.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHiUAY0p9DlIKSf-MpItVBseJTKvAdfPuwvTKjlU_Q4rmnTiLZSO6ILI1KFY-pKsrpNy_YwC9J-ANomi7HaA2100-iMdnB3yMV_plkGiduZRjrve2uHdmxdfBaR4AptIXY3vM7gCYZ-y3U/s320/IMG_1039+%255B1600x1200%255D.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702468882199499138" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTkyNgsrfo47i-IcvdNnbeN58mctfuLNQ0LLDo6-K3kQOIkTp_gWU37j5dNNlyTWIRvtNRyREhDkmJYS6EBfKyYuLLIdhNyOwy5c-6UDEm0ZBkKTH1U08RhAGfKmIuTSZgrmibj9FqRm56/s1600/Aurora+Dr.%252C+4700+%2523+85+.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 205px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTkyNgsrfo47i-IcvdNnbeN58mctfuLNQ0LLDo6-K3kQOIkTp_gWU37j5dNNlyTWIRvtNRyREhDkmJYS6EBfKyYuLLIdhNyOwy5c-6UDEm0ZBkKTH1U08RhAGfKmIuTSZgrmibj9FqRm56/s320/Aurora+Dr.%252C+4700+%2523+85+.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702468882597020082" /></a><br />5 open houses in one of Ventura's most desirable Senior Parks this Sunday from 1-4!<br /><br />4700 Aurora Dr., #85, Ventura, CA 93003<br /><br />http://idx123.realtytech.com/lkenton/Aurora.aspx (DRE # 01041434)Ventura Realtorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14059296229903946402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2855311475186830639.post-5569908016869572382012-01-23T07:50:00.000-08:002012-01-23T07:57:30.075-08:00New Listing Above the College<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3WkxiptCYFAT2-GqU4D9xGX__LxmszCYLPvnSNsk3Uuaj0CbY5R7T587PGvoYTO_NOgn9HsgHD9_cwsqrEF8pFWiGts3Ki5rctoPb7FxYSPM0gMBtIGQ6wM0NlD7Xsqi8Ccv5h3xkah9e/s1600/vanderbilt.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 229px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3WkxiptCYFAT2-GqU4D9xGX__LxmszCYLPvnSNsk3Uuaj0CbY5R7T587PGvoYTO_NOgn9HsgHD9_cwsqrEF8pFWiGts3Ki5rctoPb7FxYSPM0gMBtIGQ6wM0NlD7Xsqi8Ccv5h3xkah9e/s320/vanderbilt.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5700857070488994818" /></a><br />This Ventura home for sale is located in sought after neighborhoodand and made for entertaining with open floor plan and lots of light. Remodeled full baths and new cabinets in kitchen. Formal dining room and a cozy breakfast area to sip your morning coffee. Spacious master has a balcony with <em><strong>ocean and island views</strong></em>. For more pictures and info on this and other Ventura homes for sale, visit my web site at http://www.LynnKenton.com or http://idx123.realtytech.com/lkenton/Vanderbilt.aspx <br />Lic. #01061434Ventura Realtorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14059296229903946402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2855311475186830639.post-71859175752868232222012-01-11T09:57:00.000-08:002012-01-11T10:01:55.682-08:00A Shred of Good News<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirxohNNHSND0IwytMTtxVrhyphenhyphentk9UWFwMbcMzLd9SN8XBSOMIxeNGJy_PmZnKJxaZXTOX_3rJXzhLS-6WC2DBkZH4z59722KhY4rSseDqOVyuY1cOjtFDd2EB_RtygvlPxnZiwmSqloIRiw/s1600/2trees.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirxohNNHSND0IwytMTtxVrhyphenhyphentk9UWFwMbcMzLd9SN8XBSOMIxeNGJy_PmZnKJxaZXTOX_3rJXzhLS-6WC2DBkZH4z59722KhY4rSseDqOVyuY1cOjtFDd2EB_RtygvlPxnZiwmSqloIRiw/s320/2trees.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696436148999495794" /></a><br /><strong>Pending Home Sales in California Higher for Seventh Month in a Row</strong><br /><br />California Association of Realtors reported that pending home sales fell 9.1% in November 2011, but were <em>up from a year ago</em>. Based on contracts signed in November, the index came in at 109.8 (down from October’s revised index of 120.9). The index was up 11%, however, from November of 2010. <br /><br />This marked <em>the seventh month in a row that pending sales were up from last year. </em>Equity sales (as opposed to short pays or bank owned homes)) accounted for more than half (55.1%) of sold homes in November, up from 53.9% in October and 54.4 % in November 2010.Ventura Realtorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14059296229903946402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2855311475186830639.post-79318893619886565272012-01-08T07:41:00.000-08:002012-01-08T07:52:52.597-08:00New Listing!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx3OOEc-HYUpigr3pocYcHgWpLAM2OHqrXxWEsN6QRDYAo0CxorxNBKxEMufnAzBSoTijJLIsFMh7-FbbyEnBhx7mE6O5dxKsZG_IeRtQVKpS_wyVZPRnzNXDJJ4GKhR0R7iVsNBeopNKK/s1600/IMG_1026+%255B1600x1200%255D.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx3OOEc-HYUpigr3pocYcHgWpLAM2OHqrXxWEsN6QRDYAo0CxorxNBKxEMufnAzBSoTijJLIsFMh7-FbbyEnBhx7mE6O5dxKsZG_IeRtQVKpS_wyVZPRnzNXDJJ4GKhR0R7iVsNBeopNKK/s320/IMG_1026+%255B1600x1200%255D.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695289258941929154" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYpH6iHLqmPIHp42QmtmDBH0JUv9WxiAjuioUffrzPniCXKaQhg9GwAV0unshvTJX6VR3AuBVxv3sMsz4tDCAt8BXYzE0vDgEkGKK7677pLIoWmqs2_1D8WEPYcNqzPIyBjF2h_rIkY7s2/s1600/IMG_1023+%255B1600x1200%255D.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYpH6iHLqmPIHp42QmtmDBH0JUv9WxiAjuioUffrzPniCXKaQhg9GwAV0unshvTJX6VR3AuBVxv3sMsz4tDCAt8BXYzE0vDgEkGKK7677pLIoWmqs2_1D8WEPYcNqzPIyBjF2h_rIkY7s2/s320/IMG_1023+%255B1600x1200%255D.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695289250149459682" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR1oCvWabg0Zur-cDtdOrb_mGogYfOzncgd5KcgIVnxXMId-KFf9HTKoE6GC5dUyuMeV45epvLbYaAFH8AjONj-nsWMdNCSRdc6XLnsDKK0U7IdkNv9mAbI7ln-57PeIgUnzoyEWraXMA1/s1600/Elizabeth+front+%255B1600x1200%255D+%25282%2529.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR1oCvWabg0Zur-cDtdOrb_mGogYfOzncgd5KcgIVnxXMId-KFf9HTKoE6GC5dUyuMeV45epvLbYaAFH8AjONj-nsWMdNCSRdc6XLnsDKK0U7IdkNv9mAbI7ln-57PeIgUnzoyEWraXMA1/s320/Elizabeth+front+%255B1600x1200%255D+%25282%2529.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695289245423057138" /></a><br />This 2 bedroom home is a treasure! 2 bedrooms on a large lot with hardwood floors (under the carpet) and dual pane windows. It's been well cared for (not a fixer). Located in a nice neighborhood on a large lot! $269,000. Contact me for details.<br /><br />Lynn Kenton, 805-901-5444, Lynn@LynnKenton.com, www.LynnKenton.comVentura Realtorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14059296229903946402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2855311475186830639.post-51551495680897596322011-12-26T10:09:00.000-08:002011-12-26T10:33:27.444-08:00Ventura Real Estate Digression<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy2a33nuibyRuoRFQmoZzS9Ud2K_5h6knnHvahv414gVk_K6XOpaydF98D1VPddDejplvuwsuMNe16_3fQAMzugLAiIx2nAORGqNQUmhNlav-7eswXn-UF1fbF3oTO1wW9X3-8mGExb0jJ/s1600/Green_Bay_Packers_helmet_rightface_svg.png"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 135px; height: 104px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy2a33nuibyRuoRFQmoZzS9Ud2K_5h6knnHvahv414gVk_K6XOpaydF98D1VPddDejplvuwsuMNe16_3fQAMzugLAiIx2nAORGqNQUmhNlav-7eswXn-UF1fbF3oTO1wW9X3-8mGExb0jJ/s320/Green_Bay_Packers_helmet_rightface_svg.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690506719180920050" /></a><br />Lynn Kenton is officially wrapping up the end of 2011 for Ventura Home Sales. In case you're under the impression I don't have a life outside of being a Ventura Realtor, I wanted to share some fun statistics and info on my beloved Green Bay Packers. Yes, my husband and I were raised in Wisconsin. Just so you know, if born there, you are an official "Cheesehead" even if you only lived there for a nanosecond. <br /><br />We even have one of those silly vinyl Cheesehead hats and my hubby received one share of the Packers as a gift from his buddy this Christmas. No worries, I'll not be retiring off of <em><strong>that</strong></em>:) And their current record notwithstanding, they are endearing as you can see from this article recently printed.<br /><br /><em>Packer's are still making history, with Aaron Rodgers as quarterback and this weeks stock sale <br /><br />( http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20111207/APC0101/112070495/Green-Bay-Packers-stock-sale-off-roaring-start ) <br /> <br />This was in the Deseret News, the Salt Lake City newspaper. <br /> <br />Maybe the only truly romantic thing left in American sports: The Green Bay Packers . <br /> <br />Seriously, America , what's not to like about the Green Bay Packers ? <br />What's not to like about a small-town team that is not only surviving, but thriving in the billion-dollar business of professional football? <br /> <br />There is nothing like them in professional sports. Think about what an oddity they are. Teams have come and gone in the NFL in a continuous game of musical chairs - the Baltimore Colts moved to Indianapolis , the Cleveland Browns to Baltimore , the Oakland Raiders to LA. and back to Oakland , the Cardinals from Chicago to St. Louis to Phoenix , the Los Angeles Rams to St. Louis . <br />But the Packers have stayed in tiny Green Bay , Wis .., since their birth in 1919. America 's second biggest city, Los Angeles , with a population of 4 million, doesn't even have a franchise, but Green Bay , with a population of 101,000, does. It's like plunking down a team in the middle of Sandy , Utah . <br /> <br />They are the smallest market in pro sports Green Bay 's metro area - if you stretch the definition of "metro" - is 283,000. Buffalo , the next smallest in sports, has 1.1 million. New York City has 8.5 million in the city limits alone, 19 million in the metro area. <br />What's not to like about a team that was dreamed up during a street-corner conversation one day? Curly Lambeau , a former Green Bay prep star and Notre Dame football player, hatched the idea and convinced his employer, the Indian Packing Company, to buy uniforms and provide a practice field. In turn, the team called itself the Packers. Lambeau was the team's first star player (for 11 years) and its first coach (for 30 years) and - you've got to like this - he pioneered the forward pass in the NFL. <br /> <br />What's not to like about the last small-town survivor of the National Football League? In the early '20s, the fledgling NFL consisted almost entirely of small-town teams like Green Bay - the Decatur Staleys, Akron Pros, Canton Bulldogs, Muncie Flyers, Rochester Jeffersons, Rock Island Independents. But as the league turned fully to professionalism, those teams either folded or moved to big cities for bigger profits. Green Bay found a way to keep the Packers - the community bought them. <br />What's not to like about a team that is owned by its fans? The Packers are the only publicly owned team in professional sports. There's no Jerry Jones, George Steinbrenner or Daniel Snyder in Green Bay . The other teams have one very rich, often reviled, owner; the Packers have 112,000 shareholders - or 112,000 Monday-morning quarterbacks who are legally entitled to kibbitz. They've rescued the team from financial hardship four times - in 1923, '35, '50 and '97. Without them, the team simply would not exist. <br /> <br />What's not to like about this team? Apparently, not much. <br />Despite their small-town roots - or perhaps because of it - they have courted a world-wide following. According to a 2010 Harris poll, the Packers are still the third most popular team in the country, 40 years after their glory years. Someone once asked the late former NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle to name the best football city in America . " Green Bay ," he replied. "A small town.. People owning their own football team. Rabid supporters." <br />The Packers have one of the longest waiting lists for season tickets in pro sports, some 80,000 deep (Lambeau Field seats only 78,000). The average wait for season tickets is estimated to be 30 years, but if you added your name to the list now you probably wouldn't get tickets in your lifetime. Packer fans are known to leave season tickets in their wills or to place newborn babies on the waiting list. Packer games have been sold out since 1960. <br /> <br />"I'm a 'green and gold' season ticket holder and have some voting stock in the team," explains Walt Mehr, a Utah resident who grew up in Eagle River , Wis. , just north of Green Bay . "It took me 23 years to get season tickets. We have a big shareholders meeting in July and vote. We were involved with remodeling of the stadium. As season-ticket holders we had to put up money for that - $5,000. My tickets are in my will." It's every fan's dream - they get to help run the team.. You've got to like that. <br /> <br />What's not to like about a team that has been an almost mythical force since joining the NFL in 1921? They've won 13 championships - nine NFL titles in the pre-Super Bowl era, and four Super Bowls - and no one else is close to matching them.. <br /> <br />They won the first two Super Bowls . They won five championships in seven years during the '60s They're the only team that's ever won three in a row. The city's nickname is "Titletown." Their coach's name is on the Super Bowl Trophy . They have 21 Hall of Famers, second only to the Chicago Bears. They are a team of legends - Starr, Nitschke, Taylor, Lombardi, Davis, Hornung, Kramer, Gregg, Hutson, Lambeau, Favre. <br />What's not to like about a team that is so entrenched in the community in such a personal way? It's big-time football in a small-town way that has been lost as the NFL has grown. This is the town that spawned the Lambeau Leap - players leaping into the arms of fans behind the end zone after a touchdown, a routine that has since been adopted throughout the league. It symbolizes the close connection between the team and the fans, like so many other things. <br />Green Bay's stadium is bordered by the back yards of middle-class neighborhoods. The players live in regular neighborhoods, with the fans. <br /> <br />"Unlike the other NFL cities, where players can live in mansions away from the masses, Green Bay has no real 'affluent' suburbs," says Vai Sikahema , a former Packer and BYU player. <br /> <br />"And because of the frigid weather, everyone had second homes in warmer places. So the players lived in modest homes in regular neighborhoods. <br />"Playing for the Packers and living in Green Bay is generally the way it was in the '60's when Vince Lombardi lived there. The house we rented was rented by a host of former Packers , dating back to the great running back Jim Taylor . <br /> <br />"Another player rented a home once lived in by Bart Starr . That creates this extra unique bond with the fan base. On Tuesdays, our day off, we'd walk our children to the bus stop and all the dads would go in late so they could walk their own kids and talk football with us at the bus stop. My wife had play dates with regular moms on our street, as opposed to the closed, elitist 'wives club' on other teams." <br />There is a tradition in Green Bay that has received considerable publicity over the years. Kids wait for Packer players outside the locker room and often use their bikes to ride to the practice field. The kids hold the players' helmets and jog alongside the players as they ride the kids' bikes to practice. Who couldn't like that? <br /> <br />"I was one of those kids who ran next to a player while he rode my bike to the practice field from the locker room," says Mark Stimpson, a Salt Lake resident who grew up in Green Bay . "We did it every day during the summer. I had a metallic green stingray bike. I'd wait by the locker room. The player would hand me his helmet. The players wouldn't pedal the bikes. They were too big. They'd just stick their legs out and coast because it's a down-hill walk to the field.. We'd talk to them while we walked beside them. Then, during practice we'd watch the guy who rode our bike. It was a fun time. The players were great to us." <br />Sikahema remembers the bike routine, as well. "The bikes are one of those unique things in Green Bay that allow fans, especially kids, to get to know the players in a personal way," he says. "I stayed in touch with the kid whose bike I used through his college years and his wedding. He's now in his mid-30s. His name is Aaron Smet. When I was there, a bunch of poor kids didn't have bikes to lend to the players and (teammate) Sterling Sharpe had Wal-Mart deliver to the complex a tractor trailer full of bikes that he gave away to less fortunate kids." <br /> <br />Stimpson recalls seeing Willie Wood , Ray Nitschke , Eli ja h Pitts and Bart Starr around town when he was a kid. The Packers were one of them. His sister, Mary Nelson, babysat for reserve quarterback Zeke Bratkowski . <br />" Zeke lived around the corner from us," says Nelson. "After the games some of the players would come over to Zeke's house. I got to meet Bart Starr , Jerry Kramer and Max McGee and their wives. Every time I babysat Zeke's kids he would walk me home." <br /> <br />What's not to like about a town that is all about its team? Green Bay businesses are Packer themed. The streets are named after Packers - Lombardi , Ray Nitschke , Brett Favre , Mike Holmgren , Don Hutson , Reggie White , Bart Starr , Tony Canadeo . Even the official Green Bay website is all about the local football team. <br />The town shuts down during games; churches schedule around the Packers , then open their parking lots for Packer fans. "The streets are empty during the games," says Stimpson. "When I was a boy I could ride my bike down the middle of the street because there was no traffic." <br /> What's not to like about a team that won the Ice Bowl , one of the greatest games ever played? It was the 1967 NFL Championship game in Green Bay , and the temperature was minus-13 degrees , with a windchill hovering around 50 below . <br />Rick Delacenserie, who grew up in the Green Bay area and now lives in Park City , watched the Packer practices as a boy and witnessed the Ice Bowl from the same end zone where Starr scored the game-winning touchdown. <br /> <br />"I spent most of the third quarter in the bathroom," he recalls. "It was packed in there. Everyone was trying to get warm. Someone brought a hacksaw and cut up the goal posts. All I got was some of the foam they wrapped around the post." <br /> <br />You've got to love a team that inspires fans to brave sub-zero weather. After the Super Bowl victory that followed the Ice Bowl , the Packers went into decline for 25 years until the Favre years arrived in the early '90s , but the Packers still inspired fierce loyalty and love. <br /> <br />"The only thing you can see on the horizon is Lambeau Field ," says Mehr, who pauses to choke back tears before continuing. "I get chills when I see it. On a beautiful clear day, omigosh." <br /> <br />For his part, Stimpson left home decades ago to attend BYU and settle in Utah . He doesn't follow sports as he once did, and the game has changed, and yet he still says this: "The Packers are so much a part of you. The Packers still have a certain pull. They always will." <br />You've got to like that.</em><br /><br /><em><strong>Hope you all had a great holiday! Go Pack!!!!! </strong></em>Ventura Realtorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14059296229903946402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2855311475186830639.post-14728492112071698922011-10-31T15:25:00.000-07:002011-10-31T15:28:56.718-07:00Fraud Alert: FTC Charges Credit Repair Operators<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid9wiuIicvlys3VXlAa1Z9Q0U_H3KWCNpVOivddFLfWS5ZUfwTK2PdBxbzf8Xa86Bh-1t7fdbqkJ4GONHrI2DqO2tK-BX2DYn-MSol2hQtTo3JnGyQQt21D9PwZMqA38T25tpk1EYbRWqa/s1600/Jimbeach.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid9wiuIicvlys3VXlAa1Z9Q0U_H3KWCNpVOivddFLfWS5ZUfwTK2PdBxbzf8Xa86Bh-1t7fdbqkJ4GONHrI2DqO2tK-BX2DYn-MSol2hQtTo3JnGyQQt21D9PwZMqA38T25tpk1EYbRWqa/s320/Jimbeach.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669786718290435346" /></a><br /><br />The Federal Trade Commission has charged the operators of a credit repair company with making false statements to credit bureaus about information in consumers’ credit reports, and illegally collecting fees from consumers before performing any services. <br /><br />The FTC’s complaint against RMCN Credit Services Inc. and the married couple who own it (Doug & Julie Parker) alleges that they advertised a six-month program to improve consumers’ credit reports. Supposedly the defendants falsified statements to credit bureaus contesting the accuracy of negative data in consumers’ credit reports. In communications to credit bureaus, which RMCN did not divulge to consumers, the firm routinely disputed all negative information in the reports, regardless of accuracy. RMCN then repeatedly sent these deceptive dispute letters to credit bureaus, even though they received comprehensive billing histories verifying the accuracy of the information, or signed contracts from creditors proving the validity of the accounts. <br /><br />In the complaint, RMCN allegedly misrepresented to consumers that federal law permits the company to dispute accurate credit report information, and that credit bureaus are required to delete information from credit reports unless they can prove it is accurate. In the company’s words, credit bureaus must “prove it or remove it.” RMCN charged a retainer fee of up to $2,000 before providing any service.<br />The defendants are charged with violating the Credit Repair Organizations Act by making untrue or misleading statements to credit bureaus about consumers’ credit worthiness, and by charging fees for credit repair services before they were fully performed.<br /><br />Please be aware as a consumer that <em><strong>by law you cannot be charged up front for credit repair or a loan modification!</strong></em>Ventura Realtorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14059296229903946402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2855311475186830639.post-75978637882035494922011-10-03T12:21:00.000-07:002011-10-03T12:24:03.983-07:00What’s the Deal with Shadow Inventory?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrh6swFgfMs4RxX7yLBvvFO9Nc3xKFlSeQRo5tO7oAH_oksgBevhFe4OZUXzQcr5LOzEYvm2tZ3Tc9xSBLfByxDTbVDdjpreVNadYl3iDjofLEamqCnl5X6tEBXIGi0PqH5WxcxFgxMRKt/s1600/vta+sand.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 233px; height: 186px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrh6swFgfMs4RxX7yLBvvFO9Nc3xKFlSeQRo5tO7oAH_oksgBevhFe4OZUXzQcr5LOzEYvm2tZ3Tc9xSBLfByxDTbVDdjpreVNadYl3iDjofLEamqCnl5X6tEBXIGi0PqH5WxcxFgxMRKt/s320/vta+sand.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5659348853186368978" /></a><br />The subprime mortgage debacle in ’07- ’08 caused an unparalleled number of foreclosures and disintegration of the housing market. Because of this, lenders were left with significant real estate in their portfolios. <br /><br />Shadow inventory is a term referring for the most part to properties that are in the process of or have been foreclosed on and haven’t been listed or sold as yet. Many of these homes are not being listed for sale by banks who are waiting for market prices to recover. These lenders are also apprehensive of putting too much inventory on the market as flooding the market would further drive down prices, lowering their projected return on investment.<br /><br />The good news (for the moment anyway) is that residential shadow inventory as of July 2011 decreased a bit to 1.6 million units, which is a 5 month supply of homes for sale. Before you laugh, it is down from the 1.9 million units (a 6 month supply) reported one year ago. Additionally, there was a decline from April 2011 when shadow inventory was at 1.7 million units.<br /><br />Will this be a continued pattern? One can only hope… The bottom line right now is that movement or sales of distressed homes is slightly faster than the new delinquencies being taken on by the banks and this is encouraging for the time being.Ventura Realtorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14059296229903946402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2855311475186830639.post-53490229758200199762011-08-16T16:22:00.000-07:002011-08-16T16:52:44.475-07:00Has Your Equity Line Been Reduced or Cancelled?A potential class-action lawsuit could have an immense influence on the future of homeowner rights under the Truth in Lending Act and some consumer protection statutes.
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<br />Here’s the scenario:
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<br /><em>You’re a home owner who has taken out a $100,000 home-equity line for home improvements. Cash has been pulled out to hire contractors and purchase materials for the renovation. Then a letter comes from the bank stating that the credit line has been canceled and there is no further access to it.
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<br />The bank claims that your home is worth substantially less than when the credit line was opened. And now you have bills to pay with no equity line available.
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<br />To add insult to injury, the bank has not done a formal physical appraisal, but an automated valuation done with no more than a computer program. If you believe your property to be worth more than the bank claims, you can appeal it and pay to have another formal appraisal done at your expense, but it will be with an appraiser of the bank’s choosing. </em>
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<br />There are apparently huge numbers of home owners (in the millions) whose credit lines have been reduced, frozen or canceled in 2009. Banks were understandably gun shy during that time after the close call of near disintegration of the marketplace.
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<br />In Chicago, a federal district court has given the go-ahead to customers of J. P. Morgan Chase Bank to commence with a class action suit alleging that their equity lines were illegally reduced or cancelled. Chase attempted to get the case dismissed, but a judge rejected the bank's motion to dismiss the case, clearing the way for a possible giant class action suit.
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<br />Suits are being filed in six different states including California which should have a great (and hopefully positive) influence on the future of consumer protection laws for homeowner rights.
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<br />At the forefront of the suit will be alleged violations of truth in lending practices and consumer protection laws. The suits should bring attention to the manner in which the lenders are expediting these automated appraisals with tools and programs that are egregiously inaccurate in many cases. Word has it that there are similar suits being filed against other big players such as GMAC Mortgage, Wells Fargo and Citibank.
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<br />The Chicago law firm representing the plaintiffs found that the computer valuations used by J. P. Morgan Chase were "grossly in error" after later physical appraisals were done.
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<br />Also hovering about will be the issue of Chase having accepted $25 billion in emergency funds from the Treasury. This money was to be used to assist them in lending to borrowers in need of credit which was subsequently cut back.
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<br />In fairness, it should be noted that Chase has since paid back the treasury money and they are one of the better lenders in approving short sales in an expedient manner. It will be interesting to see how this shakes out...
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<br />http://www.LynnKenton.com
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<br />Ventura Realtorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14059296229903946402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2855311475186830639.post-90707955785954432212011-07-29T15:42:00.000-07:002011-07-29T15:46:15.715-07:00Short Sale Update: A Win for Short Sale Sellers<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDw3_L_TYq8bw5zhWIR-cjCA3bXLAUOiYk9MM_MKFwY3xpBLGvjocPSw6mTa3wDCK5SXfRpJRTHU8c6TIjOt1bs5ZI1vh7k1Q3otlvbfRsWxXoigqFPDxJUBKJpPtXAd6LFjmaSBeD3e9q/s1600/vta+sand.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 233px; height: 186px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDw3_L_TYq8bw5zhWIR-cjCA3bXLAUOiYk9MM_MKFwY3xpBLGvjocPSw6mTa3wDCK5SXfRpJRTHU8c6TIjOt1bs5ZI1vh7k1Q3otlvbfRsWxXoigqFPDxJUBKJpPtXAd6LFjmaSBeD3e9q/s320/vta+sand.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634909262930233442" /></a><br />This month, Gov. Jerry Brown signed SB 458 (Corbett) into law. SB 458 extends the protections of SB 931 (2010), to guarantee that any lender agreeing to a short sale is required to accept the approved short sale payment as payment in full of the outstanding balance of all loans. <br /><br />Under previous law (SB 931 of 2010), a first mortgage holder could accept the agreed-upon short sale payment as full payment for the outstanding balance of the loan, but that rule didn’t apply to junior lien holders (second trust deeds). <em><strong>SB 458 extends the protections of SB 931 to junior liens. </strong></em>SB 458 contains an urgency clause making it effective upon signing. This should make sellers’ lives a little less stressful after undergoing the hardships that necessitated the short sale.<br /><br />If you know of someone considering a short sale, give me a call- we’ve assembled a great team of short sale negotiating experts and can equip you with information to make the right decision for <em><strong>you</strong></em>.Ventura Realtorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14059296229903946402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2855311475186830639.post-85598382213621451372011-07-12T14:10:00.000-07:002011-07-12T14:17:19.007-07:00HOMEBUYER CREDIT REPAIR SEMINAR<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYLBk162AAxnq43uvkX7Ss5FrhvX3eh14K10kDI6iHrmUjZLC9mD2-TzxfxW-eV_9vC_0EpaBv1Wyb-TWqMZAObnWbTwVoIOJDN3PSKKx3DN4Lwv6r6S3m4_5cusSUcBJ5Cyku08TSEnCD/s1600/cut+up+credit+card.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 170px; height: 128px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYLBk162AAxnq43uvkX7Ss5FrhvX3eh14K10kDI6iHrmUjZLC9mD2-TzxfxW-eV_9vC_0EpaBv1Wyb-TWqMZAObnWbTwVoIOJDN3PSKKx3DN4Lwv6r6S3m4_5cusSUcBJ5Cyku08TSEnCD/s320/cut+up+credit+card.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628577323266419858" /></a><br />Have you experienced a short sale or foreclosure in the past? Even though you may have fallen on some difficult times home ownership could be attainable sooner than you think. Separate the <em><strong>myths from the facts </strong></em>and learn what steps to take to qualify for homeownership once again. This is a no cost community service seminar to assist those who are interested in reentering the housing market after foreclosure or short sale.<br /><br /> Presented by: Linda Hall of Guild Mortgage Company, Karen Campbell and Lynn Kenton of Ventura Property Shoppe and Eric Olson of U.S. Settlement Group. Seminar will be held on Thursday, July 21st at 6:30pm at Guild Mortgage Company, 711 East Daily Drive #110, Camarillo. To reserve your seat call Lynn Kenton @ 805-901-5444 or Linda Hall @ 805-208-8951.Ventura Realtorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14059296229903946402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2855311475186830639.post-5595005200813149832011-06-10T16:57:00.000-07:002011-06-10T17:04:45.372-07:00How Soon Can You Buy a Home After a Short Sale or Foreclosure?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdofWmn6j_ciSwgLo_m_D3bFRnPo5fkmJvKX-8YLXLMfTExnQPEHT2DpZH05m-sSeYvcOYjB9FGB_Kt7BSqTq5uV7kdLOm6u-Xx6oRZbGkpOTuXJkq8ehIGTWAr-lCmYfDpCypS-BfR9Eg/s1600/barcelona+4+012.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdofWmn6j_ciSwgLo_m_D3bFRnPo5fkmJvKX-8YLXLMfTExnQPEHT2DpZH05m-sSeYvcOYjB9FGB_Kt7BSqTq5uV7kdLOm6u-Xx6oRZbGkpOTuXJkq8ehIGTWAr-lCmYfDpCypS-BfR9Eg/s320/barcelona+4+012.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616746325475944098" /></a><br />You or someone you know lost their home. Once recovered from the gut wrenching experience, the question is will you ever be able to buy a home again?<br /><br />The short answer is yes. Below is a cheat sheet with the time frames and details.<br /><br /><em><strong>Conventional Financing</strong></em><br /><br /><strong>For Foreclosures</strong> (home was given back to the bank- no owner participation)<br /><br /> 7 years from foreclosure completion date and given back to bank if there were no <br /> extenuating circumstances.<br /> <br />3 years from foreclosure completion date and given back to bank if there was <br /> acceptable extenuating circumstances AND a 10% down payment. Only for<br /> primary owner occupied homes.<br /><br /><strong>For Short Sale</strong> (Home sold for less than amount owed) or<br /><strong>Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure</strong> (Home returned to lender in exchange for canceling the loan)<br /><br /> 7 years from sale date closed and transferred to new owner or transferred back to <br /> bank with less than 10% down payment.<br /> <br /> 4 years from sale date closed and transferred to new owner or transferred back to <br /> bank with 10% down payment.<br /><br /> 2 years from sale date closed and transferred to new owner or transferred back to <br /> bank with 20% down payment.<br /><br /> 2 years from sale date closed and transferred to new owner or transferred back to <br /> bank with acceptable extenuating circumstance and 10% down payment.<br /><br /><em><strong>FHA Financing</strong></em><br /><br /><strong>For Foreclosures</strong> (home was given back to the bank- no owner participation) or<br /><strong>Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure </strong>(Home returned to lender in exchange for canceling the loan)<br /><br /> 3 years from foreclosure completion date and given back to bank.<br /><br /> 12 months to 2 years from date foreclosure completed and transferred back to <br /> bank may be acceptable if the result of extenuating factors.<br /><br /> <br /><strong>For Short Sale</strong> (Home sold for less than amount owed)<br /><br /> 3 years from sale date closed and transferred to new owner.<br /><br /> No waiting period if borrower had no late payments on any mortgages and <br /> consumer debts within the 12 month period prior to the short sale AND they<br /> are not taking advantage of declining market conditions.<br /> <br /><br />Contact me for more info or questions!Ventura Realtorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14059296229903946402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2855311475186830639.post-65408183857163411722011-06-03T15:36:00.000-07:002011-06-03T15:47:58.847-07:00REAL ESTATE SNAPSHOT<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDfwCBJCNEmWbd39gl2mBGEX8qiwdR14euRwKJT1uwcosyo7sQggYc2LxXw_9_HiBHaMj1rplNd00FBAE4PUjZYB2x_SQ03cdVFzfCqamH9yAkfvcJMUowlhp8AzJ9z5BHlOSiMVEOdqma/s1600/Vta+shot.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDfwCBJCNEmWbd39gl2mBGEX8qiwdR14euRwKJT1uwcosyo7sQggYc2LxXw_9_HiBHaMj1rplNd00FBAE4PUjZYB2x_SQ03cdVFzfCqamH9yAkfvcJMUowlhp8AzJ9z5BHlOSiMVEOdqma/s320/Vta+shot.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5614128663906827266" /></a><br />The real estate opportunities right now are unprecedented.<br /><br />Distressed properties, also known as short sales and foreclosures, are indeed the bulk of real estate inventory. And, sadly, many home owners have suffered hardships causing them to lose these homes. Additionally, “traditional” sellers are bearing the brunt of the market as their home values have been driven down alongside the others. <br /><br />But for investors, first-time buyers and those with the ability to move up, the market couldn't be better. Interest rates are hovering around 4 ¼ to 4 ½ % right now for 30 year fixed rate loans. That’s <em><strong>outstanding</strong></em>.<br /><br />Now there are some out there who want to wait to buy and see if prices go down some more. The average sale prices of single family homes in Ventura dropped about 5% over the last year, so that may seem like a good plan at first blush. But here’s some food for thought...<br /><br />Since the entry level homes are driving the market, let’s say we’re looking at a home for $400,000 with a 10% down payment and a 4.5% interest rate. Your payment (including taxes and insurance) would be about <em><strong>$2324 per month</strong></em>.<br /><br />Let’s suppose that home values decline by 5% and interest rates go up 1 %. You’re buying the same home for $380,000 (a 5% lower price) with a 10% down payment and a 5.5% interest rate. Your payment would now be about <em><strong>$2417 per month</strong></em>. <em>Hmmm</em>.<br /><br />I left my crystal ball at home, but I’d be willing to bet interest rates will go up before anything remarkable transpires in home values. My counsel would be to take advantage if you can. We won’t know the bottom has hit until it’s already in the past.Ventura Realtorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14059296229903946402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2855311475186830639.post-19139572391363169672011-05-06T15:50:00.000-07:002011-05-06T15:59:50.581-07:00Weekly Fraud Alert: Leasing Back Your Home<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh917Jhgr7tUz2_oQ_m4PLZ-BjwpY9pPm0uNOIFdi1Io1zespDRZ9PRMPXjH6u8AFTOQ9es069h2w2qPbYK0Ucj0bIMYc_i0_j5UrSIuwRhdy81qaffIR35HsLzxq6iq08QNRA1c8QmVeHy/s1600/MainStOffice.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 273px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh917Jhgr7tUz2_oQ_m4PLZ-BjwpY9pPm0uNOIFdi1Io1zespDRZ9PRMPXjH6u8AFTOQ9es069h2w2qPbYK0Ucj0bIMYc_i0_j5UrSIuwRhdy81qaffIR35HsLzxq6iq08QNRA1c8QmVeHy/s320/MainStOffice.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5603741529148579330" /></a><br />From California Association of Realtors<br /><br />To get around federal laws outlawing people from charging up-front fees for mortgage modification, fraudulent mortgage modifiers are approaching homeowners in default and <em><strong>offering to pay cash for the home </strong></em>and lease it back to the owners. <br /><br />However, once the mortgage is paid off, the <em><strong>scammer effectively owns the house </strong></em>and does not lease it back to the original owner.<br /><br />If you or someone you know is in a similar situation with their home, encourage them not to grab onto the thing that seems too good to be true...Ventura Realtorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14059296229903946402noreply@blogger.com0