We hope you’re enjoying your Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Continue to enjoy family and friends (and try not to eat too much!).

Just a quick note to let you know we’re offering a 40% discount on the complete How to Start a Foreclosure Clean Up Business ebook line of products. That’s 40% off ANY product you order til Thursday, December 2nd. All you have to do is enter the Discount Code HOLIDAY as you’re checking out.

Everything You Need to Start a Foreclosure Cleaning Business — Quickly and Successfully!

We offer ebooks on everything from how to market your foreclosure cleaning business, to how to register your foreclosure cleanup business with HUD to get subcontracting jobs, to how to price foreclosure cleaning jobs for profit.

Special Ends on this Thursday, December 2nd.

You Can Start Part-time with Little Money!

This is a business you really can start part-time, with little start-up money. You can work it on the weekends and in the evenings until you build your business.

Unsolicited Testimonials

I just wanted to take a minute to commend you on your ebook about the foreclosure cleanup business. I am a licensed general contractor, certified home inspector and business owner of 8 years. I have been specializing in upscale residential remodeling for a number of years. I have been trying to expand my business services into the mortgage field services, property preservation and foreclosure cleanout arenas. Your ebook has provided me with some clear insight as to how to go about including this type of service in my business. Thanks for taking the time to provide this valuable information in a well written format. I will keep you posted on how things are going. Thank you and God bless!

Tim Gribben
Arrowhead Contractors, Inc.
Columbus, OH
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I purchased your e-book. Wow thanks for all the information. My wife and I started our cleaning business shortly after I retired from the military just under 6 months ago. We have done a little of everything from construction cleaning, foreclosures, and commercial and residential cleaning. The top 2 are foreclosures and construction clean-ups. We have been getting our foreclosures from a property preservation company. We have cleaned from 50 to 250 for closed homes. We are assigned the janitorial and yard cut work. We purchased your book in hopes of going to the next level of foreclosure cleaning, by getting our own contracts and learning to place bids. We are now incorporated and praying that our business reaches a level where we can help others.

Thank you,
Charles E. Piggee Jr.
Website: Raw Professional Cleaning Service
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Hello, my name is Nicole, I purchased your book about a week or two ago. I’ve read the entire book and have gotten the ball rolling, I have already started with registering my LLC … I am very excited about getting started, and I wanted to say thank your for all of your help in you book. I learned a lot and feel confident in getting started.

Nicole
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P.S.: View the Channel 11 news video featuring the ebook authoring company. If you’re really serious about starting this type of business, this is first-hand info from a leading foreclosure cleaning company in Atlanta you won’t find any place else. 

Related Posts

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A Boston mayor is killing two birds with one stone — helping neighborhoods keep foreclosed properties clean, and providing paid work for the community’s youth. The mayor said:

“The idea behind this is, we want to give these young people hope and opportunity,” . . . Gesturing toward the neatly-kept single-family homes along the street, he said, “Around here you see people who pay their taxes, and they want their neighborhood to be stable.”

The program through which the jobs are provided has been dubbed “The Mayor’s Clean Team.” And, it appears to be a hit with residents and youths alike.

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Cleaning Foreclosed Properties Spawning Many Community-Based Programs

It seems that many communities around the country are coming up with programs that not only keep foreclosed properties cleaned and from falling into disrepair, but are also putting municipality resources to good use.

Another example of this is Clayton County in Georgia, which uses inmates to help clean foreclosed properties. According to Clayton County city officials, this has saved the community some $250,000.

Related Posts

How Foreclosure Cleanup Companies Are Keeping Neighborhoods Safe

Foreclosure Auctions: Turf War Ensues Between Local Municipalities and Private Foreclosure Auction Firms (Opportunity Knocks for Foreclosure Business Owners)

Robosiging has investors clamoring for a resolution to the probe into foreclosure practices by lenders across the country. According to a report today on Bloomberg.com:

All 50 U.S. states are investigating whether banks and loan servicers used false documents and signatures to justify hundreds of thousands of foreclosures.

Home Foreclosure: What is Robosigning?

It’s the practice of employees of loan servicers signing documents to advance a foreclosure.

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As a result, many homeowoners who were foreclosed on have cried foul, saying that their homes were illegally foreclosed on. In October, large banks put a halt on foreclosures across the country. And, although many lenders have resumed the the foreclosure process, it’s left a trail of angry homeonwers, confused legislators, frustrated would-be buyers . . . and now investors.

Related Posts

Foreclosures for Sale: The Difference Between an REO and a Regular Foreclosure

Want to Buy Foreclosed Homes or Clean Foreclosed Properties? Contact a Certified Foreclosure Real Estate Agent: Here’s How & Why

Buy Foreclosures Cheap: Just What the Housing Market Needs to Get Moving Again

Home Foreclosure News: 1.2 Million Homes Lost to Recession (Foreclosures a Big Factor as Many Squeeze in w/Relatives & Friends)

P.S.: Like this post? Follow Foreclosure Business News on Twitter.

Copyright © 2010 Yuwanda Black for Foreclosure Business News. Article may not be reprinted or reproduced in any manner without the express, written consent of the author

Remember back in October when some large banks put a halt on foreclosures? Well, it’s coming back to haunt some would-be homeowners. Some are living in hotels now, making them virtually homeless, because they are in homeowner limbo.

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In what could be called “Robo Signing Gate,” the problem is that deals that were on the table before this whole mess started can’t proceed unless/until the banks get their in-house paperwork procedures all ironed out. According to the Bloomberg.com article, PNC Owns Empty House, Buyer in Motel Amid Foreclosure Mess:

. . . lenders delayed seizures almost two months ago to check their sworn court statements in thousands of foreclosures, a growing number of would-be buyers are struggling to close deals — a sign that the documentation mess is dragging on the market.

Home Foreclosures & the Qualified Buyers’ Dilemma

How long it’s going to take before all of this is cleared up is anyone’s guess. But one thing that real estate experts are worried about is the effect this is/will have on the housing market. Delays like this don’t help at all.

One banker commented:

Many of these transactions will probably never close . . .

With so much inventory on the market (ie, and shadow inventory in the wings) because of the foreclosure crisis, the last thing that needs to happen is for qualified buyers to be denied and/or delayed in purchasing because of waht is essentially and adminisitrative snafu (albeit, a big one).

So the lesson in buying foreclosed property in this day and age may be to hold on to your current residence until all the I’s are dotted and T’s are crossed — or reserve a suite at the Econolodge to wait it out.

Related Posts

Foreclosures for Sale: The Difference Between an REO and a Regular Foreclosure

Want to Buy Foreclosed Homes or Clean Foreclosed Properties? Contact a Certified Foreclosure Real Estate Agent: Here’s How & Why

Buy Foreclosures Cheap: Just What the Housing Market Needs to Get Moving Again

Home Foreclosure News: 1.2 Million Homes Lost to Recession (Foreclosures a Big Factor as Many Squeeze in w/Relatives & Friends)

P.S.: Like this post? Follow Foreclosure Business News on Twitter.

Copyright © 2010 Yuwanda Black for Foreclosure Business News. Article may not be reprinted or reproduced in any manner without the express, written consent of the author.

Many communities around the country are left with abandoned/foreclosed properties that become eyesores when they aren’t maintained. The grass gets overgrown, reptiles can take over, vagrant/gang activity can become a problem and a host of other negatives that no one wants to contend with if they’re a homeowner.

But, because so many properties are being foreclosed on these days, cities are having a hard time enforcing maintenance codes.

Foreclosure Cleanup: Prisoners Getting the Job Done

One metro Atlanta county has found — for now — a resolution: using prisoners to clean up foreclosed properties. The Atlanta Journal Constitution article, Clayton uses captive crews for foreclosure cleanup, states:

Many counties and cities use inmates to keep roads clean, but Clayton County is believed to be a pioneer in using prisoners to tackle its part of one of the nation’s biggest environmental headaches and cleanup jobs these days: foreclosed homes and abandoned properties.

3 Advantages of Using Inmates to Clean Foreclosed Properties

Saves Taxpayers Money: According to the article, using inmates will save Clayton County about a quarter of a million dollars that would have gone to private contractors (eg, foreclosure cleanup companies).

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Helps Inmates Give Back to Community: When you commit a crime, you in essence take away from a community. This is one way for prisoners to positivel give back to neighborhoods they’ve harmed.

Get More Properties Cleaned: Ostensibly, more properties can be cleaned up (and quicker) if inmates are used because there’s no need to contract with private foreclosure cleaning companies, wait to be put on the schedule, etc. As inmates are under the control of a city/state, they can be transported to properties easily to get the work done.

While this may rankle those who own foreclosure cleaning businesses in the area, there’s still plenty of work to go around for everyone. The communities where foreclosed properties are being cleaned up are the real winners, and that’s always good news for city officials.

Related Posts

How Foreclosure Cleanup Companies Are Keeping Neighborhoods Safe

Foreclosure Auctions: Turf War Ensues Between Local Municipalities and Private Foreclosure Auction Firms (Opportunity Knocks for Foreclosure Business Owners)

What do you think? Do you think it’s a good idea for inmates to be used to clean foreclosed properties? Let us know in the comments section below.

P.S.: Like this post? Follow Foreclosure Business News on Twitter.

Copyright © 2010 Yuwanda Black for Foreclosure Business News. Article may not be reprinted or reproduced in any manner without the express, written consent of the author.

For the last few years, cleaning businesses have dominated the list of best small businesses to start, according to Entrepreneur, an authority website on entrepreneurship. And it’s looking like this is not going to change anytime soon. All of this makes foreclosure clean up a top small business opportunity for 2011 – and beyond.

4 Reasons Foreclosure Cleaning Remains a Hot Small Business Opportunity

If you’re willing to put in the work, you can grow a foreclosure clean up business as big, or keep it as small, as you want. It remains a very real opportunity for those who are serious about owning a business, for the following reasons:

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Post Continued Below: Get your foreclosure cleanup “Business in a Box” and start this lucrative business right now for 40% Off! Click the box to learn how.

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I. Commercial Cleaning in General is a Fast-Growing, Top-Rated Business Opportunity

In 2010, according to the above-mentioned website, Entrepreneur, six of the top 10 fastest growing franchises were some type of commercial cleaning firm. They are:

Jan-Pro, No. 1

Stratus Building Solutions, No. 3

Anago Cleaning Systems, No. 5

CleanNet USA Inc., No. 7

Bonus Building Care, No. 8; and

Vanguard Cleaning Systems, No. 10

And it gets even better, in 2010, two of the Top 10 franchises to start were some type of commercial cleaning company (Jani-King and ServPro).

Fluke? Or, are the numbers saying something? Commercial cleaning in general is an evergreen enterprise and the reason is simple: as long as real estate is bought and sold, it will need to be cleaned and maintained.

And, this is exactly what foreclosure cleanup companies do – they trash out, clean up and maintain properties for lenders until they can be sold or rented.

II. Shadow Inventory Represents Opportunity for Cleaning Foreclosed Properties

If you’ve never heard of shadow inventory, you may not realize just how big an opportunity it represents if you want to start a business cleaning foreclosures.

Shadow inventory is simply foreclosed properties, or those that are about to be foreclosed on, that are on a lender’s books that they haven’t listed for sale yet. The foreclosure crisis has banks drowning in foreclosed properties.

One of the main reasons banks keep shadow property is that they don’t

The “shadow inventory” of unlisted bank-owned homes and potential foreclosures increased to 2.1 million units in August [2010], up 10% from one year earlier, . . . That’s around eight months of supply, compared to a five-months’ supply one year ago.

III. Pretenders are Falling by the Wayside

What do I mean by this? Whenever there’s a “hot” small business opportunity, many jump on the bandwagon to make a quick buck. But, once the realize that no matter how sizzling an opportunity is, that running a business is work, many quickly fold up shop.

These are what I call “pretenders.” As long as they think it’s easy to open a business and have the money start to roll in, they’re interested. But, once they see that you have to market, deal with clients, do bookkeeping, etc., they quickly scuttle off to the next “hot” opportunity – always thinking that it’s going to be easier.

It never is.

Foreclosure cleanup is like any other business – you have to work at it to be successful And, a lot of times success means hanging in there – toughing it out longer than the next guy. That’s why being successful is easier the longer you’re in business.

You simply outlast the competition.

And who do the customers they had turn to when they fall by the wayside – you. The real deal. The foreclosure cleanup business owner who remains standing when all the pretenders fall by the wayside.

IV. Foreclosure Clean Up is an Evergreen Business

The beautiful thing about cleaning foreclosed properties is that it’s an evergreen business. As long as real estate is bought and sold, there will be a need for the type of services this type of business offers. For, you don’t have to work on “just” foreclosed properties.

You can with new home realtors who need properties to be maintained, short sale/REO realtors who need properties cleaned out, homeowners who need winterization and other services, etc.

When you own a foreclosure clean up business, you’re in the real-estate services business. And, this can mean everything from repairing sheetrock in homes for resale to replacing locks on homes where owners have been evicted.

And, you can work with realtors, city housing authorities, existing homeowners, short sale specialists, general contractors, etc.

The need for the types of services foreclosure cleaning businesses offer is endless – which makes bringing in the business that much easier.

Related Posts

Stop Foreclosure: The Secret Your Lender Won’t Tell You That Can Help Save Your Home

Foreclosure Cleaning: Why It’s a Leading Small Biz Opportunity for 2010

5 Reasons Foreclosure Cleaning Businesses are Ideal Startups for Realtors

Why Foreclosure Cleaning Companies Will Be Profitable for Years to Come

Learn more about what’s happening in the home foreclosure market right now (making foreclosure cleaning an excellent small business opportunity) in the video below.

In spite of some good news on the home foreclosure front, it always seems that once you start to dig deeper, there’s always another hurdle to the housing market being able to get on solid ground; ie, on the road to recovery.

The latest threat to a housing market recovery is shadow inventory. What is it, and how can it benefit you if you want to prevent foreclosure?

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Home Foreclosure News: “Shadow Inventory” Explained

Shadow inventory are properties that have either been already repossessed by lenders, or are so seriously delinquent that they are on the brink of foreclosure. And, according to a report on CNN Money, there are some 2.1 million of these in existence. And, once they hit the market, it’s not going to be pretty.

Why/How Shadow Inventory Hurts the Housing Market Recovery

In order to understand how these types of properties hurt the housing market recovery, you must first understand how shadow inventory comes about. As we discussed in this article back in February about banks purposely NOT foreclosing on homeowners:

By holding off on foreclosure, lenders allow home prices to recover to some degree. But it’s a “faux housing recovery” — at best. Lenders do this because so many homeowners are underwater. They lose when this happens because it’s more likely that a struggling homeowner will walk away from the property (ie, do the jingle mail walk). Or, they may do a short sale or file for bankruptcy. All of this hurts a lender’s bottom line.

This is just one reason. Others are that banks don’t want to write down principles on mortgages; they want to take losses in small doses; they want to avoid being responsible for properties they can’t manage; etc.

Whatever the reason, shadow inventory hurts the housing market recovery because:

(i) It stockpiles inventory: According the the CNN Money article, Houses-for-sale measure lifted by foreclosures:

. . . there were 2.1 million homes either in this officially uncounted inventory as of the end of August. That grew from 1.9 million units 12 months earlier. The potential extra supply raises the risk of further home price declines . . .

This is a simple case of supply and demand. If there is a glut of homes on the market for potential buyers to choose from, it depresses prices overall.

(ii) It keeps homeowners stuck: This piggybacks on the last point. When there are a glut of homes on the market, existing homeowners who may want/need to sell have a harder time doing so. This means they can’t get on with their lives. In the case of homeowners who need to sell, it may mean eventual foreclosure as they run out of money to pay the mortgage. And, if they can’t sell, then foreclosure becomes their only option.

Shadow Inventory: Good News for Homeowners Who Want to Stop Foreclosure?

One bright side for struggling homeowners is that shadow inventory means that a lot of banks are holding off on foreclosure, and even working with homeowners who are severely behind on their mortgages (ie, 90 days or more late). As The Washington Post article, Not Paying the Mortgage, Yet Stuck With the Keys, states:

More than ever, foreclosure has become an unattractive outcome for lenders. . . . For some homeowners, the foreclosure delays have provided needed breathing room to try to save their home, giving them a chance to live for free for a while or to work out a deal to save their property.

Can Shadow Inventory Help You Save Your Home/Stop Foreclosure?

So if you’re trying to stop foreclosure and are severely behind on your mortgage, all hope is not lost. Call your lender; try to negotiate.

Lenders are more willing than ever to work with homeowners who are having trouble paying their mortgage because if they foreclose, your home becomes their headache (eg, maintaing the property, keeping it secure from vandals/vagrants, paying the property taxes, HOA dues, etc.).

As banks are in the business of lending money (not real estate/property preservation), you may be pleasantly surprised at the results you can get with some persistence.

Read more on Shadow Inventory in the Following Articles

Shadow Inventory of Homes Rising

Banks are dragging out the foreclosure process for their own selfish reasons

Email from a reader, on not being foreclosed on

Learn much about shadow inventory in the video below.

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The home foreclosure crisis has spawned some awful stories — from families being left homeless, to others taking drastic actions with legal consequences. But the most tragic of all perhaps involves the loss (or the attempted loss) of life.

This week, in two separate cases, this is exactly what happened.

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Body Found in a Foreclosed Home in Florida

In one case, a body was found in one foreclosed home. The new owner found the body in a car in the garage. No one knows who it is or how long it had been there. But, it is suspected to be the body of the previous owner, as she had been missing for some time according to neighbors.

Read the full account at Body in 1 forelosed Fla. home, death in another.

Suicide Attempt by Florida Homeowner Who Loses Home to Foreclosure

In this case, the homeowner had lost his home to foreclosure after a two year battle. When he heard officers drilling through the lock on the front door as they came to evict him, 71-year old Boyd Rubright shot himself in the mouth with a 357 magnum. As of this writing, he is in critical condition.

Read the full story at Gulfport man tries to kill himself as bank forecloses on his home.

The Foreclosure Crisis Has Increased the Number of Suicides and Other Stress-Related Illnesses for the Last Few Years

This is a finding as far back as 2008. The USA Today article, Foreclosures take an emotional toll on many homeowners, states:

“Suicides are very much tied to the economy,” says Kathleen Hall, founder and CEO of The Stress Institute in Atlanta. “It’s a public-health issue.” . . . In many cases, psychiatrists say, financial stresses, such as those caused by the mortgage crisis, tend to bring pre-existing mental-health issues to the surface. Studies also show a strong connection between financial distress and emotional stress, including anxiety, depression, insomnia and migraines.

With the home foreclosure crisis raging on, one can only surmise more stories like this will be hitting the newswires. But, we all pray not.

Related Posts

Florida Foreclosure Law: How to Get Your Home Back Even After It’s Sold at Auction

Florida Foreclosures: Good News for Homeowners — Court Requires Mediation before Foreclosure

Florida Foreclosure Law: Chief Justice Orders Foreclosure Hearings to be Open to the Public

Foreclosure Laws in Florida: A Quick Overview of the Home Foreclosure Process in the Sunshine State

Florida Foreclosure Lawyer Making a Mint: One Fl Attorney says, “Murderers get more due process than homeowners being foreclosed upon”

Florida Foreclosure Law: Condo Associations Caught in the Middle When Lenders Won’t Foreclose & Owners Stop Paying the Mortgage

P.S.: Get Foreclosure Cleaning Jobs: Learn exactly what you need to know to register with your local housing authority to get foreclosure cleaning jobs.

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Florida is number two in the nation when it comes to home foreclosures (Nevada is #1), and many of them are condos bought by owners who use them as second homes, ie, vacation homes, retirement homes, and rental income units.

With the economic problems the country has faced the last few years, many of these condo owners have fallen on hard times. Hence, they’ve abandoned their condos. This has left many condo associations holding the bag.

Because of this, you could make the case that new foreclosure laws are being written in Florida when it comes to condominiums. In essence, condo associations are forcing lenders to foreclose on individual condo owners because they are being stuck with the fees (maintenance, association,property taxes, etc.) when many owners simply abandon their units.

How and why is laid out in the Washington Post article, Condo groups facing unpaid dues push for foreclosures. But the gist of it is this:

On Jan. 12, a judge in the Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Florida, which covers Miami-Dade County, ordered that title to a condominium unit be turned over to the bank. In effect, this shortcut the foreclosure process, and the bank did not have to comply with the procedural steps normally required under Florida law.

Related Posts

Florida Foreclosure Law: How to Get Your Home Back Even After It’s Sold at Auction

Florida Foreclosures: Good News for Homeowners — Court Requires Mediation before Foreclosure

Florida Foreclosure Law: Chief Justice Orders Foreclosure Hearings to be Open to the Public

Foreclosure Laws in Florida: A Quick Overview of the Home Foreclosure Process in the Sunshine State

Florida Foreclosure Lawyer Making a Mint: One Fl Attorney says, “Murderers get more due process than homeowners being foreclosed upon”

P.P.S.: Like this post? Follow Foreclosure Business News on Twitter.
Copyright © 2010 Yuwanda Black for Foreclosure Business News. Article may not be reprinted or reproduced in any manner without the express, written consent of the author.