Bergen County NJ living. Discover the best places to live and community life in Paramus NJ, River Edge NJ, Oradell NJ, Emerson NJ, FairlawnNJ Real Estate and Homes for Sale
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  • Bergen County Short Sales/ Foreclosures

    Posted on October 13th, 2009 Carmelo No comments

    Its been a while since the last foreclosure email blast, but they have been drying up in the past few months.  With the new HARP Program banks have been remodifing mortgages and limiting inventory which in turn is stabilizing the real estate market.  Homes prices are still dropping (.5-.75% a month according to last few appraisal reports) but home SALES are up, its a great time to take advantage of the interest rates which are fluttering just under 5%!!!!  Below are a few foreclosures currently on the market, if interested in some more please feel free to contact me anytime.

    Cresskill 3br 1.5 bth $420K
    Park Ridge 2br bth 100×150 Lot $374k Bring your builder
    River Edge 4br 3.5bth Move in condition colonial $534k
    Saddle River 6br 9.5bth Estate $7.5mil

    Also please visit my other sites

    www.YouTube.com/OurNJhouse
    www.OurNJhouse.com
    www.SellwithMelNJ.com
    www.MyNJblog.com

  • Selling Your Bergen County Home For Less Than You Owe

    Posted on April 2nd, 2009 Carmelo 1 comment

    NJ  Bergen County  Short Sale: Selling Your Bergen County Home For Less Than You Owe.

    If you’ve taken out a large mortgage, and perhaps refinanced to cover remodeling or other expenses, you may find yourself unable to keep up with your mortgage payment after a layoff, divorce or illness. More and more people are finding they need to sell their homes for less than they owe on the mortgages, known as a “short sale.”

    Selling short is definitely better than foreclosure, which stays on your credit record for ten years. But it’s best to try to work things out with your lender before going through the embarrassing and laborious process of selling your home on a short sale.
    Tax Issues

    Before you put your home on the market for a short sale, it’s best to talk with a tax advisor about possible tax repercussions. It’s likely the IRS will consider the difference between the value at which you sell your home and the mortgage balance as “income” on which you’ll have to pay taxes.

    An exception to this rule is if you can prove that you were “insolvent” - that your debts were bigger than your assets- before your mortgage lender agreed to a short sale of your property. A tax advisor will be able to tell you for sure whether you’d be considered insolvent by IRS standards.

    If you can’t prove you’re insolvent, and the tax bill on a short sale would be more than you can pay, you may have to let the mortgage lender foreclose, or declare bankruptcy.

    Be Upfront With Your Short Sale Real Estate Agent

    If you find selling you house for less than you owe on the mortgage is an option short of foreclosure or bankruptcy, you’ll want to find a real estate agent who understands your situation. It often takes much longer to actually close the sale once the seller accepts an offer. But many agents sympathize with financial problems brought on by unexpected circumstances, and will want to help.

    Convincing Your Mortgage Lender

    The short sale buyer will need your help in negotiating a short sale approval with your mortgage lender.

    Your bank will have to be convinced that you deserve to be approved for a short sale. You’ll need to tell your mortgage lender about your financial hardships, including layoffs, divorce or medical issues.

    While this may seem obvious, now is not the time to rack up the purchase of luxury items, like fancy cars or jewelry. Your lender will see these debts on your credit report and become convinced you’re a loose spender who doesn’t deserve a break.

    It may also be necessary to provide the lender, either directly or through the buyer or buyer’s agent, documentation of your financial hardship, such as paystubs, bank statements and so forth. While this may seem like an invasion of your privacy, try to think of it as the fastest way out of an otherwise overwhelming debt.

    New Jersey area Short sales take much longer to close than more conventional sales, so plan accordingly. If it works, you’ve avoided bankruptcy and an ugly mark on your credit report. If it doesn’t work, you’ll know that you’ve done everything you could to avoid foreclosure and/or bankruptcy

    For assistance is selling your home as a Short Sale in Bergen County, River Edge, Oradell, Paramus, Emerson Fairlawn. Contact Carmelo Oliveri, Coldwell Banker Realtor at (201) 618-2854. Visit our web site at http://www.ournjhouse.com

  • New Jersey Short Sale FAQ

    Posted on April 2nd, 2009 Carmelo No comments

    Things You’ll Need To Begin Selling Your New Jersey Home as A Short Sale:

    * Your financial data (income and assets)
    * A qualified representative (real estate broker, lawyer, or advisor)
    * A market analysis of similar home sales and those currently for sale
    * Recent bank statements

    Step 1
    Contact Carmelo Oliveri - GRI/NJAR Office: (201) 262-6600 X 157 Cell: (201) 618-2854 Fax: (201) 262-8432 www.ournjhouse.com

    Step 2
    Contact your mortgage lender. Don’t just call or email customer service or the “loan work out” department. You need to speak with the Manager of the problem loan department or another individual who has the authority to approve a short sale request. While mortgage lenders can be sympathetic to these problems, they are never anxious to allow a short sale. If you’re uncomfortable in this role, let your lawyer or advisor negotiate with your lender.

    Step 3
    Write a letter “authorizing” your mortgage lender to disclose your loan information to real estate agents, lawyers, title companies, or other interested parties. Your loan information is subject to privacy laws so your lender needs your written authorization to release this data to anyone. At a minimum, this letter should include the property address, your name, your loan number (or other identifying data), and, if appropriate, a list of the parties for whom you wish this information to be given.

    Step 4
    Compile some preliminary financial information (sometimes called a “Net Sheet”) about your prospective short sale. Include the expected sales price and all costs that might be attached to the sale, including your current unpaid loan balance, payments due, real estate commissions, and loan or other fees expected to be payable. If you’re unsure how to create this document, your real estate agent, lawyer or advisor should be able to produce it for you.

    Step 5
    Write a serious “hardship letter”, detailing all the surrounding events that have occurred to cause you to arrive in this financial situation. Explain your economic problems honestly and directly ask your mortgage lender to accept a less than full balance payment. While the more dire your circumstances, the better the chance your request will be granted, you should resist the temptation to over dramatize your situation.

    Step 6
    Write up a statement of your current income and all of your other assets for your mortgage lender to evaluate. List your other assets, including bank accounts, stocks or other investments, additional real estate, and anything else of value. This information should display that you have neither the income nor the assets to repay your mortgage loan in full. You will often be asked to submit the last 3 to 6 months’ bank statements, also. Your mortgage lender will examine these to learn if there are recent large cash withdrawals or high numbers of checks clearing your accounts. Lenders want some assurance that you haven’t been hiding or diverting funds that might go to them.

    Step 7
    Compile a current market analysis of real estate sales in your area to emphasize the wisdom of your request for a short sale. This document should show the selling prices of similar homes in your area for the past 3 to 6 months. You should also include some similar properties currently for sale in your area. During times of market value declines, short sales become more “popular” and this comparative analysis again reinforces the need for you to request this consideration. If you’re unsure how to create this analysis, your real estate agent can prepare this document for you.

    Step 8
    After you reach common ground with a potential buyer, deliver a copy of your proposed Purchase & Sale Agreement to your mortgage lender. They will want to examine the price, terms, and other conditions in the document. Don’t be surprised if your lender attempts to renegotiate (downward, of course) some features, like real estate commissions or other financial considerations you’ve made. Assuming your lender accepts the agreement, you can then proceed to bring your short sale to fruition.

    Short Sale Tips & Warnings

    * Don’t spend too much time “chatting” with lender personnel until you reach the right person. Typically, only management personnel have the authority to approve a short sale.

    * Ensure that all the documents you’re required to submit to your mortgage lender support your request for a short sale.

    * Be honest and open with your lender. If they believe your situation is not as described, they will probably deny your request for a short sale. They typically won’t tell you they have doubts about your lack of ability to repay in full. They will merely advise you they have denied your request.

    * In Step 3, should your “bottom line” indicate that you (the seller) may receive cash proceeds, your lender will probably not approve your short sale request.

    River Edge, Oradell, Paramus, Emerson Fairlawn. Search the complete NJ MLS for free. Contact Carmelo Oliveri, Coldwell Banker Realtor at (201) 618-2854. Visit our web site at http://www.ournjhouse.com