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Smart Real Estate News & Commentary by Chris McLaughlin February 3, 2012

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Home prices declined almost 5% in 2011

Home prices decreased 4.7% in 2011 compared to the year before, marking the fifth consecutive year-end decrease in the CoreLogic home price index. Excluding distressed sales, home prices decreased 0.9% last year, which CoreLogic said gives an indication “of the impact of distressed sales on home prices in 2011.” Home sales last year also show month-over-month declines. December showed the fifth consecutive monthly decline with a drop of 1.4%, but rose 0.2% when distressed sales were removed from the equation.

The December decline followed a much larger drop of 4.3% in November, compared to November 2010. “While overall prices declined by almost 5% in 2011, nondistressed prices showed only a small decrease. Until distressed sales in the market recede, we will see continued downward pressure on prices,” said Mark Fleming, chief economist for CoreLogic. While national statistics may be bleak, a few states posted increases in the price of homes last year. Montana came in first with 4.4% appreciation with distressed sales included, followed by Vermont (+4%), South Dakota (+3.1%), Nebraska (+2.5%) and New York (+1.7%). Illinois had the biggest 2011 decline in prices, 11.3%, followed by Nevada at 10.6%. Nevada’s peak-to-current decrease stands at 60% (including distressed homes), compared with a national decrease of 33.7%.

Employment up

The pace of job creation surged in January, with the US economy generating 243,000 new positions while the unemployment rate dropped to 8.3%, according to government data released today. Both numbers were far better than consensus, which expected a growth of 150,000 jobs and a steady unemployment rate of 8.5%. The overall work week remained unchanged at 34.5 hours while wages rose an average of four cents an hour to $23.29. The closely watched labor-force participation number, which can skew the unemployment rate, fell to 63.7%, the lowest since May 1983. The number of those working part-time for economic reasons rose 1.2%. Job gains have been concentrated primarily in the service sector, particularly in retail and the food and beverage industries. Warehousing, manufacturing, mining and health care also have participated. True to form, services were responsible for 162,000 of the January swell, with manufacturing payrolls growing 50,000. Government cuts subtracted 14,000 from the total. The total number of unemployed fell below 13 million for the first time since February 2009, while the total amount of employed Americans rose to 141.6 million, an increase of 847,000 from December. The unemployment rate was last this low in February 2009. The so-called real unemployment rate, which measures discouraged workers as well and is referred to as the U-6, nudged lower to 15.1%.

Long-term unemployment, though, remains a problem, with the duration dropping from a near-record 40.8 weeks to 40.1 weeks. Also, the level of discouraged workers surged, rising 7% to its highest level since December 2010. Job growth remains one of the two missing pieces of the recovery puzzle, even though the rate has been on a steady trek lower. In December, the economy created 203,000 jobs and the unemployment rate slipped to 8.5%, well off its 10.1% cycle peak. The monthly jobs report generally draws considerable trader reaction, which as of late has been all negative.

Olick – rent vs own riles government policy

“Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the mortgage giants under government conservatorship, together owned 182,212 foreclosed properties as of the end of September. While they aggressively market and sell these homes to investors and owner-occupants alike, the numbers are still too high; these number could go far higher, as foreclosures previously stalled by paperwork issues come back into process. That’s why the federal regulator overseeing the two is launching a bulk sale program, offering investors the chance to buy foreclosed properties at a discount, as long as those investors turn the properties into viable rentals for a specified number of years. ‘This rental period could provide relief for local housing markets that continue to be depressed by the volume of foreclosed properties, and provide additional rental options to certain markets,’ according to a release from the regulator, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA).

The FHFA launched the initial phase of pre-qualification. Investors must prove they have ‘(a) the financial wherewithal to acquire the assets; (b) sufficient experience and knowledge in financial and business matters to analyze and bear the risks of the investment opportunity; and (c) agreement to keep certain information about the REO [Real Estate Owned, i.e. bank owned] and related matters confidential.’ That last part is to keep the prices competitive as the market starts to improve. Giving investors the opportunity to help clear the massive amount of distress in the housing market is crucial. The inventory of foreclosed properties is large, getting larger, and making it impossible for the overall market to achieve price stability. Witness a report today from CoreLogic which shows that home prices in December fell 4.7% year-over-year including sales of distressed properties. Excluding those properties, home prices fell less than one%.

Some, however, think the program is a negative: ‘People are brainwashed to think foreclosures are a bad thing for the housing market. Perhaps four years ago when a million loans all went into default and Foreclosure at the same time but not today. Today, 1st timers and investors — with an insatiable appetite for foreclosures, REO resales, and short sales — are the bedrock of this housing market.’ – Mark Hanson, Mortgage Analyst

‘Foreclosed homes are already meeting strong demand from investors when they come to market. We think these buyers are willing to pay a relatively full price, as they know the specific locations, and a large number of buyers have the ability to bid on the individual homes (doesn’t require significant capital)… Additionally, it will be difficult/expensive for investors to scale up operations given the broad geographic dispersion of properties vs. more traditional rental units, potentially limiting participation.’ – Dan Oppenheim, Credit-Suisse

Oppenheim also asks a valid question as to why the government would offer discounts to large investors buying in bulk, but not to individual investors buying perhaps a single property. There are plenty of Americans out there salivating over incredibly low-priced homes; rental income could be as much of a boon to them as perhaps a tax cut or a refinance. It was interesting yesterday, during his speech touting a proposed new government mortgage refinance program, President Obama, caught up in the moment, exclaimed, ‘No more renting!’ Putting aside the public relations blunder that was, given the fact that the FHFA had announced its REO to rent program not two hours before, it just drove home the conflict our government has between what it thinks Americans want to hear and what our economic reality dictates.

A few simple facts: There is not enough buyer demand to meet the number of homes for sale. A huge number of the homes for sale are empty, foreclosed properties. Too many Americans either cannot afford to buy a home or do not have the credit necessary to finance a home. Too many Americans cannot afford to sell their current homes in order to move or step up to a larger home. Rental demand is therefore strong and getting stronger. While homeownership may be a tenet of the ‘American Dream,’ renting is today’s actuality for a growing number of Americans. Whether it is large investor bulk programs or single investor incentives, adding to rental supply, thereby lowering rents, while at the same time clearing the market of foreclosed properties is a win. It may not be as politically palatable as offering ‘responsible’ borrowers a veiled tax credit in the form of a mortgage refinance, but it is good medicine for what ails housing.”

Pension threat for market investors

It’s no secret that the financial crisis and resulting malaise has taken its toll on bank stocks, commodities and Treasury yields. But it may be have triggered another ripple – one that has gone somewhat unnoticed. Pension funds have become seriously underfunded. According to a recent report from Credit Suisse some of the nation’s largest companies owe their pensions more than 25% of their market cap (after taxes). Although the problem is complex, at its core is simple math. Many firms forecast returns of 8% annually, and that just hasn’t happened. This developing situation is potentially market moving because it could require companies to make larger contributions – much larger. And if contributions ‘do’ go up, the money will have to come from someplace on the balance sheet.

“A pension accounting change at UPS will result in $527 million after tax charge in 2011,” says Joe Terranova. “And Sunoco said they have to contribute $80 million into their pension funds.” In other words, the need to fund pensions could drag down profits and, in turn, share price. In fact, the pension liability at AK Steel was cited by BofA as a reason behind their recent decision to downgrade the stock to ‘Underperform’ from ‘Neutral.” “I think in 2012 it will be a recurring issue,” Terranova says. John Ehrhardt of Milliman confirms the thesis. He tells us that investors should expect record numbers of earnings charges in 2012. “Record low interest rates result in historically high liabilities and the only remaining lever may be employer contributions.” And according to Ehrhardt this may be just the tip of the iceberg. “These companies are going to need 20-30% returns to fill the kinds of gaps we’re talking about.”

WSJ – Ally financial swings to loss

Ally Financial Inc., the US government-owned auto lender, swung to a $250 million net loss in the fourth quarter after taking a charge for regulatory penalties stemming from foreclosure matters. The Detroit-based lender, which provides financing for General Motors Co. and Chrysler Group LLC dealers and customers, continued to make money from its auto-lending operations, but the results were weighed down again by its mortgage unit, which is saddled with lawsuits over foreclosures and soured mortgage investments. The loss compares to a year-ago profit of $79 million. It had a core pretax loss, which reflects results from continuing operations before taxes and other expenses, of $24 million, down from $526 million. Excluding a $270 million foreclosure-related charge, core pretax income would have been $246 million.

“One of our key priorities remains aggressively addressing the risks related to the mortgage business and taking steps to protect the key franchises at Ally,” Michael Carpenter, the company’s chief executive, said in a statement. “This will be critical to advance plans to repay the US taxpayer.” Ally, which was formerly owned by GM, is one of at least five major mortgage servicers in discussions with state and federal regulators over a potential settlement of “robo-signing” and other alleged foreclosure offenses. Regulators are close to finalizing a deal worth as much as $25 billion that could also include Bank of America Corp., Citigroup Inc., J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. and Wells Fargo & Co. On Tuesday, Ally said it would record the $270 million charge in the fourth quarter for penalties from regulators and other government agencies related to foreclosure issues.

The charge was mainly related to its mortgage subsidiary, Residential Capital, which has been the subject of bankruptcy speculation for several months. The charge caused a temporary decline in ResCap’s tangible net worth below $250 million, breaching debt covenants of some of its lenders, Ally said. Ally has been trying to scale back its mortgage operations as it focuses on building up its auto business and online retail bank. In November, the company said it would significantly curtail its correspondent lending operations, which comprise the bulk of its mortgage originations.

See you at the top!
Chris McLaughlin

**************

Copyright Loss Mitigation Institute LLC 2011.
All Rights Reserved.

http://www.shortsalesriches.com

http://www.shortsalescoach.com

http://www.sixfigurebpo.com

http://www.reomillionaireclub.com

http://www.youtube.com/shortsalesriches

http://www.smartrealestatenews.com

(subscribe to this newsletter)

*************************************************

About the author:
Chris McLaughlin is widely known as America’s top
Real Estate Attorney and Investment Consultant.

* As the top Florida foreclosure and pre-
foreclosure expert, he oversees more than
100 short sale & REO closings each month

* Long-time authority on real estate investing
and rapid reselling of distressed homes. Owns
portfolio of nearly 150 high-value, high-profit
properties

* Owner of one of Florida’s largest Real Estate firms,
running 4 different offices, supporting over
420 agents, uniquely positioning him to help
thousands of investors make money in the
biggest market opportunity ever!

* In 2010, Chris’ 4 Central Florida real estate offices
closed 2,786 sides for a closed sales volume of
$392,912,927!

* Highly sought-after speaker, consultant, and
seminar leader for current trends and hot topics
in Real Estate Investing, Entrepreneurship, and
Wealth Building

* Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/mclaughlinchris

* Join my Facebook Fan Page: http://www.mclaughlinchris.com

Smart Real Estate News & Commentary by Chris McLaughlin February 2, 2012

Forward this e-mail to your friends!

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*** Follow Chris on Twitter–>

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Foreclosure deal deadline postponed

The deadline for states to decide whether to join a proposed nationwide foreclosure settlement with banks was delayed to Feb. 6 from Feb. 3, the Iowa Attorney General’s Office said. States were given more time to evaluate the proposal, which may total $25 billion, after at least one asked for a delay, Geoff Greenwood, a spokesman for Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller, said yesterday in a phone interview. Miller is helping to lead negotiations. State and federal officials have been negotiating an agreement with mortgage servicers that would provide mortgage relief to homeowners and set requirements for how banks conduct foreclosures.

State officials are reviewing the agreement with Bank of America Corp., JPMorgan Chase & Co., Citigroup Inc., Wells Fargo & Co. and Ally Financial Inc., and are being asked to sign on. Greenwood declined to name the state that asked for more time or comment on state support for the deal. Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto said in a Jan. 27 letter to Miller, the Justice Department and US Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan that she needed answers to 38 questions to evaluate the deal. The deadline was changed as Oregon Attorney General John Kroger said today in a statement that he would sign on to the settlement, joining Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen, who also supports it. Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden has said he won’t sign on to the settlement.

Job cuts jump in January

The number of job cuts announced by employers jumped 28% in January, led by retailers and financial firms, according to the latest report by global outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. Still, job losses announced last month were the lowest on record for a January, the month that typically sees the greatest number of layoffs, the firm said. Employers last month said they planned to cut 53,486 positions, compared with 41,785 job cuts announced in December. The January job cuts were 39% higher than during the same period a year earlier, when employers said they planned 38,519 cuts. Retailers and financial firms saw the greatest cuts, losing 12,426 and 7,611 jobs, respectively.

Challenger said the retail job losses were not related to seasonal hiring, and instead were the result of restructurings, store closings, and other cost-cutting measures. The financial sector saw the most job losses since September, when 31,167 cuts were announced. Challenger noted that most of those layoffs came from. Government job cuts continued to dwindle for a second straight month, with just 3,021 layoffs announced in January. “Of course, it is far too early to say whether we will continue to see low job-cut figures in government. It is highly unlikely, considering that many cities and states continue to struggle with budget deficits,” Challenger said in a statement. “And, then there is the federal level of government, which remains under intense pressure to cut costs. As a result, we expect government layoffs to be heavy again this year.”

LPS – house prices slow decline

Lender Processing Services, Inc. (LPS),  today announced that its LPS Applied Analytics division updated its home price index (LPS HPI) with residential sales concluded during November 2011. The LPS HPI summarizes home price trends nationwide by tracking sales each month in more than 13,500 ZIP codes. Within each ZIP code, the LPS HPI tracks five price levels from low to high. “Since the post-bubble drop in home prices eased in January of 2009, we’ve generally seen that prices for homes in the lowest 20% of local markets in the metropolitan areas covered by the LPS HPI now differ by more than the highest 20% from their levels 10 years ago,” said Kyle Lundstedt, managing director of LPS Applied Analytics. “In those metropolitan areas where lowest-priced homes have increased in value, the differences between the high and low ends of the market have usually shrunk; where they have decreased in value, the differences have grown.”

The LPS HPI national average home price for transactions during November 2011 was $199,000 – a decline of 0.6% during the month relative to October 2011, reaching a price level not seen since October 2002 (Figure 1, Table 1). This is the fifth consecutive month of price decreases. The partial data available for December suggests further price declines of approximately 0.8%. LPS reported partial data from November transactions in its December release, which proved a reasonable indicator for November’s performance: it showed a preliminary 0.5% estimated decline, compared to the 0.6% for the full month’s data. LPS HPI average national home prices continue the downward trend begun after the market peak in June 2006, when the total value of US housing inventory covered by the LPS HPI stood at $10.8 trillion. Since that peak, the value has declined 30.6% to $7.5 trillion. During the period of most rapid price declines, from June 2007 through December 2008, the LPS HPI national average home price dropped $56,000 from $282,000, which corresponds to an average annual decline of 13.8%. Since December 2008, prices have fallen more slowly, interrupted by brief seasonal intervals of rising prices. During this period of more slowly declining prices, the national average home price has fallen approximately $26,000 from $226,000.

The November national average price is down 3.4% from the average price at the beginning of the year. Home prices in November were consistent with the seasonal pattern that has been occurring since 2009. Each year, prices have risen in the spring, but have reverted in autumn to a downward trend that has not only erased the gains, but has led to an average 4.4% annual drop in prices to date. The national average home price has declined 4.8% over the most recent year to November 2011. Price changes were largely consistent across the country during November, increasing in 13% of the ZIP codes in the LPS HPI. Higher-priced homes had somewhat smaller declines: 0.55% for the top 20% of homes (prices above $311,000), compared to 0.60% for the bottom 20% (below $100,000). The highest-priced homes, the top 1% (prices above $839,000), declined 0.47%.

Claims and productivity both easing

New US claims for unemployment benefits fell last week, a government report showed today, pointing to more healing in the nations battered jobs market. Initial claims for state unemployment benefits dropped 12,000 to a seasonally adjusted 367,000, the Labor Department said. The prior week’s figure was revised up to 379,000 from the previously reported 377,000. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast claims falling to 375,000. Claims have been lower than 400,000 for eight of the last 10 weeks, holding below a level associated with labor market healing. The four-week moving average for initial claims, a trend measure that smooths out volatility, fell 2,000 to 375,750. A Labor Department official said there was nothing unusual in the state-level data and that no state had been estimated. Job growth has gained momentum in recent months and the unemployment rate dropped to a near three-year low of 8.5% in December. The number of people still receiving benefits under regular state programs after an initial week of aid fell 130,000 to 3.437 million in the week ended January 21, the lowest since September 2008. Economists had forecast so-called continuing claims at 3.55 million. The number of Americans on emergency unemployment benefits rose 100,392 to 3.022 million in the week ended January 14, the latest week for which data is available. A total of 7.67 million people were claiming unemployment benefits during that period under all programs, little changed from the prior week.

Meanwhile, productivity increased at a 0.7% annual rate, the Labor Department said today. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast productivity, which measures hourly output per worker, rising at a 0.8% rate. Productivity rose at a 1.9% pace in the third quarter. Over the entire year, productivity rose 0.7%, the slowest since 2008. Hourly compensation rose at a 1.9% rate in the last three months of the year after contracting in the previous two quarters. That is well below the US inflation rate, with consumer prices rising 3.0% in the 12 months through December. Subdued wage growth supports the US Federal Reserve’s view of a low inflation environment. This likely gives the US central bank more room to try to boost growth and tackle stubbornly high unemployment. Though productivity has slowed after growing rapidly as the economy emerged from the 2007-09 recession, businesses have maintained the bulk of the gains made during the recovery. Businesses, estimated to be sitting on a cash pile of about $2 trillion, continue to hold the line on costs. Unit labor costs rose at a 1.2% rate in the fourth quarter. Economists had expected fourth-quarter unit labor costs would increase at a 0.8% rate.

WSJ – GOP discusses Obama’s mortgage plan

President Barack Obama, in announcing a program to help struggling homeowners refinance their mortgages, is betting this plan will fare better than his administration’s earlier efforts to fix the housing market. But House Speaker John Boehner (R., Ohio) questioned why this program would work when others have failed. “One more time? One more time? How many times have we done this?” he asked reporters. “I don’t know why anyone would think that this next idea is going to work.” He added that the previous programs have led to a delay in “the clearing of the market,” or letting housing prices hit bottom by allowing foreclosures to happen more rapidly. Republicans see additional government intervention as doing little to improve the housing situation. Mitt Romney, the front-runner for the GOP presidential nomination, said in October that the government should not try to stop foreclosures but let the housing market “hit the bottom.” He has argued that Mr. Obama’s housing policies have failed.

The government already has programs that allow some homeowners who are current on their payments to refinance at lower interest rates, even if they owe more than their homes are worth or wouldn’t otherwise qualify. Those programs are limited to borrowers with mortgages backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The latest proposal would extend that option to all homeowners, allowing borrowers who are current on payments to refinance into new loans backed by the Federal Housing Administration. That requires congressional approval, partly because it would cost money. Economists said the latest proposal—at least on paper—is more ambitious than previous plans because it would allow more borrowers to qualify. Until now, policy makers and elected officials have been hesitant to take bolder steps because the political will simply isn’t there, analysts said. Many of those solutions would mean spending more money or forcing banks and investors to take bigger losses. Instead, policy makers tried to steer a middle course. Many have worried that rewarding irresponsible behavior would create a “moral hazard” that might encourage more defaults.

The hitch is that the programs were designed to make sure they didn’t help borrowers who took on more debt than they could afford. And that “made these programs very complicated,” said David Stevens, chief executive of the Mortgage Bankers Association who spent two years as a top Obama administration housing official. Using the FHA to refinance at-risk borrowers isn’t a new idea. The Bush administration and Congress passed a program in 2008 called for Hope for Homeowners that also employed the agency to refinance at-risk homeowners. It included many restrictions and resulted in just a few hundred refinanced loans. The Obama administration rolled out a similar initiative without Congress two years ago. It resulted in around 700 refinances. “The banks decided not to participate,” said Peter Swire, a former housing adviser to Mr. Obama. “So now the administration is looking for another way to achieve the same goals.”

US still risks recession

In the United States, the manufacturing sector grew at its fastest pace in seven months in January as new orders improved, but Jim Walker, Founder and Managing Director of independent research firm, Asianomics, said that the US economy is going to face a slowdown this year owing to fiscal tightening.

“There’s going to be a significant slowdown in fiscal expenditure in the US, they’re going to have to control the fiscal side much more as the year goes on,” he said. On Wednesday, the US House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to freeze wages for federal civilian workers until 2013, a move that will save taxpayers $26 billion. According to Walker, pullbacks in government spending will cut between 1 and 1.5% from US GDP in 2012. Walker also believes corporate investment is likely to slow after the federal depreciation allowance expired at the end of 2011. In a report for clients released in December, Walker said there was a 55% chance of a US recession.

He also argued that US consumers were due for another “period of reckoning”, despite improving consumer confidence and spending numbers. He listed a litany of reasons: “Home prices are still falling (on a mild deflation path), equity prices are still off their highs of the year, household credit outstanding is still contracting, real hourly compensation growth is still negative, employment growth is still sub par – and up until November – consumer confidence was fast approaching the recession lows of 2008.” Walker is much more bearish on Europe, which he says is destined for a recession, with GDP contracting 2 to 5% in 2012. He expects further monetary easing from global central banks, which he says will boost precious metals, most notably silver. But he says investors should short the Euro and avoid industrial metals such as copper, which will suffer from a global downturn.

Atlanta lags in housing recovery

Housing prices continue to fall nationwide, despite a few modest signs of improvement. But not all markets are equal. A sprawling Southern metropolis, Atlanta has become one of the biggest laggards in the economic recovery. In November, prices of single-family homes were down close to 12% compared with a year earlier, the largest decline among major metropolitan areas, according to data released on Tuesday in the Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller Home Price Index. Home prices regionally are now below their levels of 2000, making Atlanta one of only four metro areas to have experienced such a slide. The price of entry-level housing in the area — the lowest tier of the market, valued at just under $96,600 — fell by close to a third last year.

Even though the national economy shows signs of strengthening, the beleaguered housing market remains a significant drag on the recovery. Across a group of 20 metropolitan areas measured by S&P/Case-Shiller, prices of single-family homes were 3.7% lower in November compared with a year earlier, with average prices at their 2003 levels. Economists say prices are unlikely to hit a nadir until at least late spring. Tom Porcelli, chief United States economist at RBC Capital Markets in New York, projects that average prices could slip by as much as 5% nationally this year because of the large amount of distressed properties for sale and a shortage of buyers. Although Mr. Porcelli describes a “generally better outlook on housing” than he has over the last few years, he added, “we still have a long way to go.”

The reasons for Atlanta’s housing woes are both representative of the nation’s troubles and special to this former boomtown, where housing appreciated handsomely, though not to the lofty heights of Las Vegas, Miami and New York. Where the region once attracted thousands of prospective home buyers drawn by plentiful jobs and more affordable living, that influx has dwindled. Local unemployment, at 9.2%, is slightly higher than the national rate, in part because one in every four jobs lost was connected to real estate, a much higher rate than in the rest of the country. Those jobs have yet to return, while even people with work are having trouble qualifying for loans. The region, plagued by mortgage fraud and developers who dotted the exurban landscape with large luxury homes that never sold, is inundated with foreclosed properties. In fact, Atlanta has the most government-owned foreclosed properties for sale of any large city, according to the Federal Reserve.

See you at the top!

Chris McLaughlin

**************

Copyright Loss Mitigation Institute LLC 2011.

All Rights Reserved.

http://www.shortsalesriches.com

http://www.shortsalescoach.com

http://www.sixfigurebpo.com

http://www.reomillionaireclub.com

http://www.youtube.com/shortsalesriches

http://www.smartrealestatenews.com

(subscribe to this newsletter)

*************************************************

About the author:

Chris McLaughlin is widely known as America’s top

Real Estate Attorney and Investment Consultant.

* As the top Florida foreclosure and pre-

foreclosure expert, he oversees more than

100 short sale & REO closings each month

* Long-time authority on real estate investing

and rapid reselling of distressed homes. Owns

portfolio of nearly 150 high-value, high-profit

properties

* Owner of one of Florida’s largest Real Estate firms,

running 4 different offices, supporting over

420 agents, uniquely positioning him to help

thousands of investors make money in the

biggest market opportunity ever!

* In 2010, Chris’ 4 Central Florida real estate offices

closed 2,786 sides for a closed sales volume of

$392,912,927!

* Highly sought-after speaker, consultant, and

seminar leader for current trends and hot topics

in Real Estate Investing, Entrepreneurship, and

Wealth Building

* Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/mclaughlinchris

* Join my Facebook Fan Page: http://www.mclaughlinchris.com

Smart Real Estate News & Commentary by Chris McLaughlin February 1, 2012

Forward this e-mail to your friends!

Then they can subscribe directly at the following link:

http://www.smartrealestatenews.com/

*** Join Chris’ Facebook Fan Page–>

http://www.mclaughlinchris.com

*** Follow Chris on Twitter–>

http://www.twitter.com/mclaughlinchris

************************************************************

Foreclosures drawing private equity

Private equity firms are jumping into distressed housing as the US government plans to market 200,000 foreclosed homes as rentals to speed up the economic recovery.  GTIS Partners will spend $1 billion by 2016 acquiring single-family homes to manage as rentals, Thomas Shapiro, the fund’s founder said. That followed announcements this month that GI Partners, a Menlo Park private equity fund, expects to invest $1 billion, and Los Angeles-based Oaktree Capital Management LP will spend $450 million on similar housing.  “It’s a massive market,” Shapiro said in a telephone interview from New York. “We’re starting to see this as a billion dollar opportunity to buy rental housing.” Increasing rentals may reduce lenders’ losses on foreclosed and surrendered properties and curb declines in home prices, according to a Federal Reserve study Chairman Ben S. Bernanke sent to Congress on Jan. 4. Private equity funds began focusing on these investments in September, after the administration asked for proposals to sell the government’s inventory of foreclosed homes — about half of all houses seized from delinquent borrowers.

Private sector gains 170,000 jobs

The private sector created 170,000 jobs in January, boosted again by a surge in service-sector employment, according a report from ADP and Macroeconomic Advisors.  With economists looking for signs of life in the jobs market, the ADP number was close to consensus estimates and likely sets the stage for solid though not overwhelming overall growth when the government releases its monthly report Friday.  The private payrolls report showed service jobs growing by 152,000 in January, after rising a revised 241,000 in December.  Goods-producing jobs rose 18,000 while manufacturing added 10,000 and construction gained 2,000 for the month.  The total number of private sector jobs created is a substantial dropoff from December’s report that showed a revised 292,000, revised down from 325,000.  The Labor Department on Friday is expected to report nonfarm payrolls growth of 159,000 and an unchanged unemployment rate of 8.5%, according to StreetAccount estimates. Economists sometimes use the ADP numbers to adjust their projected unemployment estimates.  ADP’s numbers have been running on average 10,000 more than the government, though that number swelled to 92,000 in December, raising caution that seasonal distortions could be influencing the payroll firm’s figures.

November home prices down 3.7% from previous year

The average price of a single-family home fell again in November, with decreases in 19 of the 20 largest metropolitan areas during the month, according to the Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller index.  The ratings agency’s 20-city composite index and 10-city index both declined 1.3% from a month earlier. The larger, benchmark index drop 3.7% from November 2010 and the 10-city index for November was 3.6% lower than the year earlier.  S&P said both indices are one-third lower than the peak in the summer of 2006 and home prices are now at levels last seen in the middle of 2003.  Atlanta home prices for November were nearly 12% lower than the prior year, while Detroit at 3.8% and Washington with a 0.5% gain are the only metropolitan areas to post annual increases. Home prices in Atlanta, Las Vegas, Seattle and Tampa, Fla., all reached new lows in November, according to S&P/Case-Shiller.  “Despite continued low interest rates and better real GDP growth in the fourth quarter, home prices continue to fall,” said David Blitzer, chairman of the S&P index committee.  He said Phoenix, one of the hardest-hit areas in recent years, was the only MSA to post an increase in prices from October with a 0.6% gain.  “Annual rates were little better as 18 cities and both composites were negative,” Blitzer said. “The trend is down and there are few, if any, signs in the numbers that a turning point is close at hand.”  Analysts with Toronto-based Capital Economics agreed and said “there are still no signs that house prices are on the verge of turning around,” as the Case-Shiller indices fell for the seventh month in a row.  “But things should be different in six months’ time, when the recent rises in home sales will have helped to put a floor under prices,” the analysts said.

California is broke

California needs to come up with more than $3 billion to avoid burning through its cash by March, according to the state controller, who urged borrowing and delaying some payments.  “Assuming no additional revenue loss, erosion of borrowable internal funds, or significant spikes in spending, $3.3 billion of cash solutions are needed to address California’s liquidity needs during this period,” State Controller John Chiang said in a letter to the chairman and vice chairman of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee released on Tuesday.  Chiang said California does not need to issue IOUs again as it did during a cash crunch in 2009 or delay tax refunds, noting he has developed a plan with the state treasurer’s office and the state’s finance department that would postpone some payments and borrow from external sources and from state accounts to bolster the state’s cash.  “It is not an ideal solution, but it is the best way to manage the challenge without relying on IOUs or delaying tax refunds — actions that can disrupt the delivery of essential public services and slow California’s economic recovery,” Chiang said.  Senator Mark Leno, chairman of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, said he expects the Senate and Assembly by the end the week will approve borrowing from state funds. Leno said he expects the internal borrowing will raise approximately $850 million.  Chiang noted California’s dwindling cash reflects revenue coming in below forecast in the state’s budget and spending exceeding expectations.

MBA – mortgage applications down

Mortgage applications decreased 2.9% from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending January 27, 2012.  The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, decreased 2.9% on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier.  On an unadjusted basis, the Index increased 9.0% compared with the previous week.  The Refinance Index decreased 3.6% from the previous week.  The seasonally adjusted Purchase Index decreased 1.7% from one week earlier. The unadjusted Purchase Index increased 17.1% compared with the previous week and was 4.3% lower than the same week one year ago.  The four week moving average for the seasonally adjusted Market Index is up 4.11%.  The four week moving average is up 2.48% for the seasonally adjusted Purchase Index, while this average is up 4.22% for the Refinance Index.

The refinance share of mortgage activity decreased to 80.0% of total applications from 81.3% the previous week. The adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) share of activity increased to 5.6% from 5.3% of total applications from the previous week.  “The Federal Reserve surprised the market last week by indicating that short-term rates were likely to stay at their current low-levels until the end of 2014.  Longer-term treasury rates dropped in response, and mortgage rates for the week were down slightly as a result,” said Michael Fratantoni, MBA’s Vice President of Research and Economics.  Fratantoni continued, “Although total application volume dropped on an adjusted basis relative to last week, refinance volume remains high, with survey participants reporting that the expanded Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) contributed to roughly 10% of their refinance activity.”  In December 2011, Connecticut had the largest increase in refinance applications, increasing by 80.1% from November. Maine saw a 30.8% increase in applications for home purchase, which was the largest state-increase in applications for home purchase. Only 12 states had a decrease in home purchase activity in December, while every state in the US saw an increase in refinance volume.

Europe on life support

The European Central Bank (ECB) has saved the euro zone from a heart attack, but its members face a long convalescence, made worse by the insistence that fiscal starvation is the right remedy for feeble patients.  Last week’s downgrading of its forecasts by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) shows the dangers. The IMF now forecasts a recession in the euro zone this year, with a decline of 0.5 per cent in overall gross domestic product (GDP).  GDP is forecast to fall sharply in Italy and Spain, and stagnate in France and Germany. This is a terrible environment for countries seeking to cut fiscal deficits. Forecasts are far from satisfactory for other high-income countries. But the euro zone is the most dangerous part of the world economy: only there do we see important governments — Italy and Spain — menaced by a loss of creditworthiness.

Elsewhere, governments of high-income countries can continue to support their economies, largely because they possess a central bank and an adjustable exchange rate. This combination has given them the ability to run large fiscal deficits. In post-crisis conditions, such deficits are both the natural counterpart and the principal facilitator of necessary private sector deleveraging.  The euro zone has no such internal mechanisms. When private external financing dried up, as happened to a number of countries, affected members needed both financing — in the short run — and a mechanism for adjusting their external accounts — in the longer run — other than via deep slumps.  The euro zone lacks both capacities. It has turned out, as a result, to have limited ability to cope with the global financial disease. As Donald Tsang, chief executive of Hong Kong, remarked in Davos: “I have never been as scared as I am now.” Astute observers have a sense that little stands between them and a wave of sovereign and banking defaults inside the euro zone, with ghastly global repercussions.

Olick – refinancing to go through FHA

“After announcing during his State of the Union address a new government refinance program for, ‘responsible’ but ‘underwater’ borrowers with privately held mortgages, President Obama is expected to detail the plan today.  It will go through the government mortgage insurer, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and could cost between 5 and 10 billion dollars, according to senior administration officials.  The cost of the program, officials say, would be covered by a tax on major lenders, which is likely to make it a no-go in Congress.  It would cover closing fees for borrowers and additional risk to the FHA, which doesn’t insure new loans where the borrower owes more than the home is worth.  Critics will also argue that the FHA, which now has an inordinately, historically large share of the mortgage market, is in no position to take on any more risk. The FHA could be considered ‘underwater’ itself, guaranteeing about $1 trillion in mortgages but sitting on just a $1.2 billion dollar cushion to cover losses.  To that end, officials say they could create a separate fund for these loans, not the regular mutual mortgage insurance fund (MMI). This would be a special risk fund, designed to handle high losses.  ‘In this program we’re talking about extraordinary circumstances,’ says Brian Chappelle of Potomac Partners. ‘People have played by the rules, they made payments in addition to the fact that their house is underwater, they’re paying excessively high rates. It’s a unique homeowner, not somebody looking for a handout.’

To be eligible, borrowers would have to be current on their mortgages, not having missed a payment in at least six months. They need a credit score (FICO) above 580, must be employed, and must have a conforming loan (between $271,050 and $729,750 depending on their location). No appraisal would be necessary, according to officials.  Estimates are that the plan could help 3.5 million borrowers in addition to the 11 million expected to qualify for the existing refinance program for those with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans (HARP). The one sticking point could be the mortgage insurance premiums charged by the FHA. If rolled into the loan, they would put a borrower further underwater.  ‘To use taxpayer dollars to bail out the few who are current and don’t need payment assistance but are underwater is ludicrous and worsens their equity position,’ says JT Smith of Aristar Funding.  The plan would also require lenders to write down the value of the loan if it exceeded 140% of the value of the home. Administration officials say the trade-off for lenders is they get rid of a risky loan.

On the flip side, the government would then be backing that same risky loan, but officials argue they would offset some of that risk because in order to get closing fees paid, the borrower has to agree to use the lower interest rate savings on the refinance to pay off principal balance.  The plan faces many headwinds, first and foremost being Congressional approval; borrowers and lenders would also have to agree to all the requirements, as this is not an automatic plan but a voluntary, borrower-initiated deal. It would also rile Wall Street, as hundreds of thousands of loans could ‘pre-pay,’ which means the bondholders lose.  ‘Some say it undermines the value of existing [mortgage] securities, so they would build a premium in,’ notes Chappelle. That could make future loans for other Americans more expensive.”

US to charge European traders

US authorities are preparing to charge four former Credit Suisse employees with criminal and civil fraud related to write-downs on subprime mortgage derivatives at the height of the financial crisis, sources familiar with the matter said.  Credit Suisse will not be charged in the matter, which is being investigated by federal prosecutors and the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the sources said.  The four people to be charged were former Credit Suisse traders who were fired, another source said, but it was unclear when and for what reason.  The suspected illegal conduct took place roughly four years ago, the source said, adding that the bank had been cooperating with officials.  The investigation stems from $2.85 billion in write-downs that Credit Suisse took on collateralized debt obligations in 2008, said the sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.  Credit Suisse revealed those CDO losses in early 2008, and blamed them on a group of rogue traders – who the bank said had deliberately mispriced securities – and on a failure of internal controls.  Credit Suisse, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the SEC and Manhattan US attorney Preet Bharara declined to comment on the matter.

WSJ – housing’s firmer foundation

The Case-Shiller index is closely watched for a reason. It was quicker than a US government price index to show just how bad things were as housing came off the rails in 2007.  But right now, the connection between what the S&P/Case-Shiller index says and what is actually going on with housing may be lukewarm at best.  The difference: The Federal Housing Finance Agency index includes only homes with mortgages guaranteed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, while the Case-Shiller index includes those backed by jumbo and subprime mortgages.  Many homes that were backed by subprime mortgages are now being sold in foreclosure. They aren’t in nearly as good condition as when they were last bought, and are selling for less than if they had been properly maintained. Because the Case-Shiller index is based on repeat sales, such homes may be biasing it downward.  Moreover, the Case-Shiller index is based on a three-month average of sales, so its November level includes transactions that were completed in October and September. Consider that it takes about two months between a sale and a closing (often longer with mortgage hassles these days), and you are talking about deals agreed on in the summer, when recession fears filled the air. Things now look better. Home prices probably do, too.

See you at the top!
Chris McLaughlin

**************

Copyright Loss Mitigation Institute LLC 2011.
All Rights Reserved.

http://www.shortsalesriches.com

http://www.shortsalescoach.com

http://www.sixfigurebpo.com

http://www.reomillionaireclub.com

http://www.youtube.com/shortsalesriches

http://www.smartrealestatenews.com

(subscribe to this newsletter)

*************************************************

About the author:

Chris McLaughlin is widely known as America’s top
Real Estate Attorney and Investment Consultant.

* As the top Florida foreclosure and pre-
foreclosure expert, he oversees more than
100 short sale & REO closings each month

* Long-time authority on real estate investing
and rapid reselling of distressed homes.  Owns
portfolio of nearly 150 high-value, high-profit
properties

* Owner of one of Florida’s largest Real Estate firms,
running 4 different offices, supporting over
420 agents, uniquely positioning him to help
thousands of investors make money in the
biggest market opportunity ever!

* In 2010, Chris’ 4 Central Florida real estate offices
closed 2,786 sides for a closed sales volume of
$392,912,927!

* Highly sought-after speaker, consultant, and
seminar leader for current trends and hot topics
in Real Estate Investing, Entrepreneurship, and
Wealth Building

* Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/mclaughlinchris

* Join my Facebook Fan Page: http://www.mclaughlinchris.com

Smart Real Estate News & Commentary by Chris McLaughlin January 30, 2012

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OC Register – investors are the answer

“According to a foreclosure sales report by RealtyTrac, foreclosure-related homes are still being gobbled up — they represent 20% of total transactions in 2011 Q3.  Foreclosures are usually viewed as a supply and price issue. High foreclosures keep home prices down, creating negative equity — and declining home prices keep foreclosures coming. This is a seemingly vicious cycle that feeds into the “shadow supply” problem and looks potentially like a never ending story.  But all vicious cycles eventually come to an end in a capitalist market system. Ironically, it is the enthusiastic response of investors and regular buyers to low-priced foreclosed homes, which could eventually break the foreclosure cycle.  Foreclosure-related home sales were one-fifth of total US home sales in the third quarter vs. 22% in the quarter before and 30% during the third quarter of 2010.

The decline in the market share of foreclosure-related home sales is partially explained by various hurdles to the efficient conclusion of the foreclosures process, but “even with the hurdles to selling foreclosures, foreclosure sales continue to represent a historical high percentage of all sales,” says RealtyTrac. Foreclosures’ shrinking share could also be caused by declining mortgage delinquencies, which have been dropping relatively quickly in California, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.  In California, the share of foreclosure related sales was 44% in the third quarter. California has one of the most efficient foreclosure recycling processes in the nation, so temporary supply constraints are not that big of an issue as, for example, they may be in Florida.  Strong demand may be stabilizing the average sales price of home in foreclosure, too, which was up 1% from the previous quarter and down just 3% for the third quarter in 2010. The reported average discount for foreclosed properties relative to regular homes was 34% — but I wouldn’t read too much into these numbers because they are not quality adjusted.  Still, declining mortgage delinquencies and strong demand for foreclosure product could mean that the end may soon be here for the foreclosure business — and what’s lurking in the shadows.”

Income up, spending down

The Commerce Department said today that spending was the weakest since June and followed a 0.1% gain in November.  Economists polled by Reuters had expected spending, which accounts for more than two-thirds of US economic activity, to nudge up 0.1% last month. For all of 2011, spending rose 4.7%, the largest increase since 2007.  When adjusted for inflation, spending dipped 0.1%, breaking three straight months of gains. It increased 0.1% in November.  The government reported on Friday that consumer spending grew at a 2.0% annual pace in the fourth quarter, helping to lift gross domestic product 2.8% — acceleration from the third-quarter’s 1.8% rate.  Part of the spending, which has been concentrated in motor vehicles, has been funded from savings and credit cards as high unemployment constrains wage growth.

Wages rose last month, helping to prop-up incomes. Income advanced 0.5%, the largest gain since a matching increase in March, and followed a 0.1% rise in November. Economists had expected income to rise 0.4%.  Consumer spending is closely watched because it accounts for 70% of economic activity.  Unemployment stands at 8.5% — its lowest level in nearly three years after a sixth straight month of solid hiring.  For the final three months of 2011, Americans spent more on vehicles, and companies restocked their supplies at a robust pace.  Still, overall growth last quarter — and for all of last year — was slowed by the sharpest cuts in annual government spending in four decades. And many people are reluctant to spend more or buy homes, and many employers remain hesitant to hire, even though job growth has strengthened.

LPS – 2010-2011 originations good quality

The December Mortgage Monitor report released by Lender Processing Services shows mortgage originations continued their decline from 2011’s September peak, down 10.1% from the month before. At the same time, those loans originated over the last two years have proven to be some of the best quality originations on record. Likely a result of tighter lending requirements, 2010-11 vintage originations showed 90-day default rates below those of all other years, going back to 2005. December origination data also shows that recent prepayment activity – a key indicator of mortgage refinances – has remained strong, with 2008-09 originations, high credit score borrowers and government-backed loans having benefited the most from recent, historically low interest rates.

Looking at judicial vs. non-judicial foreclosure states, LPS found that half of all loans in foreclosure in judicial states have not made a payment in more than two years. Foreclosure sale rates in non-judicial states stood at approximately four times that of judicial foreclosure states in December. Still, on average, pipeline ratios (the time it would take to clear through the inventory of loans either seriously delinquent or in foreclosure at the current rate of foreclosure sales) have declined significantly from earlier this year.

The December mortgage performance data also showed that foreclosure starts continued to decline, remaining at multi-year lows as of the end of 2011; down 3.7% for the month, and nearly 40% for the year.  As reported in LPS’ First Look release, other key results from LPS’ latest Mortgage Monitor report include:

Total US loan delinquency rate:  8.15%

​Month-over-month change in delinquency rate:  0.0%

​Total U.S foreclosure pre-sale inventory rate:  ​4.11%

​Month-over-month change in foreclosure pre-sale inventory:  -1.3%

​States with highest percentage of non-current loans:  FL, MS, NV, NJ, IL

​States with the lowest percentage of non-current loans:  MT, WY, SD, AK, ND

Big banks hedge against EU

Five large American banks, including JPMorgan Chase and Goldman Sachs, have more than $80 billion of exposure to Italy, Spain, Portugal, Ireland and Greece, the most economically stressed nations in the euro currency zone, according to a New York Times analysis of the banks’ financial disclosures.  But these banks have made extensive use of a type of financial insurance, called credit default swaps, to help them offset any losses that might occur if defaults swamped the five troubled nations. Using these swaps, along with other measures, the five banks have cut their theoretical exposure to the troubled countries by $30 billion, to $50 billion. The analysis also shows that Citigroup has the greatest percentage of its exposure potentially protected at 47%, while Bank of America has bought the least protection at 12%.  Big banks have reduced their sovereign debt exposure, but they still have tens of billions of dollars of it.  Credit-default swaps have functioned well for big bankruptcies, but they were also a big source of systemic weakness in 2008, when the American International Group nearly collapsed because it could not make payments on its side of its swaps contracts. Some market participants now doubt they would work properly during periods of great financial instability.  “The likelihood of actually getting paid out from owning a credit default swap would be troubling to me if this were my hedge against a systemic shock — especially in a political environment unfriendly to more Wall Street bailouts,” Mark Spitznagel, chief investment officer at Universal Investments, a hedge fund, said through a spokesman.

Olick – foreclosure pipeline swells

“The number of new foreclosures in 2011 dropped nearly 40%, according to year-end numbers just released by Lender Processing Services (LPS); there is, however, little cause for celebration.  The fall is largely due to moratoria and process reviews stemming from the so-called ‘robo-signing’ foreclosure paperwork scandal.  Mortgage delinquency rates were largely unchanged from last year, which means all that distress will be pushed forward to 2012 and beyond.  To give you an idea of just how much the ‘robo’ scandal is toying with the numbers, LPS compared states that require foreclosures to go through the courts versus states that don’t (judicial versus non-judicial) and found the following:

- 50% of loans in foreclosure in judicial states have not made a payment in two years, as opposed to 28% in non-judicial states.

- Foreclosure sale rates in non-judicial states are about four times those in judicial states.

‘Nationally, foreclosure pipelines remain at historic highs, but they are clearing at very different rates depending upon state procedures,’ says Herb Blecher of LPS Applied Analytics.  With the nation essentially split between judicial and non-judicial foreclosure states, it’s safe to say the foreclosure crisis will linger longer than anyone expected, especially with negotiations for a settlement between big banks and state attorneys general hitting yet another roadblock.  California Attorney General Kamala Harris rejected the latest proposal this week, calling it inadequate.  ‘Our state has been clear about what any multistate settlement must contain: transparency, relief going to the most distressed homeowners, and meaningful enforcement that ensures accountability. At this point, this deal does not suffice for California,’ she wrote in a statement.  Bank sources say that without California the value of the settlement would drop by billions and banks would still have major liability for foreclosure fraud. About one fifth of the nation’s foreclosures are in California.”

Replacements to help drive economy

Four years after the downturn began, the replacement cycle shows signs of kicking into a higher gear in the United States even among small businesses, and it could give an unexpected boost to growth and employment this year.  In the United States, large corporations have already dug into huge cash piles to upgrade plant and equipment, adding incrementally to an economy that grew by 2.8% in the fourth quarter.  Now small businesses, which drive about half of US economic growth and a big chunk of job creation, are increasing their spending on equipment, too, an important precursor to stronger hiring.  For the early signs of this small business revival, Ian Shepherdson, chief US economist at High Frequency Economics, points to two factors: access to credit has improved markedly as shown by a surge in banks’ commercial and industrial lending, and an index of capital expenditure intentions, as measured by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), is climbing. NFIB policy analyst Holly Wade said anecdotally she hears of more businesspeople talking of increasing their budgets.  “They have stretched out their machinery and equipment and would have normally invested in replacement, but they were waiting as long as possible. Now they are starting to see better sales and earnings, and they are more comfortable investing some of those dollars in capex,” she said.  “In the next three to six months, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the same rate of growth in capital outlays we have seen recently.”

FHA – originations down, delinquencies up

The serious delinquency rate for Federal Housing Administration (FHA) mortgages reached 9.6% in December, the highest level in more than two years, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) said.  More than 711,000 FHA-insured loans were seriously delinquent, up 18.9% from one year earlier, according to the HUD report. It’s also a 3.2% increase from the month before. The delinquency rate has been steadily increasing since passing 8.2% last summer.  Meanwhile, originations are down. In December, the FHA insured 93,700 mortgages, a nearly 30% decline from the 133,000 insured in December 2010.  In its fiscal year 2011, the FHA Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund slipped to a 0.24% capital ratio from 0.5% the year prior. By law, the fund must remain above 2%.  FHA officials attempted to temper fears that the fund would need a bailout. An independent study done showed home prices would have to deteriorate significantly before an injection of tax dollars would be needed.

“It would take very significant declines in home prices in 2012 to create a situation where FHA would need additional support,” said FHA Acting Commissioner Carole Galante when the projections came out.  American Enterprise Institute Fellow Edward Pinto isn’t convinced. His study claimed that FHA is actually undercapitalized by as much as $53 billion using more traditional accounting rules.  The FHA put new guidelines in place this week that would tighten restrictions on lenders seeking approval to write FHA mortgages. Also, the changes would force more firms to buyback defaulted home loans and reduce seller concessions, which Pinto said would have the most impact, according to Pinto.  “We need to get back to where the mortgages themselves stand on their own regardless of what happens with house price inflation or deflation,” Pinto said.

Bakersfield.com – no kudos for the POTUS

President Obama’s announcement in last week’s State of the Union address that he has created a new unit to probe mortgage abuse earns no cheers from us. Instead, we are reminded how shamefully little has been done to address the housing crisis that continues to plague so many Americans.  The Making Home Affordable mortgage relief program has been an utter flop. An attempt by the Department of Justice to broker a multistate settlement with major banks over foreclosure abuses that would fund relief for struggling homeowners has gone nowhere. There have been no meaningful prosecutions, no significant relief for homeowners and few new fraud protections.  Now, what little break has been granted to troubled homeowners — in the form of tax relief on canceled mortgage debt — is due to expire at year’s end and too few seem aware of the looming deadline.

Normally, debt that is forgiven or canceled by a lender in a foreclosure or short sale must be included as income on tax returns and is taxable. However, the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act of 2007 excluded the reporting of up to $1 million in canceled debt on a primary residence for tax purposes. But not for long.  Local real estate agents report no frenzy of calls or uptick in clients wanting to carry out short sales. Scott Tobias, president of the Bakersfield Association of Realtors, told The Californian last week that “I think, basically, homeowners don’t know about” the tax relief expiring on Dec. 31, 2012.  With nearly half of all Bakersfield mortgages underwater, it’s essential for people to know of the upcoming tax break expiration, especially considering that it can take months to close a short sale.  The housing market is nowhere near recovery; Congress ought to extend the tax relief. But no one should rely on Congress to act. It’s imperative for underwater homeowners to understand their options and be informed about the looming tax deadline.

See you at the top!
Chris McLaughlin

**************

Copyright Loss Mitigation Institute LLC 2011.
All Rights Reserved.

http://www.shortsalesriches.com

http://www.shortsalescoach.com

http://www.sixfigurebpo.com

http://www.reomillionaireclub.com

http://www.youtube.com/shortsalesriches

http://www.smartrealestatenews.com

(subscribe to this newsletter)

*************************************************

About the author:

Chris McLaughlin is widely known as America’s top
Real Estate Attorney and Investment Consultant.

* As the top Florida foreclosure and pre-
foreclosure expert, he oversees more than
100 short sale & REO closings each month

* Long-time authority on real estate investing
and rapid reselling of distressed homes.  Owns
portfolio of nearly 150 high-value, high-profit
properties

* Owner of one of Florida’s largest Real Estate firms,
running 4 different offices, supporting over
420 agents, uniquely positioning him to help
thousands of investors make money in the
biggest market opportunity ever!

* In 2010, Chris’ 4 Central Florida real estate offices
closed 2,786 sides for a closed sales volume of
$392,912,927!

* Highly sought-after speaker, consultant, and
seminar leader for current trends and hot topics
in Real Estate Investing, Entrepreneurship, and
Wealth Building

* Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/mclaughlinchris

* Join my Facebook Fan Page: http://www.mclaughlinchris.com