Denise McFarland's Blog

Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives Program (HAFA) The expansion of the government's Home Affordable program introduces new benefits for those homeowners who are no longer able to retain their home but would still like to avoid foreclosure. To qualify under Home Affordable Foreclosure Altern...

A funny thing has been happening in our local market lately. The bank-owned REO foreclosure listings have all but dried up. There's still very few "standard" listings - and the ones that do exist are investor-owned so they have a 90-day "no FHA" rule. Most of our current inventory consists of Sho...

Should I use an Agent? How Important is an Agent?   If you've eaten ham sandwiches all of your life, you may not know just how great a prime rib can taste. Or, if you've never had a spoiled piece of ham on that same ham sandwich, you may never know just how "bad" a ham sandwich can taste, and how...

Buyers:  What is the difference between a Short Sale and an REO?   Buyers - as you scroll through property listings on various internet sites, you may see references to Short Sale, Foreclosure, Bank Owned or REO properties. It is important to learn the differences between the terms. They each hav...

It's an exciting time to purchase real estate in Southern California. Residential inventories are up, prices are down and interest rates are at an all-time low. While buyers as a majority have been "waiting" for the market to continue to decline, many educated purchasers realize that there is a f...

Lease Options are commonly thought of as an option for buyers who don't currently have the assets or credit to purchase a home. However, before entering into a Lease Option one should fully understand its benefits and limitations - as they apply to the "Seller/Landlord" as well as to the "Buyer/R...

Here's a question that many of you may be asking yourself, but not admitting to the very real possibility . . . will we lose our home?In California's current real estate market, it's a fair question for many. First and foremost . . . do NOT avoid the issue and do not avoid discussion of the vario...

Buyers . . . do you need 100% financing? It is not a blanket endorsement, but is instead based very specifically on your geographic area.For instance, if you were hoping to purchase a home using 100% financing . . . you'll want to read the following. Many online loan approval sources may be provi...