Understanding Realtors Make a Difference in Selling Distressed Properties

January 13, 2010

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Dottie LayI have been working with many homeowners lately that are in a distressed financial situation. They aren’t able to pay their mortgage any longer and are looking at alternate solutions, like a Short Sale and, in extreme cases, foreclosure. Unfortunately, this has become quite a common occurrence, which is why there are so many foreclosures in Jacksonville and the rest of the Northeast Florida real estate market. As the homeowners make these difficult decisions, they feel grief and sadness.  It is my job to help my clients with their real estate transactions, however, as I work with them they become my friends too. And I want to help alleviate their stress and get them to a brighter tomorrow. So I did a little research to get a better understanding of what they are going through. I realized that the stages you go through when you are losing your home are the same stages as when you lose a loved one. After any significant lose, people experience the five stages of grief. They are:

1. Denial and Isolation- At first, you tend to deny the loss has taken place.
2. Anger – You may be angry with yourself for letting the event take place, even if, realistically, nothing could have stopped it. Read more

What is a Short Sale?

September 23, 2009

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Short Sales Defined“Short sale” is a term I have heard a lot lately. I knew it referred to when a home owner sold their house for less than what they owed on it – with the lender’s approval. But I wasn’t exactly sure how it worked. So, when I was having coffee with Mirtha Barzaga – a Realtor at Davidson Realty, who is a Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE) and sells real estate and foreclosures in Jacksonville – I asked her about it.

She told me a story about a recent transaction she had done with her teammates, Juana Hausted and Pauline Cake, to show me how it works with the help of a professional. A Navy officer couple came to her when they were transferred from Florida to Virginia. They had bought a house they loved in World Golf Village three years ago, but the housing allowance wasn’t enough to keep it after their move. Mirtha explained they tried to modify their loan Read more

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