Great news for Bank of America home loan holders. As part of a deal the U.S Government made with the major lenders, BofA will make an effort to reduce the financial hardship of their borrowers who are caught in an “upside down” situation (where the balance of their loan exceeds the value of their home). BofA has already started mailing out notification of payment reduction to qualified customers–an average of 30 % in contractual payment will be forgiven. According to this Forbes article, qualified borrowers would be someone who are at least 60 days behind on their payments since the beginning of this year. I understand this is a part of the “foreclosure” settlement, but I wonder how other borrowers who were almost qualified for this program would feel about this news. Especially those whose home payments are more than 25% of their gross household income, and their loan amount exceeds the value of their home today. These borrowers are struggling to make their payments on time, but their diligence disqualifies them this “rescue.”

I would like to hope that help will be on the way for them as well.

バンク・オブ・アメリカのローン保持者に好報です。アメリカ連邦政府と大手金融機関との間で交わされた取り決めで　現在アメリカの住宅事情低迷のため　貸し付けのローン額が現在の不動産価格より上回るいる状況の顧客に　経済的に補助をするというものだ。バンク・オブ・アメリカではもうすでに条件に当てはまる顧客には今週より郵送でローン返済額の減価の知らせを出し始めた。平均にして３０％の減価。フォーブスの記事によると、条件としては今年に入って少なくとも６０日以上月ローン返済が遅れている等がある。

There were 3,985 Oahu properties in foreclosure in 2009, a 142 percent increase over the number of foreclosure filings in 2008, and a 672 percent increase over 2007. But Hawaii foreclosures ranked well below other metropolitan areas (128th out of 203). Las Vegas ranked number one.

I believe there is reason to be optimistic. There was a surge in home sales in December 2009, and Paul Brewbaker, principal of TZ Economics is calling January 2009 “the bottom of this cycle.”  People rushed to cash in on a federal $8,000 first-time homebuyers’ tax credit, and the November 30 deadline has been pushed back to April 30.

Examining a nest of bees that moved into a foreclosed home

Interesting story on Nightline the other night about a realtor who is brutally honest when warning potential buyers about houses on the market, including his own listings.

“I don’t know if this is a flophouse, brothel, retirement home, prison, fraternity…” he announced on a recent visit to a bank-owned property in northern San Diego County, his home turf.

And this was a property he was trying to sell.

I’m not sure how focusing on the negative aspects of a property makes a person more “honest.” Perhaps because he appears to have nothing to hide?  But isn’t that what disclosure statements are for?

I think when you represent the seller, you need to focus on the positive aspects of the property and properly disclose the negative. Even if it’s a foreclosed property, you’re still selling it, you’re not giving it away.

Check out the Nightline story here and let me know what you think.

アメリカ最後の馬鹿正直不動産エージェント
先日　容赦なく何でも売り出し物件について意見している正直者(!?)のリアルター（不動産エージェント）の話がナイトライン で放送されていました。

”これはいったい簡易宿泊所、売春宿、老人ホーム、刑務所、それとも男子学生の社交クラブか何かとかわらないような…” とサンディエゴ郡の自分の売り出し物件（銀行の持ち物件）に対してのコメントを述べていた。

ネガティブ（マイナス点）のことばかりを集中してコメントする事がもっと”正直者”になるのでしょうか？多分隠し事がないように見えるから？という事でしょうか?　でも物件公開書がそのためにあるのでは？

売り主に雇われて売主を代表して売るのであれば、売り出し物件のポジティブ（プラス点）に集中して、的確かつ正確に公開情報を伝えるのが必要では？と思います。　それが例えフォークロージァー物件でも、物件を無料でさばいているのではなくあくまでも売っている立場なのに。

ナイトラインの続きは ここ それとご意見をお聞かせください。

Hawaii’s foreclosure activity increased a staggering 503 percent in March from the same period last year according to this Star Bulletin article. However, almost half the active foreclosure filings in the state were at rentals or vacation homes, according to data released today by RealtyTrac.

Hawaii is being hit hard by troubled investors and second home owners… About 46 percent of all active foreclosures in Hawaii have owner mailing addresses that do not match the property address, which indicates they are rentals or vacation homes

Despite this huge jump in foreclosures, Hawaii’s 2009 first quarter statistics dropped marginally compared to the same period in 2008.  According to the Hawaii Board of Realtors, the single family home median sales price was $570K compared to $620K last year.  The condo median sales price was $300K compared to $330K last year.

ハワイ　３月のフォークロージャー５０３％に急上昇
スター　ブルテン の記事によると今年3月のフォークロージャー率は去年の同時期と比べて驚異的にも503%に上昇した。　しかしながら、そのほぼ半分は賃貸物件もしくはバケーションホームと リアルティートラックは今日のデータで発表している

ハワイの不動産投資家や別荘オーナーは大きな衝撃を受けている。　およそ４６％のハワイのフォークロージャーの登録住所は物件住所と違う。。。という事は彼らのハワイの物件は賃貸物件かバケーションホームとしているという事になる。

膨大なフォークロージャー率上昇にもかかわらず、ハワイの２００９年の第一四半期の統計は昨年同時期に比べわずかに下落している。　ハワイ不動産協会によると一軒家の中央価格は去年の$62万ドルから下がり$57万ドル。コンドミニアムは$33万ドルから$30万ドルに下がった。

Happiness Index: Nebraska Nabs Top Spot

According to MainStreet.com’s happiness index, Nebraska is the “happiest” state in the nation. The top ranking is a result of the following rankings… Nebraska ranked #2 overall in lowest number of foreclosures, #2 overall in lowest unemployment rates, and #5 in lowest percentage of non-mortgage debt by income.

By comparison, Hawaii ranked the 4th happiest state. Hawaii ranked #21 overall in lowest number of foreclosures, #14 overall in lowest unemployment rates, and and #1 in lowest percentage of non-mortgage debt by income.

Is happiness tied to employment and income?

幸福は気持ちの問題？
MainStreet.comのハッピネス　インデックスによるとネブラスカ州がナンバー１の”幸福”な州。　ネブラスカは下から数えて2番目にフォークロージャー率が低く、2番目に失業率が低い。そして5番目に住宅ローン以外の借金が低い州。

それに比べて、ハワイはナンバー４の幸福な州。　フォークロージャー21番目、失業率14番目、そして住宅ローン以外の借金が1番低い州。

幸福とは就業率と借金と結ばれている？

In a Pacific Business News article, foreclosures jumped in Hawaii (and the rest of the nation) in the month of February. Hawaii had 537 foreclosure filings in February (27th in the nation). California led the nation with a staggering 80,775 filings, and Nebraska had the fewest with 13.

フォークロージャー２月上昇
パシフィックビジネスニュースの記事によると、２月のハワイ州フォークロージャー率は他州にともない上昇。ハワイは全国で２７番目の５３７件が２月にファイルされた。１番多いカルフォル二ア州では８万７７５件、１番少ないネバダ州では１３件。