Real Estate For Divorcing Homeowners in Los Angeles

For Divorcing Homeowners:

Have questions about divorce real estate in Los Angeles?

 

The family home is usually the most valuable asset in divorce.

To protect your rights NOW, you need a real estate agent specializing in divorce - an RCS-D^TM REALTOR^®. RCS-D^TM stands for Real Estate Collaborative Specialist-Divorce.

RCS-D^TM REALTORS^® are specially trained to neutralize divorce real estate as a business transaction, in the best interest of the house and each divorcing spouse. 

Whether your divorce is completed, just beginning or somewhere in between, an RCS-D^TM REALTOR^® can help you determine your best options now for a fair property settlement and a stronger financial future. 

 

Andre Plessis, CDPP, RCS-D^TM REALTOR^®

As a RCS-D^TM REALTOR^® I assist individuals who are either thinking about divorce or are in the process of a divorce. To protect your rights NOW, you need a real estate agent specializing in divorce, an RCS-D^TM REALTOR^®

RCS-D^TM stands for Real Estate Collaborative Specialist-Divorce.

Question About Real Estate During a Divorce?

Do you have a question in regards to real estate during a divorce in Los Angeles county?

Call me at 310-266-9463.

MISSION: Our mission is to educate and empower others regarding the reality of joint real estate, including the pros & cons - technically the rights and responsibilities - of joint debt (especially joint mortgage), joint ownership, and true house equity - before & beyond house appraisal.
This information is especially critical per life changes such as: divorce, separation, job loss, illness/injury, death, foreclosure, or bankruptcy.
BOTTOM LINE re: Joint Real Estate: To protect yourself and your financial future, make sure you know what you owe, what you own, what you are getting into, what you are getting out of, and most importantly - what you may be getting stuck with ... before it's too late!

Andre Plessis 
 Real Estate Collaborative Specialist-Divorce^TM designation and are divorce problem prevention experts for real estate:

Is There Such a Thing as FREE Money From The Government?

Are government grants real? Is there such a things as free money from the government?

Like many persistent rumors, the one about government grants contains a grain of truth. The government does hand out grant money,  just not to folks like you and me. The government might give a grant to a university, for example, to explore the efficacy of an experimental drug. But money to help prop up your small business? Nope.

How do I know? Well, other than the fact that it’s completely illogical to expect taxpayer money to be given to for-profit businesses, Uncle Sam also says so in black and white.

Here’s a cut-and-paste from this page of U.S. Small Business Administration…

Grants
The federal government does NOT provide grants for starting and expanding a business.
Government grants are funded by your tax dollars and therefore require very stringent compliance and reporting measures to ensure the money is well spent. As you can imagine, grants are not given away indiscriminately.

Grants from the federal government are only available to non-commercial organizations, such as non-profits and educational institutions in areas such as, medicine, education, scientific research and technology development. The federal government also provides grants to state and local governments to assist them with economic development.

In short, there’s virtually no such thing as free money in the form of a government grant for a for-profit business or ordinary citizens. Anyone promising one in exchange for a fee is a liar and a thief.
If you’re trying to get financial help for your business, check out the SBA’s site at http://www.sba.gov/. You won’t get free money, but you will get free information on finding funding, including government-guaranteed loans.

Are You Married? Watch Out for STDs

A new threat to married couples has been revealed by some recent studies,  a threat the financial literacy movement is calling Sexually Transmitted Debt.

The point is this: You can suffer adverse consequences due to your spouse’s financial infidelity.
Your spouse could be amassing credit card debts, student loans, even a second mortgage that you may not be aware of. According to a December survey by the National Endowment for Financial Education, three in 10 admit that they lie to their spouses about their finances, and more than half say they hide cash from their spouses.

That’s not all. The survey also found that:

• 30% have hidden a bill,
• 15% keep a secret bank account, and
• 11% lie about how much they earn.

Are you one of those who lie to their spouses? If not, then the statistics suggest that your spouse might be lying to you. NEFE’s data show that financial deception occurs evenly across all income levels and both sexes.

Undisclosed financial vices can have egregious effects on a relationship. In NEFE’s survey, 68% said a relationship had been negatively affected by financial behavior.

• 42% experienced erosion of trust,
• 20% stopped commingling their finances, and
• 16% ended up divorced.

To help you avoid such problems, NEFE offers a six-point strategy.

Tip #1: Establish joint goals.
It’s all about communication. Together, list your short-term and longer-term needs and wants. Check your progress regularly and make sure your goals remain relevant.

Tip #2: Compromise.

We all need to realize the importance of what Mick Jagger sang: You can’t always get what you want. It’s often difficult for newlyweds to realize that they can’t continue handling their money the way they did before the wedding. A willingness to be compassionate about the other’s viewpoint is essential. So, that might mean you don’t get that new car this year, but it could mean you save for a vacation together.

Tip #3: Set limits.

How much money do you spend before you discuss the purchase in advance with your spouse? Nearly three-fourths of those surveyed believe that spending more than $100 without telling your spouse is unacceptable, according to CESI Debt Solutions. So when you’re considering a purchase, make sure your spouse supports the idea beforehand.

Tip #4: Make a date.

Set a specific time and place to discuss finances with your spouse. It’s okay if you feel uncomfortable or shy. The conversation certainly isn’t romantic, but addressing these issues could be the best way to strengthen your relationship.

Tip #5: Resist the temptation to fib.

Be honest. Remember, in some states, spouses are legally responsible for the other’s debt, whether it was incurred before or during the marriage. If you have a good credit history, you don’t want your assets to be seized because of your partner’s financial mistakes.

Tip #6: Be positive.

It’s easy to blame your spouse if money is a problem. Instead of casting blame, stay focused and positive so you can move toward your joint goals.

I would like to add the following tips:

Tip #7: Get a Prenuptial Agreement

Tip #8: Watch out for your spouse's mail

Wishing you luck! Remember during a mariage you own half of your spouse'd debt. So beware and watch out!

Joke of the week

Women of Afghanistan

Barbara Walters, of  20/20,

did a story on gender roles in  Kabul, Afghanistan,

several years before the Afghan conflict.

She noted that women customarily walked five paces behind their husbands.

She recently returned to Kabul and observed

that women still walk behind their husbands.

With the overthrow of the oppressive Taliban regime,

Barbara Walters noted that women now walked in front of their husbands.

Walters  approached one of the Afghani women and asked,

“It appears that customs have changed and women have

 asserted themselves here, how did this come about?”

The woman looked Walters 

straight in the eyes,

and without hesitation said,

“Land Mines.”

Buyers Rejected for Loans Can Now Find Out Why

A provision in the Dodd-Frank financial reform law, which took effect this week, requires lenders to provide consumers with a free credit score, which will help provide new insights into why they may have been rejected for a loan or did not qualify for the best, lowest rate.

While borrowers can access their credit scores from the credit bureaus, the credit score that a lender uses isn’t always the same one that the credit bureau provides you. According to a report by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, some credit bureaus sell consumers “educational” scores that aren’t the same ones used by lenders, or these bureaus may base the score on a different model than the one lenders use.
Now, borrowers for the first time will get a more accurate view of what credit score lenders are using to base their mortgage on.

Under the new Dodd-Frank financial reform law, lenders will be required to provide potential borrowers with a free credit score whenever they reject an application for a loan. Lenders must provide borrowers with an “adverse action” notice, which will include their credit scores as well as an explanation of why they were rejected for a loan.

Lenders will also be required to provide a free credit score and an explanation whenever they approve a loan but at a higher rate than what is given to their best customers.

Governor Signed SB 458 Into Law For Homeowners in California

Gov. signs SB 458 into law      

           
For release:
July 15, 2011

CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® applauds Gov. Brown on signing SB 458 into law
LOS ANGELES (July 15) – The CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (C.A.R.) applauds Gov. Jerry Brown on signing SB 458 (Corbett) into law.   SB 458 extends the protections of SB 931 (2010), to ensure that any lender that agrees to a short sale must accept the agreed upon short sale payment as payment in full of the outstanding balance of all loans.

Under previous law (SB 931 of 2010), a first mortgage holder could accept an agreed-upon short sale payment as full payment for the outstanding balance of the loan, but unfortunately, the rule did not apply to junior lien holders. SB 458 extends the protections of SB 931 to junior liens.

“The signing of this bill is a victory for California homeowners who have been forced to short sell their home only to find that the lender will pursue them after the short sale closes, and demand an additional payment to subsidize the difference,” said C.A.R. President Beth L. Peerce.  “SB 458 brings closure and certainty to the short sale process and ensures that once a lender has agreed to accept a short sale payment on a property, all lienholders – those in first position and in junior positions – will consider the outstanding balance as paid in full and the homeowner will not be held responsible for any additional payments on the property.”
SB 458 contains an urgency clause making it effective upon signing.

Leading the way…® in California real estate for more than 100 years, the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (http://www.car.org/) is one of the largest state trade organizations in the United States, with nearly 160,000 members dedicated to the advancement of professionalism in real estate.  C.A.R. is headquartered in Los Angeles.