This afternoon my eight year old daughter McClain and I were looking at a tennis magazine and came across an article about “going Green” and one of the articles mentioned donating used tennis shoes back to the manufacturer to recycle into new tennis shoes.

I got to thinking that instead of giving these used shoes to the manufacturer, why not give them to folks that need them that may not even have any shoes. So, with McClain’s help we came up with the name “Shoes for the Soul” and we are trying to come up with 1,000 pairs of tennis shoes / sneakers by July 1st to donate to those in need.

In the Hamilton Mill subdivision alone there are over 2,100 households and if we can collect a pair of shoes for every other home we can more than meet our goal, plus with the other friends and family we have in other areas of Atlanta, I think we can make it. McClain has higher asperations and feels we can get 2,000 pairs.

We have not figured out exactly who we will be donating these tennis shoes to, but I have some ideas and will be making a decision shortly.

So here is the ask: Can you take a minute or two to go through your closets and locate a lonely pair of tennis shoes that need a new home? If so, please let me know and McClain and I will be happy to come pick them up from you. So what do you say, do you have a pair or two of kids or adult shoes you can donate to us?

We will keep a weekly update on our progress to let you know where we are in meeting our goal. If you would like to help, please let me know and we will get you involved. Hopefully we will need additional storage space, help with transportation, etc.

Also, please pass this email onto anyone you think might be able to contribute. I have a limited email list and would appreciate anyone passing this onto your contacts.

Thanks in advance for all your help and look forward to a weekly update.

]]> http://gwinnettdwellings.com/2009/05/gwinnett-county-shoes-for-the-soul/feed/ 0 http://gwinnettdwellings.com/2009/05/georgia-housing-tax-credit-bill/ http://gwinnettdwellings.com/2009/05/georgia-housing-tax-credit-bill/#comments Thu, 14 May 2009 19:50:49 +0000 Matt Fagioli http://gwinnettdwellings.com/?p=871 Today, House Bill 261 was signed by Governor Sonny Perdue. This bill provides an $1800 tax credit which would be taken over three years. This bill is immediately in effect and is meant to spur the housing market. The amount of the credit will either be $1800 or 1.2 percent of the purchase price (whichever is less).

If you are a first time home buyer, this tax credit would be in addition to the $8000 federal credit. Eligible properties include single family residences including condos, previously occupied homes that were listed for sale before May 11, 2009 and are still listed, and bank owned properties. The bill did not include investment properties.

The goal of this bill is obviously to provide an incentive to move current inventory and to get would be home buyers back in the game. If you, or anyone you know, are ready to purchase a home, Signature Lending Group would love an opportunity to earn your business and to help you take advantage of the new tax savings. We are more than willing to hold your hand throughout the entire process. Call us anytime at 678-387-5580.

1)  I have reviewed key components of Obama’s Stimulus Package – and nothing in the plan guarantees 4% mortgage interest rates the media keeps talking about.  In fact, as Fed Chairman Ben Bernacke alluded in his March 15th “60 Minutes” interview, the Fed’s long term plan is to raise rates as the economy shows signs of recovery.

2)  Lenders are continuing to tighten guidelines, which means:

       a)  Credit scores needed to qualify have increased significantly in the last 30 days.  I expect this trend to continue.

       b)  Many lenders are asking borrowers for larger down payments than in recent years.  Fortunately, Signature Lending Group is still offering programs with as little as 3.5% down on FHA loans. 

Again, my message here is that we are very likely entering the late stages of our “window of opportunity”.  If you or someone you know are wondering if the time is right to purchase a new home or refinance an existing one, please call me immediately.  I promise to give you the straight answers that will help you make the most of these chaotic economic times.

Chuck Walden, President

Signature Lending Group, Inc

678-387-5580

This home is located in the Highland Creek subdivision in Buford, and is by far the lowest priced basement home in the neighborhood. Priced at only $258,900 this home has the potential to provide a great deal of appreciation in the coming years.

This home features numerous upgrades with a total of four bedrooms and four baths. A spacious sunroom overlooks the private rear yard. Formal living and dining room. Also included are wrought iron balusters, a large unfinished basement and much more.

Remember only a HUD approved agent can place offers on this home so make sure you get proper representation. Give me a call if you think this home may be a fit for you and I will make arrangements to go take a look at this home. Currently, only owner-occupied offers are being accepted. Sorry no investors at this time.

Matt

770-402-2819

If you want more information please give me a call and I can discuss it with you but I cannot release the address at this time.

The owners have taken exceptional care of this five bedroom, three bath home which features a two story family room, spacious bedrooms, level rear yard and an unfinished basement. This home will be aggressively priced below $300,000 and should not last long.

We have seen a good spike in showings over the past two weeks and are very optimistic for a good spring selling season so if you are in the market to buy or sell my suggestion is to not wait too long. The great deals may not last too much longer.

Call me for more information and a free analysis of your homes value. 770-402-2819.

If you want more information please give me a call and I can discuss it with you but I cannot release the address at this time.

The owners have taken exceptional care of this five bedroom, three bath home which features a two story family room, spacious bedrooms, level rear yard and an unfinished basement. This home will be aggressively priced below $300,000 and should not last long.

We have seen a good spike in showings over the past two weeks and are very optimistic for a good spring selling season so if you are in the market to buy or sell my suggestion is to not wait too long. The great deals may not last too much longer.

This scenario is becoming a familiar scenario for thousands of renters nationwide who have become victims of foreclosures. Banks are removing good tenants with little to no notice after taking a property from a delinquent owner, ignoring tenant leases in many cases.

So what do you do???

Fannie Mae this month pledged to change that with its new renter policy starting in January. The plan will allow renters living in foreclosed properties to sign new leases with Fannie while the property is up for sale, or give the tenants money to relocate. Fannie has yet to establish the length of the leases, and the amount of move-out assistance will vary by state and property.

Freddie Mac says it will unveil a similar program in a few weeks.

But how does a renter know if his landlord has a Fannie- or Freddie-held mortgage? Worse yet, what about renters of landlords who don’t?

Fannie plans to reach out to tenants, says company spokesman Brian Faith.

“Most tenants don’t normally know the details of their landlord’s mortgage arrangements, but we’ll be contacting the tenants in foreclosed properties we own to make them aware of the option to stay in their home through a lease with Fannie Mae,” he said in an e-mail.

The details of Freddie’s tenant plan are still unavailable at the time of the post.

Fannie May and Freddie Mac own or guarantee about half of the $11.5 trillion in U.S. outstanding home loan debt. Fannie estimates about 4,000 tenants live in the company’s foreclosed properties and would be eligible for the plan.

The really bad news is that, that’s just a fraction of renters facing the consequences of a landlord’s foreclosure. Approximately 15 million renters, or about 40 percent of all renters, live in single-family homes, many of which are owned by investor landlords. This is where the risk lies.

What should you do if you receive a foreclosure or eviction notice?

“Don’t panic or stick your head in the sand. Neither action will be helpful,” says Robert Baker, education coordinator at Housing and Credit Counseling Inc. in Kansas.

Call the sheriff’s department first, Baker says. Find out how long the foreclosure process takes. Is it 60 days or 90 days? Then you’ll have a timeline to work with and time to prepare for the worst-case scenario.

Next, get on the Internet and find out the rental laws in Georgia. Some states, including California and Illinois, have recently passed legislation giving renters a grace period, ranging from 30 days and up, to stay in a property after it’s been sold in foreclosure. Others are considering similar legislation.

The lender’s name or its lawyer will be on the eviction notice. Contact either one to let them know you’re in the property. Find out what your options are. Will the lender let you sign a new lease or is the bank offering some cash assistance for moving out? Don’t let the lender bully you into moving out sooner than stated by law.

If you’re nervous negotiating with the lender on your own, contact a local nonprofit housing counseling agency for help. HUD’s web site lists agencies by state or you can call its toll-free number 1-800-569-4287.

If you are worried about your current landlords financial situation you can also do a little digging if you’re worried about a possible foreclosure. Go to the county courthouse or its web site and do a rudimentary background check on your landlord. District court records or the county recorder’s office will show if any foreclosure actions or judgments have been filed against your landlord. Are there any other records showing financial distress like past or present bankruptcy filings? These can be telltale signs of a landlord strapped for cash, Baker says.

Last, has the condition of your rental property suddenly deteriorated because of neglect? If the landlord isn’t making repairs, maybe it’s because he can’t pay for them or doesn’t want to spend money on a property he’s about to lose.

For more information or if you think you might be in this type of situation give me a call and let’s see if we can help you when and if the time comes.

This scenario is becoming a familiar scenario for thousands of renters nationwide who have become victims of foreclosures. Banks are removing good tenants with little to no notice after taking a property from a delinquent owner, ignoring tenant leases in many cases.

So what do you do???

Fannie Mae this month pledged to change that with its new renter policy starting in January. The plan will allow renters living in foreclosed properties to sign new leases with Fannie while the property is up for sale, or give the tenants money to relocate. Fannie has yet to establish the length of the leases, and the amount of move-out assistance will vary by state and property.

Freddie Mac says it will unveil a similar program in a few weeks.

But how does a renter know if his landlord has a Fannie- or Freddie-held mortgage? Worse yet, what about renters of landlords who don’t?

Fannie plans to reach out to tenants, says company spokesman Brian Faith.

“Most tenants don’t normally know the details of their landlord’s mortgage arrangements, but we’ll be contacting the tenants in foreclosed properties we own to make them aware of the option to stay in their home through a lease with Fannie Mae,” he said in an e-mail.

The details of Freddie’s tenant plan are still unavailable at the time of the post.

Fannie May and Freddie Mac own or guarantee about half of the $11.5 trillion in U.S. outstanding home loan debt. Fannie estimates about 4,000 tenants live in the company’s foreclosed properties and would be eligible for the plan.

The really bad news is that, that’s just a fraction of renters facing the consequences of a landlord’s foreclosure. Approximately 15 million renters, or about 40 percent of all renters, live in single-family homes, many of which are owned by investor landlords. This is where the risk lies.

What should you do if you receive a foreclosure or eviction notice?

“Don’t panic or stick your head in the sand. Neither action will be helpful,” says Robert Baker, education coordinator at Housing and Credit Counseling Inc. in Kansas.

Call the sheriff’s department first, Baker says. Find out how long the foreclosure process takes. Is it 60 days or 90 days? Then you’ll have a timeline to work with and time to prepare for the worst-case scenario.

Next, get on the Internet and find out the rental laws in Georgia. Some states, including California and Illinois, have recently passed legislation giving renters a grace period, ranging from 30 days and up, to stay in a property after it’s been sold in foreclosure. Others are considering similar legislation.

The lender’s name or its lawyer will be on the eviction notice. Contact either one to let them know you’re in the property. Find out what your options are. Will the lender let you sign a new lease or is the bank offering some cash assistance for moving out? Don’t let the lender bully you into moving out sooner than stated by law.

If you’re nervous negotiating with the lender on your own, contact a local nonprofit housing counseling agency for help. HUD’s web site lists agencies by state or you can call its toll-free number 1-800-569-4287.

If you are worried about your current landlords financial situation you can also do a little digging if you’re worried about a possible foreclosure. Go to the county courthouse or its web site and do a rudimentary background check on your landlord. District court records or the county recorder’s office will show if any foreclosure actions or judgments have been filed against your landlord. Are there any other records showing financial distress like past or present bankruptcy filings? These can be telltale signs of a landlord strapped for cash, Baker says.

Last, has the condition of your rental property suddenly deteriorated because of neglect? If the landlord isn’t making repairs, maybe it’s because he can’t pay for them or doesn’t want to spend money on a property he’s about to lose.

For more information or if you think you might be in this type of situation give me a call and let’s see if we can help you when and if the time comes.

However, looking towards the remaining balance of 2009 I personally am pretty optimistic. For the past week or two I am beginning to get more phone calls from other agents as well as new clients who are interested in a majority of homes we currently have on the market. We closed two sales last week and are expecting a few offers on other listings by the end of this week.

Am I being overly optimistic? I don’t think so. There are a number of factors working in our favor currently.

Low interest rates, a new President coming on board in a few weeks, stilulus packages, and most importantly low pricing on homes. Just think, if you were to buy a home in the next few months, the amount of equity you will have in five to seven years when you go to sell.

Goodbye 2008, hello 2009. Let’s get moving.

However, looking towards the remaining balance of 2009 I am pretty optimistic. For the past week or two I am beginning to get more phone calls from other agents as well as new clients who are interested in a majority of homes we currently have on the market. We closed two sales last week and are expecting a few offers on other listings by the end of this week.

Am I being overly optimistic? I don’t think so. There are a number of factors working in our favor currently.

Low interest rates, a new President coming on board in a few weeks, stimulus packages, and most importantly – low pricing on homes. Just think, if you were to buy a home in the next few months, the amount of equity you will have in five to seven years when you go to sell.

Goodbye 2008.  Hello 2009.  Let’s get moving!