201312.20
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Lawyer Stereotypes

Whether it was Perry Mason, LA LAW, or an actual relationship with an attorney, most of us have stereotypes of attorneys.  Not only attorneys in general, but the way you think of an F. Lee Baily or Johnny Cochran type litigator is probably not the same way you feel about a Tax Attorney.   When you…

201311.30
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Dog Days of the Short Sale

Some clients who come into our office to sign documents to shed the albatross of an upside down home, have asked, “why do you have a dog in the office?”   First I must point out that many enlightened organizations permit well trained canines at work.  Dogs have long since proven their worth in law enforcement,…

201311.27
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The Economics of Thankfulness

First and foremost, a Happy Thanksgiving to you all! Secondly, despite the great relief that many homeowners have gotten over the past year by “getting out from under” the crushing weight of a home mortgage gone bad,  “Adults have maintained a positive view of homeownership five years after the biggest housing crisis hit the nation…

201311.07
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Divorce + Upside Down Residence = Potential for Disaster

Please click this link and check out an article I was invited to co-author with one of our firm’s realtor friends, Dennis Blackmore:   http://dennisblackmore.com/2013/11/07/divorce-short-sale/ Complications of Divorce under Virginia law can make real estate transactions more difficult.   The article addresses some of the most common pitfalls in completing short sales in Virginia while also dealing…

201310.09
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More Good News / Bad News

The Good News on this rainy day 3 of a moderate Noreaster in Tidewater, Virginia, is that foreclosures and “shadow inventory” continue to decline.    The meteorologists tell us we have a couple more days of winds and much needed rain off the Atlantic Ocean.  Likewise, the economists predict that our financial storm is not over…

201309.27
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Dual Agency Hot Potato

Never underestimate the lobbying power of NAR (National Association of Realtors).   NAR managed to have the enforcement of the anti-dual agency rule postponed.   The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) had planned to implement the new regulation 10-1-13 to help fight Fraud in Short Sales. “Dual Agency” is generally defined as one real estate…

201309.25
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Choosing an Agent to List your Under Water Property

When interviewing agents to list and sell your Short Sale, i.e., your real estate which is currently worth less than the total owed on the mortgage, there are many factors to consider.   Personality compatibility, motivation level, persuasiveness, compassion, are all factors in selecting a “partner” to help you succeed in the business of selling your…