There are now hundreds of thousands of families all across America facing foreclosure because they simply cannot afford their mortgage payments, or they owe far more than their house is currently worth. To make matters even worse, the Mortgage Bankers Association reports that approximately 50% of home owners who do lose their homes to foreclosure have never once contacted their lender.  That number was amazing to me, so I wanted to get some information out there to help homeowners avoid that loss. 

Ten tips to avoiding foreclosure:

1. Don’t ignore the problem, the longer you don’t do something the harder it is to recover.
   
2. Contact your lender as soon as you realize you  have a problem.  The lender does not want your house, they have options to help you through tough times.
   
3. Open and Respond to all mail from the lender.  Early on they can help, but the later you wait the more likely to find legal action  in the mailings.
   
4. Know your  mortgage rights.  Read over your papers from the lender.
   
5. Understand foreclosure prevention options. (also called loss mitigation) 
   
6. Contact a HUD approved  housing councilor.  Housing counselors can help you understand the law and your options, help with your finances and negotiations in you need.
   
7. Prioritize your spending.  After healthcare your house should be first priority.  Think of ways to trim the budget down and cut the fluff.
   
8. Use your assets.  Money or items you have been holding for a rainy day, this is that rainstorm.  Use it.
   
9. Avoid Foreclosure prevention companies.   Don’t pay a company large fees that may or may not be a legitimate business to help, use that money on the mortgage and find a HUD approved councilor that provide those services for free. 
   
10. Don’t lose your home to foreclosure recovery scams!  If they claim they can stop procedures immediately by signing letting them act on your behalf run the other way!   You could end up a renter in your own home.
    

If you or anyone you know my be headed towards foreclosure you do have options and there are people who want to help.  hopenow.com is a wonderful resource or the place I found these tips: www.hud.gov/foreclosure are great places to start.

Is your home ready for the cooler weather?

Did you know that air leaks make up 30-40% of your energy bill?  Not only costing you more, but causing moisture buildup which can lead to mold.

At first thought, you may think of your doors and windows as the source, however they only contribute to about 10-15% of home air seepage.  Most times there are simple ways to improve efficiency without replacing windows. 

The easiest way to find out if your home my could use some tightening up is to have an energy audit.  This includes a blower door test completed.  This is a large fan that mounts into a frame of an exterior door.  The fan then pulls air from the house to depressurize it.  Once this is done they will take a smoke pencil around the home that will signal as to where air is escaping. 

After this procedure, you and the auditor can discuss the best approach to address the leaks.  Sealing up your home not only helps save you money on your energy bills, makes your home more comfortable. This will also help with your overall indoor air quality by reducing the possibility of mold.  All of these are good things!

You’ll find the common leak culprits tend to be outlets, ceiling fixtures, and plumbing pipes coming into the wall.  For more info you can visit www.energy.com and search “energy audit” or I would be glad to put you in touch with local companies can answer your questions.  Here’s to everyone staying warm and cozy as winter approaches.

Going green with globes., originally uploaded by ballance5702.

A free public event that we are holding at our local Coldwell Banker Office on September 27th, from 10-1pm to educate the public about what it means to go green and be more energy efficient. Meet with EcoFriendly Professionals and learn ways to save yourself money. For more information or questions call me at 336-545-4643.

Turn off the T.V. and Radio when it comes to Greensboro Real Estate.......

You hear all the time on the news, on the radio, in the papers how housing market falls again.  This may be true on a national level, but what you must be aware of is that Real Estate is local by it’s nature, don’t allow the hype to scare you. North Carolina is the 6th     fastest growing state in the country with more than 9  million people according to the census bureau. The average sales price of a home Greensboro continues to rise along with a modest rise in homes appreciation in the area.  Guilford County homes have an     average days on market of 85 days and homes listed at market value are still selling at 97% of their list price!  Interest rates are still unbelievable low.  Did you know that the triad sits within 650 miles of half of the U.S. population and Forbes recently ranked Greensboro and Winston-Salem among the top business sites in the nation?  With FedEx and Honda Jet just two example look how much we are growing and More Jobs = More People = Greater demand for Housing

Also I found this interesting.  Coldwell Banker prides itself on being new and innovative with technology.  Here is another first from CB that is helping buyers find a great home. 

Found this info on our company intranet.

Skybus is already shutting down operations, originally uploaded by ballance5702.

For those unaware Skybus has shut down. Our $10 flights are no longer. I find this very unfortunate for PTI. I think they had a good philosophy, as I had gone to hear the CEO speak and he was very excited and enthusiastic about the endeavor. Just possibly not implemented as well as could have been. I am disappointed in the aspect that they are not handling the refunds in a professional manner, as they say to consult your credit card company. Seems like a copout to me. I feel bad for all those that had trips planned and vacations scheduled around that budget and now will have to somehow make other arrangements. I know I was planning to take advantage of it this summer. Well such is life. Just means we will get creative and find a new plan.

I believe in helping people find not only a new house but a new home. My clients are not just someone I’m working for but new friends I’m working with. Originally from Lansing, Michigan I have lived in the triad for roughly 6 years now. I assist sellers with selling their home and buyers looking to purchase.

• Buying a first home, expanding, downsizing, looking for an investment property, or any other real estate need you might have? I'm here to help.
• An active member of Realtor Board as well as the Greensboro Builders Association with : Parade of Homes Committee, The Green Building Committee, and served on the Northern Lakes Land Use Control Plan Committee.
• Works with Northern Guilford High School as a volunteer with the PTSA helping with office and special events.
• Loves the outdoors and activities such as camping, hiking, and rafting. I have a sheltie named Roxy and am very fond of most animals.

Always there to listen and committed to my clients and want to help you find a space that you can truly feel yourself in at the best price, or help you get the best price for your space.