Palos Verdes HomeOwner Advocates to donate a free copy of Mike Rockwood’s newest handbook written specifically for South Bay homeowners! (Click below)

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

Local newspaper columnist John Bogert’s article in today’s Daily Breeze touched me and my family. I learned about a group of kind folks based right here in the South Bay dedicated to helping children: 

“I am talking about the all-volunteer, no salaries, run-on-donations-and-kind-hearts Redondo Beach-based charity started more than two decades ago by the late, great Pam Edwards. Pam, thousands will attest, was a saint who – unable to have children of her own – dedicated her life to helping others with her homegrown, all-South Bay charity.” 

Cheer for Children sounds like an amazing organization. I include their contact information here and encourage everyone who is financially able give significantly to the poor this holiday season. 

These are strange economic times and everyday the forecast seems to get worse. Long gone are the days of cheap, easy financing and 30% yearly property inflation! My own industry has suffered terribly and I am under the impression that 30-50% of my colleagues are (for all intents and purposes) out of business. Add to that the thousands of South Bay residents who made their living in construction, remodelling, flooring, plumbing, painting, yard work and insurance.

I feel blessed that my father & I continue to make ends meet in our business. But speaking for myself, I have been forced to make changes. Last year my wife and I sold our home, a condo in Rancho Palos Verdes, because we could no longer make the payments – our financial safety net being long depleted. We found ourselves in an increasingly common situation, owing more on our home that it was worth. We had to ’short sale’ our home (pre-foreclosure) with the bank taking a $95,000 loss. Obviously, it was a very big deal for our family. 

The silver lining I found: 

1. We now rent a home in Torrance with a real yard for our 2-year old son! 
2. Our monthly payment is 30% less
3. I’m out of the housing market for now
4. I became a Short Sale / Foreclosure Specialist and have helped many many South Bay families move past complete financial devastation and sell their over-borrowed homes. 

Obviously we are heading into a challenging period as a region, a nation and possibly worldwide. My analysis of home sale prices, home inventory, unemployment trends and foreclosure notices indicate that the real estate market will continue to decline dramatically (possibly catastrophically) before it stabilizes. 

My strategy is to make changes in my own life rapidly as the situation changes. After all, no government bailout is on the way for ordinary folks. We have to fend for ourselves. But I believe there are new opportunities in every setback and blessings abound if we are brave enough to see and acknowledge them. 

But enough about me! 

What are your thoughts and experiences? How are you dealing with changes? Where do you think South Bay housevalues will wind up? Please use the COMMENT feature below to leave your thoughts and experiences.

And once again, please remember that many folks would love to have your financial problems (or mine!). And many families will go without what most of us would consider basic food stuffs this holiday. Please give to charity whatever you can. Here is the contact info: 

For more information, go to www.cheerforchildren.net. Send e-mail to cheerforchildren@mac.com. To speak to a human, call 310-540-2494. Or, if you like, send a tax-deductible donation to PMB 280, P.O. Box 7000, Redondo Beach, CA 90277.

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Ryan “Rocky” Rockwood

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!

Instead of purchasing a new home in a development, consider purchasing Rancho Palos Verdes real estate foreclosures. Here are a few reasons why foreclosures are good investments.

Many believe the only houses worth buying are houses that are being sold at market value.  While it is certainly true that the Rancho Palos Verdes real estate market does have quiet a few gems, there are just as many great investment opportunities with its real estate foreclosure market.  

Rancho Palos Verdes real estate foreclosures offer many real estate investors a fantastic opportunity to make quite a profit.  Foreclosures are houses that a bank or mortgage lender has seized from the current owners due to a defaulted on their loan.  Some foreclosures are being sold at a deep discount by the current owners in an attempt to avoid having a foreclosure put upon their credit history.  Often, these pieces of real estate can be purchased for however much the owners still currently owe on their mortgage. 

Often, Rancho Palos Verdes real estate foreclosures end up being put up for sale at an auction, but there will always be  properties that do not sell at auction and that bank or mortgage company is anxious to get rid of. This is where the true Rancho Palos Verdes real estate bargains are found. Houses held by the bank sell for a small fraction of their market value because the bank wants to get the house off of its books!  The owner is free to keep the house for himself or sell at a profit!

There are many who will say that real estate agents aren’t your best option for foreclosure information. This is simply untrue!  Who better to tell prospective buyers about potential bargains than someone with intimate knowledge of the Rancho Palos Verdes real estate market?

 

The real estate experts at Rocky Rockwood are familiar with all aspects of the Rancho Palos Verdes Real Estate market and have plenty of experience helping real estate investors find the bargains they are hunting for. For a 100% free initial foreclosure consultation, contact Rocky Rockwood! These agents can be reached by calling 310-809-0203 or e-mailing ryanrockwood@kw.com. Call or e-mail to set up your appointment today!

I can’t help feeling a little smug… Robin Hood style…about short sales!

For the past eighteen months I have helped homeowners sell their homes “short”…for less than they owe. So many stories have circulated about how foolhardy these borrowers were to get into loans they cannot afford. I am shocked at the level of naiveté in this attitude as the vast majority of my clients are anything but foolhardy. In fact, many of them are truly heroic – trying hard to achieve a level of “success” that home ownership conveys. Many of them leaving the home as soon as they can no longer make the payments…and leaving it in wonderful condition.

I have developed a bit of a Robin Hood ‘tude towards these deals…taking from the rich and giving to the poor.  The poor are current first-time home buyers. For the past decade these fine folks have been out of the market in the South Bay. Either by choice or because of the high prices, they have not bought a home. Now, with Torrance prices falling over 20% and so many foreclosures throughout the South Bay, it’s a great time for them. And the loans that these buyers are getting are nothing short of phenomenal…many with 3% or 5% down.

Yes, short sales are lengthy and messy and many fail to materialize. But, they cannot be overlooked for buyers seeking great home values in the South Bay!

 

 

Rocky Rockwood is the father/son real estate team of Mike & Ryan Rockwood. South Bay home buyers and home sellers can reach the Rocky Rockwood team at 310-809-0203 or ryanrockwood@kw.com. 

There comes a point when most people look at their home and think: should I continue repairing and renovating my home or should I just find something new?  The South Bay Real Estate Agents at Rocky Rockwood have some ways to help you decide!

Have you been looking around your home wondering whether or not it’s worth the continuous repairs?  Most people ask themselves this exact question every few years.  Families change and grow, most modifying their homes so that it can grow and change along with them. However, there comes a point when it can be a better option to simply find a new home.

Here are the questions you need to ask before you decide about your current piece of real estate one way or the other:

1.  How long did you want to live in your Rancho Palos Verdes home?

If your house was just meant to be a “starter home” and your family has grown quite a bit since you first moved in, it might be better to sell your “starter home” and find a house that can accommodate your current needs.

 

2.  Can you afford to make improvements your piece of real estate?

Decide to make home imporvements to your home that are cost effective or modifications which will bring you more cash if  you decide to sell.  However, keep in mind the possibility of buying a new home that meets all your needs therefore, your home improvements do not have to be expensive, just quick inexpensive fixes to get your home sold!

 

3.  Will current improvements make the home harder to sell later?

Many people don’t worry about the future of the Rancho Palos Verdes real estate market when they make improvements to their homes.  The truth is, however, if your home is worth more than the others in your neighborhood you could have a harder time selling it later on, especially if the market becomes a buyer’s market!  

 

The South Bay Real Estate agents at Rocky Rockwood understand that sometimes it is better to simply find a new residence than to continue making improvements to your current home.  For a free consultation (complete with complimentary Starbucks coffee and market report) call 310-809-0203 or e-mail ryanrockwood@kw.com to set up your appointment today!

When you’re in college moving is easy: some boxes, your car and a few trips back and forth from one place to the other. As an adult with a family, however, moving becomes an entirely different beast. If you’ve never moved with the help of a moving company before, the Rocky Rockwood team has put together some quick hints to help you out!

1. Most moving companies who service the South Bay real estate area calculate the cost of your move based upon the weight of your things. Your moving company will come to your home and walk through it and then provide you with a weight estimate based on the contents of your home. Always make sure to ask how additional fees are calculated: last minute additions or subtractions can often mean quite the difference in price!

2. According to some of our Torrance real estate agents, most moving companies provide you with two options: full packing or no packing. Full packing is where the moving company packs all of your possessions for you. No packing is when you pack up your home yourself, though the moving company might provide you with pads and blankets to protect your furniture.

3. Many Torrance moving companies provide extra services like extra insurance, extra storage and extra labor. Ask how much these services cost-the extra labor costs of having the moving company assemble your furniture after the move might be worth the amount of time and effort it will save you!

If have any questions about which Torrance moving company to use, contact Rocky Rockwood. They’ve been working with Torrance moving companies for quite a while! Call 310-809-0203 or e-mai ryanrockwood@kw.com today for more information!

Rocky Rockwood is the father/son real estate team of Mike & Ryan Rockwood. Torrance home buyers and home sellers can reach the Rocky Rockwood team at 310-809-0203 or ryanrockwood@kw.com.

Listing your home with a realtor is just one step to making sure your house sells. Show off your Torrance home with photos of your property and home interior!

While listing your home with a local Torrance real estate agent is a great way to make sure you get the best price for your home, Torrance home values can be hard to prove to people who don’t already live here. Here are just a few reasons your real estate listing should include photos.

1. You are far more likely to get bids on your home when your listing includes photos. The fact is that even a simple exterior photo of your home will increase the likelihood of someone making an appointment to view your property.

2. Photos are the best way to show off the features that you are highlighting in your Torrance real estate listing. Are you proud of your well manicured lawns? Include a photo!

3. Photos also provide proof of the work you’ve had done on the home—especially if you have “before” shots to show to prospective buyers. When you repair, renovate or remodel your home, your Torrance home values rise.

4. Photos help you sort out the people who are truly interested in your property from those that were simply intrigued by your listing. You would be surprised at how many people make an appointment to view a home only to leave within the first five minutes because they had something else in mind. Photos give potential buyers an idea of what to expect when they arrive.

Torrance real estate is a growing market and nobody knows this better than the Torrance real estate agents at Rocky Rockwood. These experienced Torrance realtors know how to make sure that your real estate listing gets noticed! Call them at 310-809-0203 or e-mail ryanrockwood@kw.com to set up a free real estate consultation!

You already know the basics of wholesaling Torrance Real Estate.  You know about buying low, reselling and pocketing the difference.  Of course, there are a lot of little tips and tricks to help you ensure that the process goes smoothly.  Here are a few tips to make your South Bay Real Estate wholesaling be as profitable as possible!

1. The wholesaling process shouldn’t exceed twenty days.  Any more than that and you might lose money on your investment.
2. Don’t agree to pay too much on your Torrance Real Estate investment.  Always remember that to turn a profit you’ll have to re-sell the property for more than you paid for it.  If you pay too much, you’ll have a hard time selling it later.
3. Try to sell your property for cash.  This will ensure that the transaction goes smoothly and quickly because you won’t have to wait for financial approval.  
4. Consider using the assignment of a contract with your closing agent.  This way you won’t ever have the title signed over to you (which can make things complicated, tax-wise).  You simply pocket the profit as your original seller turns the property over to your buyer.
5. As a wholesaler, your “ceiling” should be twenty percent of the selling price.  If you try to increase your profit by more than this, you will probably have trouble finding a buyer.  

These are just five tips to help you make the most of your new South Bay real estate wholesaling business.  If you would like more advice, the Torrance Real Estate agents at Rocky Rockwood can help you learn how to best run a wholesaling business.  

For a free financial consultation and wholesaling advice session, call 310-809-0203 or e-mail ryanrockwood@kw.com to set up an appointment!