Buyers are struggling with rising mortgage interest rates, tougher loan underwriting qualifying standards, high prices and low affordability. Real estate investors want positive monthly rental income cash flow and a hedge against a softening rental market in the future. 

Solution:

·       A mortgage interest rate “buy-down” allows the seller to expand the pool of qualified buyers and real estate investors.

·       The mortgage interest rate buy-down is a seller strategy with multiple options to maintain the seller’s price position

·       The property is offered for sale at the full asking price with a seller credit to discount the mortgage interest rate or a discounted price without a seller credit to discount the mortgage interest rate

·       It’s a “win-win” for both the buyer and seller

·       The seller can deduct the buy down credit as a selling cost expense

·       The buyer receives a 1098 form from the lender and a tax deduction for the buy down credit – “points” paid for the new loan to purchase the property

·       Higher sales price maintains neighborhood property values

·       The discounted mortgage interest rate helps to ensure the buyer will qualify for the loan

·       The buy-down empowers the seller to compete with new home builders offering substantial buyer incentives

·       The lower monthly loan payment increases the potential for positive rental cash flow for real estate investors 

Why Buyers and Sellers are stuck:

In a slow real estate market, sellers usually experience long protracted marketing time-lines to find a qualified buyer.  An over supply of competing homes for sale leaves the seller with few options except to make consistent and substantial downward asking price adjustments until the property sells. Investors are reluctant to buy income properties with negative monthly rental cash flow. Buyers cannot qualify for financing to move up into a larger home or move to a more desirable location. Buyers relocating from a lower cost area into a higher priced market must make a major lifestyle set back to buy a smaller home in a lesser location. 

The process to solve the problem: 

Sellers can align themselves with a reputable lender to find the best mortgage interest rate buy down program and integrate the buy-down with their marketing and pricing strategies Buyers can obtain a loan pre-approval with a reputable lender using a mortgage interest rate buy down program to increase their purchasing power.   

How does mortgage interest rate buy-down program work? 

The seller uses a credit from the proceeds of the property sale to pay additional loan points on the buyer’s loan. The additional loan points will “buy-down” the mortgage interest rate. The discounted mortgage interest rate applied against the same loan amount will reduce the monthly loan payment. So, there is no “out-of-pocket” cost to the seller. The credit paid to the buyer’s lender is a paper transfer at the close of escrow. The buy-down fee is a debit from the seller’s proceeds of the property sale. 

Review the Example and the type of loan used – five-year interest-only loan.

 Example:$644,000 sales price with the Buyer purchasing with 20%down:

Down payment             20%     $128,800

Loan amount                80%     $515,200

Rate/payment               6.375%                       $2,737 per month 

Option I

$644,000 sales price with Seller credit of $10,000 applied to interest rate buy down:

Down payment 20%     $128,800

Loan amount                80%     $515,200        

Rate/Payment               5.5%                           $2,361 per month      

**This results in a monthly payment reduction of $376. 

Option II

Reduce sales price by $10,000 to $634,000 with the Buyer purchasing with 20% down:

Down payment 20%     $126,800Loan amount                80%     $507,200Rate/Payment               6.375%                       $2,694 per month

*** Your buyer saved only $43 per month In order to achieve the same payment of $2,361 per month by using a price reduction you would have to reduce the sales price by $88,750! (see example below) 

Reduce sales price by $88,750 to $555,250:

Down payment 20%     $111,050

Loan amount                80%     $444,200

Rate/ Payment              6.375%                       $2,361 per month

 While a $10,000 sales price reduction is reasonable, an $88,750 sales price reduction is not. The loan interest rate buy down credit is a win/win for the buyer and seller.  

Review Option I –

Compare the difference in the interest rate and monthly payment between the Example and Option 1 

How much will the buyer save each month using the buy-down loan? 

$376 per month…multiply this monthly savings by 60 months and the buyer saves over $22,560 in five years. If the buyer decides to pay a lower price instead of taking advantage of the buy-down interest rate loan- how much does the buyer save each month if the seller lowers the purchase price by a sum equivalent to the 3% credit, in this case, $10,000? 

Review Option II –

The buyer saves $43 per month or $2,580 over five years. 

The buyer can pocket an additional $19,980 if the buyer chooses to pay the full asking price with the mortgage rate buy-down loan.

 How much would the seller have to lower the asking price to achieve the same discounted monthly loan payment and the borrower financing 80% of the purchase price? 

The seller would have to lower the asking price by $88,750 to achieve the same payment using an 80% loan to value ratio.

(Review the “sales price reduction” example) 

The seller is more than likely to be unable or willing to make such a large price concession.  

Why does the buyer receive a tax credit for the buy-down fees paid by the seller? 

The lender is required to issue a 1098 form to the borrower for points paid on the purchase loan. The seller is not the lender’s customer. Therefore, the buyer receives a significant tax deduction of which could make the property purchase even more attractive. 

How do lenders benefit from these buy-down loans? 

1.    It is easier for a buyer to qualify under a discounted loan interest rate and the bank receives upfront “pre-paid” profit from the additional points paid on the loan. 

2.    The discounted interest rate can make it easier to put a second loan behind the discounted first loan and therefore, the buyer can use a smaller down payment to purchase the property – like an 80-10-10 loan. 

3.    The discounted monthly payment can offset additional monthly association fees for buyers purchasing a condominium. 

Is it possible to buy down an adjustable rate loan? 

The interest rate index and margin are added together to create the “note rate”. The buy-down of the margin will lower the note rate and, therefore, the related monthly mortgage payment. The benefits of a margin buy-down in a rising interest rate environment include lower monthly payment increases. 

Is it possible to buy-down the interest rate in a loan refinance? 

The buy-down fee (points) in a refinance is built-in by obtaining a larger loan amount above the existing loan amount. You can reduce the monthly mortgage payment through a buy-down refinance loan. Buying down the interest rate on a new first loan may enable the buyer to qualify for “piggyback” second loan financing to minimize the buyer’s down payment requirement. A lower monthly loan payment on the discounted first loan leaves qualifying room for the buyer’s debt-to-income ratio for the monthly payment on a second loan.  Also, a lower monthly loan payment leaves qualifying room for a buyer’s debt-to-income ratio to pay monthly condo association fees 

Here is a strategy to enable buyers to find sellers willing to pay the buy-down loan fees….

·       Team up with a Realtor to search for properties listed on the MLS for at least 30 to 45 days

·       Look for properties that are vacant and are still listed at the original asking price

·       Occupied properties are OK, too

·       Ask your lender to prepare a loan interest rate “buy-down” outline like the handout for this conference call

·       Draft a full price purchase offer with your Realtor

·       Ask your Realtor to contact the seller’s agent and make it a requirement that your Realtor meet with the seller and the seller’s Realtor in person or on a 3-way conference call including the seller’s agent to present your offer

·       Ask your lender to be on “stand-by” to answer any questions that may come up during the presentation of your offer    

Mistake #1: Basing their asking price on needs or emotion rather than market value. Many times, people make their pricing decisions based on how much they paid for or invested into their home. This can be an expensive mistake. Overpriced homes take longer to sell and eventually net the seller less money. Consult with a professional real estate agent. They can assist you in pricing your home correctly from the beginning.   

Mistake #2: Failing to “Show-Case” their home. First impressions are the most important. Experience shows that for every $100 in repairs that your home needs, a buyer will deduct $300-$500 from their offer. Thoroughly clean and prepare your home before you put it on the market if you want top dollar.   

Mistake #3: Trying to SELL their house when buyers come to see it. One of the biggest mistakes enthusiastic home sellers make is to follow buyers around and try to SELL them on the property. This can be a negative for the buyers. The best thing is to stay out of the way, and let people look at their own pace, they’ll get a better feel for the property and whether the house is for them.  

Mistake #4: Choosing the wrong agent or choosing them for the wrong reasons. Many homeowners list their home with the agent who tells them the highest price. Or they list with the agent who works for the biggest company. You need to choose the agent with the best marketing plan and track record to sell your home.   

Mistake #5: Not knowing all of their legal rights and obligations. Real estate law is complex. The contract that you will sign when selling your home is legally binding. Small items that are neglected in a contract can wind up costing you thousands of dollars. You need to consult a knowledgeable professional who understands the in’s and out’s of a real estate transaction. Questions/comments, please post to the blog, call me at 925-407-0606 or visit www.GetRealEstateHelp.com (c) Copyright 2000. NewInformation!

Go through room by room and pack up 30% of the accessories. If you doubt the wisdom of this, go back to those model homes and compare their countertops with yours, their coffee tables and end tables with yours. See what I mean? The cardinal rule is this: “The way you live in a home and the way you sell a home are two different things.” I know this will take some time and may seem like a nuisance, but remember you are in competition with other properties. He who wins the Good Housekeeping Award probably sells his house first… and for the highest dollar. Also look at it this way, you are going to be moving anyway, so just consider this advance packing.By the way, label the moving boxes and stack them easily in the garage – floor to ceiling. Specifically, pack any collections and family photos you have displayed. Too much of your personality in evidence does not allow for the potential buyer to “mentally move in.” Pack everything from the cabinets and all closets that you do not need on a routine basis. You want to create the perception of roominess. In the linen closet, remove everything but a week’s worth of linens. Fold them neatly and color coordinate them. I’m not kidding; this is the stuff sales are made of. In the clothes closets, remove out-of-season clothes. Pack them away and put them inthe garage. Arrange your shoes neatly. Hang your clothes by category: all blouses together, all shirts together and so on. 

Now take another walk around the house. Are there rooms that are cluttered with too much furniture? Remove extra chairs, side tables and maybe even the 100″ sofa which is really too big for the room. (Notice how decorators use small pieces of furniture.) Minor redecorating is recommended. If your carpet and vinyl are outdated colors or style, change them. Off-white carpet and vinyl are best; this makes the rooms look larger and cleaner. If the existing carpet padding is 5/8″ thick or more and is not worn down, reuse it (unless the pets have done a number of it). If replacing the pad, select a very thick one and then install just a modest grade of carpeting. The feel will be plush and expensive but it’s not.If carpeting is in good condition and neutral in color, have it cleaned. If your vinyl flooring is worn or outdated, replace it with off-white vinyl. If the vinyl is in good condition and light colored, scrub it thoroughly paying special attention to buildup of dirt or wax around the baseboards and in corners. Off-white painted walls are best. If painting is required, use flat latex except in kitchens and baths where you will use semi-gloss latex. If walls are dirty, experiment to see if scrubbing them is easier than painting. If you have wallpaper, make sure it is clean and up to date. If not, strip it. (Hint: some wallpaper is easy to strip if first sprayed with window cleaner.) After stripping it, either paint or re-wallpaper, depending on the condition of the walls. Sponge  painting is also an easy, attractive alternative. Repair badly cracked plaster, loose door knobs and crooked light fixtures. Correct faulty plumbing. Leaky faucets can discolor porcelain and call attention to plumbing defects. To remove mineral stains from such leaks, pour hydrogen peroxide on the stain, then sprinkle with cream of tartar. Leave this for 30 minutes before scrubbing. Bad stains may require 2 or 3 applications. 

Stayed tuned for our final post in this series where we’ll have a real estate tip – “How a 25 Cent Upgrade Could Earn You $500 – $1000 More When You Sell”

Questions/comments, please post to the blog, call me at 925-407-0606 or visit www.GetRealEstateHelp.com 

Start with the outside.

Are shrubs overgrown? Oil in the driveway? How does the grass look? Do the flower beds need weeding and mulching? Try very hard to see your grounds through an independent observer’s eyes. Trim the shrubs or plant new ones if they are lacking. Houses with no landscaping in the front lose thousands of dollars of value in the mind of the buyer. Adding a few well-placed blooming flowers also adds appeal. If the grass in the front yard is particularly non-existent, consider sodding. Do some price shopping on this; sod is not cheap but there are some good prices available. Let’s say it cost $1000 to sod the front yard, but your house payment is $2800 per month. If you save one month of selling time, you are $1800 ahead. (By the way, you can probably get away without sodding the back yard.) Kitty litter in the driveway will absorb the oil and grease stains. (Then remove the kitty litter.)  

Next, go around and clean up the yard.

Remove any toys, tools and/or building supplies. Here’s the acid test: if you don’t see it in a model home yard, don’t have it in yours. That goes for the bag of charcoal by the grill, too; however, the (non-rusty) grill can stay. If your grill has rusted, remove the rust spots by scrubbing with a wire brush or with coarse steel wool dipped in kerosene. After the rust is removed, clean the entire piece with mineral spirits. When the grill is completely dry, paint with a brush or spray paint.  Now look at the exterior.Is the paint fading or chipping? Is the color outdated or too personal? Is mildew or mold growing? If the house needs painting, choose a neutral color. White, cream (not yellow) and lightgray are good colors for appealing to most people. If you want some ideas for paint combinations, go look at 3 or 4 model home communities that cost $50,000-$100,000 more than your  neighborhood and copy one of them. One last note on painting: always give the front door and door trim a fresh coat of paint or stain even if you paint nothing else. Buyers stand at the front door waiting to get in; give them a good first impression.

Stayed tuned for our next post where we’ll have real estate trade secrets for preparing the interior of your home for sale.

Questions/comments, please post to the blog, call me at 925-407-0606 or visit www.GetRealEstateHelp.com

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If you have any questions/comments, please post to my blog, contact me at 925-407-0606 or visit www.GetRealEstateHelp.com 

When people are looking through the real estate section and calling on ads, they are looking for a house right now, and less than 3% of the time do people actually buy the advertised house for sale.        

Most real estate sales occur because a person has built a trusted relationship with a Realtor dedicated to show them the houses on the market that meet their needs and wants in a home.        

The truth is many Realtors use real estate advertising as a short-term marketing plan to placate the seller, hoping to advertise the home on Sunday, have someone call on Wednesday and come out to buy that house on Saturday.        

The sad thing is that a sale rarely happens from advertising in a “retail environment” such as classified newspaper ads. Most serious buyers rely on their Realtor’s network and resources to find the right home in the best areas at a price supported by recent sales of similar homes nearby.        

The key lies in understanding that for every one buyer that’s looking in the real estate section and calling on an ad today—there are ten buyers who are just beginning to consider buying a house and will buy in the next six months…        

The secret is to tap into the buyers who are just starting to explore the market – and most Realtors don’t use anything but traditional advertising to attract buyers. These Realtors are missing a huge segment of the buying public.        

These people are not calling on properties yet, but they are looking to educate themselves about local real estate values, financing options and community information.        

How do you attract these buyers?        

You have to offer them something of value to them at the stage they are now. That means offering them free reports and guides designed to give people an education that will help them get to the point where they are ready and able to buy a home.        

We started attracting buyers for your home over six months ago using something called “direct response “ advertising tied directly to our internet web site.         

Making contact with these buyers at this stage gives us an opportunity to build a relationship with them far upstream in the sales cycle with useful and accurate information. We provide them with the resources to empower their decision to buy a home.        

The net result is a steady pipeline of qualified and educated buyers that may be the perfect match for your home. 

Call Pete Sabine (925) 407-0606 for a consultation or visit www.GetRealEstateHelp.com

RE/MAX C.C. Connection.

Many home insurers count inquiry calls – calls in which homeowners simply ask informally whether their policy will cover certain damages and are told that it won’t – as unpaid losses. 

Most insurance companies file loss information, paid or unpaid, into a centralized database called the Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange, better know as CLUE. 

Even if a policyholder just makes a phone call and doesn’t report any damage, there’s still a chance the call will be logged into the CLUE database as an unpaid loss. The information stays on the record for five years, and can mar homeowner’s chances of obtaining a standard policy the next time they apply for insurance. 

When a homeowner applies for a new policy, the insurance company usually orders a copy of his or her CLUE report. Two or more reported losses, depending on severity, can cause an applicant to be charged a double or triple premium or to be denied coverage altogether. 

While lawmakers in several states are trying to rein in insurers over this issue, there’s not much consumers can do to fight back. But homeowners can take basic steps to protect their CLUE reports:

Know the specifics of your insurance policy and the deductible. Refrain from calling your insurance company to ask about coverage questions that can be answered elsewhere.

Avoid preliminary calls to your insurance company. It’s not necessary to call the insurance company unless you plan to file a claim and know the damage will be covered.

If you do need to call the insurance company, don’t mention actual damage unless filing a claim. Any mention of damage will likely be recorded as a loss, regardless of whether it’s covered.

When in doubt, call a professional repairman first to get an estimate. Insurance companies will often send out a repairman to estimate damages before committing to covered damage anyway.

Report only major damage. Reporting small damages can add unnecessary claims on your report.

Check your CLUE report. Make the effort to clean up any disputed claims before it has a negative effect on selling your home or renewing your policy.

If there is an error on your CLUE report, the disputed item will be sent to the reporting insurer for verification. If the item is not removed, you have the right to append a statement to the report. CLUE reports can be ordered by calling Choice Point (866) 527-2600 or on-line at www.ChoiceTrust.com. The cost is $12.95 for California residents. You can’t get a CLUE report for someone else’s home. However, if you are buying a home, the sale can be made contingent upon your approval of the CLUE report provided by the seller. 

Call Pete Sabine (925) 407-0606 for a consultation or visit www.GetRealEstateHelp.com 

RE/MAX CC Connection

Offer 1:There’s more to consider about an offer than the price. The $495,000 offer might be from a pre-approved buyer who has a $250,000 cash down payment and no appraisal contingency. This means that if the house appraises for less than the offer price, the buyer may not use this reason to back out of the contract without the risk of losing their good faith deposit monies. The lender should have no problem granting the buyer a mortgage for approximately 50 percent of the purchase price, even if the appraisal comes in low. The larger the cash down payment, the more likely the lender will approve the loan.  

Offer 2:The highest-price offer might be from a buyer with a 5 percent cash down payment and an appraisal contingency. This means that if the property appraises for less than the purchase price, the buyer has the right to back out of the contract without forfeiture of their deposit to the seller. Even if the buyer doesn’t want out, the lender won’t be willing to grant a mortgage in the amount the buyer needs to complete the sale.  With only 5 percent down, there’s a good chance the buyer won’t have enough extra cash to make up the difference between the appraisal value and the purchase price.  

Offer 3:The third offer could be contingent upon the successful close of escrow of the buyer’s current home that is now under contract. If the transaction on the buyer’s home fails to close, the buyer can withdraw from your contract without penalty and forfeiture of their deposit to the seller. If this happens, you’ll be back on the market searching for a new buyer.  

Counteroffers:In terms of a risk analysis, the lowest price offer appears to be the offer with the best terms. One negotiating option would be to counter the lowest offer with a higher price, based on the fact that you have two offers higher than offer #1. Before making a counter offer, consider that the buyer could reject your counter offer and disappear from the negotiations leaving you with two riskier offers to choose from. If you have already purchased another home, you might be better off leaving the price alone on the lowest offer and asking for a short close of escrow date. A quick close could save you the cost of interim financing, which would effectively put more money in your pocket with less risk. When analyzing offers, the fewer the contingencies, the better. Contingencies can complicate a contract by providing more opportunities for a transaction to fall apart. In general, you’re looking for the highest price, the quickest close and the least number of contingencies. 

Call Pete Sabine (925) 407-0606 for a free consultation or visit www.GetRealEstateHelp.com.  

RE/MAX C.C. Connection  

Click on the photo to view this interview on YouTube.

Internal Revenue code section 1031 provides an excellent strategy for the deferral of capital gain, which would ordinarily arise from the sale of income real estate. Exchanging defers the tax, leaving the property owner with substantially more proceeds with which to purchase a replacement property, gain greater leverage, diversification, improved net cash flow, geographic relocation or property consolidation.

A 1031 exchange is a three-way transaction in which an intermediary is used to facilitate the transaction. The exchange allows the investment property owner to exchange their management-intensive property for professionally managed real estate with the potential to generate steady income tax benefits and appreciation.

When the exchange is complete, you will own a tenant-in-common interest in one or more quality income properties. Your income from the replacement property will likely be higher than you were receiving from your relinquished property.

Some of the benefits from this solution include:

• Increase your depreciation tax credits

• Increase your net asset value and invest in high quality multi-unit apartment properties with possibly no cash out of pocket

• Capture profits from highly appreciated real estate and take advantage of other markets with strong upside potential

• Reduce or eliminate your property management duties

• Consolidate or diversify your real estate portfolio

• Simplify your estate planning while paying no tax

• Maintain or increase your monthly net cash flow income

How does it work? The basic steps are:

1. Determine the current market value of your property

2. List and market your property for sale

3. Facilitate the sale through a qualified intermediary

4. Assure proper contract and escrow language

5. Meet the 45 day deadline to identify the replacement property

6. Transfer sale proceeds to the qualified intermediary

7. Open the acquisition property escrow

8. Complete the exchange within 180 days of close of escrow of your relinquished property

The end result is relief from your real estate management burden while you enjoy more free time as well as the income and capital appreciation from your investment.

Call Pete Sabine at 925.407.0606 for a consultation or visit www.GetRealEstateHelp.com.