All posts by jd

Real estate broker, civil engineer and general contractor.
Real Estate

Facing Foreclosure? Here’s Some Myths, Debunked

Although there are a number of programs available to help homeowners who have defaulted on their mortgages keep their home, the large amount of misinformation tends to result in troubled homeowners failing to contact their lender until it is too late.

  • Some homeowners believe, incorrectly, that contacting their lender early in the process will draw attention to their situation and result in a quicker foreclosure.  In reality, contacting the lender or servicer is an important first step, and the sooner, the better.  Contacting the lender provides the homeowner with an opportunity to explain their situation and the steps necessary to deal with it.
  • It is a common misconception that missing one mortgage payment will lead to foreclosure.  However, the foreclosure process doesn’t begin until payments are 90 days delinquent.  Lenders generally have a financial interest in keeping homeowners in their homes, so making contact as early as possible could help lenders modify terms of the mortgage or devise a repayment plan.
  • Once homeowners are behind on their mortgage payments, it becomes challenging to dig out of the hole.  Some homeowners try to solve this by depleting their savings or dipping into their retirement accounts to become current on the loan.  Most financial experts advise against this.
  • Delinquent homeowners may think they should stop making mortgage payments to get their lender’s attention, which often isn’t the case.  When possible, homeowners should stay current on their mortgage payments and continue to contact their lender on a regular basis.
  • Homeowners who have applied for assistance or loan modification programs in the past and were turned down are advised to reapply.  Program parameters are constantly changing, so the rules might have been liberalized since the last time the borrower sought help.
  • A number of free, government-sponsored housing services are available through the Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).  A list of HUD-approved agencies can be found at http://www.hud.gov.

Read the full story

Having trouble with your mortgage, have you considered a short sale?
Let me help you. no charge, free consultation

John J. O’Dell® GRI
Real Estate Broker
O’Dell Realty
(530) 263-1091
jodell@nevadacounty.com

Business

Business Owners, How Do You Get Out of That Vicious Cycle?

Business Plan - Picture courtesy of cuvc.org
Business Plan - Picture courtesy of cuvc.org

by Lisa J. Lehr

Business owners can easily get stuck in a vicious cycle: Business isn’t so good. They can’t afford to outsource their marketing. They do it themselves, results remain poor, and business remains not-so-good.

How do business owners get out of this vicious cycle? It’s not easy, but it’s simple: they make a decision to get serious about their marketing before they lose their business altogether. If you’re a business owner finding yourself in this rut, here are some ideas to get you started:

1.      Define your audience. If you try to market to everyone, you end up marketing to no one. Who’s your target market? Once you’ve figured this out, you may discover you don’t have to spend as much money on marketing as you have been.

2.      Find a copywriter. Ask other local business people or do an online search. You can work with someone locally or long-distance, as you prefer. Fee structures vary. After you’ve interviewed a few, it’s best to choose one in the mid-range. Highly paid copywriters are the best, but a lot of their cost is simply their fame. Don’t choose the lowest bidder—you’ll get what you pay for.

3.      Get a website! It’s mind-boggling that some business owners still don’t “get it” that a website is absolutely essential. Many potential customers want to “check you out” before they call you or come into your place of business. If they can’t, they may well go to your competitor instead. It’s really not a highly technical task anymore, but if you don’t have the skills or the time to do it yourself, outsource it.

4.      Put an opt-in box on your website. Collect names and e-mail addresses. Keep a list. Then keep in touch with your list. It’s that simple.

5.      Have a call to action. This can work in harmony with the opt-in, such as “download your free report,” or separately, such as “call for a free consultation.” But be sure to tell your website visitors what you want them to do.

6.      Give them free information. It may seem counter-intuitive, but giving away information accomplishes two things: it establishes you as an expert, and it makes people feel indebted to you. Free information can take many forms. Ask your copywriter about it.

7.      Take advantage of free publicity. Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and several other social media tools are free. Learn how to use them.

8.      Leverage testimonials. The first thing you need to know is that you (almost) never use a testimonial word-for-word. That would be akin to recording a real-life conversation and transcribing it as-is for dialog in a novel. (It really doesn’t sound very good.) If you do not haves testimonials (maybe you’re a new business), your copywriter can help you work around this.

9.      Leverage customer complaints. Complaints are not all bad! Among other things, they tell you what you need to improve. While an unhappy customer spreads the “bad” word much farther and wider than a happy one spreads the “good” word, you can turn an unhappy customer into a happy one.

10.  As a local business, you can create a “coupon swap” program with another local business and double your potential customer base.

11.  Ask your copywriter what kinds of marketing collateral would benefit your business. White papers, news releases, fliers, brochures, postcards, and many others are all in the repertoire of any good copywriter.

These are all ideas I thought of in just a few minutes. If any of them sound mysterious to you, it’s probably because you don’t have the marketing expertise that a copywriter has. And that’s fine; you’re not expected to. That’s what copywriters are for.

Get serious about your marketing. Talk to your colleagues, log on to Google, do whatever you need to do to find a copywriter who will make your marketing work…before your business becomes another victim of the vicious cycle.

Lisa J. Lehr is a writer and copywriter living in Grass Valley. She can help you promote your business with a full range of online and offline marketing pieces. A member of Empire Toastmasters, she’s available to speak to your business or professional group. Visit her website www.justrightcopy.com for more information, opt in for the message series, and receive a free Marketing Guide.

—
Lisa J. Lehr
I write words that make you money–just ask me how.
www.justrightcopy.com
Visit my website and sign up for my fr~ee marketing tips.
New! No~cost Marketing Guide now available at my website.

Bits & Pieces

Flight 1549 Landing In Hudson River Reconstruction

httpv://youtu.be/tE_5eiYn0D0

This is am amazing simulation of US Airways Flight 1549 crash landing in the Hudson River. It’s almost like you are there.

US Airways Flight 1549 was US Airways’ scheduled domestic commercial passenger flight from LaGuardia Airport in New York City to Charlotte/Douglas International Airport, Charlotte, North Carolina. On January 15, 2009, the aircraft flying this route, an Airbus A320-214, was successfully ditched in the Hudson River adjacent to midtown Manhattan six minutes after takeoff from LaGuardia Airport after being disabled by striking a flock of Canada Geese during its initial climb out. The incident became known as the “Miracle On The Hudson”.

The bird strike, which occurred just northeast of the George Washington Bridge about three minutes into the flight, resulted in an immediate and complete loss of thrust from both engines. When the aircrew of the Airbus 320 determined that they would be unable to reliably reach any airfield, they turned southbound and glided over the Hudson, finally ditching the airliner near the USS Intrepid museum about three minutes after losing power. All 155 occupants safely evacuated the airliner, which was still virtually intact though partially submerged and slowly sinking, and were quickly rescued by nearby watercraft.

The entire crew of Flight 1549 was later awarded the Master’s Medal of the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators. The award citation read, “This emergency ditching and evacuation, with the loss of no lives, is a heroic and unique aviation achievement.”[9] It has been described as “the most successful ditching in aviation history.”

The captain was Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, 57, a former fighter pilot who had been an airline pilot since leaving the United States Air Force in 1980. He is also a safety expert and a glider pilot. The first officer was Jeffrey B. Skiles, 49, who was on the last leg of his first assignment in the Airbus A320 since passing the training course to fly the type. The flight attendants were Donna Dent, Doreen Welsh and Sheila Dail

Source Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For all your real estate needs, call or email:

John J. O”Dell Realtor® GRI
Real Estate Broker
O’Dell Realty
(530) 263-1091
jodell@nevadacounty.com

Real Estate

Foreclosures Backlogs – California 2 Years – New York – 62 Years

Photo courtesy of Reef Point Realty
Photo courtesy of Reef Point Realty

Nationwide, new foreclosure cases and repossessions have dropped by a third since last fall as banks, as greater scrutiny over banks’ foreclosure procedures and more home owners fighting back in court has slowed the pace. Banks, already facing huge backlogs of foreclosures they’ve already repossessed, also may be reluctant to add on more to their inventory, experts say.

For example, In New York, experts estimate it would take lenders 62 years at their current pace to repossess the 213,000 houses now in severe default or foreclosure, according to LPS Applied Analytics, a real estate data firm. New York boasted the longest foreclosure backlog in the nation. Following behind, in New Jersey it would take 49 years, and in Florida, Massachusetts, and Illinois it would take 10 years to handle the supply of foreclosures at the current pace.

States where courts must review each foreclosure tend to have the longest delays. But in the 27 states without that requirement, foreclosures are much quicker. For example, as comparison, in California, the foreclosure backlog is three years, and in Nevada and Colorado, it’s two years.

“If you were in foreclosure four years ago, you were biting your nails, asking yourself, ‘When is the sheriff going to show up and put me on the street?’” Herb Blecher, an LPS senior vice president, told The New York Times. “Now you’re probably not losing any sleep.”

However, the banks say they is no strategy in delaying foreclosures. “Any suggestion that we have a strategy to delay foreclosures is baseless,” a spokesman for Bank of America said. Instead, one bank blamed delays in state laws governing foreclosures while others said the decline in foreclosures is the product of an improving economy.

Source: “Backlog of Foreclosures Giving Some a Reprieve,” The New York Times (June 19, 2011)

For all your real estate needs, call or email:

John J. O’Dell Realtor® GRI
Real Estate Broker
O’Dell Realty
9530) 263-1091
jodell@nevadacounty.com

Real Estate

California Sales, Price Snag in May

Photo courtesy of HDlost.com
Some times we just have dog days! - Photo courtesy of HDlost.com

A weak economy and tightened financing conditions contributed to a slowdown in California home sales and median price during May, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) reported yesterday.

  • Home sales in May declined 5.8 percent from April and 14.4 percent from the previous year, while closed escrow sales of existing, single-family detached homes in California totaled a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 471,840 units.  The statewide sales figure represents what would be the total number of homes sold during 2011 if sales maintained the May pace throughout the year.  It is adjusted to account for seasonal factors that typically influence home sales.
  • “Market demand has been sluggish as would-be home buyers remain concerned about the direction of the economy. They may also be weary of delays in the buying process and difficulty in getting a home loan,” said C.A.R. President Beth L. Peerce.  “This, combined with lenders putting distressed properties on the market at a more deliberate pace, is contributing to homes sitting on the market longer.”
  • The statewide median price of an existing, single-family detached home sold in California edged down 0.7 percent in May to $291,760 from a revised $293,800 in April.  May’s median price was down 10.9 percent from the $327,460 recorded in May 2010.
  • C.A.R.’s Unsold Inventory Index, which indicates the number of months needed to deplete the supply of homes on the market at the current sales rate, rose to 5.4 months in May, unchanged from April, but up compared with May 2010’s 4.5-month supply.
  • The median number of days it took to sell a single-family home was 51.8 days in May 2011, compared with 37.8 days for the same period a year ago.

Read the full story

For all your real estate needs, call or email:

John J. O’Dell Realtor®
Real Estate Broker
O’Dell Realty
9530) 263-1091
jodell@nevadacounty.com

Real Estate

Bank Foreclosures Having Problems In Court

Photo courtesy of Democratic Nation USA
Photo courtesy of Democratic Nation USA

The good old banks trying to save money by circumventing proper title paper work has resulted in a legal tangle for banks. Instead, they used Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems. Recent court rulings are raising some uncertainties when it comes to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems (or MERS), which electronically tracks and transfers millions of loans and has been in use by the mortgage industry since the 1990s.

Borrowers who have been foreclosed upon using MERS have fought back in court–with mixed success–challenging the legality of MERS and arguing that it doesn’t own the mortgage and therefore, doesn’t have the right to foreclose on them.

The industry is keeping a close watch on recent court rulings since the results could have a big impact on reshaping the mortgage industry and potentially throwing the validity of thousands foreclosures into question, The Washington Post reports. MERS holds 65 million loans in its registry.

A New York appellate court ruled last week that MERS did not have the right to foreclosure on a property it doesn’t own. However, an appeals court in California recently ruled that MERS did have the power to act on behalf of lenders. In Minnesota, lawmakers passed a law stating that MERS had the right to undertake foreclosures.

However, earlier this year, a Michigan court of appeals ruled that MERS lacks authority to foreclose. Following the court decision, the ruling practically brought closings on REOs to a halt there and called into question foreclosures already sold in the city.

In March, MERS requested banks and mortgage servicers stop using the MERS name to foreclose on homes.

“We know that MERS is a problem; we don’t know exactly what that’s going to mean,” says Adam Levitin, a Georgetown University law professor. “We still don’t have really definitive law on any of the issues involved. It’s going to take awhile before we really know the answers.”

A MERS spokeswoman disagrees. “The court decisions have overwhelmingly leaned in favor of MERS and validating MERS’s business model,” says Janis Smith, vice president of corporate communications for MERSCORP. “Overall, the record is pretty clearly established.”

Source: “Courts May Reshape Mortgage Industry,” The Washington Post (June 15, 2011)

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Watch the above video for more of what banks are doing to homeowners.

For all your real estate needs, call or email:

John J. O’Dell Realtor®
Real Estate Broker
O’Dell Realty
9530) 263-1091
jodell@nevadacounty.com


Real Estate

Bank of America Gets Foreclosed

httpv://youtu.be/MBuCSTFJffY

How screwed up are the banks? They foreclose on a home that has no mortgage! So the attorney for the couple forecloses on the bank (really a sheriffs sale). Great!

Between “robosigning” where banks make up false mortgage notes, to not doing mortgage modifications, the banks continue the drive this country into the ground. Of course, none of the banks CEO’s responsible for this mess have gone to jail. Where do you think you and I would be if we forged mortgages?

For all your real estate needs, call or email:

John J. O’Dell Realtor®
Real Estate Broker
O’Dell Realty
9530) 263-1091
jodell@nevadacounty.com

nevada county fair

Huell Howser Features The Nevada County Fair As A California Golden Fair

Huell Hueser at the Nevada County Fair
Huell Howser at the Nevada County Fair

Segment to air on Thursday, June 30 at 8 pm on KVIE Channel 6

Huell Howser’s segment on the Nevada County Fair will air on Thursday, June 30, at 8 pm on KVIE Channel 6. The show is part of Howser’s new PBS series, California’s Golden Fairs, which will showcase a variety of interesting people and events held at California fairs, as well as focus on the rich history and relevance of all California fairs.

Howser, noted television personality and founder of the PBS program: California’s Gold, spent a day at the Nevada County Fair in August. During his visit, Howser spent time on the Fair’s Treat Street, sampling the various foods and interviewing individuals from the various non-profit organizations represented on Treat Street.

Howser’s new PBS series, California’s Golden Fairs, begins airing in June, and will feature different Fairs throughout California.  Huell Howser Productions will produce a compilation episode focusing on the rich history of all California fairs.

There are 78 Fairs in California. Howser chose to feature the Nevada County Fair because of its strong community roots, its natural beauty, and its unique Treat Street.

The 2011 Nevada County Fair is August 10 – 14. Visit www.NevadaCountyFair.com for information.

 

For all your real estate needs, call or email:

John J. O’Dell Realtor®
Real Estate Broker
O’Dell Realty
9530) 263-1091
jodell@nevadacounty.com

Real Estate

Old Mortgage Scam Aims to Hijack a Payment or Two

Image courtesy of True Blue Realtor.com
Image courtesy of True Blue Realtor.com


A mortgage scam in which con artists send letters telling borrowers they should begin sending their mortgage payments to a fictitious company that has begun servicing their loan, is making the rounds again.  Unfortunately, by the time borrowers figure out their loan has not changed servicer’s, they’ve already sent one or two mortgage payments to the fictitious company.’

Making sense of the story

  • According to those familiar with the scam, it typically works because most borrowers are unaware of the rules when it comes to the transfer of mortgage-servicing rights.  Under the law, the current servicer is required to send a “goodbye” letter notifying the borrower that payments should be sent to a new company as of a certain date.
  • A week or two later, the law says the borrower should receive a second letter, which, by law, should include a welcome missive from the new servicer with the details of the mortgage payment – a breakdown among principal, interest, and escrow.  The package also is likely to include a few payment coupons, if not a brand-new coupon book, and self-addressed printed envelopes for borrowers to make payments.
  • Both the goodbye and welcome letter should include the mortgage loan number.  If either letter does not, or if the information included in one doesn’t match what’s in the other, borrowers should call their original servicers to inquire.
  • Borrowers only receiving one letter should be extra cautious.  Even if everything appears to be standard procedure, borrowers are still advised to call the first company’s toll-free number just to be sure.

Read the full story

For all your real estate needs, call or email:

John J. O’Dell Realtor®
Real Estate Broker
O’Dell Realty
(530) 263-1091
jodell@nevadacounty.com

Travel

The Festivals of Emilia Romagna, Italy

1 Comment


Picture courtesy of Cultura d Europa

By Judy J. Pinegar

Emilia-Romagna is the heartland of central Italy, with a reputation as a great gastronomic center, sometimes called the “bread basket” or the “fruit bowl” of Italy. Pigs still outnumber humans in many areas. So there is no surprise that all of the festivals in the area have food as one of the main draws, and some of the festivals are all about a particular food

March – Fiera di San Guiseppe e Sagra della Seppia (Fires of Spring and Festival of the Sepia) is held in the town of Pinarella and beaches of Cervia. Every year this traditional celebration called a Focarina, the burning of the winter months and greeting the coming of spring. Large fires are built, and the festival ensues, accompanied by singing, music shows, animation and traditional markets. At night fireworks are sent up over the sea. The food focus is on seafood including sepia, a genus of cuttlefish which also produces the dark pigment used in making the brown color sepia.

June – Fiera di San Giovanni (Feast of St John) La Fiera di San Giovanni è l’evento più importante per Spilamberto; si svolge ogni anno a cavallo del 24 giugno, festa di San Giovanni Battista, patrono della città., held in the town of Spilamberto, honors St. John the Baptist, the patron saint of the city, but also presents the local agricultural products, crafts and  foods of the area.  The festival includes performances, sports competition, exhibitions, and children’s workshops. The historic street market, Obici contains many original and quirky items for sale. Si tratta di un’occasione per celebrare il patrono ma anche per presentare i prodotti tipici del territorio e l’attività delle numerose associazioni locali, che ogni anno si impegnano attivamente insieme all’Amministrazione Comunale per valorizzare la manifestazione.The Fiera di San Giovanni is also a trade show for poultry, rabbits, and pigeons is one of the largest and most important shows in all Italy.

August – Ferrara Buskers Festival, held in the city of the same name draws 800,000 onlookers, is the largest show in the world dedicated to “the art of the road”. The name Buskers refers to street-performers: music, theater, dance, juggling, etc. They come from around the world. All are well-known and well-respected in their trade in their home countries, and have incredible and unique talents to share. Throughout the festival it seems anything is possible at any time. They are only paid by the generosity of the onlookers, so bring your change!

September – Sagra della Polenta e dei Frutti del Sottobosco (Festival of Polenta and Berries), held in the city of Novafeltria, the air is perfumed with the smell of polenta topped with wild boar sauce, sausage or mushrooms. The polenta is made from stone ground corn, at least 13 different species! Frutti del Sottobosco means all those delicious goodies hiding in the undergrowth…  like local porcini mushrooms and truffles. Other specialties include piadina, a thin Italian flatbread cooked on terra cotta,and homemade jams all washed down with the local Sangiovese wine.

September – Festival del Proscuitto di Parma (Festival of the Ham), held in the city of Parma brings a typical 100,000 visitors, who consume 1,000 hams, and 60,000 meals. For the occasion the Piazza Garaboldi is turned into a open air Proscuitteria, where the King of Hams is served together with the best wines of the area. There is also street theatre, stalls of local products, and painting exhibitions. In a tradition called Finestre Aperte (Open Windows), the ham factories give tours to let thepublic watch the production process and take part in free tastings. They explain the production secrets of the pig legs that, due to a magical combination of climate, tradition and passion, become Parma Ham.

October – Fiera del Tartufo Bianco di Sant’Agatha Feltria (White Truffle Fair of Sant’Agatha Feltria), held in the medieval town of  that name, and also called the Truffle City, the festival welcomes over 100,000 people annually with intoxicating smells and exciting treats for gourmets. There are cultural exhibitions, performances, and entertainment. Other foods from the area are also featured, mushrooms, chestnuts, honey herbs and products of sheep farming.

November –  Zucca in Festa (Pumpkin Festival) held in the municipality of Delta, has organized events and markets of local crafts and products, food stands, and everywhere specialties made from pumpkin, soups, stuffing, in pasta or bread, baked, fried and cooked into sweets. The pumpkin is called a “violin” and has firm, sweet orange flesh. They even make a distilled pumpkin grappa.

Written by Judy J. Pinegar
Writer and is available to write for your blog or magazine
You may contact her at Email Judy

For all your real estate needs call or email:
John J. O’Dell
Real Estate Broker
O’Dell Realty
(530) 263-1091
Email jodell@nevadacounty.com