Author Archive
SHORT SALES, FAIR OR FOWL?
Posted by Ellen Jaffe | Leave A Comment »
One fine San Diego Day, Chicken Little was strolling along enjoying the weather. The sky was a crisp, clear blue and the sun was a huge bright globe. He didn’t much care for rain, which was why he liked San Diego. He wasn’t into getting his feathers wet. So this was a perfect place for him.
Suddenly, a large shadow was over him and as he looked up, his chicken smile quickly faded. He ran for his life as he was almost hit by a falling Condo and then another and another and then some houses crashed to the ground. Now chicken Little really wasn’t chicken, but he thought, “what a way to start the day”. I’m going to call my Realtor, Ellen!
She told him that what he just experienced was a lot of Short Sales and REOs 
falling to the ground. He was told to continue looking up and he would see Bankers with their arms folded laughing and watching the crashing homes. Ellen said, “it’s really a wonder that I have any hair left at all; just a few little blond wisps”. Chicken Little said, “wow, I’m really glad I don’t own the coop. Rocky rooster is my landlord. He crows all day and all night. He hasn’t gotten the message. Let him deal with all of it.”
“In Oh Five, the coop went condo. We all got so eggcited, all we could do was cluck. Day and night, night and day, cluck, cluck, cluck. By Oh Six, some of us got chicken, but others decided to buy in. Boy did they lay an egg. There are feathers flying because they have to do a Short Sale. Now Ellen, they all want your help! ”
So Ellen plunged right in to see what she could do. After months of calling and submitting and faxing and begging and pleading she was now at square one. So much for progress. Chicken Little said, “Wow, you Realtors are really something. All the hens are saying we thought sitting on our eggs until they hatch was really difficult and time consuming, but the result was worth the effort.” Sometimes Short Sales don’t close, so the results may not be as positive. ” I give you an awful lot of credit, he said”.
As in the example of Michael Jordan (Chicken Little said he couldn’t reach those heights), propelled by extraordinary talent to the stratosphere of basketball achievement; persistence and perseverance will result in exceptional service and accomplishment.
……..More from inside the coop to come!!
Related Posts: Exclusive Properties, Exclusive Properties Agents, Exclusive Properties Offices, Exclusive PropertiesSanDiego.com, Lifestyle, Market Trends, Poway, Rancho Bernardo, Rancho Santa Fe, Real Estate News, San Diego, Sellers, Short Sales, Summer, Tourism, World News
Chicken Little Has Another Warning. Watch Out, It’s Raining Scams!
Posted by Ellen Jaffe | Leave A Comment »
Chicken Little looked up at the sky this morning and said “Uh Oh“, it’s happening again!
It seems that the scam artists and fraudsters are at it again or is it still? I want to warn all of you to be careful. Yesterday, I received an email from a lady asking about a Craigslist posting. It seems that she had been looking for a condo to rent and had found several of them on CraigsList which interested her. Among the ones she liked was my condo listing in Mission Valley. It was posted as a rental for $800 per month. The only problem with it is, that the listing is For Sale, not For Rent! The Lady contacted an individual who claimed to be the owner of the condo. He also claimed to be a contractor who travels a lot.
He said, in an email to the prospective tenant, ” I’m here in Western region of Africa for a contract which 
may take a couple of years or more. But I’m sure I will not be returning home from here because I still have to travel to another country for a business proposal…..I came here with all the keys and documents to the property because I don’t have any one to drop it for when I was leaving……I want you to email me once you fill the rent application form, the shipment of the package containing the keys and other documents will be ship by secure courier once the deposit payment is paid.”
The scammer asked the would be tenant to send him $1400. She decided that, before sending the money, she would just check to see if she could find this listing anywhere else online and lo and behold there was my listing For Sale on several websites including V Flyer. So, she alerted me of the scam. Certainly she was very grateful that she had not sent the money to this individual in Lagos, Nigeria. Ring any bells?
Please tell all of your clients to be careful. Find legitimate Realtors and Rental agents and according to the warning on Craig’s List, “ Avoid Scams and fraud by dealing locally! Beware any arrangement involving Western Union, Moneygram, wire transfer or a landlord/owner who is out of the country or cannot meet you in person.”
Always check to make sure that you are dealing with the legitimate owner of the property. In these difficult times, too many people may be seeking out a fast buck. Don’t be afraid to take your time and doublecheck. Also, remember that if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. If you need help determining who the real property owner is, contact me at 619 733-9000 or [email protected]
DON’T BE BLUE, TAKE CARE, BEWARE AND SPEAK TO A PROFESSIONAL!
Related Posts: San Diego
What Happens when Chicken Little Goes Shopping for a House?
Posted by Ellen Jaffe | Leave A Comment »
When I was a little girl, I used to watch my grandfather as he walked down the street. He always had his head down; that is, he was looking at the ground. Why was he staring so intently at the concrete? Well, the answer is, he was looking for loose change or perhaps some other lost treasure. He came from an era that was very traumatic. This was the “Great Depression”. In the aftermath and during the depression, people found themselves trying to cope and be more frugal and saving money was a necessity and a way to prepare for a rainy day.
We are seeing much of the same behavior and attitudes today. As my Grandfather stared at the ground, so many of us are looking down. We’re looking for the proverbial bottom of the Real Estate market. Some say we’ve hit it already and others say, not quite yet. So, there are a lot of people who are still waiting. They’re waiting for the all clear from the all powerful news media. We want to come full circle. A few years ago, we read and watched our local and national gurus who told us, just as Chicken little spread the news, that the sky was falling. However, in Chicken Little’s case, it was only an acorn. In our case, it was the housing market falling right out of the stratosphere. So Chicken little told Henny Penny and Henny Penny told Ducky Lucky until the word had spread far and wide.
Where are we now? According to a May 6th New York Times article, the chairman of the Federal Reserve, Ben Bernanke, said ” that the economy appeared to be stabilizing on many fronts but cautioned that a recovery was still months away and that ” further sizable job losses” will continue even after an upturn begins”. So, what does this mean. Whereas, a short time ago, there were no optimistic predictions, now it looks as though there may be a light at the end of this long, dark tunnel. Aren’t we all ready for a little sunshine?
Another article which appeared in the May 5th issue of the New York Times, also shared some optimism. The Headline shouted “Where Home Prices Crashed Early, Signs of a Rebound”. The subject of this article was Sacramento and it said “Is this what a bottom looks like”? The article proclaimed that Sacramento, which was the first city in the country to “fall victim to the Real Estate collapse”, seems to be in the very early stages of recovery. First time buyers and investors are said to be out in force. They are competing for bargains. Inventory has dropped and prices seem to be stabilizing. Even the Stock Market has shown shaky signs of improvement.
Can San Diego be far behind? According to what I’m hearing, we are also showing some very early signs of improvement as well.
As a Realtor, I like to keep abreast of the news, both locally and nationally. As always, I am optimistic and I will be prepared for the upswing which is coming, if not very soon, then in the not too distant future.
If my grandfather were still here, he would adjust his gaze upward and Chicken Little would say, looking up at the sky, “oh what a lovely day it is”.
Related Posts: Area Information
