Kristin LaVanway - The Sunny Side of Phoenix Real Estate » Save My House

What Happens RIGHT AFTER Your House Sells at the Trustee Sale

Kristin LaVanway — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 23:08:39 +0000

For some it’s a monetary windfall, for others it’s complete devastation…

It’s been two days since my house sold that the Trustee Sale and a lot has happened. Although the shock hasn’t quite worn off, we are looking ahead to better days. The Buyer has not wasted anytime managing his new asset. Although I can appreciate the efficient way he and his team have handled this “acquisition”, the fact is, until we move out, it is still my family’s home.
I don’t know the best way to handle this awkward situation, but I am pretty sure things could have been handled better in this case. Within two days of the Trustee Sale, there was a For Sale sign posted in my yard and the Buyers whisked through with his team to compile the to-do list of tasks needed to get my…I mean, his…house on the market.

In the end, I have 2 weeks to get out, a generous extension of the initial 5- day eviction notice I was served on the day of the sale.

I can appreciate that for the Buyer, it’s all business. He is just trying to maximize his profit. But for me and my family, it’s a tremendous loss that is leading to a life changing event. We were expecting the sale to happen in July, but the postponement did not happen, and the house was sold. We knew it was coming, but trust me, it doesn’t make it easier. It’s not easy feeling like you are unwelcome in your home, moving your kids away from their friends, realizing that you are no longer a homeowner after 22 years of homeownership. Not too many things are going to soften that blow.

But, we are moving forward…Next week, it’s all about the move. And once we get out of here, I think things will start to get a lot easier.

Trustee Sale…The Day My House Got Sold

Kristin LaVanway — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 03:00:14 +0000

The Other Side of Trustee Sales – When YOUR House Gets Sold

My house was sold at Trustee Sale today. I got to experience the same thing as millions of others already have. The statistics are staggering… over 500 homeowners in Maricopa County had the same day I had…

I have spent over a year trying to figure out a way to keep my home…my story is the same boring story that is told over and over again. Less money coming in the door…harder to make the payments…can’t sell because you are way upside down…promised a loan modification by the lender but then denied at the 11th hour…on and on as possible solutions continued to slip away.

The inevitable conclusion moved closer and closer. Like a lot of things, it’s so much different when it happens to you. It’s a whole different situation than what you hear on the news or what you read somewhere. And it starts to make sense why so many people struggle to accept such a heart-wrenching turn of events…when it happens to you…you will never again ask yourself ”How can people do that?” when you hear stories of how people react when they lose their home.

My sale was supposed to be postponed, but often things just don’t work out they way they are supposed to. And the end of this day certainly did not match my expectations at all.

Wondering what that’s like? How it works? Here’s my story…

Trustee Sales – Can You Work Around Them?

Kristin LaVanway — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 05:39:51 +0000

I headed down to the courthouse steps today to introduce one my investor clients to Pam Mullavey and Brad Kelley of Infoclosure.com. He had a couple of interesting questions about how the trustee sales work and if there is a way to avoid that whole process…

And, yes…it was raining which explains the frizzy hair!

***Note: One exception to the Trustee Sale as described in the video is the Deed-In-Lieu of Foreclosure, however, these are not common.

Introducing the AZ Short Sale Seller’s Advisory

Kristin LaVanway — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 23:13:05 +0000

The Arizona Department of Real Estate and the Arizona Association of Realtors have teamed to create a great resource for distressed property owners or any homeowner or wants to understand what happens when you are in default on your mortgage or contemplating a short sale. The Advisory contains links to online resoures to professionals and consultants who can help you understand your rights, liability and risks so you can make an informed decision and protect yourself in these tough times.

Click on this link to view the AZ Short Sale Seller’s Advisory.

The Gloves Are Off, Folks…Watch Your Back

Kristin LaVanway — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 19:07:42 +0000

Two recent news stories have highlighted to me how out-of-whack things have gotten with respect to the actions being taken to “improve the economy”. I knew it was bad, I just didn’t think it was this bad…

AIG execs are partying it up while school teachers are paying the price…that might improve the economy for some people, but not the average Joe.

Talking Shop: Short Sales from the Buyer’s Side and a Couple of War Stories

Kristin LaVanway — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 07:09:14 +0000

In Part 2 of my recent chat with Tempe realtor and fellow video blogger Dean Ouellette we chat about about what’s going on with short sales in the Phoenix real estate market, we discuss the Buyer’s side of the deal and we swap a couple of war stories.

What do you think of this format? We are thinking about doing this on a weekly basis, so I’d love to hear your comments…

Talking Shop: What Should Sellers Look For When Listing A Short Sale

Kristin LaVanway — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 06:26:50 +0000

I sat down with Tempe realtor and fellow video blogger Dean Ouellette to talk shop and chat about what’s going on with short sales in the Phoenix real estate market. In part 1 of our 2-part discussion, we discuss what to look for when choosing a listing agent for a short sale, whether or not it’s a good idea for your agent to use a 3rd party negotiator, and how the short sale climate has changed over the last year.

In case you are wondering where we are, it’s my favorite muscle car hangout, Steel Dreamz.

This is new format and we are hoping to do this on a weekly basis…what do you think? I’d love to hear your comments…

Hey Banks! Wake Up! Loan Mods Aren’t Working…

Kristin LaVanway — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 20:11:22 +0000

After watching a couple of news snippets on MSNBC that reported on
loan modifications, I was amazed at the huge divide between bankers
and policy makers, and the reality from the consumers’
viewpoint.

Check out the interviews and let me know what you think….

*Michael Barr, US Treasury;
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/34935747#34796103

*John Courson, CEO of the Mortgage Bankers Association;
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/34935747#34795942

*Jean Chatzky – Money.com and Barbara Corcoran -
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/34935747#34795865

*Jason Tucker -
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/34935747#34795865

Why Loan Modifications Aren’t Working

Kristin LaVanway — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 23:08:41 +0000

There has been a lot of finger-pointing lately about the effectiveness or lack thereof of loan modifications in reducing the number of foreclosures in our troubled housing market. Why aren’t loan modifications helping distressed homeowners? Here are my thoughts…

Top Ramen Chronicles – In Search of Good (Cheap!) Bread

Kristin LaVanway — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:10:36 +0000

Like everyone else out there, the LaVanway clan is trimming our belts. With 3 1/2 teen-aged boys, I go through a lot of groceries, so cutting back on my food bill is a great way to stretch my budget.

Cutting back on the grocery bill doesn’t have to mean doing without though. Here’s my discovery for great bread at ridiculously low prices!

Whether you are saving up for a down payment, saving for a rainy day, or just flat out underwater, we can all use a little extra “bread”!