Stop Michigan Foreclosure

Wanting It All? Need A Reality Check?

As I was talking to sellers facing a Michigan foreclosure this week, I realized that one of the toughest realizations a distressed seller needs to come to grips with is that they cannot have it all.

Just like you can’t eat everything you want and expect to maintain a healthy weight. Or go out drinking all night and expect to feel like you can run a marathon the next day. In the same way, if you have had a financial hardship which has caused you to get behind on your house payments, you cannot expect to stay in the house for long without the bank taking some action.

People seem surprised when the bank refuses to work with them or begins the Michigan foreclosure process. This is going to happen. After all they are losing money and looking for a solution to their problem. People seem surprised when they call the bank to work something out and they get transferred around, have to wait for long period of times, or even send in paperwork that gets lost. This is a reality of the large financial institution you are dealing with. They have hundreds of thousands of distressed sellers to deal with. It is not going to be like calling to ask your local bank how much money is in your account where you can get an immediate and clear answer (wouldn’t THAT be nice)!

Fortunately, while we cannot help you to “have your cake and eat it too” we can help you navigate the financial maze toward a solution. Give us a call and tell Emily “I need a reality check” and let her help you realize what you can have. You can salvage your credit. You can get a fresh start. You can find a solution without paying any fees or getting yourself into a worse situation. Call Emily and find out how not wanting it all actually brings peace of mind and a fresh start.

Ann

Can You Believe They Didn’t Call Me?!?

Isn’t it funny how little we really know the people in our lives sometimes? Or how little time we spend really taking an interest? In the last month I’ve talked with two different friends who have gone through the foreclosure process – sheriff’s sale, repossession, the whole bit. You know what they both said to me? I wish I would’ve known there were other ways to get out of my situation.

Well HELLO! I’m the one who spends the majority of the time on the phone with lenders at Great Lakes Home Solutions negotiating the short sales for our team!

In the first instance, the foreclosure happened before we were acquainted, but in the second instance, the foreclosure happened only a few months ago. Hearing that made me feel awful, like I’d failed this person. You see, we don’t have the sort of friendship wherein we talk about work. That was my reason for not knowing – it won’t be an excuse going forward. I realized that we at GLHS have an answer, a possible solution to the foreclosure problem so many people in Michigan are experiencing. So often I think we wait for the phone to ring, but do we have a responsibility to get our message out? When it comes to people I know personally, yes, without a doubt, I have a responsibility to at least offer a solution. It’s my duty as a friend or acquaintance to offer this life preserver to someone who’s drowning financially.

If you’re someone who’s looking for answers or know someone who might, give us a call today. Give us the chance to offer our life preserver and to get our message out so we can get them back to better times faster.

Melissa

If There Was No Such Thing As A Short Sale….

I had a lady call me the other day and say” “I need to do a Short Sale”.

“Ok” I said, “Tell me about your situation”.

She proceeded to tell me her story and ended with “I will be making a payment to the bank this month so they don’t foreclose”.

Wait a minute, I thought, we won’t do a short sale if you are still making payments because we are setting ourselves and you up for failure. Why? Because if you’ve got income to make payments, your income exceeds your expenses, and the chances of your lender agreeing to a short sale are very slim.

So, I had a question for her, and this is the same question you need to ask yourself: “If there was no such thing as a short sale, and the only option was to stay current or have a Michigan foreclosure, which would you do?” If your answer is “keep making payments”, well, then keep making payments.

If you are like a lot of distressed sellers in Michigan who have had a financial hardship (job loss, divorce, disability, death, etc) the obvious answer is you have no choice but to face a Michigan Foreclosure. These are the people we are best equipped to help with a short sale. While we are sorry that you have had a hardship, we are ready to help you focus on a better future. We will do this without charging you anything and we keep everything confidential. Yes, there are such things as short sales and we have the best team in Michigan to help you navigate through them (since 2005). Give us a call today.

Ann

Everyone’s An Expert, Really?

I’m currently trying to sell my house, and one thing I’ve noticed is that EVERYONE wants to give me advice. It doesn’t matter who they are or what they do. When it comes to real estate, everyone’s an expert. Not really, but it seems that way! Everywhere I turn someone is telling me “this is a tough market” or “people aren’t buying houses right now” or “this is a buyer’s market.” I even had my neighbor tell me that I’m going to “lose my rear” (he used the A-word.) Thanks, neighbor! I constantly have to tell myself that people are just trying to sound knowledgeable, and not trying to be hurtful.

The truth is, with the right REALTOR®, and the right price, houses are selling like crazy (over half of our short sale houses have buyers lined up) and we close on over 80% of them!

If you’re trying to sell your house, I understand your frustrations. And if you’re having a hard time because your house isn’t worth as much as you owe on it (and you have a financial hardship), we may be able to help you with a short sale. It won’t cost you a penny, and we promise that we won’t give you any advice to put you in a worse situation. Give us a call. We’d be happy to discuss your options with you!

Holly

Can Your Attic Stop Your Michigan Foreclosure?

I recently read a story online detailing how Superman (yes, the comic book superhero) helped save a family in foreclosure. Yes, really!

This particular family (who wish to remain anonymous), having been in default for quite a while and anticipating foreclosure followed by eviction, had begun packing up their belongings. During the move preparation, they discovered a box in their attic, long forgotten, full of comic books that had belonged to another family member. Inside the box, they found Action Comic #1, which, for all of you who – like me – aren’t comic book aficionados, is a very rare comic book. It is the debut of Superman, and it is in fact the most valuable of its kind. Experts estimated its worth at a quarter of a million dollars – a sum large enough to bail the family out, allowing them to keep the house.

Unfortunately, most moving situations aren’t as serendipitous – most people cannot count on something like this happening. No Superman swoops in to save the house. If you’re in a similar situation and need a more practical, realistic solution rather than hoping for a superhero, give us a call today.

Melissa

How Did I Get Here?

Over the past four years, I’ve talked with hundreds of homeowners about their imminent Michigan foreclosure. Their biggest question is “how did I get here?” They’ve done everything that they thought was right and made every logical choice. They usually have cut expenses, maybe gotten a part time job and gone without some “luxuries” like cable or eating out. Yet, they’re still heading into a Michigan foreclosure. Why? There are always factors that they have no control over – the poor economy, the down market, a financial hardship like job loss, divorce, disability or death of a spouse.

While I understand their question, it’s even more important to know how they’re going to get out of their situation. That’s where we step in. We can help families evaluate options, set goals and decide on a course of action. We can even start discussions with their lender after we make a cash offer, and get them back on the road to a fresh start.

If you or someone you know need help with your foreclosure situation, contact us. We will never charge you a fee and we will keep everything confidential. Let us help you get back to better times.

Emily

Where Are Michiganders Moving To?

This is possibly one of the coolest websites I’ve seen regarding relocation.

Now I’ve known that people were leaving Michigan, but I never knew where they were going, until now. I’m assuming that most are leaving for employment; especially since Michigan has such a high unemployment rate right now.

The question I have is, what are these people doing with their houses when they move? A few may be able to still afford their payment on their Michigan house and/or want to keep it and that is great. My guess is that most houses are going back to the banks because the family can no longer afford to make the house payment, especially if they are now making a house payment somewhere else.

That is unless we’re able to step in and help the family with a short sale (negotiation with their lender to accept less than what is owed) and providing a cash offer. I’m sure they’d much rather have the home sold than foreclosed upon. If you or someone you know is behind on their house payment, owe more than the house is worth and are facing a Michigan foreclosure, give us a call. We will not put you in a worse situation and there is never a fee.

Emily

Next Move – Nursing Home!

We recently moved our office because out landlord was selling the building. It was not our choice to move, but he left us with no options since we weren’t willing to stay and pay higher rent. It was a lot of work not only to do the physical move, but to find a new place and coordinate everything that had to happen to move a business with minimal down time. I also think we picked the hottest, most humid day of the year to move! I am happy to say, we got it done. At some point during the day, Emily (who had just moved her personal residences recently) said “I’m never moving again till they move me into a nursing home”

You may share these sentiments about moving. We find that a lot of distressed sellers facing a Michigan foreclosure don’t want to move. They might not know where they will move to, or not want to uproot their children, or have sentimental attachments to the house or not want to go through the pain of moving or many other reasons. It may not be their choice to move. Yet, if you can no longer make the house payments because your income has been cut due to a job loss, divorce, death, disability or some other financial hardship, eventually you need to face the reality that you just can’t stay where you are at either. After all, eventually, the bank will kick you out.

We may not be able to help with the physical aspects of moving but we can help you make a fresh start. We have options to try to salvage your credit and get you back on your feet quicker. We can reduce your stress by answering your questions about timing and options and we will deal with your lender so that you have less to deal with. Give Emily a call and discuss your situation with her. She will listen, make suggestions, and advise. She will never charge you anything or put you in a worse situation and she keeps everything confidential. Let Emily help you move on to better times.

Ann

Soon-To-Be-Approved Michigan Short Sale Declined – Why The Bank Foreclosed Instead

I read a story recently about a Michigan house seller who was behind on her payments and knew she couldn’t keep up; she knew she had to sell the house. Apparently, she contacted a REALTOR® and put her house on the market, intending to do a short sale. They struggled to find a buyer, but after some time, some of the seller’s relatives decided to purchase the house. Their offer was submitted to the bank.

The whole process seemed to be going smoothly, moving toward approval and closing, when the bank asked who was buying the house. She, having nothing to hide, told them the buyer was a relative of hers. Well, they closed the file right then and there and foreclosed on the house.

Why? Because short sales must be an “arm’s length transaction” meaning the seller must have no relationship to the buyer or undisclosed agreements with the buyer. What these banks are concerned about is the seller moving back into the house or receiving cash or other perks on the side – something the banks consider to be the seller profiting from the sale.

Essentially, if the bank is taking a loss of tens of thousands of dollars on the short sale, they want to know that the former borrower is not benefitting or profiting while the bank is losing money.

This is just one example of all sorts of little rules, procedures, and policies that may be tough to figure out when you’re dealing with a short sale. Now if the REALTOR® had been property educated to in turn educate the seller, a foreclosure probably could have been avoided by waiting for a different buyer. if you are facing a Michigan foreclosure and need to sell your house in this manner and don’t want to have to deal with any of these hidden issues or obstacles, give us a call.  We know them all and we’ll do our best to help you out.

Melissa

Paralyzed by a Michigan Foreclosure (No More)

When you are facing a hardship, I know that it can be paralyzing. A death of a loved one can fill you with so much sadness and grief that you feel like you can’t deal with anything else. A major sickness for yourself or someone close to you can overwhelm you with choices, decisions, and appointments that you feel like you don’t have time for anything else. A job loss can make you feel depressed, lost and fearful. Your only focus is how you are going to feed yourself and your family. On top of all this, if you are falling behind on the house payments and facing a Michigan foreclosure. Dealing with the house is probably the last thing you want to do.

That’s why we are here. All you need to do is make one phone call to Emily and discuss your situation with her. If we can help, we will take the burden of dealing with the house off your shoulders. We will still need help from you, but we will do all the hard work of dealing with the banks, attorneys, REALTORS® and anyone else who needs to be involved. We will explain what is going on with the foreclosure and what your options are so you aren’t struggling to figure it out for yourself. We have knowledgeable, experienced staff to help. We know what works and aren’t swayed by the media, rumors or what your neighbor might have heard will work. We will do all this without charging you, without asking you to make any repairs to the house and without putting you in a worse situation. We keep everything confidential and will work harder than anyone to get you to a better situation. What else could you possible ask for? Give Emily a call today and feel the relief of moving forward and solving your house problem and feeling paralyzed no more.

Ann