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Monday, May 21, 2012

Bank of America offers relo assistance to short-sellers


Delinquent borrowers must obtain preapproved short-sale price from bank
Bank of America says it will provide up to $30,000 in relocation assistance to delinquent borrowers who work with the bank to obtain a preapproved short-sale price before submitting purchase offers.
Short sales must be initiated by the end of this year and close by Sept. 26, 2013, to be eligible for the payments, which will range from $2,500 to $30,000 at the completion of a qualifying short sale. Payments will be determined on a case-by-case basis using a calculation that includes the value of the home, amount owed and other considerations, Bank of America said in announcing the program.
The program -- based on a similar incentive offer Bank of America tested last year in Florida -- will be available nationally. But Bank of America anticipates the greatest response will come from borrowers in California, Nevada, Arizona, Florida, and other states hit hardest by the economic downturn and falling property values.
Customers who believe they may be eligible for Bank of America's short-sale relocation assistance program may contact program specialists at (877) 459-2852. Qualifying short sales that have already started but have not closed may be eligible for the program.
Bank of America says its short-sale initiatives have generated 200,000 short sales in the last two years and another 30,000 in the first three months of this year.
Last month, Bank of America announced it was shortening decision times on short-sale offers to 20 days, down from 45 days or longer.

Friday, May 11, 2012

Fla. in top five for home price appreciation

NEW YORK - May 10, 2012 – Tighter housing inventories are starting to lift home prices, says Anand Nallathambi, CoreLogic's CEO.

CoreLogic's latest home price index, which includes distressed sales, shows a slight month-over-month nationwide increase of 0.6 percent in home prices from February to March. But some markets are seeing much more of a price boost this spring, including Florida, which ranked No. 5 overall for home price increases.

"This spring, the housing market is responding to an improving balance between real estate supply and demand, which is causing stabilization in house prices," says Mark Fleming, CoreLogic’s chief economist. "Although this has been the case in each of the last two years, the difference this year is that stabilization is occurring without the support of tax credits and in spite of a declining share of REO sales."

States with highest appreciation

According to CoreLogic, the following states had the highest appreciation in March (this includes distressed sales):


  • Wyoming: +5.9%
  • West Virginia: +5.3%
  • Arizona: +5.1%
  • North Dakota: +4.7%
  •  Florida: +4.5%


States with biggest depreciation

Meanwhile, the states with the greatest depreciation, when also figuring in distressed sales, are:


  • Delaware: -10.6%
  • Illinois: -8.3%
  • Alabama: -8%
  • Georgia: -7.3%
  • Nevada: -5.8%


Source: Melissa Dittmann Tracey, Realtor® Magazine Daily News

© 2012 Florida Realtors®