The most important point to this article is that the market needs to clear out a lot of the distressed inventory before prices start to come back. This is very true and an important part of the recovery process for the housing market, especially the hardest-hit markets. For the full story, continue to read below…

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) — Even as the $26 billion mortgage settlement helps hundreds of thousands of troubled homeowners, it will bring a wave of new foreclosures.

Many lenders held off on reposessing homes during the complex negotiations between 49 state attorneys general, and federal officials.

That’s left a backlog of troubled loans, many of which won’t be helped by measures in the deal that will let homeowners refinance or reduce the amount of their mortgage.

“The bottom line is that 2012 will see a lot of foreclosures that should have taken place in 2011 and didn’t,” said Rick Sharga, executive vice president for Carrington Holdings, a real estate finance firm.

Daren Blomquist, vice president of RealtyTrac, online marketer of foreclosed properties, agrees that much of last year’s 34% drop in foreclosure filings was likely due to the uncertainty involved in the negotiations. He estimates that new filings will climb from 1.9 million in 2011 to between 2.2 million and 2.5 million this year.

“We think what we saw in 2011 was artificially low foreclosure numbers,” he said. He added that banks took longer to file foreclosure notices last year, and longer to finish the foreclosure process.

HUD press secretary Derrick Plummer said Thursday’s mortgage settlement is designed to make foreclosure the last resort for banks negotiating with homeowners who are seriously delinquent on loans.

Sharga and Blomquist agree said that the mortgage deal will help many homeowners stay in their homes who would have otherwise been forced out. Up to one million mortgage holders could see the amount of money they owe reduced.

But the solutions offered by the settlement can only work for homeowners who can afford to make new, lower mortgage payments. Banks will have little choice to foreclose on those who have stopped paying due to prolonged unemployment or other severe economic distress.

“The settlement really wasn’t designed to prevent foreclosure on loans that aren’t salvageable,” said Sharga.

Banks have been letting delinquent loans sit in limbo, but now that a settlement has been reached, banks will likely start contacting delinquent homeowners to see which loans can be salvaged. Sharga says that the banks will likely turn up a raft of new foreclosures.

The five lenders who are parties to the deal — Bank of America (BAC, Fortune 500), Citigroup (C, Fortune 500), JPMorgan Chase (JPM, Fortune 500), Wells Fargo (WFC, Fortune 500) and Ally Financial — together account for about 60% of the mortgage market, Sharga said. And there are many other lenders who were also taking a wait-and-see approach while the big banks held talks, who might soon join the settlement as well.

Sharga and Blomquist said that while the increase in foreclosures will cause plenty of pain in the short term, it’s an important part of the recovery process for the housing market, especially the hardest-hit markets.

“The uncertainty has been very bad for the market over the last year,” said Blomquist.

There are currently more than 3 million homeowners either seriously delinquent on mortgages or in foreclosure, and that looming inventory has been one of the biggest drags on home sales prices.

“The market needs to clear out a lot of the distressed inventory before prices start to come back,” Sharga said. 

The best thing to do before you make any decision is to seek counsel. See the advice of a professional. Now a days real estate attorneys are charging around $100 bucks for a 30 – 1 hour consult to go over your options. To me that will be the best $100 bucks you’ll spend to get legal advice so you can sleep at night. Another important fact is that it’s not the end of the world. You can and will recover from a short sale or foreclosure. Some lenders will allow you to purchase just 3 years out of a foreclosure but the hit will stay on your credit for 7 years.

If you are thinking about buying or selling or would like to seek legal advice, please don’t hesitate to contact me, for I can help point you in the right direction.

To read the full article, click here.

The deals are aimed at incentivizing homeowners who owe more on their home than it is worth and who are seriously delinquent on their payments to sell their homes in a short sale.

In short sales, homes are sold for less than what is owed and the bank forgives the excess debt. Banks have been reluctant to approve such deals in the past — since they take a loss on the home — but in certain cases, it’s become a much better proposition than letting the homeowner fall into foreclosure.

This new approach by the banks has startled plenty of homeowners, according to Elizabeth Weintraub, a Sacramento-area real estate agent who specializes in short sales.

“Initially, the homeowners are skeptical,” she said. “The bank may have already turned down their request for a modification. Then, one day, they call and say, ‘Let us give you some cash.’”

When Chase Mortgage (JPM, Fortune 500) told Angelique Pierce, that she would receive a check for $25,000 if she sold her house, she couldn’t believe it.

“I got the offer in the mail,” said the Rancho Cordova, Calif. resident. “I called my bank to ask if it was real.”

After Pierce became disabled a few years ago and had to stop working work, she fell behind on payments on both her first and second mortgages, valued at $250,000 and $50,000, respectively.

Now, she’s trying to sell her three-bedroom ranch for just $95,000 — almost half of the $179,000 she paid for the place in late 2002.

From the bank’s point of view, the offers make sense, according to Tom Kelly, a spokesman for Chase Mortgage, who would not comment on Pierce or other individual cases. “The first choice is a modification but if that’s impossible than a short sale is a faster, more efficient solution,” he said.

For the banks, foreclosure has become an increasingly difficult and expensive option. Homeowners have learned to fight the banks tooth and nail, dragging out cases for years.

And as the cases drag, expenses grow. Homeowners not only stop paying their mortgages but they stop paying property taxes and conducting normal maintenance as well. Roofs, siding, plumbing and other parts of the home deteriorate and the property loses value. By the time banks take possession, they’re out tens of thousands of dollars.

“I’ve seen a lot of foreclosures for sale where it would cost a lot more than $20,000 to get them into condition to sell again,” said John Hayton, a short sale specialist in Orlando, Fla, who has had a number of clients receive offers from the banks.

Short sales also command higher prices than foreclosed homes. In December, foreclosed properties sold for an average of 22% less than conventional sales, while the discount for short sales was only 14%, according to the National Association of Realtors.

All that has been true for years, but it is only lately that these outsized incentives, which Bloomberg recently reported on, have surfaced.

Sellers are more cooperative when they’re going to receive a five-figure check for their troubles.

Nick Chaconas, an agent with discount broker Redfin, wondered why one seller was so anxious to sell their home. “Since I represent the buyer, I didn’t even know about the incentive until the closing,” he said.

It turned out that the seller’s bank was writing her a check for $30,000.

Whether sellers can expect incentives from their banks depends on multiple factors, including where they live.

Wells Fargo (WFC, Fortune 500) limits its offers to certain states, such as Florida, where the foreclosure process can be lengthy, according to spokeswoman Veronica Clemons. The bank has paid $10,000 to $20,000 to borrowers who short sell or transfer their title to Wells via a deed-in-lieu.

Bank of America (BAC, Fortune 500) had a pilot program in Florida that paid incentives of $5,000 to $20,000 for sales that were initiated between Sept. 26, 2011 and Nov. 30, 2011 and close by the end of this August. The amount of the incentive is based on 5% of the unpaid balance, with a $5,000 minimum and $20,000 maximum.

Jumana Bauwens, Bank of America’s spokeswoman, called it a “test-and-run program” that may be expanded to other states.

The offers are not always a panacea for homeowners struggling to pay the bills, however.

Pierce, for example, has not been able to make hers pay off. She had a buyer but her second mortgage holder refused to go along with the deal unless it got a share of the $25,000 she was being offered by the bank. She said that the bank balked at the deal and the sale was cancelled.

She’s looking for another buyer, but it’s up in the air if Chase will honor its original offer if the second mortgage holder won’t cooperate.

The unemployment rate in the metro area fell to 7.7% in November, a 1.1 percentage point improvement from 2010 and better than the national rate of 8.2%.

Home sales have been picking up, thanks to rock-bottom foreclosure bargains. During the fourth quarter, homes sold 27% faster than they did during the same period in 2010, according to Realtor.com.

A four-bedroom, two-bath house in good condition is currently listed for under $80,000, a significant discount from the $200,000 or so it would have fetched during the 2006 peak, said Marchiol.

Even with sales volume and home prices solidifying, Phoenix buyers are not likely to become overnight real estate millionaires. Over the next five years, forecasting firm Fiserv expects local prices to rise at a steady but paltry 2.4% annual average rate.

This video provided by cnnmoney.com offers great insight to wither you should buy a home in 2012. The housing market is being said to stabilize this year with a slight increase in home values. The is good news for the economy and for buyers and sellers alike.

The program, which was cited by Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke last week as one way to address the housing crisis, would sell foreclosed homes now owned by Fannie Mae (FNMA, Fortune 500) and Freddie Mac (FMCC, Fortune 500) to investors in bulk. The properties would then be converted into rentals.

The initiative began back in August, when the Federal Housing Finance Agency, the Treasury Department and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced they were seeking suggestions on ways to dispose of repossessed homes now owned by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Federal Housing Administration.

In addition to getting the properties off the government’s books, officials are hoping putting the homes back into productive use will stabilize neighborhoods and housing values. Also, it is looking to expand the supply of rentals, which are increasingly in demand.

The agency is not releasing details on how the rental program would work, instead saying it is “proceeding prudently but with a sense of urgency to lay the groundwork for the development of good initial transactions in early 2012.”

Administration officials said they are continuing to work with the agency to develop the program.

Until now, most foreclosed homes have been sold individually because investors have demanded bigger discounts to buy large numbers of properties.

But federal officials are warily eyeing the expected surge in foreclosures as banks ramp up their action against delinquent homeowners. The process had been stalled since late 2010 when banks’ shoddy paperwork practices came to light.

There are close to 2 million homes in the late stages of delinquency, according to Lender Processing Services. Since foreclosed properties often sell below market value, they can wreak havoc on home prices.

Converting these homes to rentals can both help the neighborhood and minimize losses to Fannie, Freddie and the FHA, which hold about 250,000 properties, Bernanke told lawmakers last week.

He urged lawmakers to ramp up their efforts to fix the housing market, placing particular emphasis on the problem of vacant homes on the market.

“Restoring the health of the housing market is a necessary part of a broader strategy for economic recovery,” he said.

Bernanke’s comments launched a full-court press by Federal Reserve officials last week to raise awareness of the continuing problems plaguing the housing market.

His proposals were quickly followed by Fed Governors Sarah Bloom Raskin, who spoke on ramping up enforcement of mortgage servicers, and Elizabeth Duke, who said Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac could do more to help heal the housing market.

Meanwhile, New York Fed President William Dudley gave a speech that touched on a wide range of housing policies — including principal reduction and mortgage refinancing — that he believes will boost the economy.

The Fed has already tried to boost real estate sales by pushing mortgage rates down to record lows through massive bond-buying programs.

But the renewed push for housing help indicates that the Fed, which has basically run out of monetary policy ammunition to revive the real estate market, is urging the federal government to ramp up its efforts.

“The Federal Reserve is signaling in even stronger terms the need for the government to do more to help housing,” said Jaret Seiberg, a policy analyst with the Washington Research Group.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) — Foreclosure filings and repossessions fell to their lowest level since 2007 last year.

Total filings, including default notices and bank repossessions were down 33% for the year to 2.7 million, according to RealtyTrac, the online marketer of foreclosed properties.

One in every 69 homes had at least one foreclosure filing during the year, while 804,000 homes were repossessed. That’s a significant improvement from the peaks reached in 2010 — when 1.05 million homes were repossessed — and the lowest levels seen since 2007.

More than 4 million homes have been lost to foreclosure over the past five years.

While the declines seem like good news for the housing market, where a flood of foreclosed homes has depressed home prices, much of it is due to processing delays caused by fall-out from the “robo-signing” scandal that broke in late 2010.

During the year, banks spent more time making sure paperwork was legal and proper, creating a backlog in the foreclosure pipeline. As a result, the average time it took to process a foreclosure climbed to 348 days during the fourth quarter, up from 305 days a year earlier.

“Foreclosures were in full delay mode in 2011, resulting in a dramatic drop in foreclosure activity for the year,” said Brandon Moore, chief executive officer of RealtyTrac.

However, Moore said there were “strong signs” during the second half of the year that lenders are working through foreclosure backlogs in certain markets. He expects foreclosure activity to rise above 2011′s level but remain below the peak hit in 2010.

Low rates offer some help for homeowners

Early in 2011, many forecasters were predicting a wave of foreclosures due to resetting adjustable-rate mortgages, but low mortgage rates helped many borrowers refinance into more affordable loans, said Moore.

The government helped as well, through efforts like the Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP), which made refinancing easier for borrowers who owe more on their mortgage than their homes are worth. Government foreclosure prevention programs, including HARP and the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP), have started about 5.5 million mortgage modifications since April 2009, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

“Programs like HAMP and HARP have definitely made a dent in the foreclosure problem,” said Moore “However, they are certainly not living up to their billing of preventing several million foreclosures. In addition, many [HAMP] homeowners fall back into foreclosure later on.”

Of course, there were still plenty of factors working against homeowners in 2011, including the continued erosion in home prices. Falling prices rob homeowners of home equity, which they can tap if they need emergency cash.

Foreclosure hot spots

Hot spots for foreclosures remain mostly in “bubble states,” where speculative investors helped drive up home prices beyond their fundamental values during the mid-2000s housing boom. Nevada, where one out of every 16 households received some kind of default notice during the year, was the worst hit of all, a distinction it has held for the fifth consecutive year. Arizona had the second highest foreclosure rate and California came in third. Florida, which had been running neck-and-neck with the other “Sand States” in past years, fell to seventh, behind Georgia, Utah and Michigan.

Among metro areas, Las Vegas suffered from the highest foreclosure rate in 2011. California put seven cities in the top 10, led by Stockton in the second slot. Other cities in the top 10 included Phoenix, which finished sixth, and Reno, Nev. was eighth.

The monthly cost of owning a home is more affordable now than in the past 15 years, and is less expensive than renting in numerous cities, according to The Wall Street Journal’s third-quarter survey. Apartment rent is expected to rise while mortgages have become more affordable. This is a great opportunity to consider buying a home.  The big win:  taking a similar monthly payment but putting towards owning a home.

Other cities where owning is now cheaper than renting include Detroit, Minneapolis, Orlando, Las Vegas, Miami, St.  Louis, and Chicago.
In the 28 cities that The Wall Street Journal tracked, it found monthly mortgage payments on the median-priced home – including taxes and insurance – to be lower than the average rent levels in 12 of the metro areas. Nationwide, apartment rents are expected to rise by about 4 percent this year, which may make the owning vs. renting picture tilt even higher, according to some analysts.

Meanwhile, rent levels have risen briskly across the country and mortgage rates, hovering around 4%, are the lowest in six decades. Visible inventory was down sharply in several markets, including by almost half in Miami and 40% in Phoenix.

“I care about you, you can trust me and I am committed to excellence.”- Chuck Lemire CEO HomeSmart International

A new Senate bill would grant a U.S. visa to international investors who agree to spend at least $500,000 on residential real estate here. There are some requirements the eligible foreigner would need to meet for this new “homeowner” visa but it would be a vote of confidence and could improve the housing market nationwide. To read more…

Here is a good video from CNN Money for those that are on the fence about buying in today’s real estate market. It gives a brief insight to the market as a whole and will hopefully guide you in the right direction in your real estate goals.

Tips on cashing in on the housing slump

The basics of the current HARP product allow homeowners in a FANNIE MAE or FREDDIE MAC loan to refinance their current loan at up to 125% Loan to value (though most lenders only do 105% LTV). The original loan had to be taken out before March of 2009. This product was meant to help homeowners with little or no equity refinance their current loan with at a lower rate with no mortgage insurance.

President Obama is scheduled to release revisions to the HARP program this week. The new program is said to uncap the max loan to value of 125%. The new HARP loan will allow more under water homeowners to refinance their current loan at a lower rate with no mortgage insurance.

Many consumers owe much more than 125% of their home’s value. The updated HARP product is meant to help the homeowner’s that the first HARP product could not.

To check if your current loan is backed by FANNIE MAE or FREDDIE MAC, click on the following links below:

FANNIE MAE check: http://www.fanniemae.com/loanlookup/
FREDDIE MAC check: https://ww3.freddiemac.com/corporate/