First Home - California

Jueves, 2 de mayo de 2024

Fecha del episodio: jueves, 2 de mayo de 2024 

Únanse al Departamento de Bienes Raíces (DRE) de California para conocer una historia real sobre estafa y fraude inmobiliarios, así como consejos para la protección del consumidor. En este episodio: Tratos deshonestos, les contamos un caso lleno de engaño y malas acciones premeditadas que ocurrió en el sur de California en un periodo de dos años. Justo cuando los posibles compradores de viviendas pensaron que sus depósitos de arras estaban en buenas manos y asegurarían la compra de una vivienda, comenzaron a darse cuenta de que algo no andaba bien. Nos acompaña una investigadora especial del Departamento de Bienes Raíces quien nos contará la historia de cómo una agente inmobiliaria estafó a más de cien compradores de viviendas confiados, compartirá información sobre las investigaciones del Departamento y consejos con respecto a cómo los consumidores se pueden proteger durante las transacciones inmobiliarias. 

Se cubrirán los siguientes temas: 

• Depósitos en garantías controlados por agentes inmobiliarios

Nuestra invitada para este episodio: Veronica Kilpatrick, Gerente de distrito/Investigadora especial supervisora II de DRE - San Diego 

Se recomienda la discreción del oyente: Este episodio del pódcast incluye ejemplos reales y algunos términos específicos de un caso anterior de ejecución de bienes raíces que involucra fraude. Para leer el expediente completo del caso de ejecución, visite: https://tinyurl.com/4h2vepfj 

Episode Date: Friday, April 12, 2024 

Join us, the California Department of Real Estate, for a true story of real estate fraud and deception, along with consumer protection tips. In this episode, Dishonest Dealings, we take you through a case full of misrepresentation and calculated wrongdoings that took place in Southern California across two years. Just when prospective homebuyers thought their security earnest money deposits were in safe hands and would secure a purchase of a home – they began to realize something was not right . We sit down with a Department of Real Estate special investigator who will tell us the story of how one realtor defrauded more than one hundred unsuspecting homebuyers, share insight into the Department’s investigations, and provide tips on how consumers can protect themselves during real estate transactions. 

Topics covered include: 

• Broker controlled escrows 

Our guest for this episode: Veronica Kilpatrick, DRE District Manager/Supervising Special Investigator II - San Diego 

Listener Discretion Advised: This podcast episode includes real examples and some case-specific language of a past real estate enforcement case involving fraud. To read the full enforcement case file, visit: https://www2.dre.ca.gov/hearingfiles/H41332LA_200203_P.pdf. 

In this episode we talk about how escrow works. When you’ve made a final offer on a home and reached an agreement with the seller, you start the escrow process in which a neutral third party manages funds and assets, and ensures all conditions of the sale are met before the property changes hands.

Topics covered include:

• When escrow officially starts

Our Guest:

• Lynn Bishop, Escrow Officer at Placer Title Company

In this episode we talk about how home appraisals work. In California, real estate appraisers are regulated by the Bureau of Real Estate Appraisers (BREA), and today we’re joined by BREA’s Bureau Chief Angela Jemmott.

In this episode we talk about what’s likely the most complex and most important part of the homebuying process.

Topics covered include:

• The legal paperwork you’ll need to review and sign before buying a new home.

Our Guest:

• Kevin Burke, Licensed Real Estate Broker and teacher of Real Property Law

In this episode we talk about one of the most stressful and exciting parts of the homebuying process, making an offer on a home.

Topics covered include:

• The mindset a first-time homebuyer should have about making an offer

Our Guest:

• Mike Shenkman, Licensed Real Estate Agent and lecturer at Department of Urban Studies and Planning at U.C. San Diego

Other Resources

Love Letters / Offer Letters

• New York Times  https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/17/realestate/you-love-that-house-but-should-you-write-a-love-letter.html

There are a lot of professionals who are going to be involved in your home purchase. But, none is going to be more important to you than the one we talk about in Episode #105. This episode covers how to find a real estate agent.

Topics covered include:

• The difference between a real estate agent and a realtor

Our Guests:

Chika Sunquist, Department of Real Estate’s Assistant Commissioner overseeing Enforcement

Mike Shenkman, Licensed Real Estate Agent and lecturer at Department of Urban Studies and Planning at U.C. San Diego

Other Resources:

Verify a Real Estate Agent’s License:        https://www2.dre.ca.gov/PublicASP/pplinfo.asp

DRE’s First Home – California Website:    https://dre.ca.gov/FirstHomeCalifornia

DRE Contact Center:                                 (877) 373-4542 (Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.)

California Association of Realtors:            https://www.car.org

In Episode #104 we take a deep dive on all the assistance programs available to first-time homebuyers here in California. A representative from the California  Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA) joins us.

Topics covered include:

CalHFA Down Payment Assistance Programs

• MyHome Assistance Program

Please note: On October 13, 2023, Eric Johnson from CalHFA released a video with the latest on the Dream For All shared appreciation loan program and address some of the misinformation that has been shared and posted about the program’s return. Watch the video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biT21WUCbII. 

CalHFA Government Loan Programs

• CalHFA FHA Loan Program
  

CalHFA Conventional Loan Programs

• CalHFA Conventional Loan Program
  

Other CalHFA Programs

• Section 184 Indian Home Loan Guarantee Program
  

Our Guest:

Eric Johnson, California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA)

Other Resources:

DRE Website: https://dre.ca.gov/FirstHomeCalifornia

Episode #103 gives you a close-up look at how down payments work.

A National Association of Realtors survey in 2021 found that 29% of first-time homebuyers said the down payment was the most difficult step in the home buying process.

Topics covered include:

• Why your down payment is important to you

Guest:

Mike Shenkman, Real Estate & Mortgage Expert, lecturer in the Urban Studies and Planning Department at University of California, San Diego.

Other Resources:

DRE Website: https://dre.ca.gov/FirstHomeCalifornia

We take a deep dive into home mortgages. This includes conventional, FHA and VA mortgages, as well as fixed-rate, adjustable-rate, and interest-only. We also discuss the difference between interest rate and annual percentage rate, pre-qualified and pre-approved, what's an amortization school, what's an impound account, how a mortgage buy down works, and what happens if your new home is appraised for less than the price you're paying. Plus, an overview of first-time homebuyer programs.

More at: https://dre.ca.gov/FirstHomeCalifornia