Posts Tagged ‘REO brokers’
Sure Signs that Banks are Getting Ready to Unleash an REO Tsunami...
Well folks, there's a few telltale signs that the REO climate is about to change.....yep, the clouds are thickening, the skies are grey and the wind is whirling around like a funnel cloud ready to whip out debris across the countryside! The REO storm appears to be right upon us. So hold on to your hats!
Ok, here's what I, and a few of my most trusted colleagues, both brokers and other REO industry "insiders" have been observing:
Why are REO Inventories Swinging Up and Down Right Now? What Can an REO Broker Do to Survive?
I get these questions daily from REO Rockstars subscribers and from foreclosure brokers that I am coaching; "What is happening with bank owned properties?" "Why are the inventory levels fluctuating so much now?" "What can I do to keep from going under?" My explanation is this: The government and the banks are trying desperately to stop this huge flow of distressed properties from hitting the market. The government, of course, wishes to preserve home ownership and neighborhood values. The banks, of course, wish to SAVE MONEY and REDUCE LOSSES. As a result, we are seeing many new programs and strategies implemented, in an effort to keep foreclosures from taking place, and to offset losses, by disposing of bad debt though other means, like short sales. An interesting note that you may or may not know, is that banks are consistently seeing about a 15 point higher return on short sales vs. foreclosures-only makes sense that they look towards these alternatives, as additional methods of property disposition.
Does this mean an END to REO is coming?
A Quick Fix for Drywall Discoloration in REO Properties for Sale
It is quite common to find discoloration caused by water intrusion in abandoned foreclosure listings. Depending on the price and condition of the property, your client may choose to repair and replace or simply find a more cost-effective solution for getting the home free of potential safety hazards and ready for market. In this video, I'll show you how we creatively handled the situation in a property that had some discoloration in the basement. I should mention that I hear myself using the word "mold" in this video. I am incorrectly saying using this term. The drywall had discoloration and I am NOT a mold expert and could not identify it as discoloration of the drywall. Furthermore, you'll notice that I mention that it is less than 100 contiguous feet, which is the standard by which many companies determine whether or not full "remediation" is necessary. In this case, it was not. Take a look at the end result of our "fix". Also be sure to notice that I check to see if the source of the problem is fixed as well. In this case it was not and I had to report it to my REO Asset Manager and my contractor had to return and get it corrected. "Band Aids" don't work. Double check every time! Hey, a repair like this on a bank owned property isn't always a pretty process but it gets the job done safely and properly!
Training Agents Who SELL Your REO Properties....Most Don't "Get" It.
So yesterday I failed...Well, actually my staff failed but that means that ultimately I was responsible. Whew....got the self blame out of the way. Is it supposed to feel good to take responsibility or is it just the right thing to do? Who knows and WHO CARES! 
Anyway, I get an email from my office manager telling me to call a particular selling broker, who was upset about how the negotiations were going on one of my listings. He really could not believe that his buyer's offer was flat out "rejected" without a seller counter right in the middle of negotiations (very short negotiations I might add...his buyer was WAY low on price). Anyway, long and short of it was that did not "believe" that banks would just stop negotiating in mid-stream and force a buyer to either walk or counter their own counter. The guy actually believed that the bank was using his offer to shop other offers. He REALLY just didn't "get it"! So how do you (and how do I NORMALLY) prevent this?
