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With the decline in home values in the past few years, some homeowners who need to sell in the current market find themselves trapped, as they owe more than their home is worth. In this situation, the short sale can become a viable option.

What is a short sale:

A short sale is simply a sale in which the proceeds are not enough to cover all of the outstanding obligations associated with the sale of the home including the mortgage or mortgages, unpaid property taxes, attorney’s fees, title expenses, commissions, etc. This shortage would require the seller to bring money to the closing or to negotiate a „shorted“ payoff with their lender. The lender has no obligation to agree to this, but many will. In most cases, a short sale is attempted by sellers who are facing foreclosure or have fallen behind and no longer have the ability to continue making their payments.

The process:

There are a lot of misconceptions about the short sale process and the lender’s role in it, even among some Realtor®s. The seller’s lender’s role is nothing more than that of a contingency. This can vary by state depending on whether it’s a title theory state or lien theory state. This information applies to Illinois, which is a lien theory state (the owner holds title and the lender holds a lien on the property)

The seller owns the home and ultimately is the one who, with the help of their agent, accepts, rejects or proposes a counter offer once an offer is received. When the offer is accepted by the seller, it is done so contingent on their lender agreeing to accept the net proceeds of the sale as full settlement of the amounts owed. I’ve had more than one occasion where an agent working for a buyer asks when their offer will be submitted to the bank, even before the seller has agreed to accept it. It can add to the confusion if multiple offers are received. Some think that all offers must be presented to the lender. This is not accurate. All offers must be presented to the seller, not to the lender. The goal of the listing agent should be to obtain the best offer possible, thereby giving the transaction the best possible chance of actually closing.

What are the odds of a successful closing?

They’re actually better than they used to be. Nowadays it makes sense for banks to seriously consider accepting a short sale as, in many cases, they net more money overall versus going through the whole foreclosure process, taking the home back and marketing it as an REO (Real Estate Owned). Illinois is a judicial foreclosure state. Some states are non-judicial. Judicial foreclosures take much more time to complete. In Illinois, the process can take a year or more. There are some states which take upwards of 3 years. When you consider that, in most cases, the bank is receiving nothing while the process drags along, you start to see their motivation to consider other options. Add to this the deterioration to the property during that time and the additional carrying costs, and the benefits to the bank become even more clear. The bank in this situation, much like the homeowner, is looking for the best way to limit their losses.

The benefits of a short sale:

Lenders generally don’t allow the seller to receive any of the proceeds of the sale. This is fair when you consider that the whole basis of the short sale is negotiating with the lender to get them to take less than what they’re owed. The only exception I’ve seen to this was years ago when, due to an error, we were out of balance by $.06 The title company actually cut a check to the seller for six cents! As a seller in this situation, one needs to keep in mind that, if the lender agrees to the short sale, they are allowing the seller to avoid having a foreclosure on their record which follows them around for many years. Additionally, most short sales also let the seller out from under the debt without being chased for a deficiency. These two things should be all the motivation you need. there are no guarantees of being successful but it’s certainly worth the effort.

Who should you call?

These transactions are not for beginners. There is no substitute for experience when it comes to navigating through this process. An experienced agent and attorney are crucial. In this situation it makes sense to ask a lot of questions. There are specialized short sale/foreclosure courses available for agents. Some are very worthwhile but these courses alone don’t necessarily make the agent an expert. An agent referred by a seller who’s been through this process is definitely someone worth talking to.

What will it cost?

In most cases, it will cost you nothing unless there’s an upfront fee charged by the agent to list the home. All agents negotiate their own fees. It should cost you nothing to talk to an agent and get information. All commissions and other closing costs a seller would normally pay will be factored in and, if the lender agrees to the short sale, they are agreeing to the net amount of the sale so essentially, it is the lender that is paying your closing costs. For someone facing foreclosure, a short sale can be an excellent solution.

Estate Planning

Financial Planning

Tax Planning

Tax-Loss Harvesting is a strategy our financial planners use to turn money lost from an investment into a profitable opportunity. Our tax planners use the capital losses that inevitably occur to reduce your tax bill. You don’t truly have a gain or a loss on any asset until you sell it. When the asset is sold we are able to use that capital loss to offset your capital gains and income tax. The investment can then be replaced, or harvested, with a similar investment in order to maintain proper balance and diversification within your portfolio.

Reducing taxes is an essential piece in preserving your retirement plan. Tax laws can be confusing, and little mistakes lead to larger tax issues. Each year millions of people overpay in taxes without even knowing it, leading to a lower retirement income. Our financial planners offer retirement tax consulting that pays critical attention to tax liability during every step of your financial planning process to minimize problems and maximize tax deductions.

There are several ways to develop a tax-efficient investment strategy in order to create more flexibility in managing your taxes now and when you are ready to retire. Your money can be held in three different types of accounts and they are all taxed differently. Our tax planning services include asset diversification into these three accounts in order to create the highest after-tax net retirement income.

Business owners are faced with a unique set of challenges, regardless of company size. The goal is simple – provide a meaningful benefit package to attract and retain employees, as well as minimize personal tax burdens on their own income and retirement plans. We strive to address the unique goals and needs of every business owner through a comprehensive array of services.

You visit the doctor to stay healthy. You don’t know how to change the oil, so you take your car to the mechanic. Doesn’t your financial future deserve the same care from a professional?

Personalized service

A cornerstone of financial planning is the recognition that everyone’s economic and life situation is unique. Personalized service is essential when matching clients with the right financial products and services, and you’ll get nothing less from us.

Independent, objective portfolio analysis

Asset allocation review

Long-term care cost-benefit analysis

Estate tax reduction and financial legacy review

Individuals put off estate planning because they think they don’t have enough assets. Your estate is comprised of everything you own. No matter how large or modest, everyone has an estate that should be protected.

Establishing an Estate Plan

A properly designed and executed estate plan can ensure that your assets and desires are carried out upon your departure. We can help you understand the legal and tax requirements of transferring wealth.

Education and Funding for Children and Grandchildren

Philanthropic Goals

Succession Planning of a Family Business

Complexities of Family Relationships (i.e. Second Marriage, Divorce)

Financial distress may force a homeowner to sell his property. But there are also times when it is foreclosed by the financial institution to which the property is mortgaged. Yet, the redemption period still gives an opportunity to reown the house. However, there are risks which should be considered in order to take advantage of the stipulated time.

First, the redemption period is time-constrained. This means that the homeowner will be given a short period to reown the house after the buyer or the third-party has filed the necessary paperwork to the court. After such period, the chance to regain ownership of the house will be forfeited.

The second risk is associated with the price to regain ownership. Normally, the price tag isn’t all that should be shouldered as there are also mortgage overdue, taxes, and documentation costs. All of these should be paid within the period allotted.

Third, there are personal risks such as the capacity of the owner to raise huge amount of money to cover the necessary expenses to reown what used to be under his namesake. During the financial distress, there might be other expenses that arose such as unpaid utility bills, credit charges, and school fees. These can come on top of regular costs of daily food and travel.

There can also be associated risks that can pop up from the situation such as when relocation is an option until such time that the house is reowned. If moving out is the top choice, then there can again be expenses that could eat up the amount trying to be earned for the redemption. But there are circumstances when the third party would still allow the owner to dwell until it is redeemed or until the redemption expires.

The redemption period is like a last ticket to a must-see movie. But unlike movies which can possibly be streamed on the internet, reownership of a house is tricky. It concerns effort, time, and money. These three needs to be combined seriously along with the right mixture of perseverance in order for the redemption period to be a fruitful endeavor towards repossession of the property where memories and moments are shared and created.

If you are currently under a redemption period and you’re quite unsure of the steps to take, your friendly local real estate agent is just a call away. He will be more than happy to guide you step-by-step and will even give you advices on the situation.

Caring for people in need is a noble duty that care homes are performing from a long time. It is a sector that encourages well-being of one and all. A care home comprises of people like owner, manager, staff and the people residing within that environment. A care home may be of various kinds – residential care, nursing care or dementia care and one for the older adults. Each requires a different health and safety policy for care homes with specific requirements.

It is a kind of health program that excels in providing a resource for concerned personnel inside the care home setting. The main implications it includes are-

• Legal duties

Out of the various laws that govern health and safety regulations in a workplace, the most applicable ones are-

• Health and safety at work act 1974
• Common law
• Reporting of injuries diseases and dangerous occurrences regulations
• Control of substances hazardous to health
• Management of health and safety at work regulations 1999

The above acts enable employers to perform their duties of ensuring a safe and secure working environment. It involves all the diseases caused by biological perils, drug exposures, bloodborne pathogens, respiratory complications along with workplace violence.

• Facilities

The policy also encloses the various healthcare facilities that an organization issues to its employees in adequate quantity. The welfare arrangements also include safe handling and proper storage of potentially hazardous substances.

• Training

Another most important part of a policy is providing information training with specific guidelines to employees under expert supervision. The training also acknowledges employees‘ efforts by certifying them with liability insurance.

• Guidelines

The set of rules that are sketched for an employee also make him realize his duties to take reasonable care of each other’s health. Also, the basic guidelines that one needs to follow while working in a care home are-

• Be attentive

While inside a care home, one needs to dedicate one’s full attention to providing a danger-free environment. One small or normal careless attitude like rugs or slippery surfaces can cost as one huge mistake to both caretakers and residents.

Also, mind the pets and make sure they are at safer distances from any ill person as their presence can make the conditions severe. It has been reported that half of the in-house accidents occur due to silly mistakes and carelessness. Hence, all the employees should take notes on how to organize the environment with proper safety.

• Emergency services

The care providers also need to have complete knowledge about the contact details of nearby emergency help providers like police, fire or ambulance. They must be aware of the safety profile of the neighbourhood and should stay alert while witnessing any suspicious activity in the immediate location.

• Documentation

Recording the history of each person’s medical issues is also one of the major characteristics of a health and safety policy. A caretaker should also be in his finest health to able to ensure welfare to other people, and if not so, he or she is certainly not liable for this duty.

• Safety Tools

A caretaker also needs to be well aware of how the safety tools function and ways to operate them. A very common notion about healthcare sectors is that they have the maximum rates of work-related injuries and illnesses. Hence, each worker should be aware of how to handle the critical conditions without losing his composure.

A caretaker working in a care home for elderly often complain of back pain as he constantly needs to lift and move older people. This results in muscular as well as skeletal hazards along with other stress-inducing factors.

The healthcare and social welfare industry draws huge benefits from the safety policies and has prime necessity in each sector. Hence, knowing about the implications that an employee has to dedicate his assistance to will make him realize his duties and responsibilities in a refurnished way.

Long distance transport for the older horse

The details for preparing an older horse for a long trip are pretty much the same to move any horse long-distance, remembering that the recovery time for an older horse is longer than for a younger horse. Here are the steps to keep a horse safe and to make it a good experience. First let’s talk about the things that you should not do before setting off on a long trip. It is never a good idea to trim your horse’s feet or to vaccinate them a couple days before transport. How many times have we seen horses become footsore because of that trim. And of course, older horses have a higher chance of running a temperature after being vaccinated. If your horse requires a rabies certificate or requires new shoes, please do it several days prior to shipping.

The day of shipping, particularly when it is warm outside, to not grain your horse. Even with slight dehydration, a horse can impact colic from undigested grain in their system. Another note here, horses that are not great shippers have a higher incidence of ulcers. Transport can be highly stressful. Many horse vets recommend medications like Gastrogard to reduce the ulcer risk.

We’ll spend some time here talking about you transporting your horse. Later in the article I’ll have some thoughts about what to expect for your older horse by shipping with a commercial carrier. After you have successfully loaded your horse, one of the most important things you can do is to make their journey comfortable. You should not keep them tied. This prevents them from dropping their heads and keeping their sinuses clear, leading to congestion and possible pneumonia. Next, bring a sufficient supply of hay that they have been eating. Just as we are careful to slowly switch our horses from old hay to new hay at the barn, it is also important to be careful here, and not switch hay, if at all possible.

I recently transported a yearling filly The folks where I picked her up went out to the grain store and bought hay to go with her. It was not the hay that she was used to and she had loose poops as a result. It’s also important to have water available for your horse too. Most horses will not drink in the first 12 hours of transit. Particularly when it’s hot it is important to have water in front of them. We hang a Foraflex bucket and fill it half full while we are moving.

I recommend that you carry water that the horse is used to. It is not always possible but like hay it’s important to keep them eating and drinking the same things they used to at home. It’s also important carry water with you when it is hot weather, if for any reason you are delayed in transit. The last two things to consider when moving your horse cross country are blanketing in winter and rest. I encourage my clients to put a sweat sheet beneath the blanket. That way if the horse is a little upset and sweats up, the sweat has a chance to be wicked away from the body and not stay in the blanket and give them a chill. There are many thoughts about resting the horse in transit.

One is to stop for an hour every four hours to let the horse rest. Recently a study done at Texas A&M found that short periods of rest were not effective. Because I transport horses alone I need to stop each day for an eight hour rest period.

This gives the horses a chance to rest and recover and rehydrate. They come off the trailer fresh at the end of the journey. If time is not an issue and you want your horse off the trailer overnight, I recommend websites like HorseTrip.com that lists horse hotels across the country.

I wanted to take a moment to discuss commercial carriers and how they operate. Most commercial carriers have two drivers, and so equipment really never stops moving. Horses never get a chance to rest and recover. Also many carriers, never give horses their head, but keep them tied. Horses finish their trip often exhausted, dehydrated, and even sick. There are many trucking companies out there that the drivers are just that, drivers not horseman. They’re hauling freight, not horses. The other thing that happens with long-distance commercial carriers is that they don’t take the most direct route. Most recent example I can give you was a transport that I bid on and the person who bought the horse decided to have another hauler to the work, because he was cheaper. What the hauler did not tell him when he picked the horse up in Georgia to go to New York was that he was going via Texas.

Two things occurred here. First, the horse was coming from warmer climate to a winter climate and should have been blanketed for the second half of the trip. And second, the trucker did not tell the client that he was not taking the most direct route. The horse was on the trailer three days longer than necessary, exhausted and sick. So much for saving a couple hundred bucks for the transport. So when you need to use a commercial hauler there a couple of things that you should ask and get answered. First, is it the most direct route possible and second, you need at least three references. I What you horse reaches its destination. It is important to give them at least one day of no work to recover from the trip, and two days with no work is even better. I also suggest that y u give them a full day to rehydrate and not feed to any grain.

That’s it from here. Safe travel.

The Wentworth Estate village (in Virginia Water, Surrey) is one of the most exclusive residential areas in the world. It is the home of millionaires as well as one of the world renowed golf courses that shares its name: the Wentworth Golf Club.

With such exclusive residents of the Wentworth Estate or the remaining areas of Virginia Water, there is no shortage of private schools around the area. Here are some of the good private schools nearby:

Papplewick is as a prep school for 200 boys aged 6 to 13. By setting the bar high, Papplewick boys gain entry to the top UK senior schools including Eton, Harrow, Winchester, Wellington, Charterhouse, and Stowe.

St Mary’s Schools is a leading Roman Catholic boarding school for girls aged between 11 and 18 years set in 55 acres of beautiful grounds in the heart of Berkshire. They are a friendly, stable and caring community, proud of our academic and extra-curricular achievements and dedicated to bringing out the full potential of each of our 380 pupils.

Gordons School is listed as one of Britain’s outstanding schools by Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Gordon’s is a unique non-selective state boarding school that recognises that a good education is not just about outstanding examination results but a thorough preparation for life. Gordons is one of Britain’s most academically successful state schools.

Heathfield is a leading, all-boarding school for girls aged 11 to 18 years old. The school is set in 36 acres of magnificent grounds, and conveniently situated in Ascot. The school is fully equipped with all the teaching, sporting and leisure facilities required to make education a challenging and positive experience.

The Marist The establishment of a boarding and day school in the Berkshire village of Sunninghill by the Marist Sisters was a direct result of the German air offensive against London in the early 1940s. Today the Marist Schools are independent Catholic day schools for girls aged 2½ to 11 and 11 to 18 years. Both schools are situated within 55 acres of woodland on one site.

Hall Grove The school occupies a unique site, with lots of open space, parkland and woodland. The school started with just 6 pupils. The property was in near derelict condition and had been empty for over two years. Today, it is a vibrant, happy community of over 400 boys and girls with an outstanding reputation for academic, musical and sporting success.

Coworth Flexlands is a preparatory day school and nursery set in 13 acres of countryside on the Surrey and Berkshire borders near Chobham. They provide places for 160 girls with boys being accepted into the nursery between the ages of 3 and 5 years.

„Buying a new home, especially if it’s your first home, is not an easy thing to do. There’s new terminology to learn, an entire process to follow and a large number of decisions to make. That’s why almost everyone who buys a home works with professionals in the field to make sure that they get a good deal on a good home without too much of a headache. The most important person in the team of professionals that you’ll want as a home buyer is your realtor. But how do you go about finding a good realtor?

Here are some of the top ways that successful home buyers find good realtors:

1) Word-of-mouth. Often, the best way to get a good realtor is to start asking everyone you know if they know of a good realtor. You’ve probably gotten other professional help this way (everyone’s always asking if you know of a good dentist, right?) Of course, you shouldn’t just jump into bed with the first realtor who gets referred to you – your Aunt Sally’s blind elderly neighbor that talks to his cat might come with her referral but he might not be able to meet your home buying needs. But good word-of-mouth referrals are a great starting point for finding a good realtor.

2) Look at the ads in real estate magazines. A picture is worth a thousand words right? If someone is invested enough to get a good professional picture and take the time to advertise in key locations, he probably cares a lot about his real estate business. And that means he’s got a good chance of being a dedicated realtor. It doesn’t hurt to search the ads to see who is out there and to make an appointment to meet with some people.

3) Make use of your search engine. You can do a whole lot of research into local realtors by typing your information request into your search engine. Review some realtor websites and look for positive reviews of realtors in your area to help you find a good realtor.

4) Put together a list of interview questions and don’t be afraid to interview a number of different realtors until you find the one that you want to work with. Yes, you might be seen as a pesky client but if a realtor wants your business, she’s going to work hard to get it which means she’ll fully answer the questions that you have. Things you’ll want to know include the length of time she’s been in business, how well she knows the area that you’re interested in buying a home in and what she’s going to do to help you understand the home buying process.

If you find a good realtor, the rest of the home buying process should go relatively smoothly. Yes, you’ll still have decisions to make but you’ll have a professional real estate agent there to help you with those decisions. And you’ll be able to rest easy knowing that the hard part is over. Well, at least until it’s time to start moving in!“

Buying a home doesn’t need to be a one man job. A person who wants to buy a home has the option of getting himself a realtor to make the job light and be able to find a home faster! If you don’t know, more successful realtors believe that the key to get want you want in real estate whether you are buying or selling a home is hiring a great realtor.

Agents can provide services that non-real estate agents can’t provide. They specialize about knowledge in real estate business which makes them the right group of people to ask for advices. The good news is agents are not hard to find. There are agents in almost every city. You can make a quick search in the internet to find out the list of real estate companies and real estate agents.

When hiring an agent, be sure to hire who has a good record, and I mean someone who have done many transactions and closed deals with clients. That alone shows that d he has the great qualities of a great agent. He is someone

1. Experienced

2. Professional

3. Reliable

4. Trusted

5. Has networks of people

6. Has a set of strong marketing skills

There are people who don’t want to hire an agent because they think that agent will cost them more. What they don’t know is having an agent is a great advantage. In fact, when you have a great realtor, it is like saying you found a great agent so you are half way to your home ownership! Here is the list of services they provide in behalf of you:

• Agent does the task of finding you a home to become a light task.

• Agent provides market appraisals of properties.

• Agent Negotiate the sale of properties. This is the very reason why you need an agent. They know better how to negotiate with the clients.

• Agent answers your questions and other concerns.

• Agent can help you not to have your time wasted on clients who could never qualify for your place in the first place.

• Agent could make recommendations when it comes to the home selling or buying pricing. Your agent knows better what price is right and what is not! This will save you more time, effort and money!

Finding your perfect home doesn’t have to be a challenge. Just take your time and follow these guide lines.

First time home buyers, get ready! Mortgage rates are low and home prices are dropping. This is a great time to buy your first home. A real estate bust can cause a lot pain to existing home owners, but it can be a benefit for a first timer.

A couple of years ago, home prices rocketed into the stratosphere. This left a lot of would-be homebuyers feeling like they had missed the boat. The good news is that the bust has brought a new boat. Of course by boat, I mean opportunity.

You see, the thing about real estate booms is that home prices go way up. In this boom, prices went up much higher than they should have. Logic dictates that prices should fall back down to earth, right? They should fall back to where they ought to be. That is not what is going to happen.

You see, the thing about real estate busts is that for a period of time, home prices are lower than they should be. That time is fast approaching. It has already arrived in some parts of the country. Keep your eyes open and be patient. Unlike the boom era, first time home buyers now have time on their side. Fear is so thick that prices will not shoot up anytime in the near future.

Find a house you can afford, get a low mortgage rate, and use a realtor in your area that offers real estate rebates. Get the best of all worlds. It is a great time to be an intelligent first time home buyer!

May 27, 2010 Down Payment Assistance Programs (DPA’s) for First Time Home Buyers By: Michael A. Foote, CMB

There is money available for first time homebuyers today. In a much needed addition to financing products available today, down payment assistance programs are available once again. Down Payment Assistance Programs are generally a local, state or federal grant or bond program designed to assist certain persons with certain income levels in certain areas, with money that can be used for down payment and closing costs on many purchase loans.

These tax free grants or loans are generally forgivable provided the buyer stays in the home for a designated amount of time. And these dollars can dramatically change the amount of money required for closing when these first time homebuyers buy a home. For example, a typically FHA borrower may have to come up with over 4-7% total of the sales price whereas a borrower with a WISH down payment assistance program may only need to bring in 2-3% total. That’s a huge amount of money on a several hundred thousand dollar transaction. If you amortize out that difference the savings are literally tens of thousands of dollars since most closing costs are financed in the new mortgage.

So what does the process with „DPA“ look like when compared to the regular loan process. Quite frankly, it’s seem less to the user insofar that the lender will generally have to deal with the additional hoops during the process. For the borrower/buyer they probably wouldn’t know the difference. The only real difference is a potential for a slightly longer loan processing time. So is DPA a good idea? Well, lately it has been a challenge for Realtors to get clients using FHA let alone FHA WITH Down Payment Assistance so an argument could be made that using DPA on an Offer to Purchase could be a determining factor for the seller’s side when these choose the offer to open escrow with. The only cure for this pitfall will need to be more product on the market for properties up to the $400,000 range as DPA generally have no purpose and no qualifying borrowers as the sales price rises and/or in areas of high per capita income. Undoubtedly, DPA has a place in today’s financing landscape and those of in the industry are happy to have it, it is one more additional tool to increase homeownership for low to mid income families. And this product will help sell the forecasted shadow inventory rumored to be lurking around the corner.

Only time will tell if that come to fruition or not. These programs are not free from abuse, there have been in the past scams related to DPA and officials, lenders, and large institutions have really scaled back what is allowable as DPA. Also economics play into the availability of these from all the time. There are many DPA’s completely drained of funds.