HousingAZ.com to Help Struggling Homeowners complete Short Sales in Arizona

Are you a homeowner considering a short sale?  Apply online today http://www.housingaz.com/

The Arizona Department of Housing has $269 million in federal foreclosure-prevention funds.

The state agency is offering homeowners $4,500 and to pay their 3 percent closing costs if they work with their lender to complete a short sale instead of losing their home to foreclosure. But, of course, like the principal-reduction loan modifications, it's all up to the lenders whether the deals go through.


Housing Director Michael Trailor said the state agency will start taking applications for the short-sale program today. It's the same site that is taking applications for the principal reduction loan-modification program and unemployment mortgage aid, both of which also are being funded by federal money from the Hardest Hit Housing program.
The principal reduction loan program was launched a year ago, and Trailor said as many as 30,000 Arizona homeowners should qualify.He said the miserable results, because of the lender's reluctance to cut principal and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's policy not to reduce loan amounts, have been a frustrating and time-wasting effort for his agency during the past year.

So, to try to spend some of the money to help homeowners, the agency received approval from the U.S. Treasury Department to start the short-sale program.The Housing Department is also expanding its program to cover mortgage payments for more unemployed and underemployed homeowners who are eligible.

"We want to spend this money to help homeowners, but we need lenders' help," Trailor said. "Anyone who thinks they are eligible should immediately apply at our website."

Phoenix, AZ Trustee Sales becoming a Reality Show "Betting the House"

Phoenix will be the setting for a new reality show about one of the region's most competitive and heart-racing activities - bidding on foreclosure homes.Agents who work at Maricopa County's foreclosure auctions are in negotiations to appear on the show, which is planned to start airing on the Discovery Channel next year.

Filming for "Betting the House" is expected to begin in the next few weeks.New York-based Sharp Entertainment, producer of the show, also created "Punkin Chunkin" for the Discovery Channel, "Man vs. Food" for the Travel Channel and "Extreme Couponing" for TLC.

Now, cameras will be filming outside the county courthouse in downtown Phoenix.
Although the company did not comment on the details of the show it is planning, the daily auction scene is one of colorful characters and sometimes intense bidding on the region's foreclosure homes.

As many as three auctioneers may be taking bids at once, and the agents and buyers who try to land good deals rush from auction to auction, placing offers, talking to their offices by cellphone and trying to make sure they don't miss a deal in the process.

At its heart, the attraction of the auction scene is the promise of a house - to be a home, a rental or just a quick investment - for an amazing deal. Sharp picked three veteran bidders at Phoenix's foreclosure auctions to follow.

Lenders have been selling a record number of Phoenix-area homes at the foreclosure auctions known as trustee sales. In August, 1,500 foreclosure homes sold at auction.Trustee sales at the courthouse used to start at noon, but there are so many houses that lenders are trying to sell that the auctions have been moved up to 11 a.m. or earlier and still often go to 5 p.m.

But the frenzy can't last much longer.

Already, competition has driven bidding prices up too high for some investors. At the same time, foreclosures have been falling this year.Notices-of-trustee sales, or pre-foreclosures, are half of what they were a year ago. The number of pending foreclosures in Maricopa County is down to 19,000, half of what it was two years ago.

"I doubt reality TV will shine a positive light on our housing market, although it should be entertaining," said Tom Ruff, real-estate analyst with Information Market.His firm tracks foreclosures daily. "There are definitely some colorful personalities chasing foreclosure properties. Expect them to further Arizona's image as the Wild West."

Stay tuned.

Anthem, AZ Parkside Golfers can join the Anthem Country Club!

ANTHEM GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB
ANNOUNCES A NEW GOLF MEMBERSHIP CATEGORY

Anthem’s Golf Membership has been available to residents living outside the Country Club Community for nearly ten years. The Club has quickly become one of the top 5 Clubs that are a part of ClubCorp, World Leader in Private Clubs with over 130 golf and country clubs worldwide.

We are now offering a new category designed specifically for golfers who live in Anthem Parkside. The Club provides a premier golf experience with 36 holes
without the high cost of a comparable Scottsdale Golf Club.

PREFERRED MEMBERSHIP INVITATION
Corridor Golf Membership
$11,000 Initiation Fee
Act quickly as this Introductory Initiation Fee is only available for a limited time.The customary Initiation Fee is normally the same as our full golf requirement of $21,000 Annual dues are just $500 per month inclusive of your family

The Corridor Golf Membership is designed for golfers who live in Anthem Parkside, who desire access to great golf, superb dining, and fun social activities of a top private Country Club!

• Members have no capital assessments and no food and beverage minimums.

• Anthem Golf Members enjoy access to complimentary greens fees at over 130 golf and country clubs.

• Anthem has an active Men’s and Ladies Golf Association that each plays two days per week.

• Anthem has two Clubhouses, championship golf courses, golf practice facilities, and restaurants.

Mark Lewicki, Membership Director / 623-742-6202  or email: mark.lewicki@ourclub.com