Relocate to Wisconsin

               There is a couple in New Berlin who has a son currently stationed in Iraq.   They have started a charitable organziation called "Take a Soldier to the Movies."   This couple sends boxes to our troops that include a DVD, Microwave Popcorn, Candy a package of drink mix and a letter from home.  Go to their website, you can even use your PAY PAL account and make a donation on line safely in a matter of minutes. Click...Click...Flick Flick....They are always in need of donations but especially as the holidays approach...your help would be appreciated. So if you can find it in your heart....and your wallet, they would appreciate the following:

• A new or used DVD
•  Microwave Popcorn
• Camdy (Why not give away some of the trick or treat goodies)
• Drink Mix Packages in single servings
• Cash - 100% tax deductible and used for shipping costs

                  To make your donations stretch a little further...you can go to The Dollar Tree Stores...they have great boxes of all kinds of  "movie candy" or go to one of the wholesale clubs for a large supply of Microwave Popcorn or family size packages of single serving drink mixes. You can just mail a check...you don't have to live in Wisconsin or near New Berlin...good old American cash works from ANYWHERE.

     Why not....suggest this to your SOI with your holiday cards and Calendars as a way of giving back to the folks who are giving to you every day ?

              If you are in or near New Berlin, Wisconsin, you may drop off your donations during normal business hours to:  14775 West National Avenue, New Berlin, WI., 53151   It is just east of Culver's....easy to find, a short ride from anywhere.....and a way to feel good about yourself knowing that you have brightened the day of someone fighting far from home this holiday season. It really is all about them....let them know you remember.

               Thanks for Caring, Bernie & Kathy Hintzke

                    Charming  West Bend Tudor

     If you long for "old world charming" at a very charming short sale price....drive over 4o:

                                       450 8th Avenue, West Bend

      From the spanish plaster and arched doorways to the built in china cabinets and hardwood floors in the formal dining room.

                  The entertainment friendly patio....

 The updated kitchen with granite counters and stainless steel appliances...island and ceramic tile floor give you the comforts of today in the charming surroundings of yesterday.

  The master suite has a sitting area and adjacent master bath, and there are four other bedrooms, a living room with gas fireplace, family room with built in bookcases...situated  on an ample lot of almost 3/4 acre.

   In addition to the master bath, there are 2 other full baths and 2 half baths...one on the lower level.

  This amazing home is short sale priced at $274,900. Your patience will be rewawrded with this beautiful house to call home.

   To set a private showing, call the Hansons: 414-525-0563 or toll free: 877-525-0563.

     We LOVE selling UPSIDE DOWN HOMES.

   There are many spirited discussions going on these days....who is the best person to lead this country ?

 Very few things in life.....politically, religiously or in real estate....are Black and White....

More than likely....there are lots of shades of gray.....

       I always say, if there was only legal opinion...there would be only one lawyer.  Some people might view that as a good thing....but then again, that's just one opinion.

             As the election draws closer....let's remember that relationships with neighbors, relatives, business associates, the real estate community, church members...etc., etc., etc. are all more important than the square you fill on on the ballot.  We will all wake up November 5th...and life will go on and hopefully it will be without the loss of a friendship or business relationship....you aren't going to convince a staunch ________________(fill in the blank) that he/she is voting incorrectly because it is not the way you will vote.  If you value any relationship it is about communication...and maintaining it...the cost of being right is more than anyone can afford. 

  A few situations over the last week have proven to me once again....over and over...it has to be about them.  What does that mean ?

                 We had a realtor write an offer and I questioned the use of a distant...and not well known lender especially for a VA loan.....there must be a reason. The realtor snapped at me..."I am not going to be one of those realtors with a full time job at Walmart. I am going to get every buyer I can and get homes sold." That part of her commentary might be viewed as positive if it weren't for her tone.....and in part, her motivation. IF her motivation were really to find this family a home...wouldn't you look a little deeper and ask credit questions ?

              We were helping a newer realtor with her marketing plan....she had been doing open houses and telling the people all about herself.....We told her that her efforts were mis-directed....It's about THEM....What does the BUYER WANT ?

       We met a seller recently who had their home listed with a well known realtor...$50,000 more than homes that had sold in the neighborhood. She thought just the "right buyer" had not been attracted...and if she waited till spring, THEN the right buyer would appear and of course, buy the house that would not appraise for the asking price...must be with cash...

                                                      What kind of service is this Seller Getting from the Realtor ???

                  If the outcome of buying or selling...or working with a realtor is not what you expected....or your real estate career has become not what you thought it would be....How does THEM figure into the relationship ?

                  Are you THEM...Mr. or Ms Buyer or Seller ???  What can you do to change things and MAKE IT ABOUT YOU ?

      Realtors...as soon as is more about your commission than your buyer or seller...it stops being about them and is way toooo much about you.

We listed a short sale and priced the house...the previous listing agent "bought the listing" and had a price tag six figures OVER what it ever should have been....(You think maybe some realtors pricing practices play a part in this short sale proliferation ?) The home owner was shocked when we showed comps of homes that had sold in the area.  You have to wonder if the first realtor ever did any or just asked the sellers for a price and hoped it would sell...

      "Wow....at that price....I could afford to buy it back ! " was the comment Well no....he couldn't reallly....it was just the first thing that popped into his now upside down thought pattern.

          Do realtors contribute to the housing problem by over pricing homes ?  Oh you bet....IF your house has been on the market longer than any other in the neighborhood...IF your house is the very most expensive home on the market MUCH more than any other....IF you are not seeing any showings or having people attend open houses....It probably isn't because you have a special house that is waiting for the right buyer.  Everyone wants to think...and SHOULD think that their house is special....selling a house can be difficult....if it is because you have to sell....job loss, illness, death, divorce, rate adjustment...it is hard...no doubt about it. You can't dictate the price...if you owe more than the COMPARABLE HOMES ON THE MARKET...not the price you want, the one you deserve...what you know if is worth because you know what the improvements cost or what it cost to build...Let a SHORT SALE EXPERT determine the list price. The foreclosure clock continues to tick....and you don't want to be forced out of your home and charged with taxes you can't pay that will put you further in debt...and have your credit ruined further...You want to start over....a new life that you can re-build...don't just call a Realtor....If that realtor has not had short sale experience, he or she may not be able to successfully market and sell your home. Call us...if you are not in southeastern Wisconsin....we can refer you to a short sale expert in your area...Do it for you...do it now....Sometimes the best things in life really are free....The credit you save will be your own !

    I got an e-mail from our pal and neighbor to the west....and AR Super Blogger, Tom Braatz the other day....he sent a note of congratulations for being a dedicated member of AR and reaching 100,000 points...oh yeah...sure enough...we are into 6 figures. 

   Lots of folks remember all kinds of things....

• They quit smoking  8 years, 3 months, 2 weeks and 3 days ago
• Career total sales are now $10 Gazillion Million or they have sold 42 billion homes
• They have lost 87 pounds in 6 months
• Celebrating  x years in their career, with their company
• Having x designations requiring x hours, days etc. of additional education
• A loved one has been gone x months, years, etc.

   I know where I have been...I know where I want to go back to...where I am headed....we have a business plan that is analyzed and takes us where we want to go. Since before we were married, we have had financial meetings....what to spend, what to save...Organized....not in the same way my Dad was...socks are not in the drawer alphabetically by color...I don't lay my clothes out the night before. I don't have my spices alphabetized like my sister...and canned good probably don't have the labels all facing forward....I don't count my successes by the number of points, figure in the bank, size of my house, year of my car, careet numbers, pounds lost, years quit smoking....But by the friends I am fortunate to have, the lifestyle I enjoy living, and growing where I am planted knowing that I am the only one to add the fertilizer....more rain (Active and otherwise) to grow stronger and be a better human being. It's about who you and how you live...not what you have, what you/who lost....celebrate today....and make it the best it can be !

We got a call the other night on one of our short sale listings. The agent was considering making a showing appointment for a home deeply discounted and new on the market. "I know your seller is in trouble...how about if my buyers offer $100,000 less(this would represent a 20% discount) and a quick closing."  I was not believing what I was hearing...not that people don't make lower than asking offers...or try...but that combined with a "quick closing" ?

      IF a home is listed as a short sale by a listing agent that understands the strategy of a short sale market and has had some experience....the price of the house HAS been discounted. It is attractively priced and the lister is also left with the arduous task of negotiating the price with the lender(s),

          QUICK CLOSING....hmmm...these days short sales are popular which means that the file for each listing is one of hundreds on the desk of the loss mitigator. We have a team that is dedicated to following each listing from signing the contract thru marketing and closing...following, staying on top of the progress of an offer and the progress of the file. Experience, education and patience are key to guiding the short sale from listing to closing. Without the patience of the buyer and the strength of the listing team and negotiators, closings are not likely to happen. Quick ? No....the reward for the buyer of a short sale is a great house at a great price...quick is the speed that the offer can be navigated and negotiated thru what can be a myriad of lien holders to satisfy all of them and have them realize that their piece of the sale price is far better than the nothing they may get a year or more later if the property goes into foreclosure.  Patience is rewarded...experience and education are key. Be Smart....as a potential seller, list with an experienced short sale agent.  As a buyer, understand the process and you will not be disappointed..you will be rewarded with instant equity and a great house. Call us for Short Sale help anywhere in the country, we can refer you to a local expert.

We take real estate very seriously....we built our home with a home office...we have multiple designated phone lines and a fax line just for our real estate business and the irreplaceable wireless internet throughout the house...thank you Mr. Technology wherever you ARE ! The business line rang after 9:00 with a call from an agent...did one of our listings really have a solid offer and was it going to close...yes, yes....She knew that we did a lot of short sales and said that the ones she had tried...were of course, very difficult, and went into foreclosure...they, she said "just couldn't be helped." Hmmmmmm...had she done ANY that closed...well no, she had not. Hmmmmm maybe just maybe, she had not taken the classes....not had a mentor....not known what to do in a timely manner....Agents need to take responsibility and know what they don't know. Sellers, you need to recognize that not every agent who claims to know what a short sale is, has not had the experience to close a short sale....be careful...no experience...find someone with experience...a SHORT SALE IS FREE TO THE SELLER. No matter where you are in the country, call us...call locally: 414-525-0563 or Toll FREE: 877-525-0563.If you are not in southeastern Wisconsin real estate area, we will find a local expert for you. Do NOT deal with a long distance voice on the phone who makes promises they cannot keep.

                            BE SMART...go for the experience you deserve and the service you can trust.

•   There is really no "short answer" to how a home gets to be a short sale...there are soooo many reasons...one that is most disturbing is that there are many agents who do not ask when they take a listing to do a "Net Proceeds" sheet.
•      Do you know what all your sellers owe on their homes ?
•     Do all your sellers understand that "owe" means not just the first     mortgage balance...but the home equity loan, the lien for the car?

Owing means EVERYTHNG for which that property is collateral.  Adding any past taxes...property or other taxes from a past business....or vendors from a past or present business that may have put a lien on the property....all those things added together must be paid to get clear title and a new buyer owning the property free and clear. In Wisconsin, we also have a tax when you sell a home...and the seller pays for the title as well as the real estate commission....with all those PLUSES is there still a positive number left from the intended list price ?

MOST IMPORTANT - How did you or the agent arrive at the list price of this property ? Over and over and over we have heard, seen and taken listings where the seller and agent agreed on a price based upon clearing the sellers debts and "a little extra to start over".  YICKS  !!!!  If that is how you arrived at the price...if no other similar home in your area has sold for close to what you are asking...yours will not be the first AND since appraisers use those same sold numbers to determine whether or not a buyer gets a loan....now you are looking for a cash buyer who is not a smart enough real estate investor to get an appraisal....don't know the odds...but safe to say....pretty slim.

Call a short sale specialist in your area if your home has sat on the market for a long time with no offers. If you don't know a realtor who specializes in short sales, call us, we will find you the very best qualified agent in the area who knows your market and will help you avoid foreclosure.  Be smart...move quickly, the foreclosure clock waits for no one.

  The frost is almost on the pumpkin...the stores are stocked with goodies for the neighborhood goblins...so be prepared !  Here are the times you can expect the parade of costumed characters to come to your door:

     Someone said it's been a full moon all week...don't know that this is really possible...but it would sure seem that way.....

•   - Sunday - Broke a tooth....ahhhh...a crown on  molar...yet another brick in my Dentist's              summer home !
•   -  Monday - Get tooth ready for crown and bank account ready to pay for it.
•    -Tuesday = husband gifts me with the cold he has just gotten rid of...101 fever
• -   Wednesday - Dash to catch second business line....magazine on carpeted floor proves to be      slicker   than ice....dislocate one knee cap and sprain the other knee
• Thursday - trip to the orthopedist -a knee brace and a week of "ice and elevate" mixed with mumbling about knee replacement...I cup my hands over my ears
• Friday -The short sale that wouldn't close is set to close on Wednesday....and it burns down

         Thankfully....my husband can be my legs....we have a home office with a wireless laptop bedside..I can catch up on the studying and blogging that I "meant to do".....Thankfully, there is pain medication that allows a good night's sleep....and our real estate practice continues without missing a beat...maybe just a couple legs...for a little while.

 We had a short sale referred to us in an area that was some distance from our usual marketing area,but we agreed to list it and promote it in the market where it was located with the assistance of one of the branch offices of the brokerage.  One of the attractive features of the listing was that it had almost 6 acres....a barn and a pole building besides a house that had started to be remodeled and updated and the project would have to be completed by the new owner(s).

         As sometimes happens with Short Sales, the first buyer grew tired of waiting for the lenders to agree on the offered price and after changing lenders, deciding to pay cash and then not paying, playing chase the agent and his boss to find out the status....we at last got a cancellation and mutual release and back at it again....good price,....lotsa land...and lots of showings. Bright and early one morning, we got a call on our toll free line which was on the property sign. A young man said he and his Mom were looking for just such a property. He was disabled and this would property would enable him to run a small business from it...provide the privacy he wanted and he was fine with having to do some work on the interior of the home. We had the property reasonably priced and he and his Mom got set with a lender we recommended and their offer was accepted...off to negotiation with the two lenders involved.

          There was a little stuttering as one lender left for a week's vacation right about the closing date...oh snore....and of course, no one at the office could make a decision or sign a release.  With the other lender in line, financing ready....closing set, the vacationing lender wants more money...we negotiate further and we are set to close.

   OK...Closing will be Wednesday morning at 9...now it's the Friday morning before (Yesterday) and the phone rings. It is the fire department from the small town where the "almost closed" short sale is located. The home has burnt to the ground and they are still putting out the fire...we must find out who has the insurance and find out what the insurance company wants to do....the fire department has to stay and secure the area until that decision is made.  We are shocked....both sellers and and buyers are contacted....the buyers still want the property....and are the very best natured buyers on earth.

    A couple hours after the call from the fire department, we got a call from a co-broke who said she had buyers in the area of the house....yes, she knew as did her buyers, that the house had burned and they were both interested in purchasing the property.

   The cause of the fire at this writing is unknown....Some things I don't want to know...I want to know that the buyers who have been dreaming about the little piece of God's country to call their own will get to do that....maybe with a new house that the insurance will pay for in part.   This has to have a happy ending...it HAS to be about them and capturing their dream of a home and land to call their own. Stay tuned....more news as this tale unravels.

    I called a client of ours to express our sympathy having learned of her Dad's passing and wanting to send her dinner on a night she would want it most. It was her first night home having held a vigil at her Father's bedside and stayed with her mother for a couple nights following his passing. Joni Perich and her sister Mary were busy making arrangements and doing all the things to prepare for the weekend funeral service.  Mr. Perich was born in Serbia and was fluent in 7 languages. He and his wife, Bea had 3 daughters and raised them all to understand how very important it was to get a good education. In his homeland, the grading system was 5 thru 1 with 5 being the equivalent of our "A" . He stressed to his daughters the importance of earning "5's ", studying hard and getting a good education.

         Joni had to stop at a TYME machine for cash to get her thru the expenses of the next couple days as she helped the family with funeral arangements. She pushed the withdrawal button and had specified $200 in cash.  Her eyes got wide as the machine seemed to endlessly spit out cash....and then it stopped. Joni reached onto the platform....and there, as though touched by her Dad.....were forty $5 bills. The tears fell at the same tine she smiled and looked to the Heavens.  "I can't spend it Sally," she said...."I just have to frame it...."  Thank you Mr. Perich....you have taught your daughter to be the kind of adult we know you are still very proud to call your own...and Thank you for letting her know that it really is just fine "on the other side."

 This Market is one we hear lots of complaints about....and as with any situation, you always have at least two choices....complain about it....or deal with it.  I had to laugh when I got an e-mail today from the candy factory in Kenosha....make world famous...Jelly Bellys....a cheerful candy in tons of colors and flavors....and they even have "recipes" for how you can chew more than one flavor at a time and get a whole new taste treat experience...!  Like Mudpie...mmmm...2 chocolate pudding, 1 peanut butter and 1 cappuccino. Or start your day with a blueberry muffin...combined equal beans of blueberry and buttered popcorn flavors....ahhh....what a breakfast !

    You can take a tour of the jelly belly factory and go to the outlet store,...check out their website for directions, hours and fun !

    Now they are having a sale....on BELLY FLOPS ! 

                   A little like a short sale.....things just didn't turn out as expected....some of the beans are misshapen...some have colors not quite right....the taste is all still JELLY BELLY ! MMMMMMM....

    Sooooo...if your real estate career....may have done a temporary BELLY FLOP....figure out how you too can make that sale !
 

 Yup....here it is flu season and my "never get sick" husband has a dandy combination of cold and flu....of course...those vitamin bottles only come out of the cupboard AFTER he gets sick....the best thing of course if prevention....and throughout southeastern Wisonsin, you can get a flu shot at various locations given by the Visiting Nurse Association. Just click and fill in your Wisconsin city  and you will find the dates and locations for getting a flu shot.

     What can you do to make yourself feel better if it got you BEFORE you got your

                                                               shot ?           

• Wash your hands frequently with an anti-bacterial soap
• Use disposable tissue not a handkerchief....and dispose of them
• Drink plenty of fluids...no caffiene..water, juice, herbal tea...gatorade
• Get plenty of rest
• Chicken soup really Does have some redeeming health benefits !
• Wash your towels often
• Change sheets and pillow cases daily - spray pillows and mattress with lysol or some anti-bacterial product
• Take tylenol or other otc fever reducer at regular intervals as prescribed

       If all else fails.....or you may choose to START with this cure....a combination of my Grandmother's remedy...and my mother in law's....I know they are both happy not having to cure anyone in the great beyond....but they did leave us with their sage adv9thice.

 A healthy shot of blackberry brandy...that was a daily ritual for Grandma....and then pile on the blankets...Laura Hanson did it for 9 children....and sweat it out !

      Get your shot....stay healthy !

         Tom Braatz, and the Hansons belong to a mutual admiration society....we "met" on Active Rain...initially Tom's former office was a stone's throw from our house.  Now....he offices with another broker in Oconomowoc (for those of you non- local folks...that is  Oh Con Oh Mow Walk). We talk from time to time...we e-mail...we complain about aches and pains and our mutual diabetic disease ....but most of all, we respect each other. The irony of all this is that we have never met live and in person....But WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 8th at 6 p.m. will be THE BIG REVEAL.....we are meeting at one of my favorite restaurants...The Venice Club.  Oh their (lo-cal...oh yeah) deep fried eggplant is just the best !  I prefer it was lemon and parmesan while husband David dips his strips in their marvelous marinara sauce.

            Ok Tom...here's the menu

  I know it won't be a romantic evening...husband David will be in tow andTom's California gal pal will be there in spirit....there aren't any REAL gondolas at the Venice Club.

  What I do know is that the conversation will be stimulating...there won't be any lulls....we never have trouble filling spaces....Will he know me from my "high school grad" real estate picture ?  Hmmm...well I'm still a few pounds away from having a new one taken.

   I just got rid of my prom dresses when we built our house....hmmm..what to wear...maybe a rose tucked behind one ear would help....or maybe we will just know, just know that it we will enjoy a wonderful meal and outstanding rapport that we found right here in the Rain !

Whether you are a buyer or a realtor...you have decided to look at Short Sale listings...you have the money and the time. Here are some guidelines that you should look at, if they don't meet your home shopping criteria, a short sale may not be for you.

• There are no home sale contingencies with a short sale offer; if you have a house to sell, get your bridge financing in order before you start shopping.
• If you are looking at a  home listed by a realtor with short sale experience, the home is priced to sell, not to sit.  The "let's make a deal price" is most probably the price it is listed at or very close to it.
• Do your homework....Is the home "priced to sell"  ?  Ask your realtor to do a market analysis so you can judge whether or not there is value in the way the home is priced.
• Have your pre-approval or pre-qualification letter ready to include with the offer. No saavy short sale listing agent will take the transaction to the lender without one.
• Be prepared to wait...calling the listing agent every day will not make the process go more quickly. They have an interest in closing the transaction as well. Lenders are overwhelmed with short sale and foreclosures and patience is a virtue.
• While the seller may have accepted your offer, they cannot speak for the lender or other lien holders and that part of the transaction is done by the listing agent who is also the negotiator. Your agent has no part in getting the offer accepted.
• Be prepared not to have anything fixed as the result of an inspection. An inspection is always a good idea so you know where you are in terms of possible repairs...if the seller can't pay the mortage, he isn't paying for repairs, testing, etc.
• If the offer you wrote is your absolute "top" a short sale may not be for you...while the seller may have accepted the offer, the lender could counter for more money.

   Short sales can be a tremendous value....be kind....someone is losing their home and it may be thru no fault of their own....illness, unemployment, death and divorce are not planned events in anyone's lifetime....be kind.

An appraiser called me the other day to talk about another appraiser who had a home that was upsdfie down...they had listed it at tooooo high a price with a discount broker that had no short sale experience to "save money."  Oh Yicks.. someone in the real estate industry who clearly has not done their homework on short sales.  The seller also told her friend:

         - Short sales do more damage to your credit than Foreclosures

                NO - Not true -See a credit specialist to get your credit back on track, but Short  

                Sales  are  far LESS  damaging to credit than foreclosures

       - The Seller tried doing it herself and failed

                         Best to use someone experienced in Short Sales for a Short Sale Transaction

        Wherever you are, we can help you...we have a national network of Short Sale Specialists that will give you the best possible advice...be smart....A short Sale can be a new beginning.

As Short Sale Specialists, we hear all kinds of tales...and one that has been coming up lately is the subject of liens.  A homeowner has taken a home equity loan to buy the condo in Florida...to them it's their "Florida Mortgage".  Another seller used a home equity line of credit to buy a car....to her, it's a Car Loan....Yet another remodeled bathrooms with the "Ultimate Showers" and body sprays.....but that was for remodeling and somehow not looked at as adding to their mortgage...because after all, to them, they were adding to the equity....and that was a couple years ago when they started the remodeling project.

     Whether it was for a car, boat, plane, vacation, remodeling....a lien is a lien is a lien....looking at the numbers and the ability to pay the mortgage and whatever you wish to call other liens...in today's market, you may welll have borrowed more than your home would sell for...as long as you are comfortably making payments...not borrowing from relatives, using one charge card to pay another, etc.....and are actually paying down the principal....good for you...IF on the other hand,  you find that due to illness, loss of job, increased payments due to adjustable rates or some combination of these things that you are drowining in debt....Call us, we will direct you to a short sale specialist in your area...the only answer may not be selling your home...we are creative...let us help.  Don't wait until the bill collector is at the door...the foreclosure sign comes out....Save your credit, reduce your stress, fix your life....and someday you really will live happily ever after ! 

                                      1918 Blacksmith Road, Cedarburg, WI

                                    4 bedroom, 2.5 bath, attached 3.5 car garage

                                         Short Sale Priced:     $499,928

   It is our pleasure to introduce you to our new short sale listing in Cedarburg....HURRY ! At this great price we have had lots of interest and many showings booked for the weekend ! 

     You will want to see the elegant millwork from the cherry kitchen cabinets to the columns in the formal living room...beautiful fireplace flanked by bookcases in the family room.  A super spacious kitchen that would rival any Martha or Julia ever had !  A pantry and formal dining room....and wait....a Florida room with ceramic tile and huge windows overlooking the 2.25 acre lot. 

                  Beautiful Sun/Florida Room                                          Elegant Living Room

               There are four bedrooms and 2.5 baths....all bedrooms upstairs including the master suite...with whirlpool tub and separate shower...double vanities....Three other spacious bedrooms and another full bath complete the second floor.

                  The basement welcomes your ideas for finishing with egress windows bathing the lower level in sunlight.

               An attached 3.5 car garage, circular drive and professional landscaping complete this custom home....make it yours...make it now....your short sale patience will make it home for $499,928 !