I attended the Inman Connect conference and was part of the audience during one of your panels. I like your thoughts on blogging and how social networking will be part of many agents daily routine. I noticed on your homepage you have a link to floor plans. Our company (currently based in LA County) has recently opened an office in SD County. I would be interested in speaking to you about our services and how we can help assist you with your web marketing efforts. Please see the link below:

http://www.floorplaninc.com/1455

–920 W Camile St., Santa Ana, CA 92703
–1 beds, 1.0 baths, 846 sq ft
–10/2001: purchase price of $210,000 prior to RE Bubble
–11/2005: purchased with 100% financed subprime money for $565,000
–11/2006: foreclosed to lender $478,000
–10/2007: purchase by investor-flipper for $304,500
–12/2007: transferred deed to Asset Disposition Venture Capital LLC
–01/2008: sold to Mario and Paula Gomez for “$625,000″

With the credit market tightening up, real estate professionals are getting mighty creative here. The investor-flipper does the usual lipstick on pig routine. The investment group then dangles a $30k incentive and a 52″ LCD TV to fish for a buyer with good credit.

The price is listed as $500,000 when the Gomezes came knocking, but that quickly changes to $625,000 when it comes time to close. With a mysterious “gift” of $125,000 already sitting in the escrow account, the Gomez signs away and disregards the minor technicality.

The escrow officer doesn’t mind either, in fact, “It sounds to me like the seller helped out,” she said. “If someone gave them $125,000, what’s the problem? That’s a beautiful thing, if you ask me.”

Well, that beautiful thing is straight up fraud! The bank is trying to get back to the traditional tried and true lending standard with minimum 20% down. So what are the real estate pros (cons) doing? They bypass that requirement by hiking up the price 20% and bestow upon the buyer a 20% gift, which just gets back to the seller at the close of escrow.

Just another way to defraud the gullible banks. With so many bad seeds infiltrating its ranks during the fraud infested Bubble Years, looks like the Ugliness that is the Real Estate Field is here to stay.

Was great to meet you at Inman. The “Oatmeal” quote was a classic!

Matt.

Next year I’m going to live life on the wild side and try and experience the ‘green days’ for myself. Chris hope you and your posse had a great time ( you know you’ve arrived when you have a posse) and EXTRA KUDOS to Steve for doing the dirty work….as we men were meant to do, especially in my house(you’re welcome honey). Looking forward to the info leaking out in the forthcoming days to those of us forever landlocked in the heartland.

Fantastic seeing you again. The pics of you in the Trulia Markerman outfit are classic……Jay was rocking the shoes so hard he didn’t want to take them off - said they were super squishy comfortable. Maybe we’ll seel them on zappos soon.

This week was a whirlwind…..I’m still catching may breath and trying to restore my voice which was lost do to all that “socializing”

Kris it was, as usual, an honor and pleasure to be in your company, and to share a panel with you (can I steal that photo?)

Your restraint was admirable, and something I’d like to emulate someday when and if I ever grow up.

You looked simply stunning in the Marker Man outfit. I can’t decide if the funniest part was you climbing the stairs, or trying to drink in that thing…

And those truly were the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever worn.