By Ryan Rockwood

Most of my clients never know that I don’t eat meat or dairy or any animal products. I also chose not to buy or wear products and clothing made from animal products. It’s a personal decision I made some years ago.

These days there are great alternative options for everything from protein to Jello. So it’s not usually a big deal. But today that is not the case. I’m in massive pain.

The reason for my agony? Vegetarian Shoes.  Take a second and try to get over your amazement that such a thing exists. Indeed! What did you think we did?

Anyway, no surprise they are terrible quality and incredibly rough on the feet. They look OK for a couple months. But leather continues to be a tough product to beat. Leather rules the garment industry.

So why this discussion of my footwear and why should you care? Because I spent the day walking around announcing a remarkable free seminar we are going to hold for the community on Monday, March 16. You are invited. But I’ll be wearing my leather-free sneakers and I apologize in advance for the fashion faux pas.  

What you need to know:

Heard of the Housing Bailout? Well, for most non-Bernard Madoff folks like you and me the bailout is only going to benefit you if you are approved for a Loan Modification. What is a Loan Modification, you ask? Geez, what rock are you living under? Did I sell you that rock?

Loan modification is a process whereby a home-owner’s mortgage is modified and both lender and homeowner are bound by the new terms. The most common modifications are lowering the interest rate, reducing the principal balance, ‘fixing’ adjustable interest rates, increasing the loan term, forgiveness of payment defaults & fees, or any combination of these.

————-That’s courtesy of Wikipedia. Learn more by clicking here.

Now you are probably wondering something along the lines of, ‘Gosh, could I get a loan modification?’ And I’ve got GREAT news for you: Maybe.

We have personally done a bunch of loan modifications (including 6 of our own personal mortgages). And we proceeded to write a book on How to Get a Loan Modification. (I wish I could say my expertise was on the topic of being super wealthy and not knowing what to do with all that cash lying around. *Sigh* Oh well, maybe someday)! Until then, when life hands you lemons…..well, you know the rest.

So here are the details you’ll need to determine if our free seminar (that could change your life) is worth missing reruns of CSI Miami.

FREE – Mortgage Modification workshop  March 16th at 7 p.m.

Hosted by Loan Modification Expert Author Mike Rockwood

60-Minute Loan Modificationauthor, Mike Rockwood, will show South Bay homeowners how to apply for and negotiate a loan modification with less than 1 hour of work.

Mike says: “I’ve already modified 6 of my own mortgages, and my system makes it utterly painless to lower your interest rate, lower your monthly payment, and save your home.”

How it Works: You have two options (1) come and learn exactly how this works so you can do it on your own afterwards (2) bring your W2 forms from the past 2 years along with your last 2 pay stubs and you can do your application right there on the spot.

Time: 7:00  p.m.
Where: 500 Silver Spur, Suite 303, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA.
Cost: $97 Free of charge!
For:Southbay Homeowners with Bad Mortgages.                  

Limited Space! You MUST reserve your place by calling 310.634.0362

Still not sold?

Well for goodness sake, read our flyer below this very minute: 

 

How Bad is Your Mortgage?

“Learn How I Modified my Mortgage down to 5.125%, Knocked $199,433 off my Total Loan Expense, and Lowered my Monthly Payment by $686 all with No Fees and Only 60 Minutes of Prep Work!”

To: Struggling South Bay Homeowners
From: Mike Rockwood (Torrance, CA)

Dear Homeowner,

Let me guess… you’re struggling to make your mortgage payments each month, your house is dropping in value by the day, and you’re not sure what to do?

 

Don’t worry—you’re NOT alone!I used to feel physically ill when the 1st of the month rolled around. I’m an honest, hard-working person like you, but I got caught up in the buying frenzy of 2004-2007. I borrowed too much, my lender lent me too much, and I nearly foreclosed on all 5 of my properties…… but I was lucky enough to attend a workshop where I learned about mortgage modification, and within weeks, everything changed!

Here’s the truth: President Barack Obama has made mortgage modification the easiest way to save your home, lower your monthly payments, and lift you out from under water.

 

Times are tough, for sure, but there’s finally hope for people like you and me. Enough talk… let me show you some of my own successes to date:

 

My Indy Mac Loan Modification:

     Before: 6.5% fixed (not bad… but not good enough)
     After: 5.125% fixed
     Monthly Savings: $638 (and $199K over life of loan)

     *primary residence

 

My Wells Fargo Loan Modification:

     Before: 6.5% fixed

     After: 4.5% fixed

     Monthly Savings: $262

 

My Litton Loan Services Loan Modification:

     Before: 7.35% fixed

     After: 7% fixed

     Monthly Savings: $140 ($27K over life of loan)

     *Rental property

 

My 2^nd Litton Loan Modification:

     Before: 12.5% fixed

     After: 7.0% fixed

     Monthly Savings: $95 ($12K total over life of loan)

     *Rental property

     *PLUS I reduced my principal by 20%

 

Why Are Banks Giving Away Money Like This?

With five million homeowners facing foreclosure right now, and each foreclosure costing lenders a minimum of $50K just in fees, banks are so desperate to keep you in your home that they’re literally handing out money to people who are organized and ask the right questions.

My FREE Mortgage Modification Workshop works like this:

7:00-7:30 P.M. – I’ll show you how to quickly (we’re talking minutes here) put together a well-presented loan modification application that is guaranteed to get reviewed by your lender

7:30-7:45 P.M. – Together, we’ll write your hardship letter communicating to your bank your situation very clearly (this part is super easy… like filling in the blanks).

7:45-08:00 P.M. – I’ll take questions and give answers to any and all loan modification questions. I am an authority on loan mods, so if I don’t know it, it’s probably not important—and if it is important, I’ll find an answer for you before the evening is over!

Why Are You Doing This For Free?

I’m very proud of my new book, the 60-Minute Loan Modification, and I’m doing this as a means of publicity and promotion. As great as my book is, I realize that in about 12 months, loan modifications are not going to be offered anymore (banks aren’t THAT crazy), so I have to spread the word as fast as possible.

PLEASE NOTE: you do NOT have to buy my book, and this is not a sales presentation. This is a rare opportunity to get 100% free help from me. I’m an expert on mortgage modification, and I can help you.  

Reservations Required:  Call 310.634.0362 or email help@60MinuteLoanModification.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, buying a new home is stressful. Buying a new home in an unpredictable market can bring a whole new meaning to the word.  Albeit, you’ve heard about the opportunities in foreclosed properties, but not sure if this is the right path for you. Here are some hints on how to invest in Rancho Palos Verdes foreclosures.

1. Ask your real estate agent about the Rancho Palos Verdes foreclosures and of any they know about. Some people will try to tell you that a real estate agent isn’t the best source for foreclosure information, but they usually have the best insider tips!

2. Research the history of the Rancho Palos Verdes foreclosure property to make sure that it can be bought without fear of the owner’s buying it back within a pre-determined window. The last thing you want is to buy a house and then have to move again two months later!

3. Always buy Rancho Palos Verdes foreclosures from the bank itself and not from the seller. Sellers are usually able to regain ownership of the property, but if the bank has possession, it has passed the window stated above.  

4. Be prepared to place an offer or purchase a home before seeing it in person. Most foreclosures are not open for inspection by potential buyers. While purchasing a foreclosure property can absolutely save you money, you run the risk of purchasing a home in serious disrepair!

If your thinking of exploring your options with any foreclosed home, talk to a real estate expert first. An agent can inform you on the neighborhood your potential home is in and about the home’s ownership history. Also, real estate agents are likely to have insider tips to help you get the best deal possible!  

For more information on Rancho Palos Verdes foreclosure or any foreclosed home, contact the real estate experts at Rocky Rockwood! Dial 310-809-0203 or e-mail ryanrockwood@kw.com to set up your appointment today!

While most real estate investors are well versed in the foreclosure process, not very many buyers know enough about Rancho Palos Verdes Real Estate Owned (REO) properties.  

Rancho Palos Verdes REO properties are properties that are owned by a bank and don’t get sold at a foreclosure auction.  These are houses priced aggresively in order sell quickly because the bank needs to get the property off of its books.  This gives home buyers a great opportunity to own a house that was once too pricey to purchase.  

Many buyers enjoy investing in REO properties because the buying process is less complicated.  They don’t have to search for a lender or go through the hassles of bidding and negotiations.  They simply work with the bank to purchase a property that the bank is desperate to get rid of.  Rancho Palos Verdes REO properties are often sold for a tiny fraction of what they are actually worth.

Of course Rancho Palos Verdes REO properties are not without risk.  Remember, these are properties that could not be sold any other way—they were not sold in pre-foreclosure by the previous owner.  These properties weren’t sold at auction after they were seized by the bank.  There is likely a very good reason that these properties are still unsold.  Be careful before accepting a deal that feels too good to be true: it just might be!

One good source of information on Rancho Palos Verdes REO properties or any foreclosed house is Rocky Rockwood.  Rocky is well versed in buying and selling REO’s and their process. With Rocky Rockwood, you can trust that you’ll get the best deal for the house of your dreams!  

 

To schedule a free consultation with Rocky Rockwood experts, call 310-809-0203 or e-mail ryanrockwood@kw.com.  Initial consultations are completely cost free and come with free Starbucks coffee!

With todays unsteady economy, the big question on a home seller’s mind is, ‘ how quickly can my home sell?’ Although Rancho Palos Verdes homes are very sought after because of its beautiful location and great schools, some homes in this area do sit on the market.  How will your Rancho Palos Verdes home NOT become a sitting duck with all the rest?  Follow the following tips on how to improve your home and help it become the diamond in the ruff.

1.  Get rid of the clutter! The more open space you have in your Rancho Palos Verdes house, the easier it will be for potential buyers to envision their belongings in your space.  Have a garage sale, box up everything that you don’t need and put it in storage, etc.  

2.  Keep everything organized.  Growing up, you could shove things in the closets and under the bed to make your room look clean.  As a Rancho Palos Verdes home seller this isn’t the case.  Potential buyers are not afraid to open up cupboards and closets and look under beds or behind furniture. Make sure everything is organized and clean!

3.  A Rancho Palos Verdes House should always smell as clean as it looks.  More buyers are turned off by household odors than they are by a little clutter. Open all of the windows for at least a half an hour every day to give the air a chance to circulate.  Keep nice smelling candles handy or have fresh flowers to help the house smell nice when a potential buyer comes to visit.

4.  Bright and Airy. Make sure all curtains and blinds are open to let the sun shine in! This helps create a positive mood and could highlight areas of your home otherwise overlooked. If there are showings in the evening hours, turn on all the lights. This creates all of the above and gives your home a cozy feel. 

5.  Don’t forget the landscaping. Your front yard is the first impression a potential buyer will have of your Rancho Palos Verdes house. Keep it raked.  Weed the flower beds. You want your front yard to look like it was professionally landscaped. An unkempt lawn might be all it takes to put doubt in a potential buyers’ mind.

6.  Ask your real estate agent for help. Your real estate agent must have experience with selling Rancho Palos Verdes homes. This can insure that your home will sell!  

When you can’t think of anything else to make your house appealing, ask your agent for more selling tips! To set up a free initial walk through of your home to increase its sale-ability, call the real estate experts at Rocky Rockwood!  Dial 310-809-0203 or e-mail ryanrockwood@kw.com to set up your appointment!

 

P.S. Today I have created a new page focused on Lomita Real Estate. I’ll be building out the page in the coming months. Please check it out and give me your feedback. To visit the new Lomita page Click Here.

Whether or not it’s your a first time home seller, pricing your home can be tricky, especially in today’s real estate market. Contrary to popular belief, there are important considerations you as a homeowner or your realtor must take into account before choosing the selling price of your home. Here are a few factors that go into the selling price of a home.

1. How much are comparable homes in Rancho Palos Verdes real estate worth? Look into how much homes similar to yours are selling for. This is the largest factor in determining the price of a home—how much other homes in the same neighborhood or with the same features or with the same square footage—are worth.

2. How many upgrades have been made in your Rancho Palos Verdes home? If a new roof, new floors and new pipes or any combination of these, you can expect your asking price to be higher than it would have been before those upgrades were done. The same is true for remodels and new additions. The newer the features of a house, the more expensive it will be.

3. How much work does it still need? This is where the home buyer has most of the power. A buyer can either require that repairs and upgrades be done before he or she purchases your Rancho Palos Verdes home (and deal with a rise in price) or he can take on the upgrades and repairs himself in exchange for the seller lowering his asking price accordingly. Whichever route is chosen, make sure each point is well documented so that there is no wiggle room at the close of escrow.

Your best source for information needed in selling your home is your real estate agent. Your real estate agent can get the history your home or of any home and can explain exactly why a house costs what it does.

The real estate agents at Rocky Rockwood are experts in this area and are happy to do an initial price investigation for no cost! To set up your first price investigation, call 310-809-0203 or e-mail ryanrockwood@kw.com for an appointment!

For many home buyers the house hunting process can be daunting. Searching for the perfect home can be overwhelming and sometimes disapointing when the hunting doesn’t produce the right home. This is the point where many home buyers give up but the determined ones find what they want.

What many home buyers don’t know is that there are other option for finding homes for sale other than what’s listed on the MLS or the weekend paper. Here are some hints for buying Rancho Palos Verdes real estate that is not for sale.

1.  Talk to a real estate agent!  The local real estate experts at Rocky Rockwood have ties throughout the Rancho Palos Verdes community and will know when somebody is thinking about selling the type of property that you want to buy.  They might be able to set up a deal for you before the owner of the property thinks of listing the house officially on the market.

 

2.  Place ads in the newspaper and online.  Who says only sellers can place ads for Rancho Palos Verdes real estate?  Many home buyers have had great success by taking out an ad in the newspaper stating exactly what kind of property they want to buy and how much they are willing to pay for it.

 

3.  Ask the owner of the property you’re interested in if he or she would consider selling it to you.  Some Rancho Palos Verdes real estate owners will not be open to a non-solicited sale but others might take you up on your offer. You won’t ever know until you ask.

 

Your most reliable source of information is real estate experts at Rocky Rockwood.  The agents at Rocky Rockwood have been a part of the Rancho Palos Verdes community for years and they often have insight on homes that are not yet on the market.

To set up your free initial information appointment, call 310-809-0203 or e-mail ryanrockwood@kw.com! New clients get a free Starbucks coffee card to keep them energized for their search!

Buying a Rancho Palos Verdes condo can seem like the best deal-you’ll own a piece of Rancho Palos Verdes real estate and have a built in support system when you need to have maintenance and repairs performed. But what many condo buyers do not consider or maybe just don’t know is, underneath all the perks there is a little thing known as The Homeowners Association.

The Homeowners Association can be a blessing and a curse when it comes to owning a condo.  Make sure you understand how your condo’s homeowners association operates before you agree to buy your condo. Here are some of the questions you need to ask:

1.  What are the Homeowner’s Association bylaws? These bylaws can govern anything and everything from what plumber to call or what colors your curtains can be. The bylaws are legally enforceable so you need to make sure you agree with them before you agree to purchase your Rancho Palos Verdes condo.

 

2.  What was the breakdown of the association’s last financial report?  You are allowed to view this report before you buy your condo.  Make sure you agree with how the association spends its money! 

 

3.  Ask how meetings are run.  There are minutes taken at every meeting of a homeowners association.  Ask to read the minutes from the last few meetings and find out if attendance at those meetings is mandatory.

 

4.  Make sure you can afford the monthly HOA dues.  The association has the right to foreclose if your dues become delinquent.

 

The real estate experts at Rocky Rockwood have plenty of experience selling Rancho Palos Verdes condos. For a free Rancho Palos Verdes or any South Bay Condo consultation, call 310-809-0203 or e-mail ryanrockwood@kw.com!

Here are the top ten reasons NOT to wait for the “4.5%” loan program.                                                     

                       1) This program may never happen.

                       2) What will be the terms if it does?

                       3) No idea how long it may be before we ever find out.

                       4) High demand on product if it becomes available.

                       5) Rush to use this product will drive home prices UP!

                       6) Higher price pressure reduces or eliminates Seller concessions.

                       7) You may lose first time buyer tax credit.

                       8) FHA down payment increases to 3.5% in 2009.

                       9) Loss of all ownership tax advantages between now and when you buy.

                       10) If the program does actually happen, you can always refinance!

 

Has waiting on the government to fix anything ever been a good idea?

Home prices are at great right now. Home buyers have the ability to ask for seller concessions and can really negotiate terms. A rush of home buyers will eliminate that and help push up prices!

Do the math! If a home rises in price just 10%, the resulting payments at 4.5% are higher than if you just closed today at 5%. Not to mention the higher closing costs on a higher sales price, along with a higher down payment requirement!

Don’t give up your ability to get the best deal possible! Buy that Rancho Palos Verdes home or any South Bay home today! If a new program does appear, you always have the ability to refinance. But what if it doesn’t? Can you risk waiting for the government?

Go out and negotiate the best possible deal on a house TODAY!

Great terms are available TODAY!

Tax benefits and low down payments are available TODAY!

Waiting for the government to fix anything has never been a great idea. But if the government should come up with a great program, you can always look to see if it makes sense for you then.

 

Why wait?  Call Rocky Rockwood today! Or if you have any question regarding this program, call 310-809-0203 or contact Rocky at ryanrockwood@kw.com.

Why are you waiting to invest in Rancho Palos Verdes real estate?  Instead of waiting to invest, it’s best to purchase a home now and let it appreciate in value over time.

Buying a home can be one of the biggest decisions you can ever make.  Why wait?  Isn’t it better to simply dive in and face the fear that often accompanies buying real estate? Many Rancho Palos Verdes real estate experts say that it is actually better to buy a house now than it is to wait to save up the cash.  

One reasons to buy a home now is that no one is certain on what will happen to the real estate market in the next two to five years. We could see house prices could skyrocket! If you keep waiting while the prices soar, you might never be able to buy your own home. If you buy a house now and the prices rise, you could rake in quite a lovely profit by selling your home after it has appreciated in value!

The best way to buy real estate before you can afford it is to buy a home with a lease-to-own option. This will allow you to make lower payments for a few years while you save money to actually purchase the deed to the house.  Many real estate experts are in favor of this home ownership method because it helps home buyers lock into a property without having to wait years to save up a down payment.  In return, this method helps home sellers get rid of their property quickly without having to watch it sit on the market and depreciate.

For more information about leasing to own Rancho Palos Verdes real estate or other methods of purchasing a home, contact Rocky Rockwood. The agents at Rocky Rockwood have been working the Rancho Palos Verdesmarket for years and are happy to share their expertise!

Call 310-809-0203 or e-mail ryanrockwood@kw.com to set up your free initial consultation!

Avoid the Bidding War and make sure that you are asking the right price for your Rancho Palos Verdes property!

There is more to deciding your home’s selling price than tacking on a few thousand dollars or how much money you still owe on the house’s current mortgage(s).  Here are a few factors that should figure into the market analysis your Rancho Palos Verdes real estate agent will consider when pricing your home.

1.  What are the asking prices for homes in your neighborhood that are similar to yours?  Rancho Palos Verdes real estate varies wildly, but there will be some houses that are similar to yours in size and style. There may be some homes for sale in your current neighborhood that your real estate agent can take into consideration. 

2.  How much work has been done on the property?  If you’ve had extensive work done to the house, your real estate agent will figure in the cost of that work into the selling price. This is done because newer features (updates) cost more than older features-especially if the updates make the house safer for the residents who live in it.

3.  How many amenities are staying in the home after it is sold?  There are some sellers who will take all of their appliances-including their sink and faucet fixtures with them when they move.  For each amenity that you leave behind, the value of your home will increase.  All new appliances and piping could raise the asking price for your home considerably.

4.  How is the market right now?  The Ranch Palos Verdes real estate experts, like those at Rocky Rockwood, have in depth knowledge of the current market and the way it’s trending.  The trends of the housing market matter more than one might think!
Rocky Rockwood has some of the best Rancho Palos Verdes real estate agents available. These agents understand the today’s real estate market.  Schedule your sales meeting today! Call 310-809-0203 or e-mail ryanrockwood@kw.com to set up a time!