Jeanean Gendron, Your Shasta County Real Estate Specialist: May 2009

Have you noticed how hard it is to work with our clients lately. I'm like so amazed at what the market conditions bring to us as opportunity....very unrealistic buyers and sellers that still do not understand our current market.

I do understand both positions for the buyer and the seller and what can I say but that it is a HARD market. You must as a buyer be realistic in knowing market value and how that relates to a SCREAMING DEAL and a well priced home that is not in hardship. You need to be knowledgeable about REOs and Short Sales and the pit falls for both.

As a seller you need to know that market value minus 3 to 5% below that market value will work if your property is in excellent condition, in a desired location and you have an Realtor that knows how to target market the buyer with the best blow-out marketing.

I really do ask my clients lately whether after a description on the market conditions, if they are comfortable and can work within these conditions and do understand the trending market. When that answer does not measure up then I would rather not work with the client. The harsh truth is I will not be able to help them.

It seems harsh, however it will not benefit the client or me. I believe in providing knowledge-based services to help my client understand the nature of the real estate trending market and to reach their goals as quickly and safely as possible. That means HOW TO BUY and HOW TO SELL in the present market!

I am Jeanean Gendron, your Redding and Shasta County Specialist. You can reach me at 530 276-7417. I answer my phone.

With the Foreclosure Alternatives Program (FAP) and the Making Home Affordable Loan Modification Program there was renewed hope that homeowners could qualify and get help to keep their homes. With the newest incentive from the government on Short Sale Guidelines "Financial and Uniform Process for Short Sales", we have another program that should provide incentives to the banks to cooperate with the sale of the homeowners home if they cannot qualify for a loan modification.

One would wonder why we would need to provide incentives to the banks to do anything considering the Bailouts that have occurred. However, we continue to see some banks that do not cooperatively work with the homeowner to stay in their homes or to do a short sale upon failure to qualify for a loan modification.

The loan modification process seems to provide little if any hope for the homeowner. An agent in my office submitted 40 loan modification applications for clients, family and friends and only one was approved. I also qualified for one of these loan modifications. We seem to be among the few. I've talked with many people trying to establish the criteria to why these loan modification are approved. It remains a mystery. My bank is Wacovia which is owned by Wells Fargo. I have to applaud Wells Fargo for complying with the guidelines from these program They did forgive 20% of the loan balance and provide an interest rate that will allow us to keep our home. Who will I do business with in the future...Wells Fargo. I still would like to know what percentage of people have been helped by each of the banks. There should be accountability within these programs and a mandate to comply.

While these programs provide the guidelines to help the homeowner, it requires the banks to implement the programs to be effective.

I would hope that we would have stronger mandates for the banks. They don't seem to be able to find the business rationale to comply with these incentives themselves. One would think that they would see the good and practical business applications for the future and a need to stabilize our economy. We should be requiring the banks to account for what programs they use and their guidelines for approving loan modifications and short sales.

Bank of America and Countrywide (now owned by BofA) lead the movement in maintaining a harsh stance and refusal to comply with these programs or it seems any effort to help the homeowner. Their stance is harsh indeed. They state in their approval letters that they maintain the right to seek a deficiency judgment against the homeowner for the short sale deficit. It leaves me speechless. Is it not enough that there will in most cases be a large tax consequence for the homeowner, but to have a policy to annihilate any future hope of the homeowner's recovery is predatory.

It certainly should leave a lasting distaste in the homeowner and consumer's awareness going forward. If I had been slammed by BofA or Countrywide, I would certainly decide not to do business with them in the future and I would make sure my family and friends knew they predatory business practice. You have a choice and it is a powerful choice. We will get over this rather large bump in our Economy and the Real Estate Industry and recovery will bring new opportunity. Just make sure that your memory stays in tack and that you do not do business with those banks that have refused to comply with the guidelines from these programs. Even if incentive money is no longer available these banks should be building their business for the future with consumer and not stripping the consumer of all hope for recovery.

Our choices are a powerful tool. I for one closed my accounts with Bank of America and I refuse to use their loans. Just knowing what they are doing to their clients that face hardship will not let me in good conscience send clients to BofA or Countrywide. It would not be good business on my side.

I am Jeanean Gendron, your Redding and Shasta County Specialist. You can reach me at 530 276-7417. I answer my phone. Visit our website and blogsite to learn more about Redding and Shasta County Real Estate.

The future will see the demise of the Franchise Broker. Some have already made the change....I might add long ago while others are only now seeing the light. I wrote a post the other day about the value proposition that brokers currently offer and the changing nature of the agent/broker relationship.

I can see that I have been building for that blessed but unknown reason from my gut instinct a comprehensive marketing web presence. I must commend AR for helping me along the way. I have learned so much here within AR and the forum. Those other individuals who are lighting the way and sharing their progress have helped me greatly.

I am very content in my present state with my current company. I know things are changing and I am preparing for the change. I am finally going to get my Broker's licence. I've had the courses for 4 years and just need to take the test....it will feel good to add this to my resume.

I am a change agent. I am every poised to react to the markets and what is newly in demand. I can see a change occuring. The franchise will no longer rain supreme. We will be moving to an Independent Broker that offers the Consumer what they want and need. Real Estate relationships are changing and it is a good thing.

Social networking and Web 2.0 have brought about a transparancy to the Consumer that allows them to see the values and business model of the agent they choose to do business with.

Providing the Consumer with a DKR (Dynamic Knowledge Repository) of market data and trends will support the future of real estate and your connection to the Consumer.

I am Jeanean Gendron, your Redding and Shasta County Specialist. I can be reached at 530 276-7417. I answer my phone. Please visit our website and blogsite for more information on real estate and living in Shasta County, California.

Well if you don't get it right the first time....don't give up.

I wished everyone Happy Mother's Day last weekend and scared everyone to death.....sorry! At least I could claim that I had gotten everyone ready for the forth coming event.

To all those amazing Mommies that provide the love and guidance to not only their children....but the world in general....I wish you a Happy Mother's Day on this coming Sunday.

May you be surrounded by love and appreciation and a bit of self appreciation that stays with you the year round.

Happy Mother's Day to all the Mommies at ActiveRain and the world at large! It's a good Thing!

I am Jeanean Gendron, your Redding and Shasta County Specialist. Visit my website and blog sites to learn more about Redding and Shasta County Real Estate.

So are you a hired gun, a traditional marketer or a that agent that time has passed by? Do you talk fast and promise the world OR do you relate the current market trends and tell your client that price point means everything?

Do you promise that your marketing and web presence will guarantee the sale OR do you tell your client that it will take everything including pricing correctly, presentation and total blow out marketing to get their home sold?

Do you take listings that are above market value knowing they will not sell and wait for your buyer to agree to lower the price OR do you aggressively analyze the market to identify market value and advise your client to be 3 to 5% below market value in order to move their property?

Can you tell your client the average square foot price of new homes, resale homes in your City and County. Can you relate through documents or posts what the historical data of your area looks like?

Supermarket, church, MLS Board Meeting or where ever your are, help your consumer know the market and to make wise decisions. It takes a well-rounded view of our business and the ability to demonstrate effectively the changing nature or our industry to fully relate to and help our clients.

I have to say that Localism on ActiveRain has been the best investment and ROI that I've had going. Through constant dedication to market reports and neighborhood, city and county data....I KNOW my markets! The kicker is the "Hit Router" now puts me out their on the front page of Localism for Redding and Shasta County for the Consumer....with the ability to search on my branded/custom IDX solution which has been highly developed for their needs. Hard work and Total Opportunity from Active Rain means I rock for the Consumer! I'm really not bragging....just glad to be doing good business and staying current with the trending real estate market!

I am Jeanean Gendron, your Redding and Shasta County Specialist. I can be reached at 530 276-7417. I answer my phone. Visit our website and blog siteto learn more about Redding and Shasta County Real estate.

I know....real estate has it's moments and it has it's moments. Each person who maintains the goal of operating within the COEs (Code of Ethics) is raising the bar for the Industry. To take it one step further, when you take steps to ensure that all Realtors and Real Estate Agents are held accountable, you make a contribution to "raising the bar" for our Industry.

When that REO agent lists a property that is not secured properly or has conditions that are dangerous to viewing and not disclosed and you take that time and action to report it to the board....you are making a difference.  When the Short Sale Agent misleads you and your Buyer and you document and report it, you are helping our Industry change. It is time consuming to outline and identify the COEs that are broken and to file a complaint, however if we do not hold agents accountable then we are not improving the Real Estate Industry and protecting the Consumer. It IS our responsibility to do so.

I am Jeanean Gendron, your Redding and Shasta County Specialist. I can be reached at 530 276-7417. I answer my phone. Visit our websites and blog sitesto learn more about Redding and Shasta County Real estate.

Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful Mommies in the whole wide world and especially all the great Moms here at AR. I know so many wonderful women that are great Moms in all they do....their work, the family life and in their private moments as well. Being a Mom is something that comes from experiencing the greatest love there is.....and learning from it. It ends up changing your life and allowing you to love on a greater level in all you do.

So let's all have a Wonderful Day....make it your day and send some of that wonderful and caring love back upon yourself. It's just a big circle of love anyhow and you've created it....so enjoy it for the day. PS...keep it coming your way....it just increases 10 fold your love for all things!