Prescott Real Estate Cafe

Wells Fargo to Use Obama Plan

realestatecafe — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 22:05:22 +0000

From RIS Media:
Wells Fargo to Implement President Obama’s Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan
RISMEDIA, March 6, 2009-Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, one of the nation’s largest home mortgage originators and servicers and part of Wells Fargo & Company, said it fully supports and will implement the administration’s plan to prevent foreclosures and help more Americans lower their mortgage payments.

The company will offer the Home Affordable Modification Program for its own loans and loans it services for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, as well as for all other investors unless their servicing contracts prohibit it. The company also will offer the administration plan’s refinancing options available to customers with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans.

“We believe the administration’s plan is thoughtful and comprehensive, and it addresses the current challenges our nation faces,” said Mike Heid, co-president of Wells Fargo Home Mortgage. “Importantly, it helps customers facing true financial hardships while guarding against moral hazard.

“Wells Fargo has long advocated a standardized mortgage modification process, and we hope all investors will align with the plan so that more families can reach affordable mortgage payments. That, in and of itself, will go a long way toward stabilizing our economy for the benefit of all Americans. We also support the legislative changes required to extend this program to FHA and VA loans. ”

Customers calling Wells Fargo about the administration’s plan are encouraged to gather the documents they need to qualify for refinances or loan modifications as specified at www.wellsfargo.com/homeassist or www.wachovia.com. As the details of the modification and refinance plans become available, Wells Fargo plans to quickly put the systems in place to support these programs.

For more information, visit www.wellsfargo.com.

Well Owners Information

realestatecafe — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 18:28:55 +0000

The Courier ran a story today on a new site for well owners. Since Yavapai county has 1/3 of all wells in the state of Arizona this is a nice site to bookmark:

http://wellownerhelp.org/

Happy New Year!

realestatecafe — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 02:56:44 +0000

Here is an old Scots version of Auld Lang Syne:

Should auld acquaintance be forgot

And never brought to mind?

Should auld acquaintance be forgot

And days of auld lang syne?

Chorus (repeated between stanzas):

For auld lang syne, my dear,

For auld lang syne

We’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet

For auld lang syne.

And surely ye’ll be your pint stoop

And surely I’ll be mine

And we’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet

For auld lang syne.

We twa hae run about the braes

And pou’d the gowans fine

But we’ve wander’d mony a weary foot

Sin’ auld lang syne.

We twa hae paidl’d i’ the burn

Frae mornin’ sun till dine

But seas between us braid hae roared

Sin’ auld lang syne.

And here’s a hand, my trusty fiere

And gi’e's a hand o’ thine

And we’ll tak a right good willy waught

For auld lang syne.

2008 Prescott Dickens Fair

realestatecafe — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 15:47:27 +0000

Here is information from the Prescott Chamber of Commerce regarding this year’s Dickens Fair:

Prescott’s Signature Holiday Event is a Dickens

In 1989, Gov. Rose Mofford declared Prescott as Arizona’s official Christmas City. This Saturday, at 1 p.m. the Courthouse Plaza is once again host to an event that attracts thousands of visitors each year—Dickens of a Holiday.

“Dickens” is the brainchild of the City of Prescott’s Special Events Coordinator, Becky Garvin. “When I created this event, I was thinking about how the City could offer a day filled with affordable Christmas themed fun for the whole family,” said Garvin. According to Garvin, A $5.00 entry fee provides each child access to all rides—or individual ride tickets can be purchased for 2.00 each.

Garvin has ordered up a ferris wheel, pony rides, inflatables, food vendors and more. “Plus, we’re topping off the evening with a spectacular fireworks show.”

Garvin expects visitors to number in the thousands and recommends visitors arrive early to find a parking space in the vicinity of downtown and especially at the Granite Street parking garage.

Dickens of a Holiday: Saturday Dec. 13th 1 pm – 7 pm

Happy Thanksgiving

realestatecafe — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 06:51:37 +0000

It has been a tough 12 months. Money is in the forefront of everyones mind. The government is out of control in spending, 401K’s are wiped out, home values are down..on and on we go.

But life is about more than money. It is about family, community, spirituality, giving back and even giving not out of our abundance but out of sacrifice.

How much we all have to be thankful for.

We live in a nation that even in turmoil we have a peaceful transition of power that still baffles most of the world.

We don’t have to riot for a grain of food.

We can have civilized discourse about our differences.

We are concerned about our neighbors and although jobs are scarce there are still opportunities.

Education, while not perfect, is available to all our citizens.

We live in a far from perfect nation but we have the ability and the power to make it better and for that I am truly Thankful.

Love Where You Live

realestatecafe — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 23:42:39 +0000

Home prices are not what they were and are still falling. Credit is hard to come by and inventory continues to rise. It is a hard pill to swallow for homeowners who have placed their hopes for future financial security in their homes and want or need their money now. Where will the market go? I expect we are close to the bottom and will continue to flat line for the foreseeable future but can’t say for sure. What we do know is that historically over the long run real estate is an outstanding investment and the cornerstone of wealth building.

The old fashioned way of looking at your home as a piece of land all your own to express yourself and provide security and stability to your life should be revisited. It is incentive to put down roots.

Our teams mantra is “Love Where You Live”. That’s what we mean. One of my all time favorite movies is “Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House”. It shows how a family pays an outrageous amount of money building a house but in the end they sit back and realize what they have, something solid that, after the mortgage is paid, belongs to them. They were planning to be there for a long time because they love where they live.

Are you looking to put down roots in an area you love? There is no better time than now.

Prescott Dogtoberfest September 28

realestatecafe — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 02:12:22 +0000

Prescotts second dogtoberfest is this Sunday.

Here is the link for information.

Dogtoberfest Information

See you there!

Prescott City Council Delays Increased Fees

realestatecafe — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 19:27:29 +0000

The city council decided to delay increasing impact fees for new home builds…for the time being. Read more on the Chamber website http://www.prescott.org/

Want to Sell Your Home

realestatecafe — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 15:18:33 +0000

I don’t want to belabor the obvious but the past two years have not been easy in Real Estate. Understanding where the market was going, how to get financing, setting prices were just a few of the challenges we faced. We now have some price trend history, financing has stabilized and buyers are more confident. So it comes down to the two pillars of real estate investment, Location and Price.

Here is what happened last week. A closing of one property without a glitch and a sale on a property that I have had on the market for only a week. At one time this was the norm but now is the exception. How did these homes sell while thousands of others languish on the market? Same thing in both instances, the homes were priced fairly for the market and area in which they were located. It really isn’t any different than in 2005, when if a house was priced properly for THAT market and was in a desirable location it had solid buyers ready to make offers. Yes, when the market down-turned even homes that were priced fairly (or to the best of our ability) still sat while lenders and buyers tried to get their bearings but that seems to have passed.

The problem is that many sellers have not come to terms with the market and the price adjustment. Many can’t, they bought at the high time and to sell means they will have to take a loss or not make a profit. They become frustrated when they get no action, blame agents, and in general refuse to listen to reason. If it were a stock that took a downturn they would cut their losses or hold until the price was where they needed it to be. If you look at your home as an investment (which most people do these days) then you need to look at it with the same critical eye you would if it were a stock. Listen to your agent and study the recent sales data that they provide. Price at current market value, prepare your asset to be shown in the best light and you will have success.

Save a Tree Eliminate Unwanted Catalogs

realestatecafe — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 14:47:03 +0000

Here is a post I wrote last year on another blog – Vicki

Are you drowning in mail?

This time of year seems to bring every imaginable catalogs to my home. Many are unwanted and seem a wasteful use of paper and environmentally irresponsible.

Well now you can do something about it. A new not for profit service offers the ability to “opt out” of catalog mailing lists that you don’t want. Simply go to their website and register. It’s good for you and the planet.

Go to: http://catalogchoice.org

Vicki Brannock is a real estate agent in Prescott Arizona
vicki@prescott-re.com
www.Prescott-re.com