Archive for June, 2009
A Note from Jerry …
June 28th, 2009 categories: Seller Financing
Remember that dream you had?
The one where you woke up excited, inspired, alive, and ready to claim the day as yours alone?!
Dream it again … and again … and don’t wait till you’re sleeping!
“Dream as if you’ll live forever; live as if you’ll die today.” – James Dean
It only seems real because it is.
| Discussion: No Comments »
Canadians Buying US Property Have Financing Options – Even With REO’s
June 25th, 2009 categories: Land Trusts, Seller Financing
Seller financing is a great way for foreigners to pick up property in the U.S., as getting a traditional loan can be even tougher for them than us nationals. Usually seller financing is only applied to non-corporate owned properties (i.e. anything besides short sales or REOs), but there are some options when it comes to bank owned properties. I recently got this email:
“Hi Dawn,
Just read an article about Canadians purchasing property in the US and saw your name.
We want to buy a 2nd home in Palm Springs that is owned by the bank. Unfortunately in this situation we cannot get the vendor to finance. We have a great credit rating. Can we get a mortgage? Look forward to hearing from you.
Kindest regards,
Janet”
Hello Janet,
How much of a down payment could you put down? And what is the purchase price of the property? Would love to help if I can.
Sincerely,
Dawn
“Hi Dawn,
This property was purchased in 2005 for around 1.7 and the owners did a real number on it. Then they rented the property and tried to sell it for around 2.6. The bank foreclosed and it is soon to go on the market. We know the current market value of the property is 1.4.
We were hoping to put down 10-20% and are hoping to purchase it for less than 1 million. We have owned a condo in Sandpiper, Palm Desert for around 10 years. It has a mortgage. We have a great credit rating. Hope you can help.
Kindest regards
Janet”
Hi Janet,
If you can acquire the property for that much below market value, then you may be able to get a private money loan if you put the 20% down. You could refinance out of the 12% loan at your earliest opportunity once the lending environment supports it.
Alternatively… we may be able to get a private investor to purchase the property, taking title in the name of a land trust, and then beneficial interest would be transferred to you. Obviously, your purchase price would be higher than the price the investor would pay to acquire the property to create some profit in the transaction for the investor(s).
For instance, investor buys it for $900K cash, and then ‘sells’ it immediately to you for $1.1mil through a land trust, carrying the financing for you, that would last for 5 years or so.
To pursue your hard money options, contact Steve Aranda @ 323.868.6242. If that option doesn’t look feasible, then let’s explore option #2.
Sincerely,
Dawn
- Why not let me help you put your deal together?
- If you liked this, why not sign up for the feed?
Join me on Facebook and Twitter!
| Discussion: No Comments »
Should We Sell Now or Next Year? When Even ‘Free and Clear’ is Too Much
June 24th, 2009 categories: Land Trusts, Real Estate News
I recently received this email:
“Dear Dawn,
I saw your recommendations in the Tribune article on waiting for Recovery. My question to you is should we sell our home now or next year?
We bought this home 7/2007 for $950,000. We have spent $150,000 plus. The last project is to have the outside of the house painted, which is scheduled for July.
We have been told that we could probably sell for $950,000.
The lot is about ¾ acre, the house is about 2500 sq feet.We realize we are losing money and our proposition 60 taxes. But the lot has proven too much for us. We would expect to buy a replacement home for about $850,000.
Our property taxes will increase ($6,000 to about $11,000 a year). We will look for the same size house, but a smaller piece of property in the same city.
If we wait, replacement house prices could rise and the property taxes could also rise. We do not have a mortgage. We are retired.
Thanks so much for any help you can give us.”
First off, it’s encouraging that they have a realistic view of the market and the value of their home. Too many sellers these days would insist that the value of their home is $950K + $150K = $1,100,000.
This couple seems to understand that the market doesn’t care how much you put into it. The market is just the market. A stock is worth what Mr. Market says it is, whether you’re making money or losing it.
[But wouldn't it be great if the government would step in and make sure we don't lose money in the stock market any more? Maybe they could set up a special fund and buy GM shares at $30 a pop for anyone who paid that much or more for them . . . it's only fair]
And then those property taxes . . . it makes my stomach churn to think of this couple losing their Proposition 60 base year value transfer.
If they could somehow manage to become ‘severely and permanently disabled’ they could transfer the tax basis one more time . . . but, um, that’s probably going a little too far.
The market is not going to be better next year. Of course, I could be excruciatingly wrong, but I don’t buy the ‘green shoots of recovery’ story.
If you can wait 7-10 years, maybe, but in a year we’ll still be unwinding, and things could be the same . . . and they could be much worse.
What happens if interest rates have a sudden change of heart? Jumbo loans are already difficult for many people to qualify for.
So back to the couple at hand.
Because they own their property free and clear, they have more options than the average seller. If they are willing to offer terms, they could get top dollar regardless of market conditions.
My guess is that they could easily inch up to $1mil if they agreed to finance a buyer who just couldn’t qualify for a conventional loan for some reason.
They could:
- take a $250K down payment,
- carry a $750K first at 7.5%,
- due in 5, for a
- monthly cash flow of $5,244.11
(If they wanted to preclude the possibility of foreclosure, they could put the property in a land trust first. This would also preserve the existing tax basis on the property just in case they ever got it back again).
And if they have other cash reserves to buy their replacement property outright, then they’re set, because cash is king, and they should be able to get the lowest possible pricing.
But what if they don’t have $600,000 sitting around to polish off the cost of their new home?
What if they could find someone with a nice 5.5% fixed and ask them to leave it in place?
- Purchase price $850K,
- Down payment $250K,
- Take over the existing financing at $600K (or less), for a
- Monthly liability of $3,406.73 plus taxes and insurance, so $4,000 (for an overall positive cash flow of about $1,200 per month).
If the replacement property is also in a land trust, then the existing loan cannot be accelerated by the lender, and the existing tax basis (probably lower . . . $6,000?) could also be preserved to give this couple the equivalent of their Prop 60 base year value transfer.
I call the title holding (land) trust “Seller Financing on Steroids.” Especially in the jumbo markets, this strategy is empowering buyers and sellers and putting deals together where they otherwise wouldn’t be possible.
If you liked this, why not sign up for the feed?
Join me on Facebook and Twitter!
| Discussion: No Comments »
