A Great Story of A Vet's Heroism & Life. Thank you Ed! We Appreciate You!

You're a 19 year old kid.
You're critically wounded and dying in the jungle in the IaDrang Valley.

November 11, 1965.
LZ X-ray , Vietnam.

Your infantry unit is outnumbered 8-1 and the enemy fire is so intense, from 100 or 200 yards away, that your own Infantry Commander has ordered the MediVac helicopters to stop coming in.

You're lying there, listening to the enemy machine guns and you know you're not getting out. Your family is 1/2 way around the world, 12,000 miles away, and you'll never see them again.

As the world starts to fade in and out, you know this is the day.

Then - over the machine gun noise - you faintly hear that sound of a helicopter. You look up to see an unarmed Huey. But ... it doesn't seem real because no Medi-Vac markings are on it.

Ed Freeman is coming for you.

He's not Medi-Vac so it's not his job, but he's flying his Huey down into the machine gun fire anyway. Even after the Medi-Vacs were ordered not to come... He's coming anyway!

And he drops it in and sits there in the machine gun fire, as they load 2 or 3 of you on board. Then he flies you up and out through the gunfire to the doctors and nurses.

And, he kept coming back!! 13 more times!!

He took about 30 of you and your buddies out who would never have gotten out.

Medal of Honor Recipient, Ed Freeman, died in Feb 2010 at the age of 80, in Boise , Idaho .

May God Rest His Soul.

I bet you didn't hear about this hero's passing, but we sure know a whole bunch about the entire Tiger Woods saga... Shame on the American media!

Rest In Peace Ed Freeman. We honor you, and you will be remembered!

If you are reading this and personally know a Veteran, please forward me their name and phone number, I would love to call them today and say, "Thank You"!

Government To Pay Additional 3.5% On Top Of $8,000 Tax Credit To Borrowers

More Breaking News In The Housing Market: According to a news release on their site, "people purchasing a Fannie Mae-owned HomePath® property will receive up to 3.5 percent of the final sales price to be used toward closing cost assistance or their choice of appliances (see article http://bit.ly/aRpUw9 )

For those in the market to buy a home, this is a buying incentive op top of the current Federal Homebuyer Tax Credit. The incentive is for owner-occupants who close on the purchase of the property before May 1, 2010.

CONTACT ME DIRECTLY FOR A CITY SPECIFIC LIST OF FANNIE MAE OWNED HOMES – dan.mortgageadvisor@gmail.com

The Fannie Mae HOMEPATH Loan Program guidelines are:
- 3% down
- No PMI
- No appraisal necessary
- 660 min Credit Score (call for more details...)

Think about this for a minute folks: $8k for First Time Home Buyers Tax Credit, 3.5% of purchase price for closing cost and/or new equipment and a rate that’s about 1% lower than norm due to Fed MBS purchasing program. That’s a gift of around $18,500 from our Government just to buy a $300,000 home compared to any other time in our history!

If you have been waiting and wondering when a good time to buy will be, NOW IS IT!!! We only have a few more months until ALL of these programs end and these INCREDIBLE savings will be history.

To find qualifying homes, go to http://www.homepath.com/ or contact me directly.

Seattle Magazine Honors Dan Keller As One of Seattle Area's Top Mortgage Professionals

My #1 objective when I entered this business full-time in 2007 was to ensure that my clients and their Realtors receive nothing less than an exceptional lending experience working with me and my team. It has taken a few years to iron out some wrinkles, and wrap my hands around this ever-changing business. But in 2009, things began to click, and not only did I have the time of my life funding purchase loans,but in the December 2009 Issue of Seattle Magazine, I was honored as one of the Top Mortgage Professionals in the Seattle Area. Click on the link to see the online version of what was published - Seattle Magazine "Best of 2009" -Seattle Area's Top Mortgage Professionals

It should be noted that without the tools that my broker gave me and the patience and guideance from my loan processor (who by the way is the World's Best not Seattle's Best, the World's Best loan processor), that my learning curve would have been exponentially wider... Thanks Randy and Thank you Naomi!

I look forward to another year of getting to meet many more GREAT people!
Whew-hoooo, Cheers!
Dan

Try To Keep A Dry Eye...

Ok, call me a wus, but if this doesn't put a tear in your eyes...
Humbly Yours,
Dan

You CAN Short Sale Your Home & Buy Now...

New HUD Short Sale Ruling: You CAN Short Sale Your Home And Buy Right Away...
There seems to be a lot of confusion out there about HUD's recent mortgagee letter 09-52 http://bit.ly/mortgagee09-52 which provides guidance for FHA borrowers after a short sale. Basically, the mortgagee letter states that a borrower will be eligible for FHA financing immediately after the completion of a short sale provided that the borrower was current on their mortgage at the time that their short sale occurred. Please read further! The mortgagee letter also states that the borrower will not be eligible if the purpose of the short sale was to "take advantage of market conditions and purchase a similar or superior property within a reasonable commuting distance".

So...what does that mean?

Sadly, HUD will not allow us short sale our house because we are underwater and turn right around and purchase a new one in order to improve our equity position. The "reasonable commuting distance" part is the key. The spirit of this mortgagee letter is to allow the homeowner that has been RELOCATED by his/her company to another metro area to purchase a home in the new metro area after the short sale in the old metro area. Also, there is consideration for a change in family size. For example, an increase in family size that would not be manageable in the current home or empty nesters looking to downsize. Relocation to a different metro area is not required when there is a change in family size.

If you have had to short sale a property and you do not meet the guidelines above, plan on three years before you will eligible to purchase a home with FHA financing.

Please also remember that the bank that provides your FHA financing can add their own guidelines on top of the HUD guidelines. Some FHA lenders may not approve your financing after a short sale even if you meet the HUD requirements because the bank may have an overlay that is specific to that particular institution. If you are considering a short sale of your home with the intention of purchasing a new home right away, please do your homework! Get pre-approved for the new financing first and disclose everything to your loan officer. Always work with a lender that you trust or get a referral for a lender from your family or your Realtor.

Sometimes, a short sale is unavoidable. There are certainly a lot of people that have found themselves in that circumstance. Sometimes, the short sale is a financial strategy. If that's the case, please make sure you are making the most educated decision possible. For more information on short sales, loan modifications, or your mortgage, please contact me directly and I am happy to refer you to an expert that I trust and know will give you the information you need to make the most informed decision as it pertains to your mortgage. Contact Dan Keller at: dan.mortgageadvisor@gmail.com or (425) 350-7136.

FEMA Revises Flood Plain Maps For 150 Cities

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) are updating flood hazard maps across the country. These new flood maps, also, known as Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps (DFIRMs), show flood risk at a property-by-property level. Changing weather patterns, erosion, and development can affect floodplain boundaries. The NFIP is currently updating and modernizing the nation’s Rate Maps. Your home could be affected by these changes. For more information to see if your home is affected by these changes, click here, FEMA.gov and type in your address. You may also call me for questions.

FYI – If your home falls into this new floodplain and you believe it is reported in error, the only way to contest this ruling in regards to financing or selling your home is to contact the county and request information on attaining a “Certificate of Elevation”. For more informaiton, please contact me directly and I can direct you to the right people to gather more information on the revised ruling, as well as helping you to attain flood insurance quotes. My e-mail address is dan.mortgageadvisor@gmail.com

New & Revised Home Buyer Tax Credit Extended

The much-anticipated extension & revision to the home buyer tax credit has finally been approved. The Senate's vote yesterday resulted in a 98-0 win and today it was passed in the house. The bill now moves to the President's desk for a final signature which he is expected to sign.

First-time home buyers have been eligible for tax credits of up to $8,000 since last January as part of this year's economic stimulus package. The newly backed program will expand the credit to include existing home owners.

Under the revised program, those who have owned a home for at least five years will be able to apply for tax credits of up to $6,500 when they purchase their next home. To qualify, buyers will have to sign a purchase agreement by April 30, 2010 and close by June 30.

The maximum purchase price on a home will be $800,000 with vacation homes not eligible. Income limitations are $125,000 for single tax payers and $225,000 for joint filers.

The National Association of Realtors (NAR), the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), the National Association of Mortgage Brokers (NAMB) have been lobbying hard for the extension and expansion of the tax credit. NAR claims that so far, about 1.4 million first-time homebuyers have qualified for the program and they estimated that 350,000 of these buyers would not have otherwise purchased.

The tax credit is also set to be extended for another year for military personnel serving outside of the United States until June 30, 2011.

Senator Johnny Isakson, who heavily pushed for the extension, along with his own version that would have increased the credit to $15,000 stated, "This is probably the last extension."

But, really? You think so? When April 2011 comes around and the housing market is still not in full recovery mode, will the politicians be able to let this go and actually come to an end, or could it possibly become a more permanent subsidy?

Keep tuned to http://www.mylenderdankeller.blogspot.com/

for more helpful market tips!