I have been writing and speaking about the Real Estate market and how it affects us all. I know because I am on the front line of sales and listings, repos and foreclosures, and so called “short sales” every day.

The people with whom I work are human beings…not numbers. I truly do understand that banks and mortgage companies deal in numbers.

 Somewhere in the midst of all of this chaos is our government making each day a little worse. Each home owner is in a different circumstance. Each buyer has wants and needs too.

 I have included my views on politics since the politicians have messed up my world; I felt it only fair that I take a few shots at them.

S H O R T SALE

The government has managed to do it again. For the benefit of no one our government (having nothing more pressing to get involved in). Well maybe a war or two or our countries borders or crime in the streets AND IN OUR HOMES. Our government has come up with new real estate programs.

 There are currently many new programs created specifically to assist low or no income people in buying a home? Can you believe that? Exactly the system that created the horrible Real Estate debacle is our government’s solution. There are programs that will lend a “qualified” buyer up to $3,500 to repair a home. Personally, I believe that if you do not have $3,500 you have no business buying a home.

Short sale programs are in place that require more paperwork than the IRS. To date I have used seventy three pages to negotiate a simple cash purchase of a $50,000 home. As a Realtor, I have dealt with four separate departments of the lender. Each time duplicate paperwork has been requested. These various departments within the corporation apparently do not have communication or contact with one another. When this particular offer to purchase was submitted the original date was February. Now the Lender (Wells Fargo) has asked the Seller to resubmit her information because it is OUT OF DATE!

The Seller of this particular home is presently assisting her ailing mother up north. She herself has had two hip replacement surgeries. She is a single lady who can no longer work. She also does not have immediate access to a fax machine. Does the lender care….no.

They, the Lender, are also badgering the Purchaser for volumes of personal information, (in duplicate). “If they had been this thorough originally, the home would not be in short sale.”

Each day I work by telephone and computer with bank employees who are just following the rules. They are doing the best they can with unbelievable monetary problems. The big problem, and it is BIG, is that these homes are being sold and purchased by PEOPLE, not numbers. Our government apparently runs the same way. If they can assist these lenders in disposing their deficit loans the numbers will look good. More of the poorer people in our country will have a roof over their head. Many of the middle income folks will be without. That is because they defaulted on loans made by unscrupulous lenders and OUR GOVERNMENT. Remember, our government backed those original loans and mortgage insurance will cover the loss.

 Also in the middle of the muddle you will find thousands, no millions of Realtors who were taken in by the government backed numbers. Appraisers who were scammed by the same government laws. These people also lost income and jobs. These people have families. It would seem that our government “of the people” has not protected the people at any level…..and the beat goes on….