The REAL estate NEWS

HGTV Search Homes For Sale Greenville SC

2011-11-09T12:35:00.000-08:00

Now you can search Greenville SC homes for Sale on HGTV Frontdoor.com. Check out my Agent Profile and Preview homes in Greenville SC, Simpsonville SC and Greer SC.

Luxury Patio Home - Simpsonville / Five Forks

2011-08-26T15:20:00.000-07:00

Should I Wait for the Bottom to Buy a House?

2011-06-29T07:56:00.000-07:00

Waiting for the market to improve, will mean waiting 2 to 3 more years. The market has yet to get worse (from a selling standpoint) before it gets better. However, from a Buying standpoint, now is the time. Many people want to wait for the bottom to buy, the problem with that is that mortgage rates are going to go up. In fact, once the federal government is no longer able to continue to manipulate mortgage rates as they have been, RATES ARE GOING TO SPIKE. The printed projections are hovering at 6%, but our mortgage analyst is predicting higher, as well as increasingly strict guidelines to procure a loan.

A house priced at $300,000 at today's mortgage rate of 4.75% is a monthly payment of $1564.94.

A house priced at $300,000 at the conservative projected mortgage increase of 6% is $1798.65

That's an added payment of 233.71 per month, which over 5 years is $14,022.60 wasted on a higher interest rate!

Now let's say you want to wait for prices to bottom out, and the interest rate goes up, but you want to stay with the same payment of $1564.94. You will have to buy a house for $261,000. That's a 13% drop in value. There is no way that your $300,000 house is going to drop to $261,000. This is a 13% decrease. Why do I KNOW that this won't happen? Because from June 2006 (the peak of the housing market prices) to March 2011, Greenville home prices decreased 12% over a 5 year span... that's from the peak! There's no way they're going to decrease that much more.

Yes, if you buy now, housing prices may fall in Greenville another 3 to 5% before rebounding, BUT risking that spike in interest rates is not prudent. The money wasted on paying a BANK additional interest, when their crooked loan programs got us into this mess, just really burns me up.

Greenville projects their housing prices to reach healthy levels by mid 2015. You may lose a little money on the sale of your home, but the promise of equity building at a strong rate in the next 5 years on the home that you buy, will far exceed your losses. Especially if you can jump in on these historically low interest rates.

And make sure you get a great Buyer's Agent!

http://www.simpsonvilleschomesforsale.com/

Simpsonville SC Homes For Sale | Simpsonville SC Real Estate

2011-06-22T14:35:00.000-07:00

For all of the hottest homes for sale in the Simpsonville SC area
Rental homes in Simpsonville SC
What you need to know when Buying a home
how to sell your home fast in a Buyers market
Simpsonville SC area info
Things for Families to do in Simpsonville SC
And who is the preferred Realtor in Simpsonville SC
Click below

Simpsonville SC Homes For Sale Simpsonville SC Real Estate

Homes for Sale Greenville SC - Forrester Woods Great Value

2011-05-16T20:07:00.000-07:00

PRICED TO SELL! Great schools, Great neighborhood, great price! This huge, well-built dream home qualifies for a renovation loan. Try out your HGTV

skills, renovate the bathrooms and kitchen and wrap it into your loan! Priced 40k under 2010 tax appraisal, this is a DEAL that shouldn't be missed! The

spacious great room with gas log fireplace is a great place to cozy up to a movie, imagine Thanksgiving in your fabulous formal dining room, and the Master

Bedroom with his and her closet is spacious enough to fit king sized furniture! The back yard is a fairy tale dream of greenery with a patio perfected for

outdoor entertainment! Call for your appointment!

PRICED TO SELL! Great schools, Great neighborhood, great price! This huge, well-built dream home qualifies for a renovation loan. Try out your HGTV

skills, renovate the bathrooms and kitchen and wrap it into your loan! Priced 40k under 2010 tax appraisal, this is a DEAL that shouldn't be missed! The

spacious great room with gas log fireplace is a great place to cozy up to a movie, imagine Thanksgiving in your fabulous formal dining room, and the Master

Bedroom with his and her closet is spacious enough to fit king sized furniture! The back yard is a fairy tale dream of greenery with a patio perfected for

outdoor entertainment! Call for your appointment!

PRICED TO SELL! Great schools, Great neighborhood, great price! This huge, well-built dream home qualifies for a renovation loan. Try out your HGTV

skills, renovate the bathrooms and kitchen and wrap it into your loan! Priced 40k under 2010 tax appraisal, this is a DEAL that shouldn't be missed! The

spacious great room with gas log fireplace is a great place to cozy up to a movie, imagine Thanksgiving in your fabulous formal dining room, and the Master

Bedroom with his and her closet is spacious enough to fit king sized furniture! The back yard is a fairy tale dream of greenery with a patio perfected for

outdoor entertainment! Call for your appointment!

PRICED TO SELL! Great schools, Great neighborhood, great price! This huge, well-built dream home qualifies for a renovation loan. Try out your HGTV skills, renovate the bathrooms and kitchen and wrap it into your loan! Priced 40k under 2010 tax appraisal, this is a DEAL that shouldn't be missed! The spacious great room with gas log fireplace is a great place to cozy up to a movie, imagine Thanksgiving in your fabulous formal dining room, and the Master Bedroom with his and her closet is spacious enough to fit king sized furniture! The back yard is a fairy tale dream of greenery with a patio perfected for outdoor entertainment! Call for your appointment! (864) 915-2313

VIDEO HOME TOUR

Ariana Zariah

http://www.simpsonvilleschomesforsale.com/

Taylors SC Homes For Sale - Historical Bungalow - $89,500

2011-04-24T19:31:00.000-07:00

4 Bedrooms / 2 Baths on a GORGEOUS half acre corner lot. This is a historical bungalow with a BRAND NEW 30 year architectural roof, many renovations in the last 5 years including kitchen cabinets, countertops, appliances, HVAC! This is a TAYLORS SC home for sale that you will not want to miss!

Video Home Tour

of this fabulous historical HOMES FOR SALE

in TAYLORS SC

For more Video Home Tours in Greenville, SC areas

Brick Home for Sale Enoree SC

2011-04-11T18:15:00.000-07:00

Call for an Appt (864) 915-2313

Why Relocate to Greenville SC? Top Hospitals, cultural arts, low property taxes!

2011-02-17T12:36:00.000-08:00

One of the joys of my job is bragging about Greenville SC! When considering a location to retire, those in the know, such as AARP rank Greenville, SC as the number two city in the nation (behind Phoenix , AZ ) as top two places to retire. Part of AARPs ranking was the medical facilities and the excellent overall care from Greenville Hospital System (GHS) as well as the quality of life and low cost of living.

HEALTH IN GREENVILLE, SC

U.S. News Ranks GHS Among Nation's Best in Heart • Endocrinology • Gastroenterology US News Article and is a medical university,(in association with Unv. SC) which brings the quality of services and expertise on par to Duke and other research hospitals in the South East. One of my past clients works at GHS and although cancer services are not mentioned in this particular article,Cancer Treatment Article some of the research and clinical trials going on in the cancer area could change cancer treatments worldwide, also GHS is the largest hospital in the state and a Level 1 trauma center.

For over 30 years Steadman Hawkins has been the leader in research, innovation and technology in musculoskeletal science. This world renowned facility has now found a home in the southeast, the Steadman Hawkins Clinic of the Carolinas in association with GHS. Steadman Hawkins Weblink

On a lesser note, most people don't know that St.Francis hospital is leading the nation in hip fracture treatment. People say the nuns at St. Francis need to work on their media exposure! St Francis Hospital Weblink

THE ARTS IN GREENVILLE, SC

Proximity to top notch medical facilities is all well and good, however is only one small piece of the "Quality of Life!!" The fun part for me as agent is introducing people to the highly attended cultural side of GV and as you know, the arts directly affect the economic development of a city, county and region. Greenville's world class symphony and museums are renown to the point where guest of the Convention and Visitors Bureau plan vacations around. The Children's Museum has captured national attention, while the Wyeth Collection is our greatest draw. The Children's Museum The Greenville Chorale The Greenville Symphony The Greenville Arts Council The Peace Center

CAPITAL & GROWTH OF GREENVILLE, SC

Capital formation as well as the preservation of capital should rank high in your consideration. Please find the attached article from Financial Times where GV was ranked the number one micro city in the WORLD. Also, property/state/county/gas and retiree taxes will compare as the lowest in the country.

CLIMATE OF GREENVILLE, SC

Soft seasonal climate has drawn many retirees to the area, as well as proximity to the beautiful mountains and lakes that have one of the cleanest waters in the world. This combination offers the enjoyment of fall foliage and gorgeous drives through the mountains, mild winters where the rare snowfall lasts only a day or two, beautiful flower-filled springs, and typical southern summer.

Some other links offering

Greenville Convention and Visitors Bureau Greenville, SC Historic Downtown Greenville, SC Hospitals

City of Greenville Official Website

SHOPPING

Whether you are looking for a mall setting, outlet shopping, or boutique, Greenville offers shopping galore!

Gaffney Outlet Shopping

Haywood Mall

The Shops at Greenridge

10 Best Places to Shop in Greenville, SC Article

Whatever your decision, please consider me a resource regarding all your needs. As you can tell my bias for Greenville is undeniable, however, no one can argue that it is unfounded in anyway!

SEARCH HOMES FOR SALE IN THESE AREAS:
Greenville SC Homes for Sale
Simpsonville SC Homes for Sale
Spartanburg SC Homes for Sale
Greenwood SC Homes for Sale

Ariana Zariah, REALTOR (864) 915-2313
http://www.arianazariah.com/
Posted by ArianaZariah at 1:30 PM
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Brick Beauty with Fairy Garden Backyard

2011-02-17T10:07:00.000-08:00

Brick Beauty with Fairy Garden Backyard

Luxury Foreclosure Greenville SC

2011-02-16T13:14:00.000-08:00

What is a Short Sale?

2011-02-05T13:30:00.000-08:00

Short Sales are tricky, and it takes some experience to complete a Short Sale successfully. That said, now is a great time to get educated on the Short Sale Process. Whether you are a home owner contemplating a Short Sale or an real estate professional needing an education, you will get a good education on the Short Sale Process right here.

First, the Bank to which the mortgage is paid will only talk to a 3rd party with permission from the current mortgage holder (usually the homeowner). The mortgage holder has to give you permission to talk to their bank concerning their mortgage. Once you have that document in place you will need to collect some other items from the mortgage holder (Mortgagor) to complete the Short Sale.

Get a hardship letter from the mortgagor, proving financial distress and the necessity to Short the bank on their loan to sell the home (Short Sale). Ask them if they have talked with their bank already and what did they say? Also ask them for a copy of any correspondence from the bank.

On every correspondence there will be the customer service number and the loan number. Put that information on every document that you send to the Bank's representative handling the case in question. This is a common mistake that holds up the process of the Short Sale by weeks. If one paper get lost at the Bank, your file is pushed aside and loses the necessary attention to complete. Ask the loss mitigation department if there are any special requirements for doing a Short Sale.

Get the loss mitigator's fax number so that you can send them the letter from the homeowner giving permission to them to discuss the loan with you. Do not send the letter by itself. Send the whole Short Sale package. The package should include.

Permission letter.
Hardship letter in their handwriting and signed.
Pictures of repairs needed, the worse condition, the better for your case.
Professional Quotes for cost of repairs.
Financial analysis that backs your offer. Legal costs, foreclosure costs, holding costs, your profit, repair costs, an as is appraisal if you have one, and also any data on days on market for properties in this area that backs your holding costs.
Buy/Sell contract that the owner has signed. Make sure contract has in it to waive any deficiency from the homeowner and to withdraw home from the foreclosure process as conditions of the contract. These are necessary benefits to the homeowner.

Assuming that foreclosure proceedings have already begun, this all has to be done in a timely manner in order to complete the Short Sale before the Foreclosure. It is helpful to have a team of appraisers, bankers, contractors in place that can give you fast, one day service.

Time is the enemy on short sales. I hope this helps. This is a lot of work. Call me if you have any questions.

SEARCH HOMES FOR SALE IN THESE AREAS:

Greenville SC Homes for Sale

Simpsonville SC Homes for Sale

Spartanburg SC Homes for Sale

Greenwood SC Homes for Sale

Ariana Zariah, REALTOR (864) 915-2313

http://www.arianazariah.com/

Foreclosure Properties - The Best is Yet to Come!

2011-02-03T14:04:00.000-08:00

Shadow Inventory (Foreclosure Homes not yet release to Market) may take over 4 years to clear.

According to February 2, 2011 Article by Inman News™, we are looking at more than 4 years to clear the backlog of foreclosure homes and shadow inventory foreclosure homes not even released yet to the housing market. This estimation was recently determined by analysts at Standard & Poors Ratings Services.

The estimated time to clear the inventory of foreclosure homes is now at 49 months according to analyses made during the 4th quarter of 2010. This calculation was an 11% increase from 3rd Quarter 2010, and a 40% increase from 4th Quarter 2009. Analysts say that these increases have been caused by lenders not being able to process foreclosure homes fast enough, and NOT because of an increase in distressed properties. While I agree, from experience with attempting to close a deal on foreclosure homes is a nightmare, this statement by analysts wrongfully implies that there is not a detrimental increase of inventory to boot, to which I would beg (and plead) to differ. Yes, the lenders processing these foreclosure homes and short sale properties are not the most efficient creatures in the modern world, but in their defense they are not paid by closed unit like the Realtors on the other side of their fax line attempting to accomplish some good for all.

Standard & Poor's (S&P) defines "shadow inventory" as properties that are 90 days or more delinquent on their mortgages, properties currently or recently in foreclosure, or properties that are (bank owned properties) Real Estate Owned (REOs).

Although shadow inventory peaked in the 1st quarter of 2008, loans that are "90 plus" days delinquent and foreclosed homes are taking longer to become REOs. This all drags out the timeline for resolving distressed properties, S& P's analysts determine.
Shadow Inventory: top 20 U.S. markets

MSA	Months of inventory, Q4 2010	Change from Q3 2010	Change from Q4 2009
Atlanta	49	+13%	+41%
Boston	71	+14%	+30%
Charlotte	65	+26%	+49%
Chicago	59	+14%	+41%
Cleveland	57	+20%	+60%
Dallas	56	+24%	+39%
Denver	38	+10%	+36%
Detroit	31	+3%	+43%
Las Vegas	33	+9%	+62%
Los Angeles	50	+11%	+38%
Miami	60	--	--
Minneapolis	38	+10%	+77%
New York	130	+9%	+31%
Phoenix	25	+10%	+49%
Portland	51	+12%	+65%
San Diego	39	+12%	+43%
San Francisco	42	+11%	+53%
Seattle	59	+10%	+42%
Tampa	57	+3%	+12%
Washington, D.C.	50	+13%	+52%
U.S. total	49	+11%	+41%

Source: Standard & Poor's Ratings Services

New York metro area, is estimated to take 130 months to clear $116.7 billion in shadow inventory there -- 2.7 times longer than the U.S. average.
Los Angeles metro area has a larger dollar volume of troubled mortgages -- $173.1 billion, that's 31.5% of our national outstanding mortgages.

SEARCH HOMES FOR SALE IN THESE AREAS:

Greenville SC Homes for Sale

Simpsonville SC Homes for Sale

Spartanburg SC Homes for Sale

Greenwood SC Homes for Sale

Ariana Zariah, REALTOR (864) 915-2313

http://www.arianazariah.com/

Should I Walk Away From My Home?

2011-01-06T18:14:00.000-08:00

Right now, all across our great nation, good people from honest roots are asking themselves this question, "Should I walk away from my home? Should I just let the bank take my house and walk away?"

There are some compassionate sounding "companies" with websites that will tell you how caring they are and how they will "help you navigate your way through the complexities of the foreclosure process". But at the end of the that process, you have been through a FORECLOSURE, lost your house, and destroyed your credit for the next decade.

So the REAL question is this, "Should I really walk away from my home?" The answer is MAYBE NOT! But you need all of the right information to make the right decision as to whether FORECLOSURE is your only answer. If it is not the ONLY answer, is it the best answer?

So the next question is, "Is there an alternative to foreclosure?" YES, YES, YES! There are many alternatives to foreclosure. Banks are finally waking up and making the Short Sale process a smoother and more viable option than it was a year ago. More and more educated Realtors are saavy in the Lease with Option to Purchase process in which a pre-screened buyer commits to Leasing the home for 12-24 months at which time they will qualify for a loan and purchase the home they have been leasing. Sellers are being urged to explore Seller Financing, in which the Buyer makes "mortgage" payments directly to the homeowner without involving the financial institution at all. Then there is also a Straight Lease scenario, where the Buyer does not want to commit to a purchase but wishes to contract a Lease.

Make sure you have a Real Estate Professional help you navigate your way through your options to make sure you are making the best choice for your personal financial situation. If you are talking to an agent that cannot offer you all of these options, you are talking to the wrong agent! We are in a vicious financial storm, and to ensure your survival through the navigation of the storm, you need someone with cutting edge knowledge. This is not always the one with the billboard or the big teams. I urge you to make informed decisions on who helps you. If I can help you or someone you know, please contact me, ARIANA ZARIAH. or call (864) 915-2313. I can find you a knowledgable agent in your area, or help you personally in Greenville, SC; Greenwood, SC; and Spartanburg, SC and their surrounding areas.

Why should you not to walk away from your home?
To walk away from the home without exploring your alternatives or creative solutions, does a disservice to yourself, your family, your credit and ultimately to our whole economy. A huge part of what got our great country into the mess we are in, is excessive greed and a huge lack of responsibility. Each and every individual has a civic duty to help guide their neighbors and gather the best information and take some action to do the best to make a difference. Letting your home go to foreclosure is only adding to the problem.

SEARCH HOMES FOR SALE IN THESE AREAS:

Greenville SC Homes for Sale

Simpsonville SC Homes for Sale

Spartanburg SC Homes for Sale

Greenwood SC Homes for Sale

Ariana Zariah, REALTOR (864) 915-2313 http://www.arianazariah.com/

What is a Mortgage Rate?

2011-01-05T08:50:00.000-08:00

Mortgage Rates are no laughing matter! In the 1980s, mortgage rates flew up to 18% and beyond! Right now, Mortgage Rates are hovering around 4.8% and, financial anaylsts are saying that the rates are going to start going up.

Why should a Buyer want a low interest rate?

There are two main reasons for this. Number 1, lower payments. Your mortgage rate determines what your monthly payment on your loan is going to be. The higher the mortgage rate, the higher your payment. For example if you are buying a house for $125,000 (which you can do in Greenville, SC) An interest rate at 5% for that house is going to yield a 670 payment, whereas an interest rate of 6% your payment shoots up to $750! Because of this fact, a lower interets rate also gives you bigger buying power! If it has been determined that you can afford a monthly payment of $750/mo and the mortgage rate is at 6% then you will be qualified to buy a house for $125,000; however if the rate drops to 5% then suddenly you can afford a house for $140,000 which can really give you a whole new level of home in Greenville, SC. You'll get a much wider choice of quality homes and desirable neighborhoods and still be buying a house for less than you can rent!

How do the Mortgage rates effect Sellers?

As the Mortgage rates rise, the Buyer pool naturally decreases. Buyers either can no longer qualify for enough money to purchase a suitable home, or else, they offer whatever their max loan amount is which may be considerably less than the seller is willing to sell their home for. This is an increasing complication with the housing market right now. Buyers hear the media hype and they want a bargain. They get a Pre-Approval letter from their lender and run out and try to wheel and deal. In some cases, the interest rates change or the underwriting guidelines shift between the time they were PreApproved and the time that they find a house that they like enough to place an offer. And if they don't have a Lender who is on top of his game, they will have a contract on a house and they will be denied their loan based on changes guidelines!

If you want more information on the changing market visit my website http://www.arianazariah.com/

SEARCH HOMES FOR SALE IN GREENVILLE SC

Lewie Ranieri: One Man, One Vision - To Stop Foreclosures

2010-12-16T19:49:00.000-08:00

First of all, who is Lewie Ranieri and why should you care?

In the 80s, while at Salomon Brothers, Ranieri pretty much invented mortgage-backed securities. You know, those little nasties that are a big piece of the foreclosure mess we're in now. Well, in the 80s, this "invention" led to an expanding pool of available monies that could be offered to home buyers by our lending institutions. An increase in home buyers created a growth in homeownership in the US due to more available funds for loans. Well, that doesn't sound bad. How did that lead to our foreclosure problems now?

The mishandling of the mortgage-backed securities, the no job - no credit loans and Adjustable Rate Mortgages effectively got us into this pickle. But the worst of our foreclosure nightmare is over, right? See the chart below. Foreclosures are down, things are turning around. Don't believe the hype.

Why else would a brilliant and seasoned financier such as Ranieri have pooled $825 million in corporate and private capital to form his latest brain-child, the Selene Residential Mortgage Opportunity Fund. "I am willing to do what the banks and government won't - the manual labor to help struggling homeowners." Ranieri was quoted by CNNmoney.com.

What does Selene do? In it's most basic form, they buy delinquent mortgages at a discount, avoid foreclosure for the homeowner, work with the homeowner to get them paying again on a substantially lower mortgage balance, then resell the stabilized loan at a profit. (Well, you knew he had to make money in there somewhere.) In the meantime, Selene also works with the homeowners on credit counseling, stabilizing spendthriftiness and practical budgeting.

Ranieri feels that the lending institutions are missing the essential element to solving our foreclosure problem. Lowering the mortgage balance, rather than artificially keeping rates low is ultimately the key to keeping homeowners from just walking away from the home.

While Ranieri is certainly aware that Selene cannot single-handed solve the nation's foreclosure woes, he does hope to raise an eyebrow or two with the success of Selene. Ideally, becoming the model for America's lending institutions and hampering the dangerous wave of foreclosures that are certainly coming down the pipeline as bank's are forced to release their shadow inventory.

If you, or someone you know, is looking for real estate in the Greenville, Spartanburg, or Greenwood SC areas, please contact me directly for the best service and most current market information.

Ariana Zariah

http://www.arianazariah.com/

(864) 915-2313

In a Mortgage Minute...

2010-12-14T20:20:00.000-08:00

FICO score minimums are now at 640 and climbing! Credit Repair, Credit Repair, Credit Repair! Remember, the higher your FICO score, the better your rate and monthly payments. The 640 minimum also includes the ever-popular No Downpayment USDA loans. No Downpayment?! Yes. There is ONE left. No, it's not a scam. It's a federally backed loan that offers the Buyer to get a 100% loan (no downpayment required) as long as the property is considered "Rural" by USDA standards. Oh... that means living in the boonies. Not necessarily! As a USDA Property Pro, I can tell you that a surprising number of properties are within the Rural standards and are in wonderful Suburban neighborhoods. I have sold many properties, particularly to first time homebuyers, who otherwise, could not have purchased using the USDA Loan program.
Still confused on the Mortgage process? De-Mystifying Mortgages will answer a lot of questions. And of course, you can always just email me, Ariana Zariah . I'm always happy to help!
As of today, rates are at 4.75% and projected to hit 5.75% . There are those that say there's no way that will happen! Well, let's remember that on April 6th of this year they hit 5.25%, so another half point is not out of the question for a quick rise. There are great deals to be had! I just had a closing today, and my clients are walking into $40K of equity easily. That gives me so much satisfaction!

In a nutshell, BUY BUY BUY!

http://www.arianazariah.com/