Dear Neighbors,

I am writing to you today about what some people feel is an embarrassing situation. Times are tough and many people here in Cartersville, Acworth, and Kennesaw are finding themselves faced with the unfamiliar situation of not being able to make their mortgage payments. What is most shocking is that most of the folks who have lost their homes to foreclosure, received no professional intervention whatsoever. Often times they talked to their bank, realtor, or attorney, and they were basically told there is nothing that can be done. 

The truth is there are options; options that need to be considered as soon as possible. The ramifications of foreclosure are huge and long-term and often can be avoided. I want to help those in need here at home. 

Perhaps you know someone who is having trouble making ends meet and especially making their mortgage payment.  I just returned from taking an intensive class focused on helping folks who may be facing foreclosure. I earned the prestigious Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE) designation, having completed extensive training in foreclosure avoidance and short sales which will allow me to help homeowners in distress.

Short sales allow the cash-strapped seller with a legitimate hardship to repay the mortgage at the price that the home sells for (less closing costs), even though it is lower than what is owed on the property. With plummeting property values, this can save many people from foreclosure and even bankruptcy. More and more lenders are willing to consider short sales because they are much less costly than foreclosures.  But keep in mind a seller must have a legitimate hardship. Click here to see if you may qualify for a short sale.

Think about the United Airlines landing in the Hudson last month. An experienced pilot mattered.  If you or someone you know are behind on your payments and need help with a short sale to save your credit, do you think experience matters? Do you think it would be valuable to have an expert helping you? I am one of only 1,500 CDPE’s in country right now. Distressed homeowners need an advocate that will act in their best interest and help them find the best solutions to the financial crisis they are facing.

With the CPDE certification, I have updated my website to help distressed homeowners obtain information about options that can help them avoid foreclosure and its negative consequences. Site visitors can sign up for a confidential consultation to learn about the consequences of foreclosures and learn how to pre-qualify for a short sale. The short sale option is proving to be an excellent way to prevent foreclosure on a home and eliminating some of the damages it creates on a homeowner’s credit.

Alex Charfen, founder of the Distressed Property Institute in Boca Raton, Fla., said that Realtors with the CDPE designation have valuable training in short sales that can offer the homeowner much better alternatives to foreclosure, which virtually destroys the credit rating. These experts also may better understand market conditions and can help sellers through the emotional experience, he said.

Charfen suggested owners in foreclosure or pre-foreclosure, should seek out the services of a Certified Distressed Property Expert. For more information about short sales or for a confidential consultation, please contact me, Christine Topham at christine@teamchristine.com, or by phone at 770-386-0076