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Foreclosure Questions? Tips for avoiding loosing your home.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009
by The Mike Parker Team

Having a hard time making those mortgage payments and are you fearing foreclosure in your future?  Here are some helpful tips to try to avoid foreclosure.

1.  Do not ignore the problem - it won't go away if you put it out of your mind.  The more you become behind on your loan, the harder it will be to reininstate the loan and the more likely it will be you will loose your house.

2. Contact your lender as soon as you realize that you have a problem.

Believe it or not but Lenders do not want your house. They have options to help borrowers through difficult financial times.  Don't hesitate giving them a call.  

3. Open and respond to all mail from your lender immediately.

The first notices you receive will offer good information about foreclosure prevention options that can help you withstand your financial problems.  Some mail may include important notice of pending legal action.  Telling a judge in foreclosure court that you didn't open your mail won't be a good excuse.

4. Know your mortgage rights.

Read your loan documents so you know what your lender can do if you can't make your payments.  Learn about the foreclosure laws and timeframes in your state (every state is different) by contacting your State Government Housing Office.  


5.  Contact a HUD-approved housing counselor.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funds free or very low cost housing counseling throughout the country.  These counselors can help you understand the law and your options, organize your finances and represent you in negotiations with your lender if you need help. Find a HUD-approved housing counselor near you or call (800) 569-4287.

6. Prioritize your spending.

After your healthcare, keeping your home should be your first priority.  Review your finances and see where you can cut spending in order to make your mortgage payment.  Look for optional expenses-cable TV, gym memberships, entertainment, anything that you can eliminate.


7. Use your assets.  

Do you have assets-a second car, jewelry, that you can sell for cash to help reinstate your loan? Can anyone in your household get an extra job to bring in that needed extra income?  Even if these efforts don't significantly increase your income, they proove to your lender that you are willing to do what it takes in order to keep your home.  

8. Avoid foreclosure prevention companies.

You don't need to pay fees for foreclosure prevention help-use that money to pay the mortgage. Many for-profit companies will contact you promising to negotiate with your lender.  These may be legitimate businesses, but they may charge you a hefty fee for information and services your lender or a HUD approved housing counselor will provide free if you contact them.

Don't wait to recieve that dreaded letter from your lender.  If you are having financial difficulty and are unable to make your mortgage payment, contact a HUD Approved counselor today!!!

Do you need to speak to a real estate professional about further foreclosure questions?  Contact Mike Parker/HUFF Realty via email at mike@mikeparker.com or phone 859-647-0700.  The Mike Parker Team would be glad to answer any questions we can.

Want to Go Green at Home? Try These Tips...

Wednesday, February 11, 2009
by The Mike Parker Team

Try some of these tips in your home for going green.

  • A flat panel LCD TV uses a third less of the electricity of the tube based models, and with the digital switch in the near future, getting a LCD makes even more sense.
  • Use paints low in volatile organic compounds (VOCs).  They are safer than the latex-based enamel.
  • Use low flow toilets - they deliver more flush power and use less water.
  • Install a solar hot water system and you can stand in the hot shower all day long.
  • Install birdhouses around the yard.  Great for your feathered friends who like to dine on beetles and grubs - then you won't have to rely on pesticide.
  • Recycle newspapers and other items whenever it's possible.  Reuse your plastic bags at least once or elimate them all together.
  • Unplus your electronics when you aren't using them.  This can use up to 20% of power when they aren't even plugged in!!
  • Use energy efficient utilities such as a furnace, air conditioner, dishwasher and water heater.
  • Use compace flourescent light bulbs.
  • Use caulk and weather stripping to insulate your home.
  • Start your own garden.
  • Take up composting.  Pick a spot that is out of the way in your yard - throw in coffee grounds, eggshells, spoiled vegetables and other leftovers, mix them with dirt and once a week turn everything over with a shovel.  Not only will you help the environment, you'll create rich soil for your garden that you've started!!
  • Try to avoid aerosols - they can't be recycled and also contribute to air pollution.

These are just a few things that can help you help the environment and it can save you money too!!!!

8 Reasons Why Your Home Is Unsellable

Tuesday, January 15, 2008
by Mike Parker

Submitted by Jill Kuchle:

Here is another article by real estate expert Barbara Corcoran.  This was featured on the TODAY show.  Here is a link to her video as well.  http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/22555782#22555782

Housing trends sail by faster than most of us have time to notice, but when it comes to selling your house, you might suddenly wish you’d sat up and paid attention before. Some styles can be put down to the vagaries of fashion and are easily fixed — gaudy wallpaper isn’t difficult to replace, but moving a laundry room above ground or fitting a proper staircase is another story entirely.

Here’s a list of the big no-no’s, the relics that make a house unsellable:

Small houses
Small is not the new big I’m afraid, at least not yet anyway. People like to have space to live in and a very small house can deal a serious blow to your possible asking price. If you can’t afford to physically increase the size of your house, you need to do everything possible to make it look bigger.

One bathroom
We don’t want to wait to use the bathroom. Not any more. With so many people used to the luxury of multiple bathrooms, it is a hard sell to get them to take a step backward in time.

No air conditioning
Installing central air to your house will cost you about $10,000-$12,000, but if there was ever a juicy bone to get a buyer interested, this is it.

Fuse boxes
Fuse boxes? People expect circuit breakers nowadays, and if you want to modernize your electrics, consider spending $2,000 to replace those outmoded old fuses.

Spiral staircases
Pretty for sure, but the novelty has long worn off. Ever tried carrying a sofa up a spiral staircase? If you have, you’ll know why they might put your average buyer off.

Basement laundry rooms
What a nice idea that was, why not stick those cumbersome noisemakers down in the basement out of sight? Because ever since we did, washing clothes has meant a trek into the dank recesses of our houses. Doing the laundry is so much more appealing when the washing machine is within spitting distance of the clothes to be washed. If you have the space upstairs, it’s time to accept those big old machines back into the fold.

Popcorn and stucco ceilings
Talking about the vagaries of fashion: No one wants to see these any more. Smash them off with a big stick if you have to.

Basements with outside access only
You’re in your pajamas, it’s a cold winter night, rain hammering against the windows and suddenly you remember. You left your groceries in the basement. Curse this house and curse all who live in it! People don’t want to go outside to get into their basement.


In addition to the absolute stinkers when it comes to selling a house, there are several trends on their way out that you may want to avoid:

McMansions
They may be big, but they aren’t clever. Think before investing in one of these: Do you really need all that space? An increasing number of people are deciding they don’t. Quality trumps quantity every time.

Separate living and dining rooms
When was the last time you sat down and had a meal in your dining room? If it was recently, you belong to a dying breed. People want to properly utilize all the space in their house, and in this pursuit, the dining room is casualty No. 1.

8 Tips To Get Your Home to Sell!!!

Tuesday, January 15, 2008
by Mike Parker

Submitted by Jill Kuchle:

I am an avid TODAY show viewer and on the show today was real estate expert Barbara Corcoran.  She gave some great tips for those of you who are trying to get your home to sell.  Here are 8 of her Tips on Getting your Home to Sell.  Click on  http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/20741973#20741973  to watch her interview with Ann Curry - it is very informative as well!!!!

1. Make the right first impression
Buyers decide in the first eight seconds whether or not they want to buy your home.

  • Paint the front door and trim.
  • Hang a wreath on the door.
  • Add potted flowers (flowers in front say this is a happy house).
  • Fertilize the grass to make it bright green.
  • Put fresh mulch around the bushes.
  • Fix the doorbell if it’s broken.

    • 2. Let the sun shine in!
    After location, light is the second most quoted reason why a buyer chooses the house.

    • Clean all the windows.
    • Replace drapery with sheer curtains or white shades.
    • Replace lamp shades with sheer white shades.
    • Replace light bulbs with higher wattage.
    • Trim back shrubs that block window light.
    • Paint the inside walls white.
    • Put white slipcovers on all dark furniture.
    • Put up lights in each corner of the major rooms.

    3. Remove clutter
    People can’t visualize themselves living there when they can’t see past your clutter.

    • Store half your “stuff,” including knick-knacks and furniture.
    • Remove personal objects like family photos and children’s artwork.
    • Remove all objects from closet floors.
    • Put half your clothes into storage.
    • Make your linen closet meticulous; people judge hidden wiring and plumbing by how neat your linen closet is.
    • Hide all electric cords and wiring.
    • Eliminate unhealthy plants.
    • Put fresh sheets on beds with four extra pillows.

    4. Send kitty to Grandma’s House
    People buy with their eyes and their noses.

    • Remove kitty litter, dog beds and other smelly pet items.
    • Warm a few drops of vanilla inside the oven door.
    • Smoke outside; remove ashtrays.
    • Open all windows an hour before the buyer arrives.
    • Keep the trash can clean.

    5. Freshen the kitchen
    The kitchen is everyone’s favorite room in the house.

    • Clear all countertops.
    • Replace cracked, scratched or broken appliances.
    • Re-grout the tile.
    • Wax the floors.
    • Update kitchen knobs.
    • Paint or replace cabinet fronts.
    • Put in a window; it can increase the value of your home by 10 percent.

    6. Clean the bathroom
    No one wants to move into your bathroom.

    • Scrub the walls and floors.
    • Clear off all shelves and put away personal items.
    • Re-grout tiles and replace caulking.
    • Hang a new shower curtain.
    • Buy fresh hand towels and rug.
    • Replace old soap.

    7. Add color
    Touches of yellow and other warm colors say ‘welcome home.’

    • Buy new throw pillows for the sofa and bed.
    • Add a fresh ficus tree.
    • Define areas with colorful rugs.

    8. Don't empty out the house
    An empty house makes the seller look desperate. Buyers generally don't pay full price for an empty house. In addition empty rooms look smaller.

    • Rent or borrow furniture if you need to in order to make the home look lived in and give the buyer a sense of space. 

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    Photo of Mike Parker - CRS Real Estate
    Mike Parker - CRS
    HUFF Realty
    60 Cavalier Blvd.
    Florence KY 41042
    859-647-0700
    859-486-3300
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