"You've Caught the NET!"

POOR PROSPECTS FOR NEAR-TERM HOUSING MARKET TURNAROUND? SELLERS TO BLAME?

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 09:37:47 -0500

Have you read all the news?

The U.S. Economy is improving. Indicators are positive. Unemployment Rates, both across the U.S. and here in Chicago, are down. Optimism is building.

So why is the Housing Market in Chicago still floundering? According to some, the attitude of Home Sellers may hold the key!

Last week, in an article posted by Chicago Tribune Real Estate Columnist Mary Umberger, Mary interviewed Syracuse University Professor Gary Engelhardt. Mr Englehardt seemed confounded by the continued negative attitude of today's home sellers, as well as those homeowners contemplating whether or not they should sell.

According to a study recently completed by the Research Institute for Housing America, and the Mortgage Bankers Association, 80 percent of those surveyed felt now is a good time to buy a home.

Polling home sellers, however, provided a far different answer. Today, only an estimated seven percent feel now is a good time to put their home on the market to sell! During better days in the real estate market, as recently as 2005, as many as 60% of home sellers harbored positive feelings about selling their homes.

Across the U.S., the inventory of homes for resale by individuals (not by banks who foreclosed on them) is down more than 20% over the past year. Perhaps, Englehardt says, many prospective home sellers don't believe it is in their best interest to sell at this time.

Many, of course, are under water, owing more on their outstanding mortgage balance than their homes are worth today. (Depending on which Chicago Neighborhood or Suburb you are looking at, as many as 42% of homeowners may now be under water, according to National Association of Realtors estimates). Most homeowners do not have the bring to closing to pay the deficit - even those who can bridge the mortgage gap are unwilling to do so.

Others may still have not gotten realistic as to the value of their home in today's market. Indeed, several Dean's Team clients refuse to realize that their home's value may be far lower than what they originally perhaps over a decade ago. Comparable property pricing from even a year ago still is higher than the market bears today.

Many say they are waiting for price levels to improve, according to Engelhardt. But that wait will likely be a long one, as many project. The Mortgage Bankers Association sees essentially flat pricing over the next couple of years, as a "shadow inventory" of low-priced, distressed and bank-owned homes lay in wait to hit the market.

But when the market eventually sees higher pricing, or when sellers are forced into selling by family or financial circumstances, will the number of potential buyers still be as strong? Hard to predict, he says.

What might turn things around? Englehardt points to the obvious - the number of underwater buyers has to decline, the employment picture has to improve, along with salary levels. So does the general level of optimism that better times lie ahead.

It seems, however, that these changes are likely to come slowly. Here in the Chicago Neighborhoods and Suburbs our Real Estate Team serves, we're seeing a pick up of homes and condos under contract. But those selling are doing so at low prices, and many of these sellers have Short Sales - often the only way out when you owe more on the mortgage than your home is likely to sell for.

Please connect to our post today via BlogChicagoHomes.com.

DEAN and DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO

AFRAID? VERY AFRAID? FEAR STILL PARALYZING MANY HOME BUYERS!

Sun, 16 Oct 2011 22:37:22 -0400

Hope you enjoyed the weekend, folks! Nice, but a bit cool and breezy, here in Chicago.

Here in the Chicago Real Estate Market Dean's Team works most frequently, prospective home buyers calling from all sources - referrals, property ads, and the Internet - generally ask one question FIRST as it pertains to their home search -

WHERE CAN I FIND A STEAL!

Our own perception, often times, is that most new buyers we encounter aren't just looking for a "Good Deal." They are looking for the "Steal of the Century!"

Most of these prospective buyers have little money down. Some have Average or Below Average Credit. But those who have stronger credit credentials, and more cash - they want even more of a STEAL!

Everyone considering any kind of real estate these days believes Home Sellers, so desperate to sell, will happily give their homes away. Some have had the unpleasant experience of selling their own home at far less than they ever would have recently imagined, and hold less equity in hand to buy their new home. Falling short of simple retribution, many feel they can more than make up their own losses when they buy a replacement property.

Others see the over-the-top inventory of Short Sale and Bank Owned Properties at deeply-discounted properties. Not understanding the complications often involved with buying distressed properties, and their often below-average condition, dream-filled buyers see even stronger savings to be had by shooting a Lowball Offer on one of these homes.

Virtually all buyers see a lack of urgency in making a commitment to buy quickly, as they see a continued-weak economy, high unemployment, and so many homes from which to choose due to high for-sale inventory levels likely to drive home prices down even further in the near and mid term.

Chicago Tribune Real Estate Writer Mary Umberger, in Tribune article from October 7th, interviewed two established real estate practitioners from a large national franchise - one the CEO of this 2,500-office Real Estate Brokerage Franchise, and also the President of a Franchise Brokerage in the Western Suburbs of Chicago.

Both professionals see the Chicago Real Estate Market continuing flat through 2012. The National Association of Realtors predict very low increases in both number of properties sold and average sales price - around 2% - through next year, nationally. Across the U.S., home sales improved during the Second Half, 2011, versus the same period in 2010, but First Half, 2011 prices were weak, resulting in similar, slow growth predicted for the balance of this year.

The Franchise CEO sees increased interest in properties at the very high and very low end of the pricing spectrum, with home sales in the middle tiers being squeezed the most. The interviewed broker, as well as our own Team, sees an uncharacteristically-weak early Fall season.

Indeed, some of our buyer inquiries seem to be just "testing the waters" right now - despite very attractive home and condo prices here in Chicago and the Suburbs, and near-record-low Mortgage Interest Rates, still around 4% for a 30-Year Fixed Rate Loan, with some 15-Year Fixed and Adjustable Rate Loans even more affordable, for those who qualify.

Some we personally speak with indicate concerns over their own job security. Like in 2010, many want to make sure they don't receive a "pink slip" over the holidays and plan to put off their final home buying decision until after the New Year. Others see prices continuing to slide downward next year, and don't want to pay too much, then see their likely purchase price erode over the next few months.

A few have questioned whether the U.S. Mortgage Interest Deduction, and its thousands of dollars in annual tax benefits, will continue as The Fed struggles to cut the national debt. Most agree, however, that a radical change to this cherished deduction seems unlikely - especially before the next Presidential Election.

Others see their next home purchase likely to be a long-term stay. Skeptical buyers, who, in better times, moved up every couple of years as their own financial and family situations improved, are fearful the next home they buy might have to last them and their families quite a bit longer. They hesitate to jump at one of the first places they see.

When will greater stability come? It's difficult to see! Short term, those with cash will buy at low prices, pushing values down even more. Upgrading buyers will have less equity to invest in bigger, more expensive homes, muddying their sales future.

But no one can predict what any unpredicted, positive change to the economy, and jobs outlook, will do to continued-high housing inventory levels, and its impact on consumer confidence to buy.

So, for now, buyer hesitation continues. Unless . . .

Please read our post today via BlogChicagoHomes.com.

DEAN MOSS & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO

The "MAGIC BULLET"! Will ONE BIG THING Turn The Housing Market Around?

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 11:30:56 -0400

Morning, Folks!

Here in IL, the rate of Home Foreclosures continues to drop. According to Ivrine CA-based Realty Trac, as discussed in the August 11th edition of the Chicago Tribune, all foreclosure activity fell 3.5% in July versus June, 2011, and stands nearly 46% lower than July, 2010. According to the Realty Trac Report, one in every 498 homes has some sort of foreclosure action filed against it in court.

Still, in the North and Northwest Sides of Chicago Neighborhoods Dean's Team Chicago works extensively, we're often met with one out of every two properties for sale in some sort of financial distress - either in foreclosure, or at pre-foreclosure, as a Short Sale, where the seller owes more than the home is being sold for. The problem seems more acute in certain, once-hot, neighborhoods adjacent to those many consider most desirable, and for condominiums.

For example, one popular condo building in the North Side Chicago Neighborhood of Rogers Park has nearly all of its units priced below their outstanding mortgage balances, and those in this building that have closed actually sold for 45% of their original asking prices when the older building was converted to condos in 2004!

So, here we sit, approaching the Third Quarter, 2011, and most in the know about Chicago Real Estate have little clue as to what is going to be the Magic Bullet to eventually turn our Real Estate Market around.

Mortgage Interest Rates continue to remain low - often times, approaching 4.0%, for those with strong credit and large down payments or re-fi equity. Choices abound, even in the most chic Chicago Neighborhoods and Suburbs. And many sellers, very motivated to sell - are willing to cut a bargain nearly unthinkable a few years ago.

But concerns among potential buyers persist! Are they getting the best deal? Will prices continue to trend even lower? Will I still have a job when the closing rolls around? What happens when banks release the thousands of new foreclosed properties they are holding on their books?

And, one that seems the most scary to those of us working in Real Estate - is Chicago Real Estate still a good investment? (Of course, we contend, Real Estate is THE BEST INVESTMENT, long term - having a place to live is non-negotiable!)

Most practitioners and industry experts agree - the non-stop-appreciation Glory Days of a few years ago are likely not to return soon. But, at some point, in an improving economy, with an improving employment outlook, a stable housing market likely WILL come back.

What say you? WHEN? And what will be the one "Magic Bullet" to bring the Chicago Real Estate Market back?

Please share what you think!

Read our post today via BlogChicagoHomes.com.

DEAN & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO

MANY HOME SELLERS STILL DREAMING OF A HIGH SALE PRICE!

Fri, 29 Apr 2011 00:22:23 -0400

Here in Chicago, and in most Chicago Suburbs, Average Home Sales Prices have fallen considerably since their zenith in mid-2006 - nearly 5 years ago. In some Chicago Neighborhoods, in the experience of our Team members, condo prices are one-third of what they were during those "buy at any price" days. Many single family homes have shed 40% or more of their potential cost versus the housing boom here.

On the surface, it seems, many home sellers have gotten the message, and are willing to lower their prices - often substantially - to meet the new market and sell their homes in a timely fashion. Even so, many of today's buyers still feel homes they are considering are overpriced - some by as much as 20%!

The findings come from a new survey just released by HomeGain, a company which sells names of prospective home sellers, generated through their Internet Marketing Programs, to Real Estate Brokers and Agents across the U.S. Chicago Tribune Reporter Mary Umberger discussed the company's findings in the April 8th edition of The Trib.

Is this counter-intuitive, perhaps? Wouldn't it make more sense for home sellers, tired of the continuing declining market in many Neighborhoods throughout Chicago and the Suburbs, to understand the necessity of pricing right? Doesn't it seem reasonable that prospective home buyers see these newfound discounted homes as true values, swapping them up quickly?

Not according to the HomeGain survey, apparently!

Of nearly 750 Real Estate Agents surveyed nationwide, responding agents indicated that 76% of the owners they eventually contracted with to sell their homes thought their listing price was too low.

The HomeGain Survey also polled 1,600 potential home buyers. They found that 69% of them still thought most homes on the market were overpriced. Of those, 33% thought they listed homes they viewed were as much as 10% too high. Another third felt their viewed homes were too high by as much as 20%!

The drumbeat of the media tells home buyers bargains abound, and, indeed, many of our Team's prospective buyers say they are looking for an "incredible bargain" when they buy.

However, far too many sellers feel trapped in a too-high price range. The high-leverage financing many took out several years ago has left them underwater and owing far more than their homes current market value. Often, their only options - not selling at a price a buyer would likely pay, completing a "Short Sale," where the bank approves a sale for less than the outstanding mortgage balance, or simply walking away, and letting the home fall into foreclosure.

Further, according to the survey, many Real Estate Professionals feel housing may continue its price slide through 2011. However, 17% of agents surveyed felt home values in their home neighborhoods might actually increase a bit in the short term.

Most in the know agree that the expiration of the Federal Home buyer Tax Credit, exactly one year ago this Saturday, had a chilling effect for many home buyers. Without the incentive to "buy now," it appears as if many home buyers are sitting on the sidelines. Some see buying a house now as a declining-value risk, while others see the possibility of facing home price distress down the road if the Real Estate Market here does not turn around.

In all, the results are very confounding, at a time when Mortgage Interest Rates remain historically low, and qualified home buyers can pick up a house in a desirable Chicago Neighborhood or Suburb for a fraction of Housing Boom prices.

See our post today via BlogChicagoHomes.com.

DEAN & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO

WORLD CRISES DRIVE DOWN U.S. T-BILL YIELDS - AVERAGE MORTGAGE RATES FOLLOW TO NEAR-HISTORIC LOWS!

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 22:41:32 -0400

Despite what appears to be a spotty recovery in the Chicago Real Estate Market, rates for the money to buy real estate here is still near historic lows. With last weeks natural disasters in Japan, and turmoil in Libya, average interest rates seem to be falling once again.

Last week, statistics compiled by U.S. Mortgage Investor and Guarantor, Freddie Mac, as reported in the March 17th Los Angeles Times, showed average 30-year rates nationwide falling to 4.76%, from 4.88% the previous week. Those with excellent credit credentials and strong down payments - in excess of 20% down - are seeing even better rates. In some cases, these new low rates are approaching just slightly higher than 4.5%.

Average 15-Year Fixed Rate Loans, according to Freddie Mac, are even lower - 3.97%. Points and fees average 0.7% of the loan balance.

Some home borrowers are considering adjustable rate loans once again - those made popular during the housing boom a few years ago. Last week, a Five-Year Adjustable-Rate Mortgage (ARM) started out at 3.57%, after which the rate adjusts annually. Some consider this a risk they would not want to take, however - especially given the relative security of low-interest fixed-rate loans.

Typically, Mortgage Interest Rates tend to get their lead from rates on 10-Year U.S. Treasury Bills. Before the earthquake and tsunami in Japan just over a week ago, average 10-year T-Bill rates were roughly 3.4%. Last Wednesday, March 16th, the rates were just over 3.2%.

These new low rates may be short lived, however. T-Bills ticked up a bit on St. Patrick's Day, March 17th, as a new report indicated U.S. Inflation is heating up a bit, fueled, in part, by higher gas prices. Middle East unrest is a partial culprit here.

Please see our post today via BlogChicagoHomes.com.

DEAN & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO

BEST REAL ESTATE BARGAINS THESE DAYS? PERHAPS . . . REO PROPERTIES!

Sun, 06 Feb 2011 23:17:42 -0500

Here in Chicago, in many neighborhoods and Suburban Chicago Communities, buyers are king! Especially those with lotsa cash, or stellar credit.

And what are these buyers looking for, gang!

BARGAINS, of course! They want to save a lot of money. In our clients' recent jargon, "I wanna steal da joint!" (Remember, this is Chicago after all - many still talk this way!)

So, many call our Chicago Real Estate Team, asking for a list of Short Sale Properties - those properties where the owners are selling for less than they owe on their mortgage. Problem here, most of the time, the bank takes their sweet time to consider and approve these sales. And, more often than not, they are disapproved!

Some bargain hunters head to the Cook County Chancery Court, and try to pick up a bargain at the Sheriff's Sale. Often times, potential buyers bid too little, and the bank representative outbids them to revert the property to the lending bank.

A higher percentage of success?

Properties that have already reverted to bank ownership - completed foreclosures, known in the business as REO's, for Real Estate Owned by banks - might offer a greater chance of closure, however.

As reported by Patricia Mertz Esswein of Kipplinger News, as syndicated in the Chicago Tribune, lenders are quite anxious to unload REO Properties they acquire, and price them very low to attract a quick buyer. Often, however, many bank-owned REO Properties sell in multiple offers, at higher than asking price.

Further, some bank-owned properties are in above-average condition - we at Dean's Team Chicago just sold a two-bedroom ranch home in the Norwood Park Neighborhood on the Northwest Side of Chicago in which the bank remodeled the kitchen and baths, upgraded the plumbing and electrical systems, and freshly painted the home to generate peak interest. Our buyer purchased at a sizable discount, and was able to close quickly.

In contrast, many of the short sale properties our Chicago Real Estate Team has put under contract recently have taken up to one year to close, with considerable back-and-forth negotiation with the bank. Often, the seller pays a higher price than originally offered, and the closing date is unpredictable. In several cases, the short-sale lenders have ultimately rejected good offers, at a fair price, after a protracted negotiation. Buyers get frustrated and walk away, and the distressed seller often ends up in foreclosure.

A national compiler of Foreclosure and Pre-Foreclosure Data, RealtyTrac.com, estimates that lenders presently hold over 950,000 REO Properties, but that less than a third are presently on the market. Lenders continue to hold back some REO supply, rather than dump hundreds of foreclosures on local real estate markets already struggling to rebound.

On the flip side, for bargain-seeking investors, the REO backlog suggests an ample supply of low-priced real estate will continue to flow to market for months to come.

Please see our post today via BlogChicagoHomes.com.

DEAN & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO

Lil' Buddy's Blog - Please, Chicago Dog Owning Humans! Leash Us Dogs!

Thu, 06 Jan 2011 22:14:22 -0500

THE CHICAGO REAL ESTATE MARKET, AND OTHER THINGS CHICAGO, FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF A LITTLE WHITE DOG!

Hey, you dogs! Happy New Year, 2011. Another year, and I'm still a Lil' White Dog! Can you believe it?

You know, as my Lil' Sister, Gracie Ella Moss, and I walk each morning through the South Edgebrook Neighborhood of Chicago, where we live. we're a little peeved at those who let their dogs walk off-leash.

That's against the law here in Chicago! I know it. You know it. And the errant human dog owner knows it!

But, sadly, some persist!

The other day, some careless human's 65-pound Pit Bull Terrier nearly ate Gracie for breakfast! Thankfully, her always-shrill bark kept that wolf at bay! (As for me, I just ran behind the safety of my Human Daddy Dean's leg!)

As reported today in the Chicago Tribune by Reporter Jon Weigel, humans have to remember, no matter how cute and well-behaved we might be . . . we're still DOGS! It just might be too tough to resist that squirrel running out in the street - and I, for one, do NOT want to be hit by a passing car!

What about those overly-friendly big, big dogs who put their paws over any human's shoulders when saying hello? Or those unleashed dogs that, quite simply, aren't very sociable with us quiet, well-behaved dogs. Indeed, a possible disaster in the making!

Those long, retractable leashes can be a tripping hazard, and some people just don't like being jumped on by canines they are not familiar with.

And don't forget the possible legal liability issues if one of us dogs accidental bites someone! That could be lotsa trouble for the human owner who let their dog run free and unleashed.

Pet Behavior Expert Steve Dalerecommends taking your dog to a dog park - like Wiggly Field in the Lakeview Neighborhood of Chicago - to roam free. Here, there is a better opportunity for control, and less neighborhood-wide roaming.

And, speaking for the dogs here in the South Edgebrook Neighborhood, on Mason and Marmora Avenues, we kind of like being attached to a leash. They actually make us feel most connected to the humans we love.

So please, you dogs! Get your humans to latch you up. OK!

Be safe!

Please read my post today via BlogChicagoHomes.com.

YOUR ACE REPORTER ON FOUR PAWS,

BUDDY HOLLY MOSS & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO

2011 HOUSING RECOVERY? TIGHTER LENDING RULES MIGHT STYMIE HOUSING TURNAROUND THIS YEAR!

Wed, 05 Jan 2011 13:14:25 -0500

For Home Buyers and Real Estate Practitioners alike, 2010 offered the opportunity to buy real estate, in Chicago and elsewhere, at prices not seen in ten years or more. Mortgage Interest Rates, in some cases, down near 4%.

Here in Chicago, and in most Chicago Suburbs, home prices have declined by as much as 50% in some neighborhoods over the past three years. Incredible values can be found, for those with good credit credentials, income, and solid down payment.

But many potential homebuyers are still very concerned about their chances for keeping their job, as unemployment here in IL has topped 10.5%. They read the press, see predictions of home prices continuing to tumble, and wait on the sidelines.

Now, new Federal Regulations being finalized in Washington may make mortgage loan requirements even more stringent. As reported by Chicago Tribune Reporter Mary Ellen Podmolik, yet-to-be-finalized provisions of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, proposed requirements in the act will require mortgage lenders to hold at least five percent of the loans they originate, rather than selling the loans off entirely.

The objective here is to discourage risky investment practices. But, as a practical matter, many experts fear new rules might quash mortgage lending to all but those with strong, solid down payments. Some banks would call these high-down-payment loans "Qualified Residential Mortgages, or QRM's".

If banks make loans not qualifying under the definition of QRM, they will likely impose higher fees and stricter underwriting guidelines. And many first time homebuyers - those driving the Real Estate Market the last couple of years - may lack the funds to qualify.

Smaller community banks, who rely on local loans to many first time buyers may be most vulnerable to lost business - more vulnerable than larger banks with deeper pockets.

If such smaller banks fail, less competition for mortgage loans could result in less of an ability by consumers to shop around, along with the possibility of higher fees for everyone.

Couple these stricter guidelines for conventional loans with proposed increases in fees for FHA Loans, and those backed by Giant U.S. Mortgage Investors and Guarantors Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and new guidelines might just dampen a 2011 Housing Recovery, just at a time many are hoping such a recovery can continue.

Please see our post today via BlogChicagoHomes.com.

DEAN MOSS & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO

1-1-11 - A NEW YEAR, AND A NEW BEGINNING!

Sat, 01 Jan 2011 22:42:01 -0500

Saw an old rerun of Star Trek Enterprise the other night. About 2AM - on some out-of-town cable channel.

Not talking about the content of the Enterprise episode itself - only the Theme Song, "Faith of the Heart," sung by a fellow named Russell Watson -

"It's Been A Long Time, Getting from There to Here. It's Been a Long, Time . . . But My Time is Finally Near . . ."

2010 was a Crazy Year for me, my Chicago Real Estate Team, and my family.

A somewhat-resurgent year for us in terms of Real Estate revenue, despite the Chicago Real Estate Market continuing downward!
A re-committed Team, with a New Attitude, and Refined Goals!
A successful recovery, from the brink of financial near-disaster!
An incredible opportunity to Train and Mentor Others, as a new Associate Trainer for my Mentor Floyd Wickman, and his outstanding Team!
And, thanks to the magic of Facebook and other Social Media, made important re-connections past friends and co-workers. Indeed, these re-established connections have made an important, completely unexpected impact on my business, and my personal life!

Last year, for days - no, weeks - I would sit back taking it all in. Fearful of the changes. Taking them all in, and, at times, being paralyzed by the negative side. The pain of the uncertainty.

There were times, I now admit, it was difficult to focus on the positive. Namely, how my experiences handling adversity have brought me renewed strength to stand up to new adversities to undoubtedly come.

But, indeed, I have come to realize that ANY OF US can survive the tough times. All you need is the gumption, the resilience, the persistence- and the Faith - to stay the course, keep your standards high, and work hard, sometimes what seems to be unbearably hard, toward your goals.

I started my career as a Real Estate Practitioner 17 years ago. Our Team has enjoyed the sweet taste of success during the good times, and the more bitter pill of the handling fewer, and far more difficult, transactions, in recent months.

But . . . WE'RE STILL HERE! A bit tattered, but STILL HERE, while others have failed, and floundered, and fallen off the wagon!

Surviving adversity has given us the optimism to press onward. And the courage to plan for success that often follows what often seems like failure.

Indeed, what hasn't killed us, has made us stronger. Better! Far more skillful! And more prepared.

As I sit here - on 1-1-11 - I feel more empowered than I have for a long while - a couple of years, at least.

Because I have Faith of the Heart!

Indeed, "My Time is Finally Near!"

Is yours?

C'mon . . . let us know!

Visit our Chicago Real Estate Blog via BlogChicagoHomes.com.

DEAN MOSS & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO

FREEZE ON FORECLOSURES? POTENTIAL LONG-TERM CONSEQUENCES FOR HOUSING MARKET RECOVERY!

Tue, 12 Oct 2010 08:20:26 -0400

Depending on where you live in Chicago, Foreclosures and Short Sale Properties could make up as many as four out of ten Real Estate Transactions today. Unemployment locally, and across the nation, remains high. Credit standards remain tight. And thousands of homeowners have long given up on attempting to keep their house payments current.

In IL, completing the process of a lender acquiring a residential property by means of foreclosure can often take nine months to a year, sometimes longer. But now, alleged shady processing practices among many of the largest banks in the U.S. have put thousands of forecloses on hold. Indeed, as reported by AP Writer Michelle Conlin, and seen in the Chicago Tribune, big names under question for possible sloppy work include JP Morgan Chase, GMAC, PNC Bank, and the Bank of America.

Indeed, B of A has suspended foreclosures in all 50 states over allegations of forged documents, slipshod title work, and vanishing trails of required paperwork.

During the moratorium, the lenders will have to review thousands of foreclosures to make sure proper legal procedures have been followed. In states across the country (not in IL yet, however), attorneys general and other lawyers have filed class action suits against mortgage lenders, alleging mass mortgage fraud.

On the surface, distressed homeowners could view the foreclosure suspension as a bit of a reprieve. They would have more time to live in their homes before having to move on. If they elect not to pay their home mortgages in the meanwhile, they could use their saved money to pay other debt they may have accrued.

For potential home sellers, fewer foreclosures on the market now translate to fewer fire-sale-priced competitors. This might actually, short term, stabilize home prices in some areas, struggling with multi-year price declines, on average.

Longer-term implications are a bit more concerning, however.

These processing errors will eventually be corrected. The result could be a flood of foreclosed properties, at reduced prices, flooding the market months from now. Some experts fear this can stymie an already-fragile economic recovery, and keep home prices low for an extended period of time.

Banks insist that initiated foreclosure proceedings were brought only against those homeowners legitimately behind in their house payments. Even if that is true, however, if the actual foreclosure procedures are eventually deemed fraudulent, these processed foreclosures would have to be restarted again, from scratch.

One possible victim here would be those now purchasing foreclosed, bank-owned properties at a deep discount. Some Title Insurance Companies, including Stewart Title and Old Republic National, have stopped writing title insurance for properties held by banks thought to have engaged in sloppy processing practices. Without clear title, properties cannot be sold to potential homebuyers or investors.

Indeed, on Orlando FL Real Estate Agent points out that 40 of her over 200 listed foreclosed properties - 20% - are impacted by the Foreclosure Freeze. Of those, 12 are under contract, but are unable to close until their foreclosure processes are re-investigated.

Please see our post today via BlogChicagoHomes.com.

DEAN & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO

NEW LEAD PAINT LAW MEANS MORE SCRUTINY FOR CONTRACTORS RENOVATING OLDER HOMES!

Mon, 05 Apr 2010 10:58:40 -0400

Hope you enjoyed the Easter Holiday! In our family - perhaps also it yours - it seems like the Food Fest never ends!

Here in Chicago and in nearby Chicago Suburbs, hundreds, if not thousands, of single-family homes, condominiums, townhouses, and apartment buildings were built many years ago. Those beautiful Chicago Bungalows, Victorians, and American Four-Squares may contain lead-based paint and plaster, quite legal when those homes were built, many more than a century ago.

Across the U.S., the sale, manufacture, and distribution of Lead-Based Paint was banned over 30 years ago, in 1978. However, the 1970's-era ban did not eliminate the dangers of lead-based paint in older residences.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, as reported by Emily Udell in the Angie's List Magazine last month, there are 37.8 million homes and other facilities where children are regularly present which pre-date the lead paint ban. Although painted-over lead-based paint poses a limited danger if not disturbed, renovating these older homes - some dating back to before 1900 - could pulverize old lead paint, send it airborne, and create a hazard for those who breathe in the dust.

Although anyone can be poisoned by ingesting enough lead or lead dust, the danger is especially acute for small children. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta GA estimates a quarter of a million children under the age of 6 suffer from lead poisoning. The standard testing threshold - 10 micorgrams per deciliter of blood. Those with elevated levels of lead in their bloodstreams can experience future behavioral issues, and perhaps developmental disabilities.

The new EPA Law, effective April 22nd, requires all home remodeling contractors be certified in safe working practices around lead paint and plaster, if their work will involve more than six square feet on the interior, or 20 square feet on the exterior of any home. Older homes pose a far higher risk of disturbed lead paint turning into a fine, breathable dust - potentially hazardous.

According to the EPA, an estimated 212,000 firms and 236,000 people need lead certification in order to comply with the law. However, as of the publishing of Udell's post, only 817 companies and 13,669 individual contractors have gotten the required certification. Nationwide, the EPA has only slightly more than 130 certified lead-hazard trainers, although they contend their staffing level is adequate to train all involved.

The EPA fears that most contractors will not be aware of the upcoming new law, and will not take the special protection steps - including removing furniture from rooms undergoing renovation, posting warning signs, and putting up plastic sheeting to prevent airborne lead powder from traveling to other rooms in the house. They are concerned that independent handymen, and other firms not complying with the new rules, will routinely underbid compliant companies, and unwitting homeowners will not know the difference.

The new law also requires that certified contractors provide their homeowners with a new "Renovate Right" pamphlet before they start work.

Although the EPA feels that compliance with the new Lead Paint Laws will only add nominal costs to each renovation or remodeling project, some experienced contractors fear the new rules, which involve considerably strengthened record keeping, labor, and materials cost, as well as a more intensive clean up procedure after the job is done, could add hundreds of dollars to the cost of each project.

The new Lead Paint Law will include an "Opt Out" Provision for homeowners who live in the subject home, have no children under the age of six, and do not operate a day care center or other business frequented by young children. At their option, these homeowners may waive the obligation of their contractor to use lead-safe practices.

As you may imagine, debate is strong on either side of the issue, as the date of the new law to begin approaches later this month.

See our post today via BlogChicagoHomes.com.

DEAN & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO

Lil' Buddy's Blog - "Detection Dogs" Sniffing Things Out in Some Home Inspections!

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 01:01:51 -0400

THE CHICAGO IL REAL ESTATE MARKET, AND OTHER THINGS CHICAGO, FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF A LITTLE WHITE DOG!

Hey, you dogs!

This troubled U.S. Economy - High Unemployment (10.7% here in IL and across the Chicago Area) - has it impacted you? Hard? Having trouble making ends meet? Putting bones in the dish, so to speak?

I am relieved to say I am still the Customer Service Department for Dean's Team Chicago. When anyone has a beef, or if some of our less-trusting clients fail to see the value in our candid advice - I step in, sometimes bark a bit, and, more often than not, I set things straight for them.

But in case things ever get too tight here for me and my lil' sister, Gracie Ella Moss, we might be able to find new work in the Real Estate Business - as "Detection Dogs"!

As reported in the Angie's List Blog, with photos by Sara Cozolino, many inspectors are now employing specially-trained canines, some like you and me, to sniff out things like termites, bed bugs (ooooh . . . disgusting), mold behind walls, and even defective drywall.

Training for us dogs is tough - often, as many as 2,000 hours until we get certified. Then, in many states, we have to get re-certified once a year to do our job.

That's a lot of hard work, and considerable studying up, you dogs! But, if one of us dogs, with our ultra-sophisticated sense of sniff, is able to detect otherwise-hidden defects in a property a homeowner is considering, the savings to that prospective buyer, not to mention the headache, could be immeasurable!

The Angie's List Post follows a couple of Property Inspectors who employ trained detection dogs as routine. As of this writing, we know of no Chicago Area Home Inspectors who have hired such specially-trained canines. But the concept is strong, and the need is there.

So, perhaps soon, you'll be able to find a Home Inspector with a Detection Dog here in Chicago. Will this Lil' White Dog be one of them?

Well, that depends, I guess, on if Gracie and I need any additional bones to keep us adequately treated in the coming months!

Enjoy the weekend, you dogs!

Please read my post via BlogChicagoHomes.com.

YOUR ACE REPORTER ON FOUR PAWS,

BUDDY HOLLY MOSS & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO

Lil' Buddy's Blog - Some Chicago Coffeehouse Shun High-Speed Internet for Patrons!

Sun, 08 Aug 2010 21:51:59 -0400

THE CHICAGO IL REAL ESTATE MARKET, AND OTHER THINGS CHICAGO, FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF A LITTLE WHITE DOG!

Hey, you dogs! Have you been OK? I missed you all - have been on Dog Sabbatical, traveling to such exotic haunts as Livonia MI, Cincinnati OH, and Palatine IL.

I sure missed you - dog, human, or other species, and I am glad to be back!

Those of you who know me know I have few vices - The Chicago Cubs, Old Movies from the 1940's, Early Rock & Roll (especially songs from the late rocker I was named after).

And COFFEE! Java! Joe!

What? You're surprised a dog like me has taken up the caffeine habit? Well . . . hey, it beats smokin'! And the stuff helps keep me up when I am working late writing my blog posts, or servicing our Team's many clients.

But something crazy is going on at a couple of the Chicago Coffee Houses I frequent each week. It's so frustrating, even my normally-sedate friend Angus - my Boxer Bud from the Northwest Suburbs of Chicago - is getting a bit ticked!

It seems that some coffee houses - especially the smaller, independent ones - are pulling the plug on their High-Speed Internet Wi-Fi Connections!

Why?

Well, some folks settle down for a long while, milking a single cup of coffee, spreading out their laptop, notes, and accessories on a table that normally serves four, and camping out for the day! Some do work, but others spend the time checking Facebook, Tweeting on Twitter, or watching You Tube Video after You Tube Video.

And, as a dog who is also a successful businessman, I know this doesn't result in a lot of revenue to the coffee shops in question. It can reduce the revenue stream, actually, as Tweeters and Face Bookers commandeer tables that could be used by other, higher-ticket patrons.

As reported by Jessica Gyunn of the Los Angeles Times, as syndicated to The Chicago Tribune, many of the independent Java Houses began to offer free Wi-Fi several years ago to lure customers from Coffee King Starbucks, who used to charge for the service. Last month, Starbucks began offering Wi-Fi for FREE in most of its U.S. stores, and the competitive advantage the smaller shops offered began to lose its luster.

Customer reaction?

Ooooh . . . generally quite negative! However, as Jessica continues, many groups wanting to simply talk, rather than to surf, like the experience, as they can now more easily get table space to drink and chat. Some have defected to the now-free-Wi-Fi Starbucks, or competitive chains, such as Seattle's Best Coffee, who are ramping up their high-speed signals, and installing more electrical outlets throughout the store to accommodate power-hungry laptops.

As for me, my lil' sister Gracie Ella Moss, and the rest of us Chicago Blogging Dogs, no Wi-Fi in our favorite Coffee House is something we would have to get used to. I guess we'll have to do more work out of the Dean's Team World Headquarters, on the Mezzanine Level, on Montrose and Lincoln Avenues, in the Lincoln Square Neighborhood on the North Side of Chicago.

Or, perhaps we'll just pony up for one of those 4G WiMax Cards, and sit in the park, with the rest of you dogs, and type away.

That might not be a bad idea, you know. If we work more in the park, we won't have as far to travel if we have the urge to mark!

Have a productive week, you dogs! Tell your humans to relax a bit. Stay unplugged! And wake up and smell the coffee!

See my post today via BlogChicagoHomes.com.

YOUR ACE REPORTER ON FOUR PAWS,

BUDDY HOLLY MOSS & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO

IN CHICAGO, Foreclosures Impact Market Strongly, But Non-Distressed Homes Not Taking As Hard a Hit!

Sun, 08 Aug 2010 23:51:27 -0400

Chicago Neighborhoods, like most other Real Estate Markets across the U.S., has seen considerable home foreclosures over the past several years. The sheer number has brought down price medians in many Chicago Neighborhoods and Suburbs.

The price drops have not been lost at the office that assesses property taxes across Cook County - the county which includes the City of Chicago and many Chicago Suburbs. So far in 2010, the Cook County Tax Assessor has reassessed four Suburban Townships north of the city. Each of the four townships - Evanston, Barrington, Norwood Park, and Niles - have shown median price decreases of over 20%.

In Niles Township, immediately north of the Chicago City Limits, Tax-Assessed Values fell 20.4% for this triennial reassessment period. All data compiled in an article in last Friday's Chicago Tribune by Real Estate Reporter Mary Ellen Podmolik.

The assessed value changes are based on a read on the market as of January 1, 2010. Numbers for the First Quarter, 2010, from the Cook County Assessor's Office, show some moderation of price drops, however - especially among non-distressed homes for sale.

Indeed, single-family sold units for the First Quarter jumped 25.1% versus the First Quarter, 2009, while the median price of a home sold across Cook County fell a modest 1.1% versus the prior year.

Of the 8.092 single-family homes sold across Cook County for the year ending March 31, 2010, 35.2% were either foreclosed homes, owned by the bank, or properties nearing foreclosure, or short sale transactions, where the property is sold for less than the outstanding mortgage balance. The median price of these distressed properties - $88,500 - 21% less than one year earlier.

However, of the conventionally-sold properties - not in or near foreclosure - the number of units sold rose 49%, while the median sales price fell only 6.7%, to $231,000.

Cook County Assessor Data includes all homes where a sale is recorded - those sold by Real Estate Practitioners, and those sold privately, or For Sale By Owner. In the City of Chicago, the median price of a non-distressed single-family home fell 6.5% between 2009 and 2010, to $252,000. For Foreclosures and Short Sales, price medians fell 23.8%, to $80,000.

In the North and Northwest Suburbs of Cook County, price medians year over year fell 7.4% for homes in distress, to $150,000. In the South and West Cook County IL Suburbs, the median prices for distressed homes dropped 23.5% year over year, to $173,000.

Frank Lefor, a Senior Research Analyst at the Cook County Assessor's Office, in Podmolik's article, sees annual price declines, to be sure. But the figures are not quite as dire if your property is sold conventionally. Perhaps, he points out, good news for many homesellers, but bad news for the banks now owning or soon to own distressed properties across Chicago and the Chicago Suburbs.

Please see our post at BlogChicagoHomes.com.

DEAN MOSS & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO

BANK OF AMERICA - Who Are These Guys? And, Why Are They Killing My Short Sale Transactions?

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 19:04:29 -0400

Greetings from Chicago, folks!

Normally, I am not one to vent on this Public Forum. But, as the immortal actor Peter Finch made famous in the 1976 film, "Network," . . .

"I'm Mad As Hell, and I'm Not Going to Take It Anymore!"

Over the last two years, our Chicago Real Estate Team has closed roughly one dozen short sales, from banks, large and small, across the U.S.

Several accepted short sale transactions have not closed. In these situations, either the buyers have refused to wait for bank approval, or the seller simply threw in the towel and gave up, waiting for foreclosure to come.

Coincidentally, the unsuccessful transactions each had one commonality.

At least one of the loans involved was held by . . . you guessed it . . .

THE BANK OF AMERICA!

A good example of that Major Financial Institution's troubled priorities comes from one listing we have in the Southwest Suburbs of Chicago.

In multiple offers, the seller accepted an close to his asking price. With strong down payment. No home sale or close contingencies. No inspection issues. In other words, ULTRA-CLEAN!

The buyer was afirst-time homebuyer - and wanted to take advantage of the Fed $8,000 First Time Homebuyer Income Tax Credit. It seemed as if he had plenty of time!

The transaction chronology has proven most troubling -

July 6th - Contract Accepted by Seller

July 13th - Contract Submitted to Lender. It took nearly a week to get the proper fax number (no Overnight Delivery accepted, originally-provided fax number was incorrect, as well as a preliminary approval on my SELLER'S financial credentials completed).

July 14th - Receipt Generated by my fax machine indicated my 103-Page Fax was received by BOA.

July 21st - July 30th - Bank says they never received, they informed my that resending the fax again would only delay the process, and delivery by any other method was not an option at this point.

July 31st - I finally received a helpful clerk out of their Plano TX office, a Ms. M, providing an email address to which the package can be sent. "Don't tell nobody," she intoned. "Or I might get in trouble!"

August 4th - The BOA Automated System says my package is received - but don't call back until Thursday, September 17th - six weeks later - to check status, or my approval will be delayed.

August 5th -I called anyway. The package seemed complete, said the live clerk. However, since this is a Freddie Mac Loan, a special Loss Mitigator/Negotiator would have to be assigned, and these Negotiators are "Very, Very Busy, you know."

August 7th,11th, 13th, 18th, 20th, 25th, 27th, and September 1st - Essentially, the same story.

September 3rd - spoke with an another clerk. Remember the September 17th date. If no action by then, they will escalate the file to an EMERGENCY!

September 8th, 10th, 15th - Call back on the 17th, just like the automated message said.

September 17th - The bank JUST RECEIVED my package. I WAS IRATE- but had to bite my tounge, lest I incur the wrath of a low-paid clerk sending my file to the Shredding Department.

September 21st, 23rd, 25th - The File has Been ESCALATED - but "Please Be Patient," said the clerk. Emergency Escalation can take as much as 10 business days! (Geez - what happens if the building is on fire?)

September 28th - SUCCESS!A Loss Mitigator has been assigned - a Ms. Lambert, in Richardson, TX. I receive an office phone and an email. I call her, and receive a pleasant voice mail, she will call me back right away.

September 29th - no call, another voice mail. Same pleasant greeting!

September 30th, October 1st, October 2nd, October 5th, October 6th, October 7th - Twice each day, same greeting. Each day, another call to main BOA Short Sale number. They can't provide a supervisor. They can't provide an alternate number . . .

BECAUSE THIS REP HAS UP TO 15 BUSINESS DAYS TO RESPOND TO ME! Most, I am told by the gatekeeper clerk, take the full 15 days, some several days longer.

If I do not hear back within the allotted time. We can escalate to an EMERGENCY. Again - 10 more business days!

AND . . . Ms. Lambert is simply a Stage One Negotiator. A Stage Two Negotiator, with a bit more power and authority, will likely take another 30-45 Business Days to Respond, and another 30 Business Days to Approve, or Dis-approve!

Add up all the days, and the weeks - and this particular short sale will likely close sometime during April, 2010! Perhaps!

If the buyer waits that long, that is.

Because, if the buyer does ditch, they will have to start the process all over again, unless, at the Loss Mitigator's sole discretion, and, if the timing is perfect, we can substitute another offer.

Folks, many of the Short Sale Transactions I have worked on are difficult. Lengthy. But most eventually get done!

But Bank of America seems to make their transactions IMPOSSIBLE!

Their objectives, it seems - 1. Completely trash the seller's credit, and 2. Foreclose anyway!

This can't be just me! Have you had a similar experience with the venerable Bank of America?

Please share!

Extra points for a possible solution, or some devine inspiration, at this point!

DEAN & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO