May 30 2012

The Facebook Crash Isn’t What It May Seem (as usually is the case with anything on Wall Street..)

I haven’t been very social lately. We’ve had the playoffs….the playoffs….ummmm…..the NBA Playoffs… Go CELTICS!!

Oh and we’ve been selling a TON of houses!!

Silver has been falling. “Sell in May, and go away.” So they say anyways, we’ll see. It’s an election year and we know that Central banks are trying to prop up the dollar as long as possible. We’ll see if we see QE3 after the election and a skyrocket in silver pricing tho.. The USD (US Dollar) is higher than it has been in over a year at over 82.

Facebook has gone public!

Many people think that when there is a stock IPO(Initial Public Offering) that it’s the first time people can buy stock. That’s not actually quite accurate.

It IS the first time the general public can buy the stock. But before the general public can invest, accredited investors get their shot first, and at a much lower price! To be an accredit investor, you have to meet certain criteria that the SEC sets out. Basically this means that the wealthy get an advantage with investing..No surprise!

Facebook stock opened up near $40, and it is now below $30.

Facebook shares dropped 10% today at a drop of over $3.

Many people are saying the IPO for Facebook was overvalued. Those who claim this might talk about how Google has 10x the cash flow of Facebook and 10x the strength on their balance sheet. What Facebook has now over Google is social usage. Google is working on that, but they got in late.

But here’s the thing: When a stock goes public, it is meant to benefit the company!! They make money by selling shares.

Facebook is smart and finds a way to do smart things. Zuckerberg is simply not your average CEO. There is something different to Facebook. It has swag. Facebook continues to adapt and integrate with other platforms. This is why I was wrong 2 years ago when I said Facebook was on the verge of falling to other platforms like wordpress and blogger.(right before my parents got on Facebook!) hah!

Will I invest in Facebook? I dunno…

With real estate, I can control my investment.

If Facebook keeps dropping, I can come up with a lot of fundamental analysis to support getting in. But I just don’t know…

What I can tell you I definately will buy more of if it keeps falling, is silver. I promise you I’ll pick up on that. I forecast QE3 after an election and more devestation to the European Union shooting the price of silver up.

If you want to follow Facebook as a company daily, and you commit yourself to a solid education in stocks, you can make money in Facebook. This way, you can make money whether Facebook stock goes up, goes down, or goes sideways.

But whether it’s Facebook stocks or any other investment, do your homework and don’t trust the BROKErs.

 

May 23 2012

Some Facts That You Never Knew and Might Not Believe…until you research it!

I’ve been on to this stuff for about 4 years now. I know people who have done a 1099-OID(see bullet point #9 below) and gotten BIG checks from the US Treasury. One of them got a lien put on their house the day after the IRS sent them the check. So there’s definately some weird stuff going on behind the IRS and Federal Reserve, but we already knew that! :)

1. The Federal Reserve Bank is a private banking system created by foreign interests. Call any branch for verification.

2. The Federal Reserve Bank is the sole creditor of the United States and the entire national debt is owed to the Federal Reserve Bank. Write your congressman for verification.

3. There are twelve member banks in this system and according to their bylaws (articles of association) they each have the power to act as depositary and fiscal agent (tax collector) of the United States.

4. Federal Reserve Board regulations and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles prohibit member banks within the Federal Reserve System from lending money from their own assets or from other depositors. Federal Reserve member banks do not make loans.

5. Bank customers fund their own mortgage transactions by signing a note. The note is the creation of currency that never existed before being signed by the customer.

6. Because the banks have monopolized the market on negotiable instruments, only banks will accept your promissory note. You can’t buy groceries with a promissory note for example.

7. The practice of failing to disclose these facts in the mortgage agreement voids and nullifies the note because it violates 12 CFR 226.17(c)(1) of the Truth in Lending Law.

8. Unsecured debts assigned to debt collectors are not legally enforceable without the consent of the customer.

9. The banks must pay their customers back the entire value of each note and credit limit minus fees and interest.

10. These facts apply to both secured (e.g. mortgages, credit cards) and unsecured (e.g. credit card) accounts.

11. There are no disclosure or application requirements for a social security number. There are no penalties for refusing to disclose a social security number to anyone. 26 CFR 301.6109-1(c). This is a ruse perpetrated by the FDIC, Federal Reserve and insurance industry for the purpose of illegally monitoring American citizens.

12. The credit reporting system is the creation of the Federal Trade Commission. Its primary use is to collect and build information databases about Americans. It also provides an inexpensive means for banks to unfairly punish people and destroy reputations by subverting the legal requirements normally imposed upon them under the court system.

 

May 23 2012

Distressed Arizona Homeowners May Qualify for the Short Sale Assistance Program (SSA)

Underwater Homeowner Update

May 22, 2012
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Distressed Arizona Homeowners May Qualify for the Short Sale Assistance Program (SSA) 

If you are financially distressed and can no longer afford your home or investment property in Arizona and are pursuing a short sale, you may be eligible for financial help with your relocation to alternative housing!

 

The funds come from the Arizona Department of Housing’s Save Our Home AZ program, part of the Short Sale Assistance Program (SAA).

 

Arizona Housing is making this transition assistance available to low- to moderate-income homeowners who may be eligible. You must:

 

·         Apply for the funds while actively engaged in a short sale before you complete the transaction.

·         Maintain their property until their house is sold.

 

For those who qualify, these state funds may be in addition to any transition assistance you may receive as a result of participation in the Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives (HAFA) program or any other pre-offer short sale program!!(Bank of America just came out with a program last week where you can get up to $30,000 for completing a short sale!!)

 

To find out more about the Short Sale Assistance Program and how your homeowners may qualify, visit the program’s website at http://www.azhousing.gov/. You can also direct your clients to call MyPadAZ’s Arizona Foreclosure Hotline at 623.252.3234 and identify themselves as Bank of America customers seeking SSA.
If you have questions, first contact your short sale specialists at MyPadAZ or by sending an email here

For urgent needs (such as a foreclosure postponement) or for escalation beyond your short sale team lead, contact MyPadAZ Short Sale Customer Care at 623.252.3234. 

Visit the Bank of America Underwater Homeowner’s Resource Center at http://www.arizonarealestateshortsalesphoenixaz.com/bank-of-america-short-sales/ for educational guides, news and resources to help you complete a short sale with Bank of America.  
May 19 2012

Bank of America offering Underwater homeowners up to $30,000 to short sale

Bank of America Increases Relocation Assistance Payments to Customers Completing Preapproved Price Short Sales

Short Sales Provide Alternative to Foreclosure for Delinquent Borrowers Who Have Exhausted or Declined Home Retention Solutions

 

SCOTTSDALE, Arizona. – Adding to its foreclosure prevention initiatives, Bank of America has launched a nationwide program that offers delinquent mortgage customers increased assistance with relocation expenses – between $2,500 and $30,000 – at the completion of a qualifying short sale.

 

“Bank of America is committed to providing alternatives to foreclosure whenever possible,” said Bob Hora, home transition services executive for Bank of America. “This program can help customers make a planned transition from ownership when home retention options have been exhausted or they have made a decision not to keep the home.”

 

The short sale relocation assistance program builds on the bank’s already robust short sale initiatives, which led to 200,000 completed short sales in the last two years and another 30,000 in the first quarter of 2012. This program is based on a similar incentive offer that Bank of America tested in Florida last year.

 

To qualify for the enhanced relocation assistance payments under the new program, the seller must work proactively with the bank to obtain a preapproved sales price prior to submitting a purchase offer to the bank. A short sale must be initiated by the end of this year and close by September 26, 2013, to be eligible for the payment. Qualifying short sales that have already been started but have not closed may be eligible for the relocation assistance.

 

The amount of assistance provided under the new program will be determined on a case-by-case basis using a calculation that includes the value of the home, amount owed and other considerations.

 

Initially, the program will be offered on mortgages that are owned and serviced by Bank of America.

 

While available nationally, Bank of America anticipates greatest response to the program will come from borrowers in California, Nevada, Arizona, Florida and other states hardest hit by the economic downturn and falling property values.

 

Customers who believe they may be eligible for Bank of America’s short sale relocation assistance program may contact program specialists at 623.252.3234.

 

To help homeowners understand the short sale process and other foreclosure avoidance programs, we encourage you to visit the Home Transition Services website at: Arizona Bank of America Short Sales for Money.

 

 

 
May 16 2012

Bank of America Short Sale Relocation Assistance Program Offers Up To $30,000 For Underwater Homeowners

Bank of America Short Sale Relocation Assistance Program.

You could receive $2,500 to $30,000 in relocation assistance!!!

Your financially distressed clients want to avoid foreclosure. You want to help them. So do we!

That’s why Bank of America is excited to announce that for a limited time, we are offering enhanced relocation assistance payments in which qualified homeowners who initiate a short sale without an offer could be eligible to receive $2,500 – $30,000* in relocation assistance and owe no more on their mortgage with the sale of their property.

Don’t miss this limited-time offer to get your distressed clients the help they need by initiating a preapproved price short sale today at agent.equator.com.

Determining your clients’ eligibility is easy:

The homeowner must participate in one of the preapproved price short sale programs, such as HAFA (Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives) or Bank of America’s proprietary program. Specific investor participation and eligibility criteria do apply to these programs.

Have an active preapproved price short sale? Don’t worry.

Bank of America is reviewing all current, in-process preapproved price short sale agreements to determine who is eligible for this limited-time offer. Eligible homeowners actively participating in a preapproved price short sale program (such as HAFA or Bank of America’s proprietary program) will receive a letter if they qualify for the additional relocation assistance. The relocation assistance will be paid at closing.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: How can I find out if my client qualifies for this limited time offer?

A: Call a Bank of America short sale specialist at 1.866.880.1232 Monday – Friday 8 a.m. – 10 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Eastern.

Q: Do I have to do anything special when initiating or completing the short sale?

A: No. But act quickly by initiating the short sale at agent.equator.com. This is a limited-time offer that your clients won’t want to miss out on.

Q: If a short sale is initiated with an offer, will it qualify for this relocation assistance?

A: No. This relocation assistance is only available on preapproved price short sale programs. Short sales initiated at the time an offer is received do not qualify for the enhanced relocation assistance funds.

Q: Will the relocation assistance funds be reported on the HUD-1?

A: Yes, funds received at closing will be documented on the HUD-1, and a 1099-MISC will be issued.

Q: Can the relocation assistance funds be used to pay off existing liens?

A: Yes, the homeowner may use funds to pay off existing liens or to help with relocation expenses.

Q: Is the relocation assistance added to any other incentives, such as the HAFA or Bank of America proprietary program incentives?

A: The homeowner incentive will be inclusive of the $3,000 HAFA incentive. For example, if the homeowner is eligible for a $5,000 homeowner incentive, $3,000 will be from the HAFA incentive, and $2,000 will be from the homeowner incentive.

Q: Is the enhanced relocation assistance available for other programs?

A: Currently, the enhanced relocation assistance is only available to short sale programs initiated without an offer. However, as we gauge the success we may extend this incentive to other programs.

Apr 18 2012

Phoenix Market Trends Report through March 2012

Following the trends of the past 2 years, March saw a significant increase in the number of sales that closed compared to the prior month in Phoenix. Last month saw an increase of 22.1% over February. That followed a 12.6% increase in the prior month. The number remains impressively high in light of the continued shrinking inventory.

For buyers and investors in Phoenix, this means that competition for homes continues to be very high. We are seeing more and more situation where there are double-digit offers on a single home.

This means inventory remaining on the market, and continued competition for value-priced properties. We MUST continue to carefully work TOGETHER to understand the market AND to understand how we can compete with the market demand and other buyers right now.

We have been watching a statistic very carefully here in Phoenix to determine if the increase in average sales prices was just a blip or a trend. From all indications, we can now see a trend, and that we hit the bottom of the market in August. Since then, we have seen a 20.8% increase in the average sales price. March saw an 8.97% increase over the month of February. This is the highest price we have seen in Phoenix since June of 2010! The average sales price increased from $172,603 to $188,088.

It is absolutely critical that we are aware of this shift in the Phoenix real estate market.

New Phoenix home sale listings were up 7%, which is generally normal for March. However, it was still the 4th lowest month in the past 36 for new listings to come on the market.

If you have any questions about real estate investing in Phoenix or Arizona, please send me a quick message.

Apr 5 2012

Silver down as Dollar is propped up by Euro problems, but QE coming

News from the BRIC nations this week. News from the Federal Reserve… QE…..Spain…When will the madness end? Dollar again propped up in short term by Euro problems, but fundamentals point to a coming implosion of silver and gold prices. Bernanke breaks bread this week with Wall Street Bankers.

Feb 29 2012

Greece Credit Ranking Downgrade Shoots Silver Up

Last week Greece was bailed out and investors took over 50% losses on Greek bonds. This week their credit ranking is downgraded and silver skies!

So it just so happens i get tires right next door to a coin shop. I go in and shoot the shit with the owner while I wait on my tires. I’m there about 30 minutes. 5 people come in to buy silver, one person comes into sell silver, and one person comes in with some junk to check the silver content in some old household items(which with a milisecond glimpse the owner told them was plated and worth it’s good old utility value..) My point is that it is crazy how backwards the psychology of the market is on Main St. People go crazy and buy when prices go up and they get scared and sell when things get more affordable. Don’t do this!! :)

 

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