Georgia, 4/14/2010 — Mark Spain with RE/MAX Greater Atlanta has earned the nationally recognized Short Sales and Foreclosure Resource certification. The National Association of REALTORS^® offers the SFR certification to REALTORS^® who want to help both buyers and sellers navigate these complicated transactions, as demand for professional expertise with distressed sales grows.

 

According to a recent NAR survey, nearly one-third of all existing homes sold recently were either short sales or foreclosures. For many real estate professionals, short sales and foreclosures are the new “traditional” transaction. REALTORS^® who have earned the SFR certification know how to help sellers maneuver the complexities of short sales as well as help buyers pursue short sale and foreclosure opportunities.

 

“As leading advocates for homeownership, REALTORS^® believe that any family that loses its home to foreclosure is one family too many, but unfortunately, there are situations in which people just cannot afford to keep their homes, and a foreclosure or a short sale results,” said 2009 NAR President Charles McMillan, a broker with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Dallas-Fort Worth. “Foreclosures and short sales can offer opportunities for home buyers and benefit the larger community, as well, but it’s extremely important to have the help of a real estate professional like a REALTOR^® who has earned the SFR certification for these kinds of purchases.”

 

The certification program includes training on how to qualify sellers for short sales, negotiate with lenders, protect buyers, and limit risk, and provides resources to help REALTORS^® stay current on national and state-specific information as the market for these distressed properties evolves. To earn the SFR certification, REALTORS^Ò are required to take one core course and three Webinars.  For more information about the SFR certification, visit www.REALTORSFR.org or call 1-877-510-7855.

 

 

Mark Spain

RE/MAX Greater Atlanta

770-886-9000

 

The Mark Spain Team launches website and marketing plan specific to homeowners facing foreclosure hardship in the Cumming real estate market

 

Cumming, GA— The Mark Spain Team, Cumming real estate specialists, has developed a marketing strategy and website that is focused on assisting distressed homeowners find information and investigate options to avoid the foreclosure process. As an expert in short sales, a real estate transaction option that banks will consider instead of foreclosure with specific guidelines, The Mark Spain Team is determined to provide essential knowledge to homeowners in Cumming facing this unfortunate circumstance.

 

Visitors to GreaterAtlantaForeclosureHelp.com will find information regarding the process of foreclosure, what effects foreclosure has on a homeowner, and ways to prevent the foreclosure process from continuing. The website features easy-to-understand informational tools such as a list of frequently asked questions, a glossary of terms and free reports as well as resources that allow the homeowner to get their questions addressed in a confidential manner. In addition, the website offers the homeowner information regarding short sales, often a viable solution to foreclosure that can save a distressed homeowner from the damaging effects foreclosure has on their credit.

 

 “We feel that it is important in today’s economic conditions for homeowners to know that they have options other than the foreclosure route,” says The Mark Spain Team. “Statistics show that 50% of homeowners facing this stressful situation often ignore the issue and that doesn’t have to be. There are options such as a short sale, especially if the homeowner works with an experienced REALTOR® to provide them assistance in showing the lender the hardship situation and other real estate documentation.”

 

The Mark Spain Team’s new website provides visitors with a description of how the short sale process works, how it compares to a foreclosure, and how a homeowner may be able to qualify for a short sale. As a Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE), The Mark Spain Team has taken the initiative to become an educated and prepared advocate on the behalf of a homeowner in distress. Earned by completing detailed and thorough coursework via the Distressed Property Institute, real estate agents with the CDPE designation are armed with the necessary tools and information to help distressed property owners avoid foreclosure and continue their lives.

 

For more information about foreclosures and short sales in Cumming, please feel free to visit the website at GreaterAtlantaForeclosureHelp.com, or to contact The Mark Spain Team directly at 770-886-9000 or by emailing Info@GreaterAtlantaForeclosureHelp.com.