I came across the coolest charity: Guardian Angels for Soldier's Pets.  I've talked about rescuing pets before, but this is a different opportunity; you can foster pets! There are tons of videos about it on YouTube, but here is the Fox News report that introduced me to this amazing cause tonight. You might be thinking the same thing I did; Of Course!  Why didn't we think of this sooner.  Please share with me here your foster stories as a volunteer with Guardian Angels for Soldier's Pets.  Please re-blog this very cool charity and help get the word out. Together we are better!  Check out Guardian Angels for Soldier's Pets at http://guardianangelsforsoldierspet.org/.  Please come back here and share your success story with Guardian Angels for Soldier's Pets.   02/21/2011

  The Wall Street JournalBanks push home buyers to put down more cashMany economists and housing analysts blame lax lending standards – including no-down payment, no-document loans – for contributing to the challenges in the current real estate cycle. As a result, most lending institutions have increased minimum down payment requirements. Now, a new proposal by the Obama administration calls for gradually raising down payments to a minimum of 10 percent on conventional loans – those that can be bought or guaranteed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.MAKING SENSE OF THE STORY• Banks have found that larger down payments discourage delinquencies by increasing the buyers’ exposure to loss and reducing the impact of declining prices. According to a study by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis,... 02/20/2011

Housing Trends Newsletter. Feb 15th 2011  Welcome to the most current Housing Trends eNewsletter. February 15th 2011. This eNewsletter is specially designed for you, with national and local housing information that you may find useful whether you're in the market for a home, thinking about selling your home, or just interested in homeowner issues in general. Please click on this link to view the Housing Trends February - 2011 Newsletter http://mikepatel.housingtrendsenewsletter.com The Housing Trends eNewsletter contains the latest information from the National Association of REALTORS®, the U.S. Census Bureau, Realtor.org reports and other sources. Housing Trends eNewsletter is filled with local and national real estate sales and price activity provided by MLS and the National Associati... 02/15/2011

Real Estate Update -    Feb 15th  2011  Mike Patel The market is ever changing.  What you are hearing from the mainstream national media about Real Estate is only one small part of the story. Here is the link to my Video Newsletter: for the latest. http://www.patelsupdate.com My Video Newsletter is loaded with up to date Real Estate News and Advice. Some of its features include: Current Real Estate NewsInterest RatesMortgage AdviceQuestion & Answers Short Sales Foreclosures Plus much more. It is "real time" and changes weekly. Whether you are thinking about selling or buying, or you just want to keep abreast of the market, I hope you find this information useful and informative 02/15/2011

The trouble with most loan modification companies is not their fees. In fact, since October 11, 2010 it has been illegal for any company or attorney to charge up-front fees for loan modifications. As such, fees are only charged when a result is achieved. The problem with most modification companies is that they do not ask the more important question ... Is a loan modification RIGHT for this person or family?  Can the homeowners afford the new, modified payment? How long will it take for the homeowners to recoup their lost equity? Does it make sense to hold on this an asset that is underwater and may cost twice as much as comparable rents? Sometimes, the simplest question is - Would I pay $500,000 for this house today, knowing it's only worth $325,000 even if the interest rate was better... 02/14/2011

  New York TimesOnline mortgage shopping made easier The vast amount of information available online about mortgages – such as interest rates, loan benchmarks, prepayment penalties, and the like – can cause home buyers to feel confused and overwhelmed when shopping for a mortgage. Most surprisingly, a recent survey found that only 61 percent of homeowners surveyed said they comparison shopped for a mortgage, and 39 percent said they took out a home loan based on just one quote.MAKING SENSE OF THE STORY• Resulting from consumer feedback about lending Web sites being unhelpful or difficult to navigate, some of the nation’s leading mortgage sites have responded by working to become more consumer-friendly. The revamped sites allow borrowers to not only browse lender rates and terms, but al... 02/11/2011

  USA TodayFees for home mortgages increase For the first time since 2009, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are raising risk fees charged to lenders on loans they buy for resale to investors. Fannie and Freddie also are adding risk fees to more loans offered to borrowers with exemplary credit. Although lenders could absorb the cost, most are expected to add the fees to loan costs.MAKING SENSE OF THE STORY• To avoid a fee or to receive a discount, most borrowers will need FICO scores of 740 or better and down payments of at least 25 percent.• The fee increases likely will affect most loans with terms longer than 15 years that are sent to Freddie beginning March 1, and to Fannie beginning April 1.• The most notable aspect of the fee increase is that the fees are being added to more loans to bo... 02/06/2011

It's time to do some Spring Cleaning! It's time to talk about some practical Spring Cleaning that we need to get to!  I know I am being a little bit optimistic in calling this Spring, but the heavy rains are supposedly past us so this is a good time to take care of a few things.  Besides, if it rains heavy again; would you rather have trouble or peace of mind? Roof Ridge Cap - What is the roof ridge cap?  It's those tiles on the peak of your various roof lines.; the tiles bent into an angular shape to cover that peak.  You may have a 30-year or 50-year roof; but did you know the ridge cap is only good for 5-6 years?  Of course, clay tiles, fiberglass tiles and steel tiles all have much longer ridge cap lives, but most ridge caps are only good for 5-6 years.  That is because they are ben... 02/02/2011

If you would like to search the MLS the same way I do, email me at LesslieG@aol.com The following statistics include real estate transactions for Anaheim Hills as of Friday, January 28, 2010.                       Condo Listings, by Zip Code, Activity between 1/21/11-1/28/11   Active condo listings in 92807: 13, Average price is $336,688; 1,527 square feet or $220.49 per square foot. Back-up: 1, $189,900; 886 square feet or $214.33 per square foot. No Pending or Closed sales between 1/21/2011-1/28/2011.   Active condo listings in 92808: 31, Average price is $308,440; 1,121 square feet or $275.15 per square foot. Back-up: 1, $339,900; 1,108 square feet or $306.77 per square foot. Pending: 1, $314,150; 1,205 square feet or $260.71 per square foot. No Closed sales between 1/21/2011-1/28/20... 01/28/2011

Los Angeles Business JournalCalifornia home sales hit seven-month high in DecemberCalifornia home sales rose in December, posting their highest level since May, according to a report from the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.), as the inventory of unsold homes dwindled.MAKING SENSE OF THE STORY• Closed escrow sales of existing, single-family detached homes in California totaled a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 520,680 units in December, according to information collected by C.A.R. from more than 90 local REALTOR® associations statewide. December’s sales were up 5.9 percent from November’s revised pace of 491,590 units, but were down 6.8 percent from the revised 558,840 sales pace recorded in December 2009. The statewide sales figure is adjusted to account for seasonal... 01/28/2011

If you would like to search the MLS the same way I do, email me at LesslieG@aol.com The following statistics include real estate transactions for Anaheim Hills as of Friday, January 21, 2010.                       Condo Listings, by Zip Code, Activity between 1/14/11-1/21/11   Active condo listings in 92807: 12, Average price is $335,208; 1,496 square feet or $224.07 per square foot. No Back-up, Pending, or Closed sales between 1/14/2011-1/21/2011.   Active condo listings in 92808: 27, Average price is $313,279; 1,112 square feet or $281.73 per square foot. Back-up: 4, Average price is $294,724; 1,085 square feet or $271.64 per square foot. Closed: 3, Average price is $262,333; 1,022 square feet or $256.69 per square foot. No Pending sales between 1/14/2011-1/21/2011   Single Family Res... 01/21/2011

Smart MoneyReal Estate: Finally a good investment?The housing market still looks pretty bleak:  There were a record 1 million foreclosures last year, home prices are still falling in many regions, and the number of "underwater" properties is at a record high.And things don't look much better in other areas of real estate. The number of construction jobs continues to decline, even as other parts of the economy have added jobs. And mortgage rates have moved higher as long-term Treasury yields have backed up during the past few months.  Basically, the real estate market remains a mess.Real estate encompasses a wide range of markets – homes, apartments, hospitals, office buildings, strip malls, dormitories and other properties. But for our purposes, let's focus on residential real estate, ... 01/21/2011

  The New York TimesA little-known strategy for cutting mortgage payments Homeowners looking to lower their monthly mortgage payments and reduce their interest rate may be able to do so without refinancing. A little-known strategy called recasting or re-amortization is available through some mortgage lenders and servicers, and eliminates the hefty fees and daunting credit requirements of refinancing. KEEP THIS IN MIND • Re-amortization requires borrowers pay off a lump sum of the principal amount on the mortgage and asking to have the monthly payments reset according to the original interest rate and loan terms. The lump sum reduces the principal, so the new monthly payments decrease slightly and interest paid over the life of the loan is reduced. • Lenders typically charge an administ... 01/15/2011

  Los Angeles TimesWhen will housing come back in California? Five experts offer their views Although the steep decline of home prices in California ended in spring 2009, the weakness in the housing market after the expiration of federal tax credits for home buyers last year has led to some speculation as to whether the recovery is sustainable. Five experts, including Leslie Appleton-Young, the chief economist for the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®, were asked to provide their view on the state of real estate and what they think is needed to get the housing market moving again. KEEP THIS IN MIND • In terms of home prices, the experts differed slightly with the majority predicting that home prices will remain flat throughout 2011. Ms. Appleton-Young predicts home prices will rise 2... 01/15/2011

How Do Consumers Find Thier Agents So I got curious when a buyer of mine asked me how do other buyers find their agents. The buyers that I was working with were refered to me. So I explained to them how they found thier agents, and gave them my version: most of them are referrred to agents. But I was curious to what was the best way consumers find their agents, and I found these facts, according to NAR, National Association Of Realtors. 01/07/2011

The following statistics include real estate transactions for Anaheim Hills from January 1, 2010- December 31, 2010.      Detached Single Family Residences - 2010 Wrap-Up   Number of Closed Sales in All Price Ranges with Average Price and Average Dollar per Square Foot: $300,000-399,999:   2 Sales, Ave. Price:  $376,500,   Average $290.85/sq.ft. $400,000-499,999: 56 Sales, Ave. Price:  $456,816,   Average $281.08/sq.ft. $500,000-599,999: 100 Sales, Ave. Price:  $551,499,   Average $258.90/sq.ft. $600,000-699,999: 73 Sales, Ave. Price:  $647,954,   Average $257.71/sq.ft. $700,000-799,999: 27 Sales, Ave. Price:  $738,755,   Average $265.28/sq.ft. $800,000-899,999: 19 Sales, Ave. Price:  $838,368,   Average $266.36/sq.ft. $900,000-999,999: 10 Sales, Ave. Price:  $945,140,   Average $271.82... 01/07/2011

Sacramento BeeNovember home sales rose in state, Sacramento California home sales rose in November compared with October, but were down from the previous year, according to data from the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.). The statewide median price declined from both the previous month and previous year.KEEP THIS IN MIND• The median price of an existing, single-family detached home sold in California fell below the $300,000 mark for the first time since February. The November 2010 median price was $296,820, down 2.4 percent from October’s $304,220 median price and down 2.5 percent from the revised $304,550 median price recorded for the same period a year ago. It was the first year-over-year price decline in a year.• November’s sales were up 9.2 percent from October’s revised... 01/07/2011

Los Angeles TimesHome-buying paralysis? Tips for getting the best deal fasterThe inventory of homes for sale has increased in recent months, causing some buyers to hesitate before making an offer on a home for fear a better home at a more favorable price will become available.KEEP THIS IN MIND• Although real estate agents are showing more homes to clients, people still are buying homes, especially first-time buyers. According to the latest figures from the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (NAR), first-time buyers now account for 50 percent of all home sales.• Some agents claim that today’s buyers are having a problem staying committed to the home search. During the height of the market, home buyers were more apt to make housing hunting a priority and to move on a good deal. Real estat... 01/06/2011

The Wall Street Journal Hidden medical debt trips up homeowners Well-qualified borrowers with good loan-to-value ratios and steady employment are increasingly finding it difficult to refinance because of medical billing mistakes impacting their credit reports and scores, according to mortgage bankers and real estate agents. KEEP THIS IN MIND • Nearly 14 million Americans have errors on their credit report due to medical collections, according to the Commonwealth Fund, a non-profit organization focused on health care research. • Unnoticed credit errors, such as small, unpaid balances on medical bills, can make refinancing a mortgage difficult or, in some instances, impossible. If approved for a refinance, unpaid bills can result in the borrower paying higher closing costs. • It is criti... 01/06/2011

The New York Times When borrowers default on second homes Strategic defaulting – where the homeowner has the ability to pay the mortgage, but chooses to stop making payments – among affluent homeowners with second homes and investment properties is increasing. KEEP THIS IN MIND • Homeowners who strategically default are likely to find their credit will be negatively impacted and they should expect to be prevented from getting another mortgage loan for 7 to 10 years. • Many homeowners are concerned about the possibility of the lender suing for the amount of money owed on the loan when a house goes into foreclosure. Whether or not the lender has legal justification to do so depends largely on where the property is located. • In “recourse” states, a lender can go after the homeowner, and ... 01/06/2011