If a lender writes off debt in a short sale, it’s considered a “taxable event,” and the lender tells the IRS about the transaction by submitting a “Form 1099-C, Cancellation of Debt” at the end of the year. Sellers must acknowledge the “Cancellation of Debt” amount when they fill out their federal taxes. Through Dec. [...]
Banks And Short Sales … Better or Worse
October 21, 2011 By
Short sales getting easier? Some sellers are reporting that banks are now not only more willing to consider a short sale, but are even offering incentives to complete a short sale. A seller in Chicago says his lender approved his short sale and then gave him a $20,000 check after the deal was finalized for selling [...]
Short Sales … Is Waiting Worth The Frustration
September 29, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Short sale transactions are becoming less popular among real estate buyers. Buying a short sale may offer a huge bargain – sale prices average 27% lower than non-distressed properties. First-time buyers say the processing delays are not worth the trouble and frustration. First-time buyers’ share of all short sales dropped to 39.7% of transactions in [...]
Fixed Rate Mortgages Rise To 4.91%
April 15, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Rates on 30-year fixed mortgages rose for the fourth straight week, but still remain below 5%. Thursday the average rate on the 30-year loan rose to 4.91% from 4.87% the previous week. The average rate on the 15-year fixed mortgage increased to 4.13% from 4.10%. The number of properties repossessed by banks jumped nearly 13% [...]
- Condo Associations Gain Abandoned Units
October 6, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Shortly after winning a lawsuit against Wells Fargo that claimed the bank purposely delayed foreclosure proceedings on a condominium unit for more than a year, a Pompano Beach condominium association was been awarded title to the unit without owing a dime on the original $184,400 mortgage. Many condominium and homeowners associations across Florida suffer financial [...]
- Foreclosures Delayed In 23 States By BOA
October 4, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Bank of America is delaying foreclosures in 23 states as it examines whether it rushed the foreclosure process for thousands of property owners without reading the documents. The move adds the nation’s largest bank to a growing list of mortgage companies whose employees signed documents in foreclosure cases without verifying the information in them. Bank [...]
- Bill Should Accelerate Short Sales
September 17, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Property owners underwater on their mortgage may find relief through a bill strongly supported by the National Association of Realtors®. The bill, if passed by Congress and signed by President Obama, would force lenders to respond to a short sale request within 45 days. The legislation, H.R. 6133, ‘Prompt Decision for Qualification of Short Sale [...]
- Short Sales – A Slow Process
September 16, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Despite industry and the federal government efforts to make short sales (transactions in which the lender agrees to accept less than the mortgage amount owed by the owner) easier and more quickly accomplished, improvements are coming up short. In some cases, the difference between the two numbers is being forgiven by the mortgage lender. In others, [...]
- More Foreclosures Could Fuel Further Price Declines
September 15, 2010 By Leave a Comment
More foreclosures could move onto the market as borrowers fall out of the government’s loan-modification program. That, coupled with weak demand could lead to lower home prices across the board. Over the past two years, the pattern has become clear … the more homes that are being sold by lenders, the faster prices will fall. [...]
- Lenders Utilize Deeds-In-Lieu To Clear Inventory
June 30, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Thanks to new federal programs that offer cash incentives, numberous lenders are turning to deeds-in-lieu as the best solution for underwater borrowers willing to turn over their properties. It’s cheaper for lenders to do deeds-in-lieu because it gives them overnight control of the property. With mortgage rates at less than 5%, lenders believe that they [...]
- Walking Away From Underwater Mortgage – Survey Says
May 21, 2010 By Leave a Comment
More than 40% of home owners with a mortgage say they would consider abandoning an “underwater” property, according to a national online survey released Thursday. The study conducted this month by Harris Interactive for real estate firms Trulia and RealtyTrac touched on a topic that affects many South Floridians. More than 371,000 homes in Palm [...]
- Lenders To Be Rated By Federal Government
April 30, 2010 By Leave a Comment
The Treasury Department is planning to rate mortgage companies on how they treat their customers as part of the Obama administration’s $75 billion foreclosure relief effort. The new report will include measurements of how each company is handling borrowers and is expected by July. More than 100 companies are taking part in the program, which [...]
