Open Sunday 12-2

707 & 709 Peralta Avenue, San Leandro.

First time open to the public!  Great property with two homes on one creek-side lot, complete with barn, water tower, and workshop.  Come by on Sunday - special SuperBowl timing from 12 to 2pm - and see for yourself!

Questions?  Give us a call or email us!

Beware Phoney Cragislist Postings

Be wary of rental ads on Craigslist when they ask for a deposit first.  Many scammers are, and have been, copying ads for properties for sale, and re-posting them as for rent in hopes of getting a deposit from would-be renters.  If you suspect this, email the details to abuse@craigslist.org (make sure you include the URL or 10 digit post ID number in your email).

To avoid scammers, some helpful hints include:

1.  Deal locally with people you can meet in person;

2.  Don't wire funds via Western Union, Money-Gram or any other wire service;

3.  Phoney cashiers checks and money orders are common, but you will be held responsible weeks later after the bank cashes them;

4.  Never give out financial information;

5.  Don't get involved in deals that involve shipping services, and know that only scammers will guarantee your transaction.

Other ways to file a complaint include:

-The FTC @ ftccomplaintassistant.gov or 877-FTC-HELP (877-382-4357)

-Better Business Bureau @ bbb.org or 804-648-0016

-Internet Fraud Complaint Center @ ic3.gov/default.aspx

-The non-emergency number for your police station

Questions?  Send us an email or give us a call.

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San Leandro Point of Sale Ordinance

San Leandro to Consider Point-Of-Sale Ordinance: On Monday, Dec. 21, the San Leandro City Council will review a Climate Action Plan. Part of the plan is a recommendation that the city adopt a residential energy conservation ordinance that could require property owners to install energy efficient devices prior to selling or remodeling their homes.

We need your help to convince the San Leandro City Council there are other ways to improve energy efficiency that won't negatively impact homeowners or real estate transactions. If you live or do business in San Leandro, please contact your city council member and explain that the current real estate market can not handle the problems that a point-of-sale requirement would bring to a transaction.

Go to http://www.ci.san-leandro.ca.us/slcitycouncil.html for contact information for the San Leandro City Council.

For more information about the Climate Action Plan and residential energy conservation Ordinance, call or email us.

For more information about this issue or if you want to testify at the city council meeting, please contact David Stark at davids@bayeast.org or (925)730-4068.

Foreclosure sale and eviction suspension

 Just in from CAR Legal!

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will suspend foreclosure evictions from December 19, 2009 through January 3, 2010. To help struggling families over the holidays, both owner-occupants and tenants living in properties foreclosed upon by Fannie Mae will not be evicted. Freddie Mac's suspension of evictions will be limited to properties up to four units.  Citigroup Inc. will suspend foreclosure sales and evictions for 30 days through January 17, 2010 for loans it owns. Citigroup's foreclosure moratorium, however, does not extend to loans it services on behalf of other investors. Given these developments, other lenders may follow suit, so check with the lender if appropriate.

Fannie Mae's Deed for Lease program

Fannie Mae announced a new program it has designed to further assist homeowners facing foreclosure. The Deed-for-Lease Program (D4L) allows qualifying homeowners to remain in their homes by signing a lease in connection with voluntarily transferring the property deed back to the lender.

According to a press release from Fannie Mae,

“The new program is designed for borrowers who do not qualify for or have not been able to sustain other loan-workout solutions, such as a modification. Under Deed for Lease, borrowers transfer their property to the lender by completing a deed in lieu of foreclosure, and then lease back the house at a market rate.

To participate in the program, borrowers must live in the home as their primary residence and must be released from any subordinate liens on the property. Tenants of borrowers in this circumstance may also be eligible for leases under the program. Borrowers or tenants interested in a lease must be able to document that the new market rental rate is no more than 31% of their gross income.

Leases under the new program may be up to 12 months, with the possibility of term renewal or month-to-month extensions after that period. A Deed for Lease property that is subsequently sold includes an assignment of the lease to the buyer.”

To learn more about D4L please visit www.efanniemae.com. There you will find program details, eligibility requirements, and a helpful FAQ document. You may also want to take a look at recent articles from CNNMoney and the Wall Street Journal.