Julie Jalone Sacramento Real Estate

Going, going...

Julie Jalone — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 17:16:00 GMT

Well it is almost gone but there is still time to take advantage of the first-time home buyer’s tax credit of $8,000. The federal program is set to expire on November 30 and if you or someone you know wants to take advantage of the available credit see my column, “ First Time Buyers Credit Deadline ” over at Rocklin & Roseville Today....(read more)

Asbestos: Understand the Risk

Julie Jalone — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 21:34:00 GMT

I am an never will be one to trumpet my environmental contentiousness as I really detest those individual and companies that use “Going Green” to promote their business. I personally believe we should each do what we can and are comfortable with to maintain our environment. In that light I have posted an article about asbestos on my websites Real Estate News page. It is titled, “ Preventing Asbestos Exposure and Green Alternatives for California Home Owners ,” and is a guest...(read more)

Another Busy Week

Julie Jalone — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 19:38:00 GMT

It has been a busy week here at MagnumOne Realty. We have been working with a nice combination of buyers and sellers and making good progress on some of our short sales. For me having a few new buyers has been a breath of fresh air and we have been enjoying looking at homes in Rocklin, Roseville, Folsom and Fairoaks. On the short sale front, we had two approvals this week and several milestones such as valuations completed, negotiator approvals that have now been sent to management or investors for...(read more)

Dry Spell

Julie Jalone — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 20:24:00 GMT

Here I am again! As much as I have enjoyed maintaining this blog over the past 4 years I have been guilty of “dropping off the grid.” The real estate business has grown in complexity and to get the same results takes more work, time and energy. June was a very stressful month as we closed several very complicated short sales and I needed a break to recharge. We just returned from a great week at the beach and ready for the second half of the year and hopefully to do a better job with...(read more)

Saturday and still talking short sales

Julie Jalone — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 15:12:00 GMT

This has been another busy week of dealing with short sales and lender negotiators so I am using Saturday to catch up a bit on my blogging. I just published my weekly column over at Rocklin & Roseville Today, “ Getting Short Sales Done in Sacramento .” Check it out if you want to get a small taste of what it takes to negotiate a successful short sale. We are continuing to be busy at MagnumOne Realty and are dealing with a nice group of buyer and seller clients. The market for homes...(read more)

The Ugly Side of Short Sales

Julie Jalone — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 16:04:00 GMT

I have recently been writing about the benefits of short sales in my weekly column at Rocklin & Roseville Today which is also carried over at Sacramento Today . The column today was, “Sacramento Short Sales – Good for All.” I really do believe short sales are win-win transactions where more than just the homeowner and lender benefit but there is an ugly side of short sales too. Our team at MagnumOne Realty has been successfully completing short sales for the past three years....(read more)

Staging on a Budget

Julie Jalone — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 18:03:00 GMT

If you or someone you know is selling or going to sell your home, check out my column, “ Staging Ideas on a Budget ,” over at Rocklin & Roseville Today. I am tired of showing clients dirty, messy and poor showing homes. The ones that show well get sold quickly. I am about ready to unleash a new Countrywide/BofA RANT….it is coming soon!...(read more)

Short Sales as a Financial Tool

Julie Jalone — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 16:41:00 GMT

With local schools getting out for the summer this and next week we should see an increase in the already busy Sacramento real estate market. Unfortunately much of this will be more short sales as more and more homeowners who owe more on their homes than they are worth realize getting out from under the debt and starting over makes sound financial sense. Homeowners who used 100 percent financing options or refinanced to pull all their equity out a few years ago are beginning to understand that it...(read more)

Getting Help to Achieve the American Dream

Julie Jalone — Tue, 12 May 2009 15:52:00 GMT

The first-time home buyer tax credit of up to $8,000 can be a significant help during the remainder of 2009 for buyers who have not owned a home in the previous three years. Check out my column, “ First time home buyer’s tax credit ,” over at Rocklin & Roseville Today for the details of the program. I believe this is a good program and will help not only to revitalize our Sacramento real estate market but will help buyers get their first home....(read more)

Sacramento Short Sales

Julie Jalone — Mon, 11 May 2009 19:44:00 GMT

We are beginning to see short sale junior lenders flexing their muscle. A year ago you could count on the junior lender to pretty much roll over and take whatever allowance the senior lender allotted to them for their lien release. Now, they are holding out for more money and most are asking for the borrower to sign a letter saying they will remain responsible for any shortfall amount. Trying to help struggling Sacramento homeowners avoid foreclosure by modification of their mortgage or a short sale...(read more)

Worst to best with a flaw

Julie Jalone — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 16:03:00 GMT

Two years ago when a client told me they wanted me to short sale their home and their lender was Wells Fargo, I would visibly cringe. Dealing with Wells Fargo in those days was a nightmare. They didn’t have sufficient staffing to handle the requests, their process was weak and it took so long that when you got the approval the buyer had moved on so you had to start all over and nobody at Wells cared. Today they are one of the fastest, they make status update calls to you and often you can deal...(read more)

Loan Mods and Good to be Back!

Julie Jalone — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 15:05:00 GMT

It seems like almost daily I am talking to a homeowner about short sales. When they are asking me to help them short sale their house to avoid foreclosure I always ask them if they tried getting a loan modification to stay in the house. The most common answer is that they called their current lender who politely said they were not interested. Okay, maybe it wasn’t so polite but they at least said call a Realtor and request a short sale. There are other avenues for help besides the current lender....(read more)

Kentuckyanna

Julie Jalone — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 14:40:00 GMT

It is always fun to get away for a few days and even better when you return and appreciate home. Last week we traveled to Elizabethtown, Kentucky to visit Michael’s son Mark and his family. I enjoyed spending time with them and seeing Kentucky. I heard about the terrible ice storm they had this past winter but until I saw the devastation it caused I didn’t understand the impact. Kentucky is trees; almost every road is cut through a forest of trees or rolling green hills surrounded by...(read more)

More Good News for 1st Time Buyers

Julie Jalone — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 15:56:00 GMT

Starting tomorrow the California Association of Realtors will start a new program to help first time buyers who are worried about the economy and not being able to make their mortgage payment if they lose their job. The program, C.A.R. Housing Affordability Fund Mortgage Protection Program is designed to give these new homeowners some peace of mind by providing them with up to $1,500 per month for up to six months in the event of a job loss. In addition a co-buyer can participate for a reduced benefit...(read more)

If I had only known

Julie Jalone — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 15:55:00 GMT

These are words we never want to hear ourselves saying, especially as it relates to selling your home. I recently met a former homeowner who now has a very nasty tax issue as a result of not understanding the consequences of debt forgiven by a lender when they completed a short sale. Unfortunately he was not using an agent who had much experience. The agent told him about the law passed in 2007 which allows the IRS not to count debt forgiven by a mortgage lender as income. She did the right thing...(read more)

Sacramento Homeowners Beware!

Julie Jalone — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 17:05:00 GMT

I have been hearing several different foreclosure rescue scams at work here in the Sacramento area. The perpetrators of the scam are approaching financially distressed homeowners and promising to help them stay in their homes and avoid foreclosure. I found and posted some warning signs of “foreclosure scams” to be aware of on the Real Estate News page at my jalone.com website. In addition there is a list of legitimate organization that are helping homeowners and where you can report anyone...(read more)

Should you walk away?

Julie Jalone — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 17:53:00 GMT

If your home is worth less than you owe, the payments are killing you and have a lender who refuses to help what will happen if you walk away? Walking away is letting the bank foreclose, giving them the keys or avoiding a foreclosure by doing a short sale. If you do one of these things how bad will it be for you? Will you get sued by your bank? Will you ever be able to get credit again? How much will Uncle Sam and the IRS want from you? It may not be as bad as you imagine. Check out my weekly column,...(read more)

Just a bit angry today!

Julie Jalone — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 18:32:00 GMT

This morning I read an article in the Sacramento Bee about the former executives of Countrywide that got rich on bonuses and golden parachutes after they made tons of questionable loans which we are all now paying for. Believe it or not they have taken their wealth and created a company that buys up bad loans from failed banks. They are paying pennies on dollar for these loans and making a killing on collecting. The economy is in the tank, the everyday guy is suffering and these guys are making millions...(read more)

Sacramento Real Estate Picking-up Steam

Julie Jalone — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 01:51:00 GMT

I have been watching and experiencing a steady increase in real estate activity around the Sacramento area. We have a number of new listings, several of which are on fire. Yesterday I listed a great home in a downtown Sacramento neighborhood, 1324 35 th Street . The agent “hits” on MLS has been very high and the phone has been ringing non-stop. It is an unfortunate Sacramento short sale but will make a new buyer very happy. The other property that is hot is another short sale but this...(read more)

Call it What You Will

Julie Jalone — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 16:27:00 GMT

In the past two weeks we have seen the Federal stimulus bill, the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan and our new California budget which as some provisions to help the housing market. What are these, how do they work and have we finally got all the players headed in the same direction? Take a look at my local real estate column, “ Stimulus, Recovery, Stability coming to Sacramento? ” over at Rocklin & Roseville Today . I have had a number of emails in the past few days from...(read more)

Escape from it all!

Julie Jalone — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 14:52:00 GMT

Here is the view from a listing I have coming on the market soon. This is a unique home in Auburn only minutes from the freeway but a world away from the city and people. There is nothing “track” about this home and it will take a equally unique buyer to make this work. This is not a family home and is best suited for a working couple who want an alternative style home or it could be a great weekend escape pad for someone from San Francisco or the Bay Area. If you or someone you know...(read more)

Important Information for Struggling Sacramento Area Homeowners

Julie Jalone — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 16:32:00 GMT

There have been some significant changes with lenders that are catching financially strapped homeowners unaware and reducing their alternatives to avoid a foreclosure. If you or someone you know is not making their monthly mortgage payments and thinking they can wait several months before asking for a loan modification or doing a short sale, those days are over. Check out my column over at Rocklin & Roseville Today or at Sacramento Today, “ Short Sale Market Changes in Sacramento .&rdquo...(read more)

Busy Sacramento Week

Julie Jalone — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 22:16:00 GMT

This past week has been very busy and adds to my belief the real estate market is weather driven or at least it seems that way to me. Every time we get some warm sunny days, I am too busy to spend much time outside! It is nice to see the Sacramento real estate market continuing being active, even if the transactions are always difficult to get closed. During the past week I have taken three new listings. The first is a very nice home in the Natomas area of Sacramento. This home is just a year old,...(read more)

Buying a short sale listing

Julie Jalone — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 16:48:00 GMT

What do I need to know about buying a short sale listing? This was essentially the question one of my readers sent me last week. I have written a number of articles including “ Six Steps to a Successful Short Sale ” and “ Short Sale Success ,” on using short sales to avoid foreclosure but have not spent much time addressing the buyer in a short sale transaction. If you or someone you know is considering buying a home in the Sacramento and Roseville area you will more than...(read more)

Stop Sacramento Foreclosures

Julie Jalone — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 17:52:00 GMT

A total of 523,624 California properties received foreclosure filings, including default notices, auction sale notices and repossessions in 2008. This was a 110 percent increase from 2007 and almost five times as many compared to 2006. The city Stockton registered the highest foreclosure rate in California and the nation with a 9.46 percent of its housing receiving a foreclosure filing during the year. Other California cities in the nation’s 100 largest metropolitan areas in 2008 included Riverside-San...(read more)