Real Estate News You Can Use from Las Vegas

Real Estate News You Can Use from Las Vegashttp://homesearchvegasvalley.com/This blog consists of a variety of useful information pertaining to real estate news, financial industry updates and other pertinent industry related information that I come across during my day! My intention is to provide a reliable resource for real estate information that is useful to you in your everyday life. Enjoy!en-usSat, 21 Jan 2012 11:09:00 GMT10GDRSSFeeds v1.0January 2012 Vegas Valley Market Updatehttp://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2012/01/21/january-2012-vegas-valley-market-update<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Summary of Homes Sold in December 2011</strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong> <div align="center"><img src="https://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs005/1103538823857/img/84.png" alt="" border="0" height="276" vspace="5" width="364" /></div> </strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong> Total Homes Sold in December: 4,170</strong></p>   <strong>Fast Facts </strong> <div> <div> <div> <div> The Vegas Valley Real Estate Market was record breaking in 2011! Sales activity was the highest it has ever been in our local market with 48,616 properties sold. Below is a summary chart of the sales activity we have seen over the past couple of years. <div align="center"><img class="aligncenter" src="https://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs005/1103538823857/img/86.png" alt="Summary of Sales 2007 to 2011" border="0" vspace="5" width="410" /></div> Average and Median home sale prices have decreased over the past year. About 45% of all homes sold last year were under $100,000 which continues to pull the average and median sales price down. Below is a visual of the average and median purchase price over the last couple of years. <div> <div align="center"><img class="aligncenter" src="https://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs005/1103538823857/img/87.png" alt="Summary of Values" border="0" vspace="5" width="410" /></div> </div> <div>For 2012 predictions of the National Real Estate Market, click<strong> <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=rviuaydab&et=1109117221652&s=0&e=001ybqRw-Kv_4Nsj_60Vv3mrsuR1az5FlIl6RZu3dlj2u7W2ojQxHnfuwg1nzFON0JSrnZ1W5eW-Vm7fR7HcjE0QTvxPwhJPVg8pQiBg9DwyZCwQ6FEEjIumPF55loQ0nK-ceQSLWeeC-ScrF-mJPSoFbSH3yUXZRaLrJI_cFlC13g=" target="_blank">here</a></strong> to read my most recent blog post.</div> </div>   <div> <strong>Inventory Watch </strong> <div><strong>Current Inventory Available: 11,111 Properties</strong></div> <div> <div> <div> <div> <img class="alignleft" style="border: 0pt none; margin: 5px;" src="https://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs005/1103538823857/img/85.png" alt="" align="left" border="0" height="212" hspace="5" vspace="5" width="316" /> The Vegas Valley Inventory continues to decrease. This is actually the least amount of homes for sale since May of 2010. I am guessing that within the next couple of months, more homes will be put on the market. While this inventory supply is low, the demand of homes has increased which makes more competition among home buyers for the current homes available. </div>   <div><strong><em>Months of Inventory for ALL properties in Las Vegas is down to 2.9</em><em> Months - For Non-Short Sale properties, the Months of Inventory is </em></strong><strong><em>2.1 Months. </em></strong></div> <div><strong><em> </em></strong></div> </div> </div> </div> <div> <div> <div> <div>This report is calculated by utilizing Absorption Rates and Inventory Depletion calculations. To learn about the importance of these click <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=rviuaydab&et=1109117221652&s=0&e=001ybqRw-Kv_4Nsj_60Vv3mrsuR1az5FlIl6RZu3dlj2u7W2ojQxHnfuwg1nzFON0JSiD7I_rRHmYSILUtr-ZVrTtQQBOKABX8kfuSsum4bKX4mBYviIKvPjMi1ior3nJov1GNVpARZw29AIudR5jemXYKRpxH_qVKx3WNltxNWWymqbw6irU5gD_hnfNb8fiNxd0Jga2YUC2K8KUTMvvNfx8BWOO8n_q5h" target="_blank">here</a>. For a more detailed marketing report, click <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=rviuaydab&et=1109117221652&s=0&e=001ybqRw-Kv_4Nsj_60Vv3mrsuR1az5FlIl6RZu3dlj2u7W2ojQxHnfuwg1nzFON0JSiD7I_rRHmYSILUtr-ZVrTtQQBOKABX8kfuSsum4bKX4IP9IP0fdZEqDPN1VcuknuIEiwjkjTgOx_7NuieHjYfA==" target="_blank">here</a>.</div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div><P><a href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2012/01/21/january-2012-vegas-valley-market-update" target="_blank">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2012/01/21/january-2012-vegas-valley-market-update#comments" target="_blank">Comments</a></P>Kristine Dugan, ABR, CRS, SFRhttp://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2012/01/21/january-2012-vegas-valley-market-updateSat, 21 Jan 2012 11:09:00 GMT2012 Home Sales Looking Good According to NARhttp://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2012/01/21/2012-home-sales-looking-good-according-to-nar<p style="text-align: left; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">NAR (<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.realtor.org/">National Association of Realtors</a></span>) released its latest pending home sales index figure last week and for the second month in a row the index is up. But more than that, the index has broken 100. This is significant because the only time since the housing boom collapsed that the index has broken 100 is when the home owner tax credit was in effect. The fact that the index has returned to that level a year since the credit has been in effect means the housing market is strengthening completely on its own, without any stimulus.</p> <a href="http://www.reconsultinglv.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Screen-Shot-2012-01-18-at-1.39.14-PM.png"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-944" style="margin: 5px;" title="Pending Home Sales" src="http://www.reconsultinglv.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Screen-Shot-2012-01-18-at-1.39.14-PM-300x185.png" alt="" align="left" height="185" hspace="10" vspace="10" width="300" /></a><a href="http://www.realtor.org/research/chief_economist_bio" target="_blank"></a><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><a href="http://www.realtor.org/research/chief_economist_bio" target="_blank">Lawrence Yun</a>, NAR chief economist, is upbeat about 2012 because in a number of areas indicators are pointing upward. Not only are home sales up but housing starts are up and home prices are stabilizing in many markets and heading up in some. In areas where they're still down, the declines aren't that great. More fundamentally, broader U.S. economic signs are looking positive, including the all-important jobs picture. About 100,000 job are being created a month, and that could rise to 150,000 - still not a quick enough pace to get us back to where we were before the downturn but the headwinds are in the right direction. </span></span> <p style="text-align: center;" align="center"> </p> <div align="center"> <embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="486" height="412" src="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f8/1465406675" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashvars="videoId=1349318834001&playerId=1465406675&viewerSecureGatewayURL=https://console.brightcove.com/services/amfgateway&servicesURL=http://services.brightcove.com/services&cdnURL=http://admin.brightcove.com&domain=embed&autoStart=false&" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" seamlesstabbing="false" swliveconnect="true" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed> </div> <p style="text-align: center;" align="center"> </p><P><a href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2012/01/21/2012-home-sales-looking-good-according-to-nar" target="_blank">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2012/01/21/2012-home-sales-looking-good-according-to-nar#comments" target="_blank">Comments</a></P>Kristine Dugan, ABR, CRS, SFRhttp://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2012/01/21/2012-home-sales-looking-good-according-to-narSat, 21 Jan 2012 06:45:00 GMTTips for a Smooth Loan Approvalhttp://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2012/01/21/tips-for-a-smooth-loan-approval<a href="http://www.reconsultinglv.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Fotolia_28337389_XS.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1000 alignright" style="margin: 5px;" title="Loan Tips" src="http://www.reconsultinglv.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Fotolia_28337389_XS-300x300.jpg" alt="" align="left" height="150" hspace="10" vspace="10" width="150" /></a><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Here is a summary and video from my good friend and business partner <a href="http://www.advicematterslv.com" target="_blank">Michael Rodriguez, CMPS</a> explaining some good tips to have a smooth loan approval. This is helpful to watch if this is your 1st home that you are buying or if this is the 10th home you are buying. The loan industry has totally changed in the last couple of years and this video will help you avoid some of the headaches that go along with getting a bank to approve you for a loan. From time to time we have situations where people have to deal with unnecessary steps to get a loan approved. This video will help you avoid some of the additional questions and paperwork that can pop up from a seemingly harmless situation. For a complete list of items to avoid <a href="http://www.advicematterslv.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/tips.pdf">click here</a></span></span><a href="http://www.advicematterslv.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/tips.pdf"></a> <p style="text-align: center;" align="center"><br /> </p> <div align="center"><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/vOqs6sji5aQ" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" width="560"></iframe></div><P><a href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2012/01/21/tips-for-a-smooth-loan-approval" target="_blank">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2012/01/21/tips-for-a-smooth-loan-approval#comments" target="_blank">Comments</a></P>Kristine Dugan, ABR, CRS, SFRhttp://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2012/01/21/tips-for-a-smooth-loan-approvalSat, 21 Jan 2012 06:40:00 GMTFive Ways to Prepare to Buy a Homehttp://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2012/01/21/five-ways-to-prepare-to-buy-a-home<div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">I found this blog and thought it gave some great tips on some awesome habits to create when preparing to buy your first home. Did you resolve that 2012 is the year you own your own home? </div> <div> </div> <div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;"><a href="http://www.reconsultinglv.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Fotolia_22942126_XS.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-993" style="margin: 5px;" title="Woman holding bills and house model" src="http://www.reconsultinglv.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Fotolia_22942126_XS-300x300.jpg" alt="" align="left" height="300" hspace="10" vspace="10" width="300" /></a>Making this type of purchase requires a lot of planning. Realtor® Robin Jones of Norfolk, NE gives some first steps on getting ready to be a homeowner: </div> <div> </div> <div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">Today we're starting with what you'll need to do one year out to start getting ready. No surprises…it's all about credit. </div> <div> </div> <div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;"><strong>1. Review your credit report.</strong> You can get free copies of your report from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion at <a href="http://annualcreditreport.com/" target="_blank">AnnualCreditReport.com</a>. It's important to get all three because some may show different things than others. Look carefully for errors. It's up to you to make sure they're removed. They affect your interest rate and your ability to get a home loan. <strong></strong></div> <div> </div> <div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;"><strong>2. Check your credit score.</strong> Your credit score affects the rates and terms of your loan. Most mortgage lenders use FICO credit scores. Get yours at My FICO. Improve your credit score by paying all bills on time and paying down credit cards and revolving debt. Don't open or close any new accounts once you decide to buy a home. </div> <div> </div> <div> <strong></strong><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><strong>3. Reduce debt.</strong> Get rid high balance credit cards, store charge cards, payday loans. Not only will these make it harder for you to get a home loan, they should also be a wake up call to get your spending under control. </span></span></div> <div> </div> <div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;"><strong>4. Save! Change your spending habits.</strong> Cut out luxuries you don't need. Even a change jar can add up to hundreds of dollars in no time. </div> <div> </div> <div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;"> <strong>5. Switch to automatic bill pay on all your bills that offer that option.</strong> Late payments drastically drop your credit score so take advantage of automatic bill pay wherever you can. </div> <div> </div> <div> <span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Click here to read more<a href="http://robinjones.featuredblog.com/" target="_blank"> blog posts by Robin Jones</a>. </span></span></div><P><a href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2012/01/21/five-ways-to-prepare-to-buy-a-home" target="_blank">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2012/01/21/five-ways-to-prepare-to-buy-a-home#comments" target="_blank">Comments</a></P>Kristine Dugan, ABR, CRS, SFRhttp://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2012/01/21/five-ways-to-prepare-to-buy-a-homeSat, 21 Jan 2012 06:38:00 GMTKristine Dugan earned “Top 5" Agent Awardhttp://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2012/01/18/kristine-dugan-earned-top-5-agent-award<img alt="" src="http://www.reconsultinglv.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/IMG_3693.jpg" align="left" border="0" height="225" hspace="10" vspace="10" width="150" /> <div style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Georgia"></div> <span style="font-size: 10pt;"> <div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">At the end of last month I was included in the "Top 5" Award at my company, SMG Realty which has about 60 working real estate agents. This award is only given out to the Top 5 Highest Producing Real Estate Agents for the year. When I was provided the award, I was also provided a summary of all the homes I have sold. As I reviewed the list of properties, each address triggered the names and faces of those clients I have been able to help along with the faces of all the clients that introduced me to the people I helped in 2011. While other agents may boast in the glory of this award, I would rather like to humbly thank all of my clients for their support and help because without them, I would have not been able to help as many people in 2011 and receive SMG Realty's "Top 5" Award. So thank you for making 2011 my best year yet!!!</div> <div> </div> <div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">Other Top 5 Award winners were Pam Colgan, Marc Magliarditi, Stacey Jackson, Patty Morgan and Roosevelt Mompremier.  </div> </span><P><a href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2012/01/18/kristine-dugan-earned-top-5-agent-award" target="_blank">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2012/01/18/kristine-dugan-earned-top-5-agent-award#comments" target="_blank">Comments</a></P>Kristine Dugan, ABR, CRS, SFRhttp://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2012/01/18/kristine-dugan-earned-top-5-agent-awardWed, 18 Jan 2012 13:28:00 GMTGovernment Refinance Program HARP Changes to Help More Homeownershttp://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/11/24/government-refinance-program-harp-changes-to-help-more-homeowners<div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;"><img alt="" src="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/images/Fotolia_25377378_XS.jpg" align="left" height="300" hspace="10" vspace="10" width="300" />Home Affordable Refinance Program (or <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.makinghomeaffordable.gov/programs/lower-rates/Pages/harp.aspx">HARP</a></span></span></strong></span>) was a complete disaster when it was first proposed a couple of years ago. Maybe that's a little too harsh - what I really mean is that the program was designed with a great intention, to help homeowners in need that want to continue living in their home but can't afford to at their current interest rate (mainly due to adjustable rate mortgages or the high interest rates that their loan was originally structured at); however the program wasn't realistic when the government made the guidelines for qualification. </div> <div> </div> <div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">HARP was originally designed to help homeowners that owed between 80% and 105% of the value of their home. Soon the government realized that these ratios weren't very helpful since most homeowners were upside down on their homes. The program was soon modified to help homeowners that owed up to 125% of the value of their home. Yeah, the program was moving in the right direction but still wasn't helping many homeowners (especially in Las Vegas, Nevada where 85% of the Homeowners have owe double on their house than what it is worth).</div> <div> </div> <span style="font-family: Georgia;"> <div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">The program has now been modified to help many more homeowners. Some of the new guidelines include:<br /> </div> </span> <ul> <li> <div> <div><span style="font-family: Georgia;"> </span> <div><span style="font-family: Georgia;"> <div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">If you have a Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac loan, you will soon be able to refinance no matter how much you are upside down </div> </span></div> <div></div> <div><span style="font-family: Georgia;"> <div> </div> </span></div> <span style="font-family: Georgia;"> </span></div> </div> </li> <li> <span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">You will not be able to refinance through HARP if you have already used the program (which most haven't) </span> <div></div> <div><span style="font-family: Georgia;"> <div> </div> </span></div> <span style="font-family: Georgia;"> </span> </li> <li> <span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">You must be current on your mortgage for the past 12 months </span> <span style="font-family: Georgia;"> <div> </div> </span> </li> </ul> <div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">I think these new guidelines are awesome! This should help many more homeowners and I would encourage anyone that falls within the guidelines to apply. To give you a little insight of how this could help you, if you got a mortgage for $300,000 at an 8% interest rate and were able to qualify for this program and refinance at 5%, that would save you $570 a month not to mention $207,000 over the lifetime of the loan! If you are interested in HARP, click <strong><a style="text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" href="http://www.makinghomeaffordable.gov/programs/lower-rates/Pages/harp.aspx">here</a></strong> to review additional program guidelines. </div> <div> <br /> </div> <div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">To find out if Fannie Mae owns your loan, click <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a target="_blank" href="http://www.fanniemae.com/loanlookup/">here</a></strong></span>. To find out if Freddie Mac owns your loan, click <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a target="_blank" href="https://ww3.freddiemac.com/corporate/">here</a></span></strong>. If you have additional questions on HARP or other options regarding your home, feel free to contact me directly at 702-332-7781.   <br /> </div> <div>  </div><P><a href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/11/24/government-refinance-program-harp-changes-to-help-more-homeowners" target="_blank">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/11/24/government-refinance-program-harp-changes-to-help-more-homeowners#comments" target="_blank">Comments</a></P>Kristine Dugan, ABR, CRS, SFRhttp://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/11/24/government-refinance-program-harp-changes-to-help-more-homeownersThu, 24 Nov 2011 08:47:00 GMTHow New Law AB284 Helps Nevada Homeownershttp://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/11/24/how-new-law-ab284-helps-nevada-homeowners<div><img alt="" src="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/images/Fotolia_6901293_XS.jpg" align="right" height="198" hspace="10" vspace="10" width="300" /><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">On October 1st, a new law went into effect in Nevada that will help homeowners that are trying to short sell their home - the law is Assembly Bill 284. This law requires Banks to have gathered all foreclosure information up front before they start the foreclosure process which includes who "owns" the loan (also known as the trustee), the amount of money due to bring the loan current, and who is actually foreclosing on the property (there are many additional items noted in this bill however these are the issues most relevant to homeowners short selling their property - to read more about AB284 click <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><a target="_blank" href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/docs/AB284.pdf">here</a></span></span></span>). </span></span></div> <div> </div> <div><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Most people probably think, don't the banks need all that information first before they start a foreclosure on a property? These items were not required previously which forced me to become a detective with the banks. The toughest thing to find out during a short sale is who is the trustee or entity that "owns" the loan because that is the entity that is ultimately approving the short sale. Most people believe that if they make their mortgage payment to Bank of America, Chase or Wells Fargo - that bank owns the loan. Not necessarily the case.<br /> </span></span></div> <div> </div> <div><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">To give you an example, I make my mortgage payment to Bank of America every month, just because I pay BofA does not mean BofA owns the right to the loan. BofA is just the servicer and Fannie Mae owns my loan. So Fannie Mae is the trustee. It is kind of like a when you are renting and paying the property manager your rent, the property manager (or servicer) does not keep the rent. They collect the rent on behalf of the landlord (or trustee) then reimburse the landlord their profits each month. Same concept here. </span></span></div> <div> <div> </div> <div><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">So why does it matter to know who the trustee is - well each trustee has certain guidelines or requirements to short sale a property. Knowing this information upfront will help provide the homeowner with all of their options when avoiding foreclosure. For example, some trustees do not seek a deficiency (or go after the homeowner for amount still owed on the loan after a property has been successfully sold through a short sale). Knowing this information upfront can provide the homeowner with additional peace of mind to sell their property and avoid foreclosure. </span></span></div> <div> </div> <div><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">If you are behind on your mortgage payments and are curious about your options to avoid foreclosure, please <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><a target="_blank" href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/index.cfm/page/69998/parent/65012/Contact_Kristine.html">contact me</a></span></strong></span> today so we can review all of your options. </span></span></div> </div><P><a href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/11/24/how-new-law-ab284-helps-nevada-homeowners" target="_blank">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/11/24/how-new-law-ab284-helps-nevada-homeowners#comments" target="_blank">Comments</a></P>Kristine Dugan, ABR, CRS, SFRhttp://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/11/24/how-new-law-ab284-helps-nevada-homeownersThu, 24 Nov 2011 08:12:00 GMTHow to Battle the Neighborhood Eyesorehttp://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/11/24/how-to-battle-the-neighborhood-eyesore<div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">I found this article and found it useful - especially since there seems to be at least one eyesore in each neighborhood. <br /> </div> <div> </div> <div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;"><em>How to battle the neighborhood eyesore when it's next door to your listing. By: By Melissa Dittmann Tracey</em></div> <div><br /> </div> <div><img alt="" src="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/images/Fotolia_4700594_XS.jpg" align="left" height="199" hspace="10" vspace="10" width="300" /> <br /> </div> <div><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Abandoned homes can be an unpleasant sight. Overgrown lawns, boarded windows, sagging gutters, and unsightly mold - not to mention, a higher risk of fires, vandalism, rodents, and mosquitoes.</span></span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Properties are often left to deteriorate while in foreclosure limbo; the owner is already gone but the bank can't take possession until the foreclosure process is finalized.</span></span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">So what happens when you have to sell the property next door? According to research by the Center for Responsible Lending, foreclosures will affect 91.5 million nearby homes by 2012 and reduce property values of these homes by $20,300 per household.</span></span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">"We were getting a lot of complaints from real estate professionals about these properties looking unkempt and asking what we can do about it," says Bud Humbert with Century 21 Associates in Waldorf, Md., and also the chairman of the legislative committee for the Southern Maryland Association of REALTORS®. On behalf of his association, Humbert, also an REO specialist, approached Charles County officials to request that they update the county's nuisance abatement law to include a "clean and lien " provision. The rule would allow the county to step in and clean up vacant properties and put a lien on them for the cost of the cleanup. Other cities and counties have enacted similar ordinances.</span></span><br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">If that neighborhood eyesore is bringing down your listing, here are some steps you can take:</span></span><br /> <br /> <strong></strong><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><strong>Notify the homeowners' association. </strong>Most HOAs will pay to have the grass mowed and take care of maintenance issues, and then tack the expense on to the HOA bill, which will have to be cleared by the bank before the property sells, Humbert says.</span></span><br /> <br /> <strong></strong><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><strong>Investigate local and state laws.</strong> Some states, such as California, will fine owners for not maintaining properties. New Jersey passed a law that puts banks in charge of maintaining the property from the beginning of the foreclosure process. Whom should you contact with your gripe? Start with your city's building division; it's often in charge of making sure a vacant property is boarded and secured. The bylaw department can check for building code violations, the fire department can inspect for fire hazards, and the police can help if there's vandalism.</span></span><br /> <br /> <strong></strong><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><strong>Make property boundaries clear.</strong> "We are called on to handle this situation frequently, " says Margaret Innis, owner of home staging company Decorate To Sell in Andover, Mass. "On the outside, fences make good neighbors; so does landscaping with arborvitae shrubs - a fast fix worth the investment. Inside, use plantation blinds turned down so the light comes in but the view does not. "</span></span><br /> <br /> <strong></strong><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><strong>Help with cleanup.</strong> Stepping in to help with the maintenance can be tricky. Regardless of your good intentions, your actions could be considered trespassing. First figure out who owns the property, which can be a challenge in itself, and then offer your assistance. Some cities and counties have started a vacant property registration that makes it easier to locate the owner. When Andy Hood, with Weichert, REALTORS® - Covington Group in Madison, Miss., struggled to sell a condo that overlooked the patio of a foreclosed property, he called the neighbor and asked if he could clean. "The woman was grateful and accepted my offer, " he says. "I hauled away a truckload of junk, pressure-washed the exterior, washed the patio furniture, and weeded and pruned her flower beds and shrubs. " Hood's listing sold immediately after. </span></span><br /> </div><P><a href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/11/24/how-to-battle-the-neighborhood-eyesore" target="_blank">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/11/24/how-to-battle-the-neighborhood-eyesore#comments" target="_blank">Comments</a></P>Kristine Dugan, ABR, CRS, SFRhttp://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/11/24/how-to-battle-the-neighborhood-eyesoreThu, 24 Nov 2011 07:31:00 GMTTop Three Things to Know before You Choose to Short Sale your Househttp://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/08/31/top-three-things-to-know-before-you-choose-to-short-sale-your-house<p style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;"><img alt="" src="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/images/Fotolia_25511304_XS.jpg" align="right" height="336" hspace="10" vspace="10" width="200" />Recently I have had many people that need to short sale their house that have concerns about the bank "coming back after them" it seems like everyone has an opinion on "short sales" and some of the information I hear back from my clients is a little scary because of the inaccuracies floating around. I choose to write this blog to share my experiences with the banks I have dealt with and with the short sale clients I have helped. Below are the top three things I think all homeowners should know before they short sell their property. <br /> </p> <span style="font-family: Georgia;"> <div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">First I should state that the goal of a short sale, if that is the choice you feel is the best option for you to avoid foreclosure, is to minimize the liability of the homeowner(s). </div> <div> </div> <div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">What does that mean? Well to me, it means: </div> <ol style="font-size: 10pt;"> <li>Protecting the homeowner from the bank looking for them years after they sell their property and asking them for money </li> <li>Making sure the homeowner is not paying taxes to the IRS on the sale of the property   </li> <li>Minimizing the damage to the homeowner's credit score so they can start rebuilding their life (emotionally, mentally, and financially). </li> </ol> <p style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">Below are the three main things you need to know and be concerns with when short selling a property:<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"> Will the bank forgive the <strong> Deficiency</strong>? What are the <strong>Tax Consequences</strong>? What are the <strong>Credit Implications</strong>?</span></span> </p> </span> <p><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I'm going to cover each of these points regarding the importance of each and what should be your main concerns.</span></span> </p> <h3><span style="font-family: Georgia;"> </span></h3> <h3 style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">Deficiency<br /> </h3> <h3><span style="font-family: Georgia;"> </span></h3> <span style="font-family: Georgia;"> <p style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">First I feel that I should explain what a deficiency is - it is the difference between the amount the homeowner owes on their home and the net proceeds from the sale of the property (not the Sales Price but the NET amount made from the sale just like most people are not concerned with how much they Gross on their paycheck, they are concerned about the NET or what they "take home"). </p> <p style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">I believe one of the most important things to negotiate during a short sale is the deficiency. Will the bank or the investor on the loan have the right to find the homeowner after the sale of the property and ask them to start repaying them a portion of the loss? It should be noted that there was a law passed (to read the full bill, click <a target="_blank" href="http://www.leg.state.nv.us/Session/76th2011/Bills/AB/AB273_EN.pdf">here</a>) on July 1, 2011 in the state of Nevada that banks now only have 6 months after the sale of a property to pursue a deficiency (prior to this law passing the banks had up to 6 years to pursue homeowners for deficiency). To read more about the new deficiency law in Nevada from a local attorney, click <strong><span style="background-image: none; background-repeat: repeat; background-attachment: scroll; background-position: 0% 0%; background-clip: border-box; background-origin: padding-box; background-size: auto auto; text-decoration: underline;"><a style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;" target="_blank" href="http://ameglegal.wordpress.com/2011/06/17/short-sale-junior-lien-holder-rights-other-changes/">here</a></span></strong>.  </p> </span> <p style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">Lately, I have seen many of the banks forgiving deficiencies, which is awesome for homeowners to help give them a piece of mind during the short sale process.</p> <h3 style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">Tax Consequences</h3> <p style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">The next thing that most homeowners need to be concerned about in regards to limiting their future liability from a short sale is the tax consequences from the IRS. Let me start out by saying that you need to check with your Tax Advisor in this matter. I am going to go over a couple of things that I understand about this area however, each homeowner's situation is different and unique which is all the more reason to consult your Tax Professional. </p> <p style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">In 2009, President Obama passed the <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=179414,00.html">Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act</a></span></strong> which is the bailout for homeowners. This Act pretty much outlines that if you live in the property that you are short selling and it is considered your primary residence, you will be "exempt" from taxes. If you lived in the property for 2 of the last 5 years, you may also be exempt from taxes as the tax professionals I have spoken with interpret the <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=179414,00.html">Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act</a></span></strong> like the Capital Gains Tax Laws. If you are not living in the property and are going to be short selling it, you will need to show to the IRS that you are "<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=201877,00.html">insolvent</a></span></span></strong></span>"which is a fancy way of saying your debt is more than your assets. To read more about the <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=179414,00.html">Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act</a></span></strong> click <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a target="_blank" href="http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=205004,00.html">here</a></strong></span>.</p> <h3 style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">Credit Implications</h3> <p><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">This area is the trickiest out of all of the three areas to be concerned about when short selling your property. Short selling a property is definitely better for your credit than a foreclosure or deed-in-lieu. Click <span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><a target="_blank" href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/docs/Report-_Foreclosure_vs_Shortsale_Homeowner_Consequences.pdf">here</a></span></strong></span></span> if you would like to see a chart that compares each option side by side.</span></span> </p> <p style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">The credit area is tricky because each bank reports short sales different to the credit agencies. When a homeowner short sells a property, the banks usually report the sale as "Settled for Less than Owed". The thing that hurts your credit more than anything throughout the shot sale process is not making a mortgage payment. That will have the biggest blow on the homeowner's credit score. </p> <div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">Another thing to be concerned about is that after the debt is settled by the bank and the property is sold, sometimes it will still show up as the old homeowner is still not making payments until the Mortgage Insurance Company makes the final settlement to the investors which can sometimes take months. <br /> </div> <div> </div> <div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">Bottomline there is a lot to consider when choosing if short selling your house is the best option to avoid foreclosure. Make sure you are doing a lot of research and going into the process with your eyes wide open. If you have a specific question regarding these items or are interested in a complementary consultation with me, contact me directly at 702-332-7781. <br /> </div><P><a href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/08/31/top-three-things-to-know-before-you-choose-to-short-sale-your-house" target="_blank">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/08/31/top-three-things-to-know-before-you-choose-to-short-sale-your-house#comments" target="_blank">Comments</a></P>Kristine Dugan, ABR, CRS, SFRhttp://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/08/31/top-three-things-to-know-before-you-choose-to-short-sale-your-houseWed, 31 Aug 2011 22:39:00 GMTThis Too Shall Pass...http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/08/24/this-too-shall-pass<div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">One week ago today S&P decided to downgrade the credit rating of the US Government's debt. I wrote a brief article earlier this week explaining the "why" behind the decision and we also touched on some of the consequences that we may face as a nation if our elected officials don't get it together. </div> <div> <div> </div> <div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">The one reoccurring question I have been asked this week is what is going to happen next? The markets are as volatile today as they were back in late 2008/early 2009, people are scared, and guess what ~ the media is trying to decide if we are in a recovery or if we are headed for another recession. </div> <div> </div> <div><a href="http://www.reconsultinglv.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Screen-shot-2011-08-24-at-9.53.32-PM.png"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-766" title="Dustin 360" src="http://www.reconsultinglv.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Screen-shot-2011-08-24-at-9.53.32-PM-300x155.png" alt="" align="right" height="155" hspace="10" vspace="10" width="300" /></a><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Instead of adding to the noise, I have decide to post a video that was created by a gentleman by the name of Dustin Hughes. Dustin is a Facebook "Friend" of mine. He owns a mortgage company in the Portland, Oregon area and he is a Faculty Member for one of the training sites I belong to. I have never met Dustin but he has had a significant impact on my life. </span></span> </div> <div> </div> <div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">Recently Dustin who is in his mid 30's was diagnosed with GBM which is a very aggressive form of brain cancer. Dustin has been kind enough and strong enough to share his story via his <a href="http://www.facebook.com/groups/163711617033367/">Facebook Group</a>. With all that he has going on he has maintained an extremely positive attitude and today I want to join with Dustin in celebrating our VICTORIES not obsessing on our defeats. </div> <div> </div> <div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">If you are interested in learning more about Dustin or if you are interested in making a donation to help him win the fight please visit the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/groups/163711617033367/">Hughes Troop Facebook Page.</a></div> </div> <div> </div> <div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">Enjoy the video. Michael Rodriguez </div> <div> </div> <div align="center"><br /> <iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/U4uAgvjwiz4" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" width="480"></iframe> </div><P><a href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/08/24/this-too-shall-pass" target="_blank">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/08/24/this-too-shall-pass#comments" target="_blank">Comments</a></P>Kristine Dugan, ABR, CRS, SFRhttp://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/08/24/this-too-shall-passThu, 25 Aug 2011 07:34:00 GMTJune 2011 Vegas Valley Market Updatehttp://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/06/25/june-2011-vegas-valley-market-update<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Summary of Properties Sold in May 2011</strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong><img src="https://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs005/1103538823857/img/65.png" alt="May 2011 Homes Sold" border="0" height="266" hspace="5" vspace="5" width="362" /></strong></p> <div style="text-align: center;"><strong>Total Properties Sold in May: 3,900</strong></div> <div><strong>Fast Facts </strong>  <div> <div> <div> <div>The Vegas Valley Real Estate Market has had another month of over half of the homes being bought by cash. That is almost 1,970 homes last month that were purchased with cash and out of those about 60% of those were under $100,000 which, to me, is an indicator that Investors are making their money work for them by purchasing properties and renting them out for an amazing return on their investment.  Over the past month I have had many questions from friends and clients regarding short sales. It seems that there are many people that are behind on their mortgage payment and don't know what to do. I worked with my real estate partner Keri Lade to put together a quick short sale guide for those that have questions and need help when choosing the best option to avoid foreclosure. Click below to check out a guide I made for Homeowners that are Behind on Mortgage Payments and Don't Know What to Do (<em>please forward to a friend, family member or co-worker that may need help with finding a solution to foreclosure)</em>: </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div> <div><strong></strong></div> <div> </div> <iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/x-BowqxJ5bg" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" width="560"></iframe> <div> </div> <div><strong>Inventory Watch </strong></div> <div> </div> <div><strong>Current Inventory Available: 14,529 Properties</strong></div> <div> <div> <div> <div> <div><strong><a href="http://www.reconsultinglv.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/AR-June.png"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-1040" style="margin: 5px;" title="AR June" src="http://www.reconsultinglv.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/AR-June.png" alt="" align="left" height="206" hspace="10" vspace="10" width="312" /></a></strong></div> Summer is here in Las Vegas - With temperatures warming up, so is the Vegas Valley Real Estate Market! The amount of homes being sold each month are increasing and the available homes to buy are decreasing. This is simple supply and demand - the fewer amount of homes available to buy, the more competition buyers will have when buying a property which means if you are looking to buy a home, make sure you are using a professional that has proven tools and techniques to get you in the best position to compete and ultimately win against other buyers.  </div> <div> </div> <div><strong><em>Inventory Supply of ALL properties in Las Vegas is down to 3.</em><em>7</em><em> Months - For Non-Short Sale properties, the Inventory Supply is </em></strong><strong><em>2.7</em></strong></div>   </div> </div> </div> <div> <div> <div> <div>This report is calculated by utilizing Absorption Rates and Inventory Depletion calculations. To learn about the importance of these click <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=rviuaydab&et=1106212181217&s=0&e=001iDYFRB21hXBYsyIANO6IkUPEOfD04jvbFAFKOqpAMa4zIFC9_prNOhei8QOVMl6EHsVp0k4ago3R04trITCbxrhL3whmcWSNDFSAzQ4wc7bgXff4_A3oRPKpBnw1xnjJfCkCCj2EIVa_dBBEFZyqiIkFpURMCO2XkBEacpAzOUhwP1dGSXqnToarPpXEf8dZRwjv1lptDXXvpM-DmEKS0wR5_7I45pMzvPH_nVuCwyI=" target="_blank">here</a>. For a more detailed marketing report, click <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=rviuaydab&et=1106212181217&s=0&e=001iDYFRB21hXBYsyIANO6IkUPEOfD04jvbFAFKOqpAMa4zIFC9_prNOhei8QOVMl6EHsVp0k4ago3R04trITCbxrhL3whmcWSNDFSAzQ4wc7bgXff4_A3oRAc9gQ_zMx4OC7M-dhOzkQQf-kqxyd1MxuGPCivymZzz9GXSlYODbcI=" target="_blank">here</a>.</div> </div> </div> </div> </div><P><a href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/06/25/june-2011-vegas-valley-market-update" target="_blank">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/06/25/june-2011-vegas-valley-market-update#comments" target="_blank">Comments</a></P>Kristine Dugan, ABR, CRS, SFRhttp://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/06/25/june-2011-vegas-valley-market-updateWed, 24 Aug 2011 22:13:00 GMTThe "Why" Behind S & P's Decision...http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/08/24/the-why-behind-s-ps-decision-<div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;"><a href="http://www.reconsultinglv.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/credit-rating.jpg"><img alt="" src="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/images/Fotolia_16965419_XS.jpg" align="left" height="299" hspace="10" vspace="10" width="200" /></a>First off let me say I love the United States of America but I am not very fond of our political system right now. Over the weekend Standard & Poor (S&P) downgraded the debt of the United States (Please note: This is the same S&P who rated those nasty subprime mortgages during the housing boom). For the last 70 years the US has enjoyed the equivalent of an A+ grade from S&P. </div> <div> </div> <div> <span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Unfortunately with the recent debate (I am being kind to our elected officials by calling it a debate) and due to the lack of a real resolution to the debt ceiling debacle S&P has decided to remove the US from its Dean's List and instead placed us on the Honorable Mention List. </span></span></div> <div> </div> <div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">Now this isn't the end of the world (that is supposed to take place in 2012 according to the Mayan's). With that said the reduction in our credit rating can/will impact our country's ability to borrow money at the historically low rates we have become accustomed to over the last 15 years or so. Think of it this way, if your credit score drops because of a missed payment on a credit card, or a missed house payment, guess what? Your borrowing cost (interest rate) will increase because you are now considered a higher risk then someone without the missed payment(s). </div> <div> </div> <div><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">So in order to make sense of all of this I am going to attempt to summarize the events of the last couple of days and hopefully give you a better understanding of the process. </span></span> </div> <div> </div> <div><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Here is the definition of a Credit Rating from our friends at Wikipedia: A credit rating evaluates the credit worthiness of an issuer of specific types of debt, specifically, debt issued by a business enterprise such as a corporation or a government. It is an evaluation made by a credit rating agency of the debt issuers likelihood of default. Credit rating agencies use their judgment and experience in determining what public and private information should be considered in giving a rating to a particular company or government. The credit rating is used by individuals and entities that purchase the bonds issued by companies and governments to determine the likelihood that the government will pay its bond obligations.</span></span> </div> <div> </div> <div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">So basically in this case S&P reviewed the file of the United States and determined that we are no longer worthy of its highest rating. Now you may ask what exactly did S&P see that made them change its rating of the US? </div> <div> </div> <div><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Here are a few highlights from the S&P Downgrade Press Release (Info Provided By "Off The Charts"):</span></span> </div> <div> </div> <ul> <li>We have lowered our long-term sovereign credit rating on the United States of America to 'AA+' from 'AAA'. <strong>(We are taking you off the Dean's List)</strong> </li> <li> The downgrade reflects our opinion that the fiscal consolidation plan that Congress and the Administration recently agreed to falls short of what, in our view, would be necessary to stabilize the government's medium-term debt dynamics. <strong>(Congress and Mr. President you didn't have the guts to make any real changes in your budget so sorry about your bad luck.)</strong> </li> <li> More broadly, the downgrade reflects our view that the effectiveness, stability, and predictability of American policymaking and political institutions have weakened at a time of ongoing fiscal and economic challenges to a degree more than we envisioned when we assigned a negative outlook to the rating on April 18, 2011. <strong>(Since you kids can't get along you are both going to be punished)</strong> </li> <li>Since then, we have changed our view of the difficulties in bridging the gulf between the political parties over fiscal policy, which makes us pessimistic about the capacity of Congress and the Administration to be able to leverage their agreement this week into a broader fiscal consolidation plan that stabilizes the government's debt dynamics any time soon. <strong>(Since you are more concerned with re-election than the crisis at hand our last option is to publicly embarrass you)</strong> </li> <li>The outlook on the long-term rating is negative. We could lower the long-term rating to 'AA' within the next two years if we see that less reduction in spending than agreed to, higher interest rates, or new fiscal pressures during the period result in a higher general government debt trajectory than we currently assume in our base case. <strong>(If you don't figure out a way to play nice AND deal with the reality of this fiscal crisis we will downgrade you again)</strong></li> </ul> <div> </div> <div> </div> <div> <span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">In closing, I am not saying that I have all of the right answers but I can tell you this my wife wouldn't let me get away with not balancing my family budget for a month let alone several years. So my question to you is how is it that a country of 300 million people will allow 600+ people in Washington determine our kids/grandkids futures? </span></span></div> <div> </div> <div> <span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">This debate isn't going away since it seems like nobody has the resolve to risk their political career for the greater good of this nation. What are your thoughts or do you have any ideas? Share in the comment box below.</span></span> </div> <div> </div> <div></div> <span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span> <div><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Your "Wishing I owned a Gold Mine" Loan Officer,</span></span>   </div> <div><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Michael Rodriguez, CMPS</span></span> </div> </span></span></span> <div></div><P><a href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/08/24/the-why-behind-s-ps-decision-" target="_blank">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/08/24/the-why-behind-s-ps-decision-#comments" target="_blank">Comments</a></P>Kristine Dugan, ABR, CRS, SFRhttp://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/08/24/the-why-behind-s-ps-decision-Wed, 24 Aug 2011 21:48:00 GMTBehind on Your Mortgage Payment & Don't Know What to Do?http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/06/25/behind-on-your-mortgage-payment-dont-know-what-to-do<div><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Me and my partner Keri Lade have taken a couple of minutes to go over some important things about alternatives to foreclosure. For those that are behind on mortgage payments and don't know what to do, there are options for you! We are here to educate you and empower you during this time in your life. Please take time to educate yourself on HAFA (<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><a style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" href="https://www.hmpadmin.com/portal/programs/foreclosure_alternatives.jsp">Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternative Program</a></span></span></strong>), <strong><a style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt; text-decoration: underline;" href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/index.cfm/page/79727/parent/79721/Short_Sales_Explained.html" target="_blank">Short Sales</a></strong>, and other <strong><a style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt; text-decoration: underline;" href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/index.cfm/page/79726/parent/79721/Foreclosure_Solutions.html" target="_blank">Alternatives to Foreclosure</a></strong>.  </span></span></div> <div> </div> <div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">If you would like additional information regarding alternatives to foreclosure or a private consultation, contact us directly at <span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><strong><a style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" href="mailto:info@homesearchvegasvalley.com">Info@HomeSearchVegasValley.com</a></strong>  </span></span><br /> </div> <div> </div> <iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/x-BowqxJ5bg" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" width="560"></iframe> <div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;"> </div><P><a href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/06/25/behind-on-your-mortgage-payment-dont-know-what-to-do" target="_blank">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/06/25/behind-on-your-mortgage-payment-dont-know-what-to-do#comments" target="_blank">Comments</a></P>Kristine Dugan, ABR, CRS, SFRhttp://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/06/25/behind-on-your-mortgage-payment-dont-know-what-to-doSat, 25 Jun 2011 12:30:00 GMTWhy There has Never Been a Better Time to be a Landlordhttp://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/06/24/why-there-has-never-been-a-better-time-to-be-a-landlord<div></div> <span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span></span> <div><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> <div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">I found this amazing video with some awesome information as to why this is the best time in history to be a landlord. Greg Rand is the gentleman in the video and the video is an actual recording of his radio show in New York. Greg is my type of guy - he is all about helping others build wealth through real estate so I am an immediate fan! </div> </span></span> <div><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> <div> </div> <div><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">One item that I believe Greg failed to point out when discussing the opportunity to buy now (for investors or for owner occupied homes), even if values do decrease over the course of the next year, interest rates are not going to decrease. Research shows that as the economy improves over the next year, interest rates will be on the rise. For each 1% in increase in interest rate a buyer would need a 10% decrease in the sales price to break even. Taking advantage of low interest rates will save you THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS in the long run rather than focusing on the purchase price of the home. To learn more about this check out a previous blog I wrote by clicking <strong><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><a style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Georgia; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/03/19/whats-better-get-a-5-interest-rate-or-get-10000-reduction-in-sales-price/">here</a></span></strong>. </span></span>  <br /> </div> </span></span></div> </div> <span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span> <div> </div> <div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">Below are just a couple of points I got out of his ten minute video that I thought was worth reiterating:</div> </span> <div></div> <ul style="font-size: 10pt;"> <span style="font-family: Georgia;"> <li>As the Market goes down, there will be a come back up as Real Estate will always correct it's self because Real Estate over time has an expected appreciation rate over the course of history</li> <li>4 Million Rental House Holds have been created in this real estate market per a study Harvard University did  </li> <li>Vacancies in Apartments are up so those people that were living in apartments are now renting homes</li> <li>Buy where you know, if you are not able to capitalize on the area you know, go find someone that knows an area you can make real estate and your money work for you</li> </span> </ul> <div><br /> </div> <div align="center"> <iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/KceilcXgXSw" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" width="480"></iframe> </div> <div> </div> <div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">If you or a friend, family member or coworker are interested in making your money work for you to make a great return on investment in the Las Vegas Real Estate Market, contact me today at 702-332-7781 for  a private consultation.<br /> </div> <div> <br /> </div> <div><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Below is additional information on Greg Rand</span></span>:</div> <div><em style="font-family: Georgia;">Greg Rand is the CEO of <a href="http://www.ownamerica.com/" target="_blank">OwnAmerica</a>, a company dedicated to teaching real estate professionals and consumers how to build wealth in American housing. "Rand on Real Estate" is a weekly video series where Rand offers his expert insights into how to grow wealth in the current real estate market. </em> </div><P><a href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/06/24/why-there-has-never-been-a-better-time-to-be-a-landlord" target="_blank">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/06/24/why-there-has-never-been-a-better-time-to-be-a-landlord#comments" target="_blank">Comments</a></P>Kristine Dugan, ABR, CRS, SFRhttp://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/06/24/why-there-has-never-been-a-better-time-to-be-a-landlordFri, 24 Jun 2011 20:39:00 GMTMay 2011 Vegas Valley Market Updatehttp://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/05/14/may-2011-vegas-valley-market-update<script src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.4.2/jquery.min.js"></script><script src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jqueryui/1.8.4/jquery-ui.min.js"></script><script> jQuery.noConflict(); </script> <div> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" align="center"> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="600"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" align="left"> <table class="shr-btn-tbl" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td><a title="Social Media Sharebar" href="https://ui.constantcontact.com/emailSharePreview.jsp?id=preview" target="_blank"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" alt="" src="https://imgssl.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/shr_btn_static_like.png" /></a></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> <div id="rootDiv" align="center"> <table style="background-image: url(https://imgssl.constantcontact.com/letters/images/1101093164665/renews-ptn1.gif); padding-bottom: 0px; background-color: #0a0d06; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; background-repeat: repeat; padding-top: 0px" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" background="https://imgssl.constantcontact.com/letters/images/1101093164665/renews-ptn1.gif" bgcolor="#0a0d06"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="center"> <table style="width: 600px" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="1" width="600"> <tbody> <tr> <td width="100%"></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="padding-bottom: 1px; background-color: #2e373c; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; padding-top: 1px" bgcolor="#2e373c"> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" width="100%"> <table style="background-color: #2e373c" id="content_LETTER.BLOCK24" tabindex="0" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5" width="100%" bgcolor="#2e373c"> <tbody> <tr valign="top"> <td style="text-align: left; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif; color: #ffffff; font-size: 12pt" width="50%" align="left"><span style="font-family: 'Georgia', ' Times New Roman', ' Times', ' serif'; font-size: 12pt">Vegas Valley Real Estate Market Report</span></td> <td style="text-align: right; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif; color: #ffffff; font-size: 12pt" width="50%" align="right"><span style="font-family: 'Georgia', ' Times New Roman', ' Times', ' serif'"><span style="font-family: 'Georgia', ' Times New Roman', ' Times', ' serif'; font-size: 12pt">May 2011</span><span style="font-size: 12pt"> Issue</span></span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table hideFocus id="content_LETTER.BLOCK3" tabindex="0" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="center"><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=rviuaydab&et=1105522790299&s=0&e=0019lOuwoypCWkhOOPf_4KCVHqdMjS1DVszk5eQVE6eBYx8wyz1OqjsT6Aadg5Ql998Xy-eUYpMvOWxbrLaiBk57XsW98ugrwjT3ObXifmSNeOxCwlo25aOuQLeluDrWYHQ" shape="rect" target="_blank" track="on"><img border="0" alt="" src="https://imgssl.constantcontact.com/letters/images/1101093164665/renews-hdr4.jpg" width="600" height="130" optionname="RENEWSHDR" /></a></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td style="background-color: #ffffff" bgcolor="#ffffff" width="100%"> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr valign="top"> <td style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; width: 420px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" width="420"> <table style="display: table" id="content_LETTER.BLOCK4" tabindex="0" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(102,102,102); font-size: 8pt" align="left"> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px"><span style="font-size: 9pt"><strong>Dear Kristine, </strong></span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px"><span style="font-size: 9pt"><img style="text-align: right" border="0" name="ACCOUNT.IMAGE.1" hspace="5" alt="Kristine Dugan Photo" vspace="5" align="right" src="https://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs005/1103538823857/img/1.jpg" width="79" height="120" /></span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px"><span style="font-size: 9pt"> </span></p> <div style="display: inline"><span style="color: rgb(102,102,102); font-size: 8pt"> <div style="display: inline"><span style="color: rgb(102,102,102); font-size: 9pt"> <div style="display: inline"><span style="color: rgb(102,102,102); font-size: 8pt"> <div style="display: inline"><span style="color: rgb(102,102,102); font-size: 9pt"> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px"><span style="font-size: 9pt">As your Trusted Real Estate Consultant, I am committed to helping you manage your current and future real estate assets.</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px"><span style="font-size: 9pt"> </span> </p> <div style="display: inline"><span style="color: rgb(102,102,102)">Each month I review hundreds of articles and reports related to the real estate market. As a resource to you, I prepare a simple monthly report that will give you the information in an easy to understand format. My goal is to provide you with the information needed to help you create and implement your desired real estate strategy.</span></div> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px"> </p> <div style="display: inline"><span style="color: rgb(102,102,102)">I hope you enjoy this valuable information and please let me know if you have a friend, family member or co-worker that you would feel comfortable introducing me to that could benefit from my help. </span></div> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px"> </p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px"><span style="font-size: 9pt">Sincerely, </span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px"><span style="color: rgb(102,102,102)"><span style="font-family: 'Georgia', ' Times New Roman', ' Times', ' serif'; font-size: 14pt">Kristine Dugan</span>, <a style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=rviuaydab&et=1105522790299&s=0&e=0019lOuwoypCWkhOOPf_4KCVHqdMjS1DVszk5eQVE6eBYx8wyz1OqjsT6Aadg5Ql998Xy-eUYpMvOWxbrLaiBk57XsW98ugrwjT3ObXifmSNeOxCwlo25aOuWK2HfRXv_mvHLn6eWXQlhGJjuOfVPuYggiqIwA6KxAlbF_VaaQt7ZoBWZIp2kgbOQkoZ-sXYvgW4_fgYAqMdaaU4kZbwbF5VIcXaR4ZZD3_JKosD_UwESSgsGICD-uEW-v_kK9SYivT" shape="rect" target="_blank" track="on" linktype="link">ABR, BS, CRS, SFR</a> <br /> Shuman Mulcahy Group Realty  <br /> <em>Certified Residential Specialist® and Your Short Sale and Foreclosure Resource®</em> <br />   REALTOR®  <br />   Direct: (702) 332-7781</span></p> </span></div> </span></div> </span></div> </span></div> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <a name="LETTER.BLOCK5"> <table id="content_LETTER.BLOCK5" tabindex="0" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #666666; font-size: 8pt" align="left"><span style="font-family: 'Georgia'; color: rgb(113,154,78); font-size: 18pt">Summary of Properties Sold in<br /> <div>April 2011 </div> </span> <p style="text-align: center; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="center"><img border="0" name="ACCOUNT.IMAGE.62" hspace="5" alt="April 2011 Homes Sold" vspace="5" src="https://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs005/1103538823857/img/62.png" width="367" height="270" />  </img></p> <div style="text-align: center" align="center"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri', 'sans-serif'; color: rgb(0,0,0); font-size: 12pt"><strong><strong><strong>Total Properties Sold in March: 3,831</strong></strong></strong></span></div> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <a name="LETTER.BLOCK17"> <table id="content_LETTER.BLOCK17" tabindex="0" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #666666; font-size: 8pt" align="left"><span style="text-align: left; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif; color: #719a4e; font-size: 18pt" align="left">Fast Facts  </span> <div><span style="font-size: 10pt"> <div> <div><span style="font-size: 10pt"> <div><span style="font-family: 'Arial', ' Helvetica', ' sans-serif'"> <div>I feel like a broken record always reporting that Cash is king in our real estate market however I think it is a very important point to make that deals are out there. Moreover many people know about it and are capitalizing on it. Almost 2,000 homes last month were sold for cash which is a little over half of the homes sold last month. <br /> <br /> <span style="font-family: 'Arial', ' Helvetica', ' sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt">Another month of decreased available inventory on the market which now makes for the fifth month in a row that inventory has decreased and is keeping steep competition for buyers looking to purchase in the Real Estate Market.  </span><br /> <br /> Most of the homes being purchase with loans are being bought by first time home buyers. These buyers have realized it is a great time to buy with interest rates being at historic lows and home values being comparable to the values in 1994. There is also another dynamic that these buyers have moved into action to buy their first home - safety, security, a good place to raise a family and owning a home is the safest investment available in our current economy. For a blog post I did to elaborate on each factor, click <a style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=rviuaydab&et=1105522790299&s=0&e=0019lOuwoypCWkhOOPf_4KCVHqdMjS1DVszk5eQVE6eBYx8wyz1OqjsT6Aadg5Ql998Xy-eUYpMvOXwBEbdJs6lnhSotvk-9uZPMSbkjKrPk4po_0VnyW0iBouKE5Q0aSW3g0hqHtd3jczVVQ2pWgeV49QZOWh3mU_HLGXTMwKMCH1Kw5dIDUNqURX1SuOQwVsA" shape="rect" target="_blank" track="on" linktype="link">here</a>.<br /> <br /> Click below to check out a guide I made for First Time Home Buyers (<em>please forward to a friend, family member or co-worker that may be interested in buying their first home</em>): </div> <table style="text-align: center; margin-top: 20px; margin-bottom: 20px" class="imgCaptionTable" width="300" align="center"> <tbody> <tr> <td class="imgCaptionImage" width="300"><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=rviuaydab&et=1105522790299&s=0&e=0019lOuwoypCWkhOOPf_4KCVHqdMjS1DVszk5eQVE6eBYx8wyz1OqjsT6Aadg5Ql998Xy-eUYpMvOWxbrLaiBk57cHhsh8aYGWpraSAp2LpEUZR3zcqxBy_xC_Zi2ZFKEwY74gDh0g7FBgIhvvO14_eNA==" shape="rect" target="_blank" track="on"><img border="0" hspace="0" alt="First Time Home Buyer Guide" src="https://thumbnail.constantcontact.com/remoting/v1/vthumb/YOUTUBE/4fe2c80aa0fe43b3bdfc448aa3bc4d47" width="388" height="290" /></a> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center; font-style: normal; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #666666; font-size: 8pt; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none" class="imgCaptionText"> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino; font-size: 12pt">First Time Home Buyer Guide </span></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </span></div> </span></div> </div> </span></div> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <a name="LETTER.BLOCK21"> <table id="content_LETTER.BLOCK21" tabindex="0" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #666666; font-size: 8pt" align="left"><span style="text-align: left; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif; color: #719a4e; font-size: 18pt" align="left">Inventory Watch  </span><span style="text-align: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #2e373c; font-size: 10pt" align="left"> <div><span style="font-family: 'Arial', ' Helvetica', ' sans-serif'"><span style="color: rgb(0,0,0)"><strong><span style="font-family: 'Arial', ' Helvetica', ' sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt">Current Inventory Available: 14,664 </span><span style="font-size: 10pt">Properties</span></strong></span>   </span></div> <div> <div> <div><span style="font-family: 'Perpetua Titling MT', serif; color: windowtext; font-size: 11pt"><br /> <div style="color: rgb(128,128,128); font-size: 10pt"><span style="font-family: Arial, ' Helvetica', ' sans-serif'">As the warm months continue, the amount of homes sold are increasing and the available homes to buy are decreasing. This is simple supply and demand - the fewer amount of homes available to buy, the more competition buyers will have when buying a property which means if you are looking to purchase a property, make sure you are using a professional that has proven tools and techniques to get you in the best position to compete and ultimately win against other buyers.</span></div> <br /> <div><span style="text-decoration: underline"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, ' Helvetica', ' sans-serif'; color: rgb(0,0,0); text-decoration: underline"><em><span style="font-family: Arial, ' Helvetica', ' sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt">Inventory Supply of ALL properties in Las Vegas is down to </span><span style="color: rgb(0,0,0); font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline">3.</span></em></span><span style="font-family: Arial, ' Helvetica', ' sans-serif'; color: rgb(0,0,0); font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline"><em>8</em></span><span style="font-family: Arial, ' Helvetica', ' sans-serif'; color: rgb(0,0,0); font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline"><em> Months - For Non-Short Sale properties, the Inventory Supply is </em></span></strong><span style="font-family: Arial, ' Helvetica', ' sans-serif'; color: rgb(255,0,0); font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline"><strong><em>2.7</em></strong></span></span></div> </span> <p style="text-align: center; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="center"><span style="font-size: 10pt"><img border="0" name="ACCOUNT.IMAGE.63" hspace="5" alt="April 2011 AR" vspace="5" src="https://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs005/1103538823857/img/63.png" width="312" height="205" /> </img></span></p> </div> </div> </div> <div> <div> <div> <div>This report is calculated by utilizing Absorption Rates and Inventory Depletion calculations. To learn about the importance of these click <a style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=rviuaydab&et=1105522790299&s=0&e=0019lOuwoypCWkhOOPf_4KCVHqdMjS1DVszk5eQVE6eBYx8wyz1OqjsT6Aadg5Ql998Xy-eUYpMvOXwBEbdJs6lnhSotvk-9uZPMSbkjKrPk4po_0VnyW0iBqWgm04TLRUnxbc6rPLQbxM1e2pADb2wwKjr7UEHqQmfueEITvJ36DUjmsEW995AdLv3I1YmGf6Wl0oWMnw3ivI3xBKgJ18AgtTSN_fnK0HSBONaWPS3fGM=" shape="rect" target="_blank" track="on" linktype="link">here</a>.</div> </div> </div> </div> </span><span style="text-align: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #2e373c; font-size: 10pt" align="left"><br /> <div> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt" color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="null"><span style="font-size: 10pt">For a more detailed marketing report, click <a style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=rviuaydab&et=1105522790299&s=0&e=0019lOuwoypCWkhOOPf_4KCVHqdMjS1DVszk5eQVE6eBYx8wyz1OqjsT6Aadg5Ql998Xy-eUYpMvOXwBEbdJs6lnhSotvk-9uZPMSbkjKrPk4po_0VnyW0iBuwN3ti2uEUvXLxlDc6iNjWTQCoNsPJQfcFzIgpEi3ScS1tJYSsGkkE=" shape="rect" target="_blank" track="on" linktype="link">here</a>.</span></p> </div> </span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </a></td> <td style="padding-bottom: 0px; background-color: #dae7f7; padding-left: 0px; width: 180px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" bgcolor="#dae7f7" width="180"> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="background-color: #bbdb90; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #719a4e; font-size: 10pt" bgcolor="#bbdb90" align="left"><strong>In This Issue</strong> </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left"><a style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #719a4e; font-size: 8pt" href="#LETTER.BLOCK5" shape="rect">Summary of Properties Sold in April 2011</a></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left"><a style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #719a4e; font-size: 8pt" href="#LETTER.BLOCK17" shape="rect">Fast Facts including a Summary of Why People Buy and a Video of First Time Home Buyer's Guide</a></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left"><a style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #719a4e; font-size: 8pt" href="#LETTER.BLOCK21" shape="rect">Inventory Watch</a></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="left"><a style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #719a4e; font-size: 8pt" href="#LETTER.BLOCK10" shape="rect">Recent Blog Postings</a></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table id="content_LETTER.BLOCK11" tabindex="0" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: left; background-color: #bbdb90; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 5px; color: #719a4e; font-size: 10pt" bgcolor="#bbdb90" align="left"><strong>Helpful Resources</strong></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #719a4e; font-size: 8pt" align="left"> <div><span style="font-family: 'Arial', ' Helvetica', ' sans-serif'; font-size: 8pt"> <div style="text-align: center" align="center"> <div style="text-align: center" align="center"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', ' Helvetica', ' sans-serif'; font-size: 8pt"><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=rviuaydab&et=1105522790299&s=0&e=0019lOuwoypCWkhOOPf_4KCVHqdMjS1DVszk5eQVE6eBYx8wyz1OqjsT6Aadg5Ql998Xy-eUYpMvOWxbrLaiBk57XsW98ugrwjT3ObXifmSNeOxCwlo25aOuWK2HfRXv_mvHLn6eWXQlhGJjuOfVPuYggO0ic1BRPLJ-yvunJsgazwcwNAiA4nxrPAuLEjGSZyP1oBkOX09d2c=" shape="rect" target="_blank" track="on"><img border="0" name="ACCOUNT.IMAGE.37" alt="Dream Home Finder" vspace="5" src="https://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs005/1103538823857/img/37.jpg" width="134" height="73" /></a> </span><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=rviuaydab&et=1105522790299&s=0&e=0019lOuwoypCWkhOOPf_4KCVHqdMjS1DVszk5eQVE6eBYx8wyz1OqjsT6Aadg5Ql998Xy-eUYpMvOWxbrLaiBk57XsW98ugrwjT3ObXifmSNeOxCwlo25aOuWK2HfRXv_mvHLn6eWXQlhGJjuOfVPuYgoBbwXrfTdjooid5zuKbJp0TAFUwa0tB182bHsWL-1q3NpOnenQRenbgrBbgYPoEbzuynsBQhHXM" shape="rect" target="_blank" track="on"><img border="0" name="ACCOUNT.IMAGE.36" alt="Stop Foreclosure" vspace="5" src="https://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs005/1103538823857/img/36.jpg" width="126" height="99" /></a></div> </div> <div><span style="font-family: 'Arial', ' Helvetica', ' sans-serif'; 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font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #719a4e; font-size: 8pt" align="left"> <div style="text-align: center" align="center"> <div><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=rviuaydab&et=1105522790299&s=0&e=0019lOuwoypCWkhOOPf_4KCVHqdMjS1DVszk5eQVE6eBYx8wyz1OqjsT6Aadg5Ql998Xy-eUYpMvOWxbrLaiBk57XsW98ugrwjT3ObXifmSNeOxCwlo25aOuTOv9aQ33t0kDGD_hgy-_iA=" shape="rect" target="_blank" track="on"><img title="Edit Image" border="0" name="ACCOUNT.IMAGE.3" alt="Kristine Dugan Blog" src="https://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs005/1103538823857/img/3.jpg" width="167" height="46" /></a></div> </div> <br /> <div><a style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=rviuaydab&et=1105522790299&s=0&e=0019lOuwoypCWkhOOPf_4KCVHqdMjS1DVszk5eQVE6eBYx8wyz1OqjsT6Aadg5Ql998Xy-eUYpMvOXwBEbdJs6lnhSotvk-9uZPMSbkjKrPk4po_0VnyW0iBouKE5Q0aSW3g0hqHtd3jczVVQ2pWgeV49QZOWh3mU_HLGXTMwKMCH1Kw5dIDUNqURX1SuOQwVsA" shape="rect" target="_blank" track="on" linktype="link">Why People Buy a Home</a><br /> <br /> </div> <a style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=rviuaydab&et=1105522790299&s=0&e=0019lOuwoypCWkhOOPf_4KCVHqdMjS1DVszk5eQVE6eBYx8wyz1OqjsT6Aadg5Ql998Xy-eUYpMvOXwBEbdJs6lnhSotvk-9uZPMSbkjKrPk4po_0VnyW0iBouKE5Q0aSW3g0hqHtd3jczVVQ2pWgeV4zJDPdfIIi6MEW2tu8iU9wf8gocLFZBr7VLSypePGCCvAsSf92LWDdyxZ0CIBtwCXk6k-gCuOLpT" shape="rect" target="_blank" track="on" linktype="link">Beware! 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border-left: #719a4e 2px dashed; border-top: #719a4e 2px dashed; border-right: #719a4e 2px dashed" border="0" cellspacing="0" bordercolor="#719a4e" cellpadding="10" width="100%" align="left"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #2e373c; font-size: 18pt" bgcolor="#ffffff" valign="top" align="left"><strong><font face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif">About Kristine Dugan</font></strong></td> <td style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #666666; font-size: 8pt" bgcolor="#ffffff" align="left"> <div> <div> <div> <div> <p><span color="#000000"><span color="#000000"><font style="font-size: 8pt" color="#666666" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Kristine Dugan brings a wealth of experience with her; as a second generation native Las Vegan and practitioner in real estate in Las Vegas since 2004, Kristine began her career managing and teaching other real estate professionals how to cater to the client's needs by education and counseling while providing superior service with the utmost integrity. During her real estate career, she has been exposed to hundreds of real estate transactions to enhance her real estate knowledge so she can negotiate on behalf of her clients to assist them with their real estate goals.</font></span></span></p> <p><font style="font-size: 8pt" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font color="#666666"><span color="#000000"><span color="#000000">When you hire Kristine Dugan, you get the benefit of her knowledge and judgment.  She is eager to share her experience with clients as well as with fellow REALTORS®.</span></span> </font></font></p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="background-color: #bbdb90; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #ffffff; font-size: 8pt" bgcolor="#bbdb90" colspan="2" align="left"><strong>To learn more about Kristine Dugan, click <a style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=rviuaydab&et=1105522790299&s=0&e=0019lOuwoypCWkhOOPf_4KCVHqdMjS1DVszk5eQVE6eBYx8wyz1OqjsT6Aadg5Ql998Xy-eUYpMvOWxbrLaiBk57XsW98ugrwjT3ObXifmSNeOxCwlo25aOuWK2HfRXv_mvHLn6eWXQlhGJjuOfVPuYgi4niT9VcchrB4GG3Bi6m8e-VUPFyuXfi6l5icueeCYb" shape="rect" target="_blank" track="on" linktype="link">here</a></strong></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> <div style="background-color: #ffffff" align="center"> <table style="text-align: left" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td> <div style="padding-bottom: 10px; 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font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 12px; padding-top: 12px" id="LETTER.PHYSICALADDRESS" align="left"><font style="font-family: tahoma, sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 12px" color="#000000" size="1" face="tahoma,sans-serif">Shuman Mulcahy Group Realty<span style="color: #bababa"> | </span>4975 South Fort Apache<span style="color: #bababa"> | </span>Suite 105<span style="color: #bababa"> | </span>Las Vegas<span style="color: #bababa"> | </span>NV<span style="color: #bababa"> | </span>89148</font></div> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> <script> document.getElementById("rootDiv").style.overflow=""; </script><P><a href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/05/14/may-2011-vegas-valley-market-update" target="_blank">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/05/14/may-2011-vegas-valley-market-update#comments" target="_blank">Comments</a></P>Kristine Dugan, ABR, CRS, SFRhttp://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/05/14/may-2011-vegas-valley-market-updateSat, 14 May 2011 14:40:00 GMTBeware! Scam with Bank of America Mortgageshttp://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/05/14/beware-scam-with-bank-of-america-mortgages<div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt;"><img alt="" src="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/images/Fotolia_22103088_XS.jpg" align="left" height="181" hspace="10" vspace="10" width="250" />I have recently come across some information that I want to notify as many people as possible of a scam that is spreading through the Las Vegas Valley for some homeowners that have their mortgage loan with Bank of America. Homeowners are getting mailed a notice from a company Great Western with notice that Bank of America has sold their mortgage. If you click <a style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt" href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/docs/Bank_of_America_Scam_-_Great_Western.pdf" target="_blank"><strong style="text-decoration: underline">here</strong></a>, you will be able to see a sample letter one of my clients received. </div> <div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt"> </div> <div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt">If you look at this letter without thinking twice, one might think it is completely legitimate. Let me point out a couple of things that I noticed right off the bat...</div> <div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt"> </div> <div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt">1. On the letter, there are two company letterheads. In most instances, if a company is sending out a notice, especially with notification that a mortgage is being sold, there will be one letter from the current mortgage holder with notification that the loan is being sold, then a separate letter from the new mortgage holder that they are going to be taking over the mortgage. </div> <div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt">2. The new location that homeowners are supposed to be sending payments are going to a PO Box in Las Vegas. </div> <div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt">3.  "If you are currently utilizing an online or electronic bill paying service, you will need to cancel this transaction and pay by mailed check for the next 90 days" - Strange that a company does not allow electronic payment</div> <div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt">4. This letter was sent on the 18th and is notifying the homeowner to make their payment to the new company by the 1st of the following month. Usually if your mortgage is being sold, you will receive notification months in advance, not weeks. </div> <div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt">5. If you happen to call the 1-800 number provided for questions, you are forwarded to a full mailbox. </div> <div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt"> </div> <div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt">The rest of the letter looks great, actually it is near perfect other than the items I noted above. My guess is someone locally devised this idea to scam local homeowners and copied a real mortgage transfer letter from Bank of America so homeowners that weren't suspicious would just make their monthly mortgage payments to this new company. </div> <div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt"> </div> <div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt">Thank goodness my client was smart enough to forward the letter along to me and we were able to save him the heartache of getting scammed out of one month's mortgage payment. Moral of the story, if you receive a letter notifying you that your mortgage is getting transferred, call your bank or your real estate consultant so the information you received can be verified!</div> <div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt"> </div> <div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt">Please forward this along to everyone you know so they can become aware of this scam.</div><P><a href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/05/14/beware-scam-with-bank-of-america-mortgages" target="_blank">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/05/14/beware-scam-with-bank-of-america-mortgages#comments" target="_blank">Comments</a></P>Kristine Dugan, ABR, CRS, SFRhttp://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/05/14/beware-scam-with-bank-of-america-mortgagesSat, 14 May 2011 09:07:00 GMTWhy People Buy a Homehttp://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/05/14/why-people-buy-a-home<div><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Recently, <strong><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><a style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" href="http://www.realtor.org/prodser.nsf/products/186-45-10?OpenDocument#detail">National Association of Realtors</a></span></strong> conducted a survey on people that bought homes in the 2010 and asked them why they decided to buy a home. Was it because interest rates were at historic lows? Was it because values have reduced to almost half of what they were during the real estate boom? Was it for the tax benefits associated with home ownership? No, No, and No.  <br /> <br /> </span></span></span> <div><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt"><span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="font-family: Georgia"> The main reason people buy bought a home in 2010 was for the simple desire <em style="text-decoration: underline;">they wanted to own a home</em>. Simple enough right? Well this makes me think, why do people desire a home? </span></span></span></div> <div> </div> <div> <div align="center"><img alt="" src="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/images/Slide1.jpg" height="412" hspace="10" vspace="10" width="550" /></div> <br /> </div> <div><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">After doing some research, I found a couple of reasons why home ownership is desired: </span></span></span></div> <span style="font-family: Georgia;"> <div> </div> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Source</span> <strong><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" href="http://www.fanniemae.com/media/survey/index.jhtml;jsessionid=4WPVFAWFIVFXPJ2FQSHSFGQ">National Housing Survey conducted by Fannie Mae</a></span></span></strong>:</span><img alt="" src="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/images/Fotolia_20201992_XS.jpg" align="right" height="240" hspace="10" vspace="10" width="200" /> <div> <ol style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt;"> <li>It means having a good place to raise children and provide a good education</li> <li>You have a physical structure where you and your family feel safe</li> <li>It allows you to have more space for your family</li> <li>It gives you control over what you do with your living space (renovations & updates</li> </ol> <div><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">In addition to the reasons above,I found a survey conducted by <strong><em><a style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" href="http://www.realtor.org/statsanddata/homeownership/attitudes_homeown">Harris Interactive</a></em></strong> for the National Association of Realtors, home owners believe that home ownership benefits individuals and families and strengthens our communities</span></span>.</div> <div> <br /> </div> <div><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">So bottomline, buying a home is still apart of the "American Dream" and home ownership provides a good place to raise a family along with providing emotional security and strengthens local communities. If you or someone you know is looking to buy a home for a good place to raise a family, contact me directly for a free buyer consultation. </span></span></div> </div> </div><P><a href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/05/14/why-people-buy-a-home" target="_blank">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/05/14/why-people-buy-a-home#comments" target="_blank">Comments</a></P>Kristine Dugan, ABR, CRS, SFRhttp://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/05/14/why-people-buy-a-homeSat, 14 May 2011 09:05:00 GMTBill Proposed to Speed Bank Response to Short Saleshttp://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/05/14/bill-proposed-to-speed-bank-response-to-short-sales<img alt="" src="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/images/Fotolia_5714566_S.jpg" align="left" height="178" hspace="10" vspace="10" width="250" /><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><em>Washington, April 13, 2011</em> - A new bill to improve the process for approving short sales may soon bring relief to distressed home owners who are unable to keep their homes and hope to avoid foreclosure. The bill, introduced in the U.S. House yesterday and strongly supported by the National Association of Realtors®, would impose a deadline of 45 days on lenders to respond to short sale requests.<br /> <br /> The legislation, the "Prompt Decision for Qualification for Short Sale Act of 2011," was offered in Congress by U.S. Reps. Tom Rooney (R-Fla.) and Robert Andrews (D-N.J.).<br /> <br /> "The current short sale process can be time-consuming and inefficient, and many would-be buyers end up walking away from a sale that could have saved a home owner from foreclosure," said NAR President Ron Phipps, broker-president of Phipps Realty in Warwick, R.I.<br /> <br /> "Realtors® and consumers continue to raise issues about delays in the short sale process, because lenders are unable to decide whether to approve a short sale. After many months of delays, and with no response from lenders, potential buyers are losing patience and cancelling their contracts, often resulting in the property entering foreclosure. A short sale minimizes the negative impact on sellers and generally costs the lender less than a foreclosure," said Phipps.<br /> <br /> NAR has been actively pushing the lending industry to improve the process for approving short sales, which represent about 13 percent of recent home sales according to NAR data. Phipps praised Reps. Rooney and Andrews for their efforts on the bill and urged Congress to pass the bill quickly.<br /> <br /> "As the leading advocate for home ownership and housing issues, Realtors® want to help more home owners avoid foreclosure by facilitating a short sale when a family is absolutely unable to keep their home; however, that can only happen if lenders and servicers approve short sale offers in a reasonable amount of time," said Phipps. "Streamlining short sales transactions will reduce the amount of time it takes to sell the property, improve the likelihood that the transaction will close and reduce the overall number of foreclosures. This benefits sellers, lenders, buyers and the entire community."<br /> <br /> The National Association of Realtors®, "The Voice for Real Estate," is America's largest trade association, representing 1.1 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.<br /> <br /> Information about NAR is available at <strong><a style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" href="http://www.realtor.org">www.realtor.org</a></strong>. This and other news releases are posted in the News Media section.</span></span><P><a href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/05/14/bill-proposed-to-speed-bank-response-to-short-sales" target="_blank">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/05/14/bill-proposed-to-speed-bank-response-to-short-sales#comments" target="_blank">Comments</a></P>Kristine Dugan, ABR, CRS, SFRhttp://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/05/14/bill-proposed-to-speed-bank-response-to-short-salesSat, 14 May 2011 08:37:00 GMTApril 2011 Vegas Valley Market Updatehttp://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/05/13/april-2011-vegas-valley-market-update<div><img alt="" src="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/images/Screen_shot_2011-05-13_at_10.19.59_PM.png" align="left" height="273" hspace="10" vspace="10" width="300" /><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Fast Facts</span></span></span></span></strong></div> <div><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span>Holy Cow it is getting warmer and the home sales are starting to soar! In March there were 4,230 homes that sold. This is about a 22% (or about 1,000 home) increase from the amount of properties sold in February. That is significant and it is obvious that many people are realizing the opportunity of the low home values and low interest rates. </span></span></span></span></div> <span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span> <p style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">For the fourth month in a row the amount of available inventory on the market has decreased which which is keeping steep competition for buyers looking to purchase in the Real Estate Market.</p> </span></span> <p style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt;"></p> </span></span> <div><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> <div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">About half or 2,140 homes in March were sold for cash which means that many people are pulling their cash out from other shelters and purchasing real estate to gain a better return on their investment. To learn more about the opportunities Vegas Valley Real Estate has to offer you in regards to an amazing Return on Your Investment click <strong><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><a style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/04/11/debunking-myths-about-investing-in-real-estate-in-las-vegas/">here</a></span></strong> to watch a video.</div> </span></span></div> <div> </div> <div>  <div> <span style="font-family: Georgia;"> <div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt;"><strong><em>Inventory Supply of ALL properties in Las Vegas is down to 4.</em><em>1</em><em> Months - For Non-Short Sale properties, the Inventory Supply is </em></strong><strong><em>2.8</em></strong></div> <p><strong style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt;">Current Inventory Available: 14,748 Properties</strong><img alt="" src="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/images/March_2011_AR.png" align="right" height="211" hspace="10" vspace="10" width="318" /></p> </span> </div> <div> <div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">As the warm months continue, the amount of homes sold are increasing and the available homes to buy are decreasing. This is simple supply and demand - the fewer amount of homes available to buy, the more competition buyers will have when buying a property which means if you are looking to purchase a property, make sure you are using a professional that has proven tools and techniques to get you in the best position to compete and ultimately win against other buyers.</div> <div> </div> <div> <div> <div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;"><a name="LETTER.BLOCK21"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">This report is calculated by utilizing Absorption Rates and Inventory Depletion calculations. To learn about the importance of these click</span></span> </a><a style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=rviuaydab&et=1105522790299&s=0&e=0019lOuwoypCWkhOOPf_4KCVHqdMjS1DVszk5eQVE6eBYx8wyz1OqjsT6Aadg5Ql998Xy-eUYpMvOXwBEbdJs6lnhSotvk-9uZPMSbkjKrPk4po_0VnyW0iBqWgm04TLRUnxbc6rPLQbxM1e2pADb2wwKjr7UEHqQmfueEITvJ36DUjmsEW995AdLv3I1YmGf6Wl0oWMnw3ivI3xBKgJ18AgtTSN_fnK0HSBONaWPS3fGM=" shape="rect" target="_blank">here</a>.</div> </div> <span style="text-align: left; color: #2e373c; font-size: 10pt;" align="left"><br /> <div> <span style="font-family: Georgia;"> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" color="#000000" face="Times New Roman" size="null"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">For a more detailed marketing report, click</span></span> <a style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt;" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=rviuaydab&et=1105522790299&s=0&e=0019lOuwoypCWkhOOPf_4KCVHqdMjS1DVszk5eQVE6eBYx8wyz1OqjsT6Aadg5Ql998Xy-eUYpMvOXwBEbdJs6lnhSotvk-9uZPMSbkjKrPk4po_0VnyW0iBuwN3ti2uEUvXLxlDc6iNjWTQCoNsPJQfcFzIgpEi3ScS1tJYSsGkkE=" shape="rect" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></p> </span></div>   </span><br /> </div> </div> </div><P><a href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/05/13/april-2011-vegas-valley-market-update" target="_blank">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/05/13/april-2011-vegas-valley-market-update#comments" target="_blank">Comments</a></P>Kristine Dugan, ABR, CRS, SFRhttp://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/05/13/april-2011-vegas-valley-market-updateFri, 13 May 2011 22:31:00 GMTWhy I Love Las Vegashttp://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/04/25/why-i-love-las-vegas<div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt">Below is a new video I created that includes just a couple things I love about Las Vegas along with an overview of a great One Story Home I have for sale... Enjoy!</div> <div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 10pt"><br />  </div> <div></div> <iframe title="YouTube video player" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/oWJjQQIGVhI" frameborder="0" width="560" allowfullscreen></iframe><P><a href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/04/25/why-i-love-las-vegas" target="_blank">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/04/25/why-i-love-las-vegas#comments" target="_blank">Comments</a></P>Kristine Dugan, ABR, CRS, SFRhttp://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/04/25/why-i-love-las-vegasTue, 26 Apr 2011 11:56:00 GMTWhat's the Difference between Chapter 7 & 13 Bankruptcyhttp://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/04/19/whats-the-difference-between-chapter-7-13-bankruptcy<div></div> <span style="font-size: 12pt"><span style="font-family: Georgia"> <div><span style="font-family: Georgia"><span style="font-size: 12pt">With many people having issues with paying their bills every month, friend and business partner of mine, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/advicematters" target="_blank">Michael Rodriguez</a>, interviewed local bankruptcy attorney <a href="http://www.rouselawfirm.com/default.aspx" target="_blank">Larry Rouse</a> to answer some basic questions regarding the difference between Chapter 7 and 13 Bankruptcy and how it relates to property.</span></span> </div> <div> </div> <div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt">Click below to watch the video:</div> </span></span> <div></div> <iframe title="YouTube video player" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/kW_HQuMrD60" frameborder="0" width="560" allowfullscreen></iframe><P><a href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/04/19/whats-the-difference-between-chapter-7-13-bankruptcy" target="_blank">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/04/19/whats-the-difference-between-chapter-7-13-bankruptcy#comments" target="_blank">Comments</a></P>Kristine Dugan, ABR, CRS, SFRhttp://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/04/19/whats-the-difference-between-chapter-7-13-bankruptcyTue, 19 Apr 2011 13:18:00 GMTFREE Money in Las Vegas to Buy a Homehttp://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/04/19/free-money-in-las-vegas-to-buy-a-home<div></div> <span style="font-family: Georgia;"> <div style="font-size: 12pt;"><img alt="" src="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/images/Fotolia_21007897_XS.jpg" align="right" height="200" hspace="10" vspace="10" width="300" /><span style="font-family: Georgia;">That's right, FREE, F-R-E-E money to buy a home. When I first heard this in a Real Estate Class I attended last week, I was a little skeptical because the days of 0% down financing are over (so I thought) - boy I was wrong.</span> </div> <div> </div> </span> <div></div> <div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt;">After the class I decided to do a little more research of my own and reach out to my partner that does the loans for my clients that are buying with a loan, <a style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt;" target="_blank" href="http://facebook.com/advicematters">Michael Rodriguez</a>, to find out what specifically is available for home buyers looking to buy that may not have the traditional 3.5% down payment needed to obtain a loan. </div> <div> </div> <div style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Here is what we came up with - at least 8 loan programs that a buyer can get into a property for little to no money down. Keep in mind there are restrictions to the availability of these programs nonetheless, they are out there to the people that do qualify and each program is an awesome opportunity to get FREE money to buy a home! To find out if you are eligible for one of these programs, call me today at 702-332-7781 so we can analyze your options.</span><br /> </div> <div> </div> <div style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Below is a summary of the loan programs and some of the requirements.  </span><br /> </div> <div> </div> <div style="font-family: Georgia;"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.lasvegasnevada.gov/information/17059.htm"></a></div> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"> <div style="font-family: Georgia;"><strong><a style="font-size: 12pt;" target="_blank" href="http://www.lasvegasnevada.gov/information/17059.htm">Nevada Stabilization Program</a></strong></div> <ul style="font-family: Georgia;"> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"> <li>Up to $25,000 in Down Payment / Closing Costs Assistance</li> <li>Primary Residence Only (Buyer cannot own any other Properties)</li> <li>Family Income 120% AMI (Average Median Income)</li> </span> </ul> </span> <div> </div> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"> <div></div> <div><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><a target="_blank" href="http://nvhousing.state.nv.us/"></a></span></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><a target="_blank" href="http://nvhousing.state.nv.us/">North Las Vegas Home Funds</a></span></strong> </span><br /> </div> <ul><span style="font-family: Georgia;"> <li>Up to $20,000 in Down Payment / Closing Costs Assistance</li> <li>First Time Home Buyers Only (Cannot have owned a home in the past 3 years)</li> <li>Family Income Cannot Exceed 80% AMI (Average Median Income)</li> <li>North Las Vegas Properties Only<br /> </li> </span></ul> <div> </div> <div style="font-family: Georgia;"><strong><a style="font-size: 12pt;" target="_blank" href="http://nvhousing.state.nv.us/">Clark County Home Funds</a></strong></div> <ul style="font-family: Georgia;"> <li>Up to $15,000 in Down Payment / Closing Cost Assistance</li> <li>First Time Home Buyers Only (Cannot have owned a home in the past 3 years)</li> <li>Family Income Cannot Exceed 80% AMI (Average Median Income)</li> <li>Clark County Properties Only</li> </ul> <div> </div> <div style="font-family: Georgia;"><strong><a style="font-size: 12pt;" target="_blank" href="http://www.fhlbsf.com/ci/grant/wish/default.asp">Wish Funds</a></strong></div> <ul style="font-family: Georgia;"> <li>3-1 Contribution (Buyer contributes $5,000, Wish Funds $15,000 Max)</li> <li>First Time Home Buyers Only (Cannot have owned a home in the past 3 years)</li> <li>Family Income Cannot Exceed 80% AMI (Average Median Income)</li> <li>No Property Restrictions</li> </ul> <div> </div> <div style="font-family: Georgia;"><strong><a target="_blank" href="http://nvhousing.state.nv.us/bond_program/mfindex.htm"></a></strong><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong><a target="_blank" href="http://nvhousing.state.nv.us/bond_program/mfindex.htm">Nevada Bond Program</a></strong></span><br /> </div> <span style="font-family: Georgia;"> <ul> <li>Up to $4,500 in Down Payment / Closing Cost Assistance that will have to be paid back over the course of 20 years at a 7% interest rate (or $35 per month)</li> <li>First Time Home Buyers Only</li> <li>Income Restrictions Apply</li> <li>No Property Restrictions </li> </ul> </span> <div> </div> <div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt;">Additional programs include the <span style="font-family: Georgia;"><a target="_blank" href="http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/housing/sfh/reo/goodn/gnndabot">Good Neighbor Next Door Program</a></span> which includes Law Enforcement Officers, Pre-K to 12th Grade Teachers, Fire Fighters and Emergency Medical Technicians are eligible to receive half off the appraised value of a home and a down payment as little as $100 (area restrictions do apply). </div> <div> </div> <div style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">There are also the traditional loan programs that offer little to no money down including the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.fha.com/fha_loan.cfm">FHA Loan Program</a> which allows a "gift" of 3.5% of the sales price as a down payment from a family member and the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.benefits.va.gov/homeloans/">VA Loan Program</a> which only requires $1 as a down payment.</span> </div> <div> </div> <div><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt;">As I mentioned above, call or email me today to find out if you are eligible for FREE money to buy a home in this amazing real estate market where home values and interest rates are at historic lows!</span></div> </span> <div> </div> <div> </div><P><a href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/04/19/free-money-in-las-vegas-to-buy-a-home" target="_blank">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/04/19/free-money-in-las-vegas-to-buy-a-home#comments" target="_blank">Comments</a></P>Kristine Dugan, ABR, CRS, SFRhttp://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/04/19/free-money-in-las-vegas-to-buy-a-homeTue, 19 Apr 2011 12:56:00 GMTBuyers are Ready to Snatch Bargains this Springhttp://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/04/19/buyers-are-ready-to-snatch-bargains-this-spring<div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt;">I found this article and thought I would share. It is very accurate as far as what I currently see in the real estate market in regards to buyers coming out of the wood work due to the home values being equal to the home values we saw in 1994 and that interest rates are under 5%. Keep in mind that <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">opportunity does have a shelf life</span></strong> and these deals and interest rates will not last forever. If you are thinking of buying in Las Vegas, feel free to contact me today so we can review your goals. </div> <div> </div> <span style="font-size: 12pt;"> <div><img alt="" src="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/images/Fotolia_514913_XS.jpg" align="left" height="225" hspace="10" vspace="10" width="300" /><em style="font-size: 12pt;">Bargain prices on housing combined with low interest rates below 5 percent may bring the real estate market its busiest spring season in years, economists say. </em></div> <em><br /> Distressed sales continue to put downward pressure on home prices, which may lure more buyers off the fence and ready to snag a deal during the typical prime-time buying season.<br /> <br /> Some builders are ramping up discounts on new homes as well as boosting commissions to brokers to try to spark more transactions.<br /> <br /> Sellers of existing-homes also are getting more competitive in pricing their homes. <br /> <br /> "After three years of the housing downturn, people are becoming much more realistic in terms of valuing their homes," says Lawrence Yun, chief economist at the National Association of REALTORS®.<br /> <br /> An improved job market with better income potential may also motivate more people to buy, says David Berson of the PMI Group. <br /> <br /> "Household formations are also very important," Berson says. "Kids may have moved back in with their parents, or two people may have moved in together, because of job concerns. Now they can move into their own place."<br /> <br /> While interest rates are sitting comfortably below 5 percent for now (30-year fixed rates averaged 4.76 percent last week), economists warn the attractive low rates won't last long. <br /> <br /> "Few think mortgage rates are going lower," says Mark Zandi, Moody's Analytics chief economist. "It's more likely they will be 6 percent than 4 percent next spring. This lights a fire under buyers."</em></span><br /> <br /> Source: "<a target="_blank" href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704355304576214732393603612.html">Discounts Expected in Spring Housing Market</a>," The Wall Street Journal (March 22, 2011)<P><a href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/04/19/buyers-are-ready-to-snatch-bargains-this-spring" target="_blank">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/04/19/buyers-are-ready-to-snatch-bargains-this-spring#comments" target="_blank">Comments</a></P>Kristine Dugan, ABR, CRS, SFRhttp://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/04/19/buyers-are-ready-to-snatch-bargains-this-springTue, 19 Apr 2011 07:47:00 GMTDebunking Myths about Investing in Real Estate in Las Vegashttp://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/04/11/debunking-myths-about-investing-in-real-estate-in-las-vegas<div style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12pt">I had a business partner and friend, Michael Rodriguez, interview me regarding my thoughts on investing in Las Vegas Real Estate. Click on the video below to watch.</div> <div> </div> <div> <div align="center"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/reconsultinglv#p/a/u/1/xFz1UQZ6BQk" target="_blank"></a></div> <br /> </div> <iframe title="YouTube video player" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/xFz1UQZ6BQk" frameborder="0" width="560" allowfullscreen></iframe><P><a href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/04/11/debunking-myths-about-investing-in-real-estate-in-las-vegas" target="_blank">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/04/11/debunking-myths-about-investing-in-real-estate-in-las-vegas#comments" target="_blank">Comments</a></P>Kristine Dugan, ABR, CRS, SFRhttp://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/04/11/debunking-myths-about-investing-in-real-estate-in-las-vegasMon, 11 Apr 2011 23:24:00 GMTMarch 2011 Vegas Valley Real Estate Market Reporthttp://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/04/04/march-2011-vegas-valley-real-estate-market-report<title>Vegas Valley Real Estate Market Report March 2011 Issue from Kristine Dugan</title> <style type="text/css"> #VWPLINK {display:none}</style> <div style="background: url("http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/icon_info.gif") no-repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; 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padding: 1px; border: 1px dotted #7f7c75;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" bgcolor="#2e373c"> <table style="border: 1px dotted #7f7c75;" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="padding: 0pt; border: 1px dotted #7f7c75;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" width="100%"> <table style="background-color: #2e373c; border: 1px dotted #7f7c75;" tabindex="0" id="content_LETTER.BLOCK24" bgcolor="#2e373c" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr valign="top"> <td style="color: #ffffff; font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: left; border: 1px dotted #7f7c75;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="left" width="50%"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Georgia',' Times New Roman',' Times',' serif';">Vegas Valley Real Estate Market Report</span></td> <td style="color: #ffffff; font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: right; border: 1px dotted #7f7c75;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="right" width="50%"><span style="font-family: 'Georgia',' Times New Roman',' Times',' serif';"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Georgia',' Times New Roman',' Times',' serif';">March 2011</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Issue</span></span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table style="border: 1px dotted #7f7c75;" id="content_LETTER.BLOCK3" aria-posinset="0" aria-setsize="0" hidefocus="true" tabindex="0" aria-level="0" datapagesize="0" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" cols="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="border: 1px dotted #7f7c75;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="center"><a track="on" shape="rect" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=rviuaydab&et=1104715897689&s=-1&e=001h1_KM5F3MPQEiUhiAf_m2IfqGGtQHr2ELuEbPhYKy9CpTo8hu1vzFwZ8cyxJT4Zp6_9mIAXKWOVDQ1xLSdY9_eKpRaEKSzOVb2m59r5ksvZRzWGAXqFgeToJqLvnK3tI" target="_blank"><img optionname="RENEWSHDR" src="https://imgssl.constantcontact.com/letters/images/1101093164665/renews-hdr4.jpg" alt="" border="0" height="130" width="600" /></a></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td style="background-color: #ffffff; border: 1px dotted #7f7c75;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" bgcolor="#ffffff" width="100%"> <table style="border: 1px dotted #7f7c75;" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr valign="top"> <td style="width: 420px; padding: 0pt; border: 1px dotted #7f7c75;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" width="420"> <table style="display: table; border: 1px dotted #7f7c75;" tabindex="0" id="content_LETTER.BLOCK4" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="font-size: 8pt; color: #666666; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left; border: 1px dotted #7f7c75;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="left"> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><strong>Dear Kristine, </strong></span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"><img style="text-align: right;" src="http://ih.constantcontact.com/fs005/1103538823857/img/1.jpg" name="ACCOUNT.IMAGE.1" alt="Kristine Dugan Photo" align="right" border="0" height="120" hspace="5" vspace="5" width="79" /></span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"> </span></p> <div style="display: inline;"><span style="font-size: 8pt; color: #666666;"> <div style="display: inline;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #666666;"> <div style="display: inline;"><span style="font-size: 8pt; color: #666666;"> <div style="display: inline;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #666666;"> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;">As your Trusted Real Estate Advisor, I am committed to helping you manage your current and future real estate assets.</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;"> </span> </p> <div style="display: inline;"><span style="color: #666666;">Each month I review hundreds of articles and reports related to the real estate market. As a resource to you, I prepare a simple monthly report that will give you the information in an easy to understand format. My goal is to provide you with the information needed to help you create and implement your desired real estate strategy.</span></div> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </p> <div style="display: inline;"><span style="color: #666666;">I hope you enjoy this valuable information and please let me know if you have a friend, family member or co-worker that you would feel comfortable introducing me to that could benefit from my help. </span></div> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 9pt;">Sincerely, </span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Georgia',' Times New Roman',' Times',' serif';">Kristine Dugan</span>, <a style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" track="on" shape="rect" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=rviuaydab&et=1104715897689&s=-1&e=001h1_KM5F3MPSIPLbAmQck3hCQ-Cfy50EUY0aQ4CvmMRGV0ZwcY2WIPuOkjG81uP3q_IsrFVtZ_0rfwFJZ1O0g6msJ-VYhazTlZG1xvRo0CJ0ICt5XxbOPIwTDeWW-seRV1lyhBMbiZkZVdDbKP825_K_mVaK-Wz3FFqCPyCsqTnt0ShYivmoqPT5WUeb5U_IIFU3A2sCx611VMM8hufN8zVz1IfTNwPhN2v_1xvBeg4b4nvajYL6TqYvzK24fvtgM" linktype="link" target="_blank">ABR, BS, CRS, SFR</a> <br /> Shuman Mulcahy Group Realty  <br /> <em>Certified Residential Specialist® and Your Short Sale and Foreclosure Resource®</em> <br />   REALTOR®  <br />   Direct: (702) 332-7781</span></p> </span></div> </span></div> </span></div> </span></div> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <a style="width: 20px; height: 20px; text-indent: 20px; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-image: url("/HTMLEditorV2a/CuteSoft_Client/CuteEditor/Load.ashx?type=image&file=anchor.gif");" name="LETTER.BLOCK5"></a> <table style="border: 1px dotted #7f7c75;" tabindex="0" id="content_LETTER.BLOCK5" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; text-align: left; border: 1px dotted #7f7c75;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="left"><span style="font-size: 18pt; color: #719a4e; font-family: 'Georgia';">Summary of Properties Sold <div>February 2011</div> </span> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; text-align: center;" align="center"><img name="ACCOUNT.IMAGE.55" alt="March 2011 Sold Homes" src="http://ih.constantcontact.com/fs005/1103538823857/img/55.png" border="0" height="269" hspace="5" vspace="5" width="375" />  </p> <div style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: #000000; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';"><strong><strong><strong>Total Properties Sold in February: 3,281</strong></strong></strong></span></div> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <a name="LETTER.BLOCK5"> </a><a style="width: 20px; height: 20px; text-indent: 20px; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-image: url("/HTMLEditorV2a/CuteSoft_Client/CuteEditor/Load.ashx?type=image&file=anchor.gif");" name="LETTER.BLOCK17"></a> <table style="display: table; border: 1px dotted #7f7c75;" tabindex="0" id="content_LETTER.BLOCK17" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; text-align: left; border: 1px dotted #7f7c75;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="left"><span style="color: #719a4e; font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif; font-size: 18pt; text-align: left;" align="left">Fast Facts  </span> <div><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> <div> <div><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> <div><span style="font-family: 'Arial',' Helvetica',' sans-serif';"> <div>A total of 1,729 homes were purchased with cash this past month which is approximately 53% of all home sales. This figure is up 9.8% from last month. </div> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </p> <div>This past month home sales have increased to a total of 3,281 which is an increase of 4.6% from last month. The average amount of homes sold in a month is about 3,568 from the past year, so last months home sales figure is only 287 homes lower than the average. Remember most home sales take anywhere from 1 to 3 months to be completed so this month's amount of homes sold is reflecting the sales activity that started during the holiday season (which is usually lower than other months in the year). As the summer months approach, sales activity will increase and the amount of homes sold each month will increase along with buying competition.</div> <br /> <div>For the third month in a row the amount of available inventory on the market has decreased which which is keeping steep competition for buyers looking to purchase in the Real Estate Market. </div> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </p> <div>The amount of bank owned homes being put on the market has decreased about 35% since December of 2010. If banks continue to withhold their inventory from prospective buyers, it will cause two things to occur:</div> <div>1. More competition for available bank owned homes, driving competition and sales prices up</div> <div>2. Guide more buyers to consider purchasing Short Sale properties </div> <br /> <div>Below is a visual assistant to reflect the current listing inventory of Short Sales, Traditional and Bank Owned Properties.</div> <div><img name="ACCOUNT.IMAGE.57" alt="Inventory History by type of Seller" src="http://ih.constantcontact.com/fs005/1103538823857/img/57.png" border="0" height="258" hspace="5" vspace="5" width="395" /><br /> <br /> </div> </span></div> </span></div> </div> </span></div> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <a style="width: 20px; height: 20px; text-indent: 20px; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-image: url("/HTMLEditorV2a/CuteSoft_Client/CuteEditor/Load.ashx?type=image&file=anchor.gif");" name="LETTER.BLOCK21"></a> <table style="border: 1px dotted #7f7c75;" tabindex="0" id="content_LETTER.BLOCK21" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; text-align: left; border: 1px dotted #7f7c75;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="left"><span style="color: #719a4e; font-family: Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif; font-size: 18pt; text-align: left;" align="left">Inventory Watch  </span><span style="color: #2e373c; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; text-align: left;" align="left"> <div><span style="font-family: 'Arial',' Helvetica',' sans-serif';"><span style="color: #000000;"><strong><span style="font-family: 'Arial',' Helvetica',' sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Current Inventory Available: 15,023 </span><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Properties</span></strong></span>   </span></div> <div> <div> <div><span style="font-family: 'Perpetua Titling MT',serif; color: windowtext; font-size: 11pt;"> <br /> <div><span style="font-family: Arial,' Helvetica',' sans-serif'; color: #000000;">As I calculated the Absorption Rate and Inventory Supply for local Real Estate Activity, I have noticed that the months of available inventory are decreasing which means more buying activity is taking place. The lower the months of inventory available, the more competition buyers will have when buying a property.</span></div> <br /> <div><span style="font-family: Arial,' Helvetica',' sans-serif'; color: #000000; text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><span style="font-family: Arial,' Helvetica',' sans-serif'; text-decoration: underline;">I<span style="font-size: 11pt;">nventory Supply of ALL properties in Las Vegas is down to </span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: #000000; text-decoration: underline;">4.4</span> Months - For Non-Short Sale properties, the Inventory Supply is <span style="color: #ff0000; text-decoration: underline;">2.9</span></span></strong></em></span></div> </span> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; text-align: center;" align="center"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><img name="ACCOUNT.IMAGE.56" alt="March 2011 AR" src="http://ih.constantcontact.com/fs005/1103538823857/img/56.png" border="0" height="211" hspace="5" vspace="5" width="318" /> </span></p> </div> </div> </div> <div> <div> <div> <div>This report is calculated by utilizing Absorption Rates and Inventory Depletion calculations. To learn about the importance of these click <a style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" track="on" shape="rect" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=rviuaydab&et=1104715897689&s=-1&e=001h1_KM5F3MPSrBrfUVQ_7AiSd2G8Qimi4nkyFUdtZvHiSlz9lel2oKJBMlfpZfR8wuizKx_1uZcBriROSDVgWZ3xTPuOjtxyHryzo7-Jh9AWzyZyuv_eXMM9pknRvXDFLj9IpaCO3oOWx9GGVHe56v35wH6Lq7-xwvYtQLWjkVL7JAU-Bbhj66WgAQoLohgSWZnaZT-p0xC703WDGl5cdzPVav7uVNaACWxOBsLVllh8=" linktype="link" target="_blank">here</a>.</div> </div> </div> </div> </span><span style="color: #2e373c; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; text-align: left;" align="left"><br /> <div> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" color="#000000" size="null" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">For a more detailed marketing report, click <a style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" track="on" shape="rect" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=rviuaydab&et=1104715897689&s=-1&e=001h1_KM5F3MPQlFaJfrSVn6wOAzFXwzBop3db2LPchk-XSZijBqNsFP4QtZRoslgQUZbpyHqp1UyJoHwwIgoRsorIS4-IVVd-76ZuLLqWnUyKEOfCOSLs6wqPWCcR2ewVpbDV4uOVa3A04NDy2yF8RclIu_xtYra2K" linktype="link" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></p> </div> </span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> <td style="width: 180px; padding: 0pt; background-color: #dae7f7; border: 1px dotted #7f7c75;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" bgcolor="#dae7f7" width="180"> <table style="border: 1px dotted #7f7c75;" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="color: #719a4e; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; background-color: #bbdb90; border: 1px dotted #7f7c75;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="left" bgcolor="#bbdb90"> <strong>In This Issue</strong> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border: 1px dotted #7f7c75;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="left"><a style="color: #719a4e; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;" shape="rect" href="#LETTER.BLOCK5">Summary of Properties Sold in February 2011</a></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border: 1px dotted #7f7c75;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="left"><a style="color: #719a4e; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;" shape="rect" href="#LETTER.BLOCK17">Fast Facts including a History of Homes being Listed by type of Seller</a></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border: 1px dotted #7f7c75;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="left"><a style="color: #719a4e; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;" shape="rect" href="#LETTER.BLOCK21">Inventory Watch</a></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border: 1px dotted #7f7c75;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="left"><a style="color: #719a4e; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;" shape="rect" href="#LETTER.BLOCK10">Recent Blog Postings</a></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table style="border: 1px dotted #7f7c75;" tabindex="0" id="content_LETTER.BLOCK11" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="color: #719a4e; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-bottom: 5px; font-size: 10pt; background-color: #bbdb90; border: 1px dotted #7f7c75;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="left" bgcolor="#bbdb90"><strong>Helpful Resources</strong> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="color: #719a4e; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; border: 1px dotted #7f7c75;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="left"> <div><span style="font-family: 'Arial',' Helvetica',' sans-serif'; 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font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-bottom: 5px; font-size: 10pt; background-color: #bbdb90; text-align: left; border: 1px dotted #7f7c75;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="left" bgcolor="#bbdb90"><strong>Recent Blog Postings</strong> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="color: #719a4e; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; text-align: left; border: 1px dotted #7f7c75;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="left"> <div style="text-align: center;" align="center"> <div><a track="on" shape="rect" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=rviuaydab&et=1104715897689&s=-1&e=001h1_KM5F3MPT7DHAb0_U6PQI6LhiX9SuCQ-ci62E9ZQE4gRKsYRTpIwdfOfDqLngs2HqrQ26hCpLm-ONpAS13ZIlJeH0QYyt_wfhh6yKNkEdXDkmAi_uect-FWJ-q1-GubaUr10axbKI=" target="_blank"><img name="ACCOUNT.IMAGE.3" alt="Kristine Dugan Blog" src="http://ih.constantcontact.com/fs005/1103538823857/img/3.jpg" title="Edit Image" border="0" height="46" width="167" /></a></div> </div> <br /> <div><a style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" track="on" shape="rect" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=rviuaydab&et=1104715897689&s=-1&e=001h1_KM5F3MPTM3_ZND_Imi1LtjeXMvGKmbUHyhheqWZbpv03chjJf7TSViSwCuAV5EreEWwZ8wML4-xLBJV_a4NvcezK6Q3EYnQqspQT-J31gFyz9lX0bJ-nYDy_Sa5DL8yeEZCPHqlTpWzLWUjUkvS80NEYTTvFV2-T_8oULajuvnnY_YUHX0WUQyjZbhHJ6pZCh4FuRGFeImB-W13arcl5539mFLQIpqMNCzR_wbWA=" linktype="link" target="_blank">Why I think March Madness is like the Las Vegas Real Estate Market</a></div> <br /> <div> <a style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" track="on" shape="rect" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=rviuaydab&et=1104715897689&s=-1&e=001h1_KM5F3MPTWAPBuPjKv2FLNcIPeHio053bJEI9RaPOeVbaJvwqNyKrpMHaafpgbJZgy5whw9sb0v7wpcTxcvfJSCHxpsRviQdCLHNbbMFXBvUXFiq6mtDRMKUfflvGYMqS2yoGE_8uRpJey8nIk3xMB_duvxMAao1B1oVZr12aOTbinzFR9y0dbuEak4eephL694u57aUSQy7dUSb0o22KMNvu1V22TggBFxi2uopA=" linktype="link" target="_blank">New changes to HAFA to Help Upside Down Homeowners</a></div> <br /> <div> <div> <div> <a style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" track="on" shape="rect" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=rviuaydab&et=1104715897689&s=-1&e=001h1_KM5F3MPS5msG6if0q8-aGLEH-Vrg6DYMH92wvuSKz_s2WkpQDC7qVFtF6SeRhVcKI5NErYY6T9KCuwPUZDf7ActHPfyfMe4205USp4cuCxR4yefGPKmBZI27LlyTzIX11MY1YBW3Wh0UdZXejuIYp7M7g_SZ_WU7cnsU9pAPZzxUzut0WdZaeKdsn2t3EYkv1fMOgSiSQApIcEvakPRpgmwAExkE4Zq9SZKYtayFl2gTfrmUeVZV3sb3O2DpG" linktype="link" target="_blank">What is better - Get a 5% Interest Rate or Get $10,000 Reduction in Sales Price?</a></div> </div> </div> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table style="border: 1px dotted #7f7c75;" id="content_LETTER.BLOCK9" aria-posinset="0" aria-setsize="0" tabindex="0" aria-level="0" datapagesize="0" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" cols="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="color: #719a4e; 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border: 1px dotted #7f7c75;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="center" height="10" width="100%"> <table style="border: 1px dotted #7f7c75;" id="content_LETTER.BLOCK20" aria-posinset="0" aria-setsize="0" hidefocus="true" tabindex="0" aria-level="0" datapagesize="0" border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" cols="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="border: 1px dotted #7f7c75;" rowspan="1" colspan="1"> <table style="border: 2px dashed #719a4e;" align="left" border="0" bordercolor="#719a4e" cellpadding="10" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="color: #2e373c; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; background-color: #ffffff; border: 1px dotted #7f7c75;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" valign="top"><strong><font face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif">About Kristine Dugan</font></strong></td> <td style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; background-color: #ffffff; border: 1px dotted #7f7c75;" rowspan="1" colspan="1" align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff"> <div> <div> <div> <div> <p><span color="#000000"><span color="#000000"><font style="font-size: 8pt;" color="#666666" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Kristine Dugan brings a wealth of experience with her; as a second generation native Las Vegan and practitioner in real estate in Las Vegas since 2004, Kristine began her career managing and teaching other real estate professionals how to cater to the client's needs by education and counseling while providing superior service with the utmost integrity. During her real estate career, she has been exposed to hundreds of real estate transactions to enhance her real estate knowledge so she can negotiate on behalf of her clients to assist them with their real estate goals.</font></span></span></p> <p><font style="font-size: 8pt;" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font color="#666666"><span color="#000000"><span color="#000000">When you hire Kristine Dugan, you get the benefit of her knowledge and judgment.  She is eager to share her experience with clients as well as with fellow REALTORS®.</span></span> </font></font></p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="background-color: #bbdb90; color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 8pt; border: 1px dotted #7f7c75;" rowspan="1" colspan="2" align="left" bgcolor="#bbdb90"><strong>To learn more about Kristine Dugan, click <a style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" track="on" shape="rect" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=rviuaydab&et=1104715897689&s=-1&e=001h1_KM5F3MPROX6WRN_BcAMXwn1bpK_cBdMDQEbFnfF6ZdS2Gii-NRFwnleVDmVfQhVMFi7m54k8HoVSex77CFrJgqffsoij0DNdXGLm8SaN_-29RnWqa4K78oqtSBYM_IzP_bf27a5Q236kaNsfgeUUvXc41GzL9650-FrKeGx0qA2lsJDhmVVpB-FVa42JL" linktype="link" target="_blank">here</a></strong></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> <div style="background-color: #ffffff;" align="center"> <table style="text-align: left; 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font-size: 11px; color: #2f2f2f;" color="#000000" face="tahoma,sans-serif" size="1"></font></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <div style="font-family: tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; padding-top: 12px;" id="LETTER.PHYSICALADDRESS" align="left"><font style="font-family: tahoma,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #000000;" color="#000000" face="tahoma,sans-serif" size="1">Shuman Mulcahy Group Realty<span style="color: #bababa;"> | </span>4975 South Fort Apache<span style="color: #bababa;"> | </span>Suite 105<span style="color: #bababa;"> | </span>Las Vegas<span style="color: #bababa;"> | </span>NV<span style="color: #bababa;"> | </span>89148</font></div> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </div> <img src="http://r20.rs6.net/on.jsp?llr=rviuaydab&t=1104715897689.0.1103538823857.-1&ts=S0602&o=http://ui.constantcontact.com/images/p1x1.gif" alt="" height="1" width="1" /><P><a href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/04/04/march-2011-vegas-valley-real-estate-market-report" target="_blank">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/04/04/march-2011-vegas-valley-real-estate-market-report#comments" target="_blank">Comments</a></P>Kristine Dugan, ABR, CRS, SFRhttp://homesearchvegasvalley.com/blog/2011/04/04/march-2011-vegas-valley-real-estate-market-reportMon, 04 Apr 2011 23:48:00 GMT