Foreclosure is a term many people may have heard of yet are unsure as to what the term means exactly. Foreclosure is something which affects homeowners who have a mortgage or lien on their home and do not own the house outright. There are a few things which homeowners should be aware of with regard to foreclosure in order to prevent this from happening to them.

What Is Foreclosure?

Foreclosure is when a lender who currently holds a mortgage on one’s home can come in and repossess the home due to a number of reasons but mainly for nonpayment of a mortgage. For those individuals whose home is less valuable than their current loan balance, they may also owe a deficiency judgment as a result thereof.

How Do Foreclosures and Deficiency Judgments Affect the Individual?

There are many ways in which foreclosures and/or deficiency judgments can affect an individual. First and foremost, when a home is foreclosed upon that individual loses their living quarters plus any money which they have already paid for the home. When one has a deficiency judgment issued against them they will find that they will owe varying sums of money in order to make up the difference between the value of the home and the outstanding loan on the home. Also, it is important to note that either one of these incidents can affect the credit of an individual and cause a blemish on their credit rating for years to come.

Ways to Prevent Foreclosure

There are a few ways in which homeowners paying mortgages can avoid foreclosure on their beloved home. The first way in which to do so is to pay the mortgage bill on time. This is the primary answer for those who ask how to avoid foreclosure. For those who have difficulty with doing so from time to time, there are other ways to prevent this from occurring.

The homeowner should always address letters from the lender which revolve around late payments. Within these letters the homeowner will find important information that tells the homeowner what to do if they are having trouble making payments. The letter will ultimately include phone numbers and names of contact individuals at the financial institution so that they can discuss their payment issues with a lender representative. It is crucial for the homeowner to speak with the lender and not bury their head in the sand to avoid it. Avoiding a problem such as nonpayment of mortgages will not make it go away and will only make it worse.

Individuals who are having trouble making mortgage payments should also be certain to stay in their homes and not abandon the property in any way. This will only hurt the individual in the long run and make foreclosure even that much more of a possibility.

Lastly, if the home is a HUD home, there are HUD counseling agencies which will aid the homeowner in preventing foreclosure issues from arising. The homeowner should contact HUD authorities to discuss ways in which to keep their home and make payments.

Possible Alternatives to Foreclosure

For those individuals who have trouble making mortgage payments on their home and fear foreclosure, it is important to know about other alternatives which may be recommended besides the dreadful foreclosure. Not all of these alternatives will apply to each and every individual but some may prove to be very handy when all is said and done. The first is called a special forbearance.

The special forbearance is something which may be arranged by the lender whereby the homeowner receives a payment schedule adjustment and may also receive a suspension of payments for a certain period of time. The representative of the lender will discuss options with the homeowner and after reviewing their situation decide if a special forbearance is warranted.

Another alternative to foreclosure is the mortgage modification. A mortgage modification is where the homeowner has the option to extend the loan period or refinance their current loan to get a lower rate and therefore have lower monthly payments. This is a wonderful option for those individuals who do not make enough each month at the moment to currently pay their mortgage.

A partial claim is another alternative for homeowners facing foreclosure to consider. The partial claim is available to those individuals who have HUD loans. With this payment alternative, the Department of Housing and Urban Development would help the homeowner bring their mortgage up to the current balance by paying the money which is overdue. This is a way to help the homeowner get out from under the mounting debt and then try to get them on the right payment schedule.

Some individuals may find that selling their home is the best bet and they can do so by way of a pre-foreclosure sale. This allows the individual to sell their home for an amount less than the total mortgage amount due prior to having it sold via foreclosure sale.

Lastly, one may be able to submit a deed in lieu of foreclosure. Although this still will not prevent the homeowner from losing their house, it will help them in the long run by not having a foreclosure on their credit history.

Summary

Foreclosure is a serious matter for homeowners to face. However, it is important to know that there are ways to prevent foreclosure and alternatives to foreclosure do exist should such a thing be necessary in the end.

Where do most investors turn to when they seek foreclosure opportunities? Sure, they take a look at free foreclosure listings or even sources of foreclosure listings that they pay for. While these sources may lead to productive and profitable deals, investors often shy away from what I think is an untapped market in the world of foreclosures and foreclosure investing. What is this market? What do you need to know in order to tap into these preforeclosure opportunities.

This often overlooked market niche in the world of foreclosure investing is luxury home foreclosures. Many investors shy away from them, even if they represent good short sale opportunities, because of the bigger price tag. Folks, foreclosures are like any other type of real estate in that it comes down to the quality of the deal. If luxury home foreclosures mean getting deals 30-50% below market value, aren’t these foreclosures at least worth considering?

Foreclosure investing is an amazing opportunity but there are many aspects to consider, especially if you are really going to learn real estate short sales or venture into the deep end of the pool with profitable luxury home foreclosures. Good foreclosure training and good short sale training programs cover all the features you need to learn, including marketing, negotiations, raising capital, and even the emotional aspect of the sale, a natural by-product of foreclosures that can often complicate short sale deals.

My efforts here are to assure you that there are indeed unlimited deals to be found within the realm of foreclosures, and that includes properties of all shapes and sizes. Whether you’re just curious how to make money with foreclosures or really dive in and engage in serious short sale training (sometimes called loss mitigation training), then you owe it to yourself to check out my Preforeclosure Cash Flow System and the many short sale training modules within it that cover how to really launch your foreclosure business.

In closing, the entirety of the foreclosure process is ripe with deals that are there for the picking. In today’s market, the short sale process is as much as part of foreclosures as any other part of the business. This is especially true when it comes to luxury home foreclosures. When you are serious about really building your business, take my advice, and commit yourself to real estate short sale training. You will learn how to make money with foreclosures and you will also learn how to master short sales like a business pro. I wish you the very best in success in real estate investing.

To get a Free Online Foreclosures Training Course in Short Sales

Where do most people turn when they seek opportunities in real estate foreclosure investing? Sure, they take a look at free foreclosure listings or even sources of foreclosures that they pay for. While these sources may lead to productive and profitable deals, they also usually require extensive marketing and business promotion in order these preforeclosure opportunities to be most meaningful in real estate foreclosure investing. How do you learn how to do these things in your pursuit of foreclosures? The key is real estate training and, more specifically foreclosure training/short sale training.

With all the real estate foreclosure investing options out there, I think the greatness of the current market also can be risky for the investor because, without the proper short sale training or even basic foreclosure training, you run the risk of not really knowing what you are doing. Profits can be lost and so too can foreclosure opportunities when you lack the proper real estate foreclosure investing training.

Real estate foreclosure

investing is an amazing opportunity but there are many aspects to consider, especially if you are really going to learn real estate short sales. Good foreclosure training and good short sale training programs cover all the features you need to learn, including marketing, negotiations, and even the emotional aspect of the sale, a natural by-product of foreclosures that can often complicate short sale deals.

My efforts here are to assure you that there are indeed unlimited deals to be found within the realm of real estate foreclosure investing. Whether you’re just curious how to make money with foreclosures or really dive in and engage in serious real estate foreclosure investing (made easier with quality loss mitigation training), then you owe it to yourself to check out my Preforeclosure Cash Flow System and the many short sale training modules within it that cover how to really launch your career in real estate foreclosure investing.

In closing, the entirety of the foreclosure process is ripe with deals that are there for the picking. In today’s market, the short sale process is as much as part of real estate foreclosure investing as any other part of the business. Look at other types of foreclosures too and keep your eyes open because the deals are out there. I also suggest that you commit yourself to real estate short sale training, and your pursuit of real estate foreclosures, investing in them, and profitability will be more productive and more rewarding. I wish you the very best in success in real estate foreclosure investing and in business as a whole.

By D.C. Fawcett, Business Building Coach to the Foreclosure Industry

For more information visit: http://www.realestateforeclosuresinvesting.com

Profit from foreclosures is more than buying a property at a foreclosure auction for pennies and then reselling that property for a windfall gain the next day. There are other possibilities. In this article, we will consider three ways you can profit from foreclosures.

1) Bid at the foreclosure sale

2) Buy an REO from the lender

3) Negotiate a sale with the distressed property owners

The Foreclosure Process

When borrowers fail to make their scheduled mortgage payments, or when owners fail to pay their property taxes or some related obligation such as homeowners’ association fees or special assessments, transfer a mortgaged property without lender approval, or undertake renovations that diminish the value of the property, because a contract is shirked, foreclosure can occur.

A legal “notice of default” or a “lawsuit to foreclose” (depending on the state) is typically filed to initiate a foreclosure. This formally announces to the property owners, other parties who may have legal claims against the owners or their property, and the public in general that legal action is moving forward to force a sale of the property. This notice is delivered to the borrower at least one month before a sale (typically between 60 to 180 days) and subsequently posted on the Internet or in newspapers as public notice.

In response, the borrower can do several things to prevent or delay the process.

1) Workout the loan with the lender and perhaps reinstate or even refinance their mortgage defaults.

2) File a legal defense against the lender and in turn drag the process into court and delay it for a year or longer.

3) File for bankruptcy and automatically stay the action. Bankruptcy courts have even been known to annul a foreclosure sale that has already occurred.

Okay, but with no loan workout, and when legal defenses or delaying tactics are ignored or run out, the sale date arrives and the property is auctioned to the highest cash bidder. Thus bringing us to the first way you might profit from foreclosures.

The Foreclosure Sale

Though foreclosure sales typically lose money for lenders, lien holders, and property owners because foreclosed property sells at a price lower than market value, foreclosure auctions are not that easy because they are not a typical market value transaction.

No information about the property is given other than its legal description. You must pay cash. There is no “contingency” allowance for financing. The property is sold “as is” with no guarantees or assurances about the title, condition, environmental hazards, or even that the property will be conveyed free of occupants (you may inherit the owner, tenants, or squatters).

It’s true that savvy bidders can turn big profits at the auctions, but there is a caveat. Never bid blind at a foreclosure sale — you have to do your homework.

REOs

Lenders that win the bid at an auction classify and sell the property as an REO (“real estate owned”). Thus bringing us to the second way you can profit from foreclosures — purchase an REO direct from a mortgage lender.

Since lenders often want to remove REOs from their books as quickly as possible, they may grant buyers favorable terms such as low or no closing costs, below-market interest rates, and low down payments. Moreover, when the property needs fix-up work, lenders are prone to accept offers at a discount price. Lenders don’t give REOs away, but you can get good deals.

You can find REOs by attending and following up after foreclosure sales, or by contacting a real estate agent who markets REO listings.

Distressed Owners

Lastly, you can profit from foreclosures by buying property from distressed owners.

Divorce, job loss, accident, illness, business failure, and other setbacks do cause people to miss mortgage payments and get into foreclosure. You may be able to help them salvage their credit record and some equity, while at the same time secure a bargain for yourself.

But the “get rich quick” gurus greatly exaggerate the possibilities of profiting from property owners who face foreclosure. The reality is that when you talk with property owners in default, you’re far more likely to uncover a minefield of problems requiring skill and creativity then just a simple deal.

Owners who are in foreclosure, for instance, typically owe more on their mortgage than their properties are worth. This means you must talk the lender into a “short sale”. The lender must be willing to reduce the balance due on its loan so you are able to receive a reasonable profit for agreeing to make up delinquent payments and take over the loan. This is not easy.

Furthermore, many who face foreclosure contend with the claims of multiple creditors. You must be sure that none of those creditors has filed a lis pendens, or the IRS a tax lien. If so, you will have to clean it up to gain clear title.

Moreover, before you finalize a pre-foreclosure purchase, be sure to thoroughly inspect the property and accurately estimate the costs of repairs, renovations, and perhaps environmental cleanup. You will never profit from foreclosures if you gloss over property inspections and make only an eyeball guesstimate of expected costs.

Finally, bear in mind that someone facing foreclosure will not be an easy person to deal with. So don’t act like a shark. Instead of a “Here’s my offer-take it or leave it” approach, why not take a sensitive, empathetic, problem-solving approach. You’re more likely to come up with a win-win agreement.

Here’s to your success.

Defining the loss mitigation process:

For all practical purposes, loss mitigation can best be viewed as a powerful weapon that can stop your pending home foreclosure dead in its tracks. The loss mitigation process itself is without bounds, but always involves effective communication to be successful. If you are too stressed out about the possibility of foreclosure to represent yourself effectively throughout the loss mitigation process, then you need to employ a professional foreclosure consultant. They, like the loss mitigation teams employed by your mortgage lender, are experts that deal with these issues on a daily basis.

The loss mitigation process involves a set of tools that you as the homeowner are privy to. You can utilize these tools to achieve victory from a seemingly bleak situation. Negotiating with your lender, or having a professional foreclosure consultant to do it for you, is your ticket to retaining ownership of your home. Before we go further, please realize that millions of Americans are at risk of foreclosure even as you read this. Lenders appreciate a motivated homeowner who cares enough to communicate regularly with them and that tries to initiate positive plans of action to bring their loan current. Nobody wants you to lose your home to foreclosure.

The loss mitigation process can do more than just stop the foreclosure process; it can protect the equity that you have built up over the years in your home. With proper loss mitigation techniques employed, your lender will be more than happy to work with you and develop a plan for mutual satisfaction and appeasement. Loss mitigation involves a set of utilities that can stop a foreclosure. They include:

-Partial claims;

-An “In-Lieu” Deed of foreclosure;

-Forbearance agreements;

-Mortgage refinancing;

-Modification of your loan;

- And more…

The ultimate goal for all loss mitigation is to stop the foreclosure process and to establish a mutually beneficial plan for repayment of the mortgage loan including payment amounts and dates. However, nothing is set in stone and unless you are able to convince your lender’s loss mitigation specialists that you are a worthy gamble, they will still elect to go ahead with the foreclosure. Remember: their job is to minimize the losses that will be incurred by the lending institution – not to keep you in your home. If you are unable to thoroughly convince them that your plan is better for them than a foreclosure will be, then they will certainly foreclose. It’s just business in its raw form.

Stopping foreclosure is all about two things: loss mitigation and time. Once the foreclosure process begins, it seems that time cannot be slowed even for a second. The pressures continue to build and it can make you feel helpless – like there’s just no hope. But, there is! Consider having a professional foreclosure consultant assist you with your loss mitigation process every step of the way. It will save you time, money, frustration, worry, embarrassment and mistakes. It will also very likely keep you and your family in your home where you should be. Contact us at Stop Foreclosure Help Today and let’s discuss your possibilities.

For most of us in the middle class, building a home is a lifetime project. Most of us plough the major part of our savings into making the dream home where we can hope to be safe, and comfortable. But what if those very dreams are threatened by foreclosure? We can stop foreclosure in many cases. With some foreclosure help, you’ll know what to do in the situation to prevent foreclosure from snatching your home.

One important thing you need to remember is that to stop foreclosure, you are going to have to repay back that loan. All the measures that you can take will only help to delay, or reschedule the repayments. They will not give you a free ticket to keep your home. So seek foreclosure help only if your intent is to ultimate repay the loan.

Here’s another reason why you will want to avoid foreclosure. Foreclosure not only takes away your property it also lowers your credit ranking. Once you’ve gone through foreclosure, it will be harder for you to get loans. That’s why it is even more important for you to seek foreclosure help and stop foreclosure to save your credit rating.

The first thing that you should do to stop foreclosure is talk to your lender. Most lenders don’t want to go for foreclosure because it’s a tedious process and often results in a loss for them. They’d rather have you repay the loan. If you explain your financial predicament to the lender, and also give them a reasonable time period in which you can start repaying your loan, you won’t even need foreclosure help as the lender might agree to reschedule your payments.

The second thing you need to do is to continue living in the home that threatened by foreclosure. If you live in the house, the lender will find it harder to foreclose. So to stop foreclosure, and to force the lender to be more generous with the deal they give you, live in the house. That’s what you’ll hear when you seek professional foreclosure help.

One of the most viable options to re-work your debt is to ask for special forbearance. If you can show conclusive evidence to your lender that there’s a negative change in your financial position, or your living expenses have gone up, the lender might give you this options and you’ll be able to stop foreclosure. Under this system the lender will temporarily reduce your repayments or even suspend them for a while. You’ll also have to show the lender that you’ll be able stick to the new plan.

The second option is to modify your mortgage and increase the loan’s term. Stretched over a longer term, the monthly installments will go down. You’ll have to convince the lender that you’ll stick to the new payment plan to stop foreclosure. So if you think you can repay your loan over a longer period of time, contact your lender for foreclosure help.

The third option is to seek a little help from FHA insurance fund. The lender can ask the insurance fund to pay some amount on your behalf to bring your mortgage to current levels. You’ll have to sign an promissory note and pay back FHA later. The amount that FHA gives you is interest free. Seeking foreclosure help this way is viable if you really wan to stop foreclosure.

For more resources about stop foreclosure or even about foreclosure help please review this page http://www.delaybankforeclosure.com

The present economic turmoil that we are in right now has created several investment opportunities in the real estate industry sector.  With the misfortune for most of us come the great opportunities for others from a real estate foreclosure list.

The depressed condition in the real estate business and the sub-prime mortgage meltdown has led to the creation of a new phenomenon in the real estate industry-a long foreclosure list.

Those with enough equity should explore investment options available through a real estate foreclosure list.  However, they should be able to see through the foreclosure list the ‘best buys’ from the ‘bad buys.’

Tips for First Time Buyers from a Foreclosure List

Once we recognize the vast investment opportunities from a foreclosure list, the next thing to do is to look for the right real estate property to buy.

Businesses would be where to look for the real estate foreclosure list.  The mortgage lender and the financing companies have a complete foreclosure list.  You can also get the foreclosure list from an agent or brokers who handle the foreclosed properties on behalf of the mortgage lender.  Finally, the internet can give a lot of sites with the information about foreclosed properties for sale.

The essential aspect of this business option is the information available and how you effectively use them when making your decision. Some buyers of real estate properties from a foreclosure list even go a bit further by contacting the present owner of a real property which is about to be included in the foreclosure list.  You should be very cautious with pre-foreclosure approach, as it might lead you to more complications and problems.

The best thing to do at the moment is to focus your attention on real estate properties that are on the foreclosure list already.  What is good about these properties on the foreclosure list are that they can give you the best possible deals especially for those prime real estate properties you would not normally get at discounted prices.

In general, the foreclosed real estate properties are sold at prices that are lower than the real value as mortgage lenders are pressed to dispose of these assets to ease their liquidity problems. A good buy would normally constitute to about 5 percent to 50 percent of the fair market value of the real property.

When you are finally at the stage of doing some serious scouting for the prime property to buy, decide whether it is going to be a buy to keep or a buy to resell.  There are some houses that would require simple repairs before it is again ready for the selling block.   However, if you intend to keep a particular property included in the foreclosure list, you have to consider the long term requirements of the structure as far as repair of damages and the defects are concerned.

Buyers are also advised to do an extensive research for information related to the particular real estate property you are interested in.  There may be some properties that despite the repairs that are put in by the buyers, it may not fetch any substantial increase in its price in the market.  It is essential to seek the services of an assessor to give you a fair estimate of the value of the real estate property in the foreclosure list.

Metropolitan Regional Information System just released information on Arlington Real Estate Statistics for January 2007 comparing to January 2006:

• Total Sold Dollar Volume decreased 12.54% from $103,417,056 to $ 90,451,423

• Average Sales Price decreased 15.42% from $587,597 to $496, 986

• Median Sold Price decreased 16.75% from $522,500 to $435,000

• Total Units Sold increased 3,41% from 176 to 182

• Average days on the market increased from 51 to 82

• Average Sales Price as a percentage of Average List Price decreased from 95.42% to 93.15%

• There is a total of 762 available listings (404 of them are condos/co-ops)

• Total of 182 units sold during January

• Total of 262 were marked Contract or Contingent.

Here are the statistics for Arlington Real Estate by Zip Code (You can search for available homes by Zip Code at www.TheArlingtonExpert.com ):

• 22202 – Crystal City/Pentagon City – Average Sold Price decreased 26.49% from $683,444 to $502,400

• 22201 – Clarendon, part of Ballston, Courthouse, etc. – Average Sold price decreased 26.13% from $530,000 to $391,500

• 22204 – Columbia Pike area – Average Sold Price decreased 13.75% from $435,868 to $375, 916

• 22205 – West Arlington area – Average Sales Price decreased 11.19% from $ 685,342 to $608,633

• 22206 Zip Code – Shirlington/Fairlington area – Average Sales Price decreased 15.12% from $452,100 to $383,723

• 22207 Zip Code – North Arlington area – Average Sales Price decreased 5.83% from $890,430 to $838,516

• 22209 Zip Code – Rosslyn area – Average Sales Price decreased 21.27% from $465,665 to $364,250

• 22213 Zip Code – West Arlington – Average Sales Price decreased 0.06% from $562,450 to $562,089

• 22203 Zip Code – Ballston area – Average Sales Price decreased 16.18% from $506,060 to $424,185

Information in the article is deemed reliable, but not guaranteed.

With the market being down there are a lot of opportunities to purchase a condominium, a townhouse or a single family home at a reasonable price. If you would like to search available listings for sale in Arlington area – please visit www.TheArlingtonExpert.com – it links to the local MLS service and contains the information that is updated every 2 hours.

In any given month, I probably review at least 100 offers on my Sacramento short sale listings. I help my sellers decide which offer to select. So when I represent a short sale buyer, I know from experience on the listing side how that listing agent and seller will interpret the offer. This is probably why my buyers make short sale offers that get accepted.

Agents who are not versed in making short sale offers often write purchase offers in such a way that they inadvertently cause their buyers to lose the deal. Following are methods that I use to ensure acceptance.

Make a Short Sale Offer with a Strong Earnest Money Deposit

Many first-time home buyers put down an earnest money deposit of $1,000, but an amount between 1% and 3% of the sales price speaks volumes. It says the buyer is serious. The minimum down payment for FHA loans is 3.5% of the purchase price, and the earnest money is part of that down payment.

Agree to Put Your Deposit into a Trust Account

Some real estate contracts call for the earnest money deposit to be placed into a trust account upon short sale approval. Sellers like to see that buyers are ready to put their money where their mouths are, because it shows that those buyers are committed to the transaction.

Check the Comparable Sales

Some short sale listings are deliberately priced under market value to attract eager buyers, but it doesn’t mean the home will sell at that price. However, many banks will approve a short sale that is priced between 5% and 10% under market.

Enquire the Short Sale Listing Agent before Making an Offer

If the agent has already received a number of offers, your offer may need to be priced much higher than list price. If the seller has already accepted an offer and sent that offer to the bank, you may be wasting your time trying to buy that home.

Don’t Ask the Seller to Pay for Special Reports or Make Repairs

Any inspection you ask the seller to pay for will lower the bank’s bottom line on the HUD-1. The lowest offers are rarely accepted. The time to negotiate major repairs is not at offer inception. Do not ask for seller-paid pest inspections, roof certifications or home warranty plans. Buy the home in “as is” condition.

Give the Bank a Reasonable Amount of Time for Short Sale Approval

Although it is possible to receive short sale approval within 3 to 4 weeks, many banks take at least 6 to 8 weeks, and sometimes longer, to approve or reject short sales. My buyers agree to wait 120 days and are prepared to immediately act if approval arrives earlier. If you ask for approval in 30 days, your offer may get chucked.

Assure the Seller You Will Wait For Short Sale Approval

The biggest problem short sale listing agents and their sellers face is buyers who walk away. Some buyers write offers on dozens of homes, hoping to take the first offer that sticks, which is generally against the law unless the buyer can afford to buy all those homes. No short sale listing agent wants to work on a transaction for several months only to find out the buyer whose offer was accepted has vanished upon short sale approval.

When You Make a Short Sale Offer, Agree to Pay a Seller Fee

Another mistake some buyers make is to ask the seller to pay fees that are customarily paid for by the buyer. After all, it is not the seller who is actually paying those fees on a short sale, it’s the bank. If there are certain closing costs that the seller typically pays, the bank will most likely pay those fees. However, if you agree to pay part of those fees, even if the bank receives an offer identical to yours, your offer will net the bank more money.

Give a Strong Preapproval Letter

Little stands out among a sea of prequalification letters than a lender preapproval letter, which specifies the buyer is actually preapproved — run through underwriting. A big question on the short sale seller’s mind is whether the buyer is financially capable of closing the transaction. When you make a short sale offer, you want those pieces of paper to convey strength.

Cut down Your Inspection time

In California, for example, standard purchase contracts give the buyer 17 days to conduct inspections. That means the home is basically off the market while the buyer does due diligence, and the sale is not considered solid until that contingency period has been removed. If you can do your home inspections within 10 to 14 days, your offer will hold greater appeal.

Reuters

Hola Everyone,

I started this update yesterday morning. I was sitting writing it at my desk which overlooks the Tomebamba river. The views are fabulous and I think how lucky we are to have such a view. The early part of today was a beautiful sunny 23 degree day. I could see clearly to the mountains. No clouds or rain were on the horizon. You never can tell here – it often rains later in the afternoons, and that is exactly what it did. It absolutely bucketed down in some parts, and the water in the river rose very quickly to its highest level that we have seen since arriving here.

But I digress. In the morning, before it rained, I enjoyed the view and the people-watching. Women were busy washing in the river and a family nearby was washing their taxi cab. The Dad would take the bucket down to the river for water, and then the wife and daughter helped wash the car. I know this makes this place sound like a real third world country but it’s not. Not everyone washes their clothes in the river or takes a bucket to collect water to wash their cars. This local custom, as one local mentioned, is also dying out and in the near future you will not see this being done.

I love shopping as it always amazes me at the price on items. Some are the same as at home and others are much cheaper. Here is some shopping trivia: I can now buy 12 roses for $2.25 at the supermarket. The price has actually gone up since we were here in February. A dozen cost me $1.45 then. They are cheaper at the flower markets in the city. And yesterday I bought two large sheets of Xmas paper, two black biros and a packet of sticky labels. The price for this was $1.00. I knew it was not going to be expensive but I was even a little surprised at how cheap this was.

There is really nothing much that I miss from my old home in Australia. My moisturizer may not be available here, but then I just make sure that any friends that come over from the US bring me some. People often ask what the bad things we find here are. Well to be quite honest with you I don’t find anything bad. If it’s not to my liking then it’s my problem. I chose to move here and so I accept everything as it is, and enjoy the changes and challenges.

We have made a great new acquaintance in an English speaking taxi driver. He has a wonderful sense of humour and we recently employed him to drive us and our friends to the coast and back. He took us in his Father’s Mitsubishi Montera so that we had plenty of room. On the way home we dropped our friends at Guayaquil as they were catching a flight back to Quito and we continued back to Cuenca – and talked non-stop all the way. The coast is quite warm compared to Cuenca and we asked why he did not use his air conditioning as this would be more comfortable, not only for temperature but also it would alleviate the noise and fumes from the passing traffic. He advised early in the trip that they it did not work but he was not sure. We had such a laugh when after we had dropped our friends at the airport and returned to a sweltering car, John decided to try-out the air-conditioning. Whooooo it worked brilliantly and we were able to drive home in absolute comfort. Even the driver laughed because he said he had never tried it before and only assumed it did not work. Air conditioners are rarely used in Cuenca. Then the next day after we returned to Cuenca he took us out again to show us a property in Gualacelo in his taxi.

But a funny thing happened on the way. The driver’s phone rang and he stopped the car on the side of the road to answer it. His window was open as it was a warm day. John was in the front passenger seat. A passing car then went flying by and I felt something slap me in the face. It was mud. The passing vehicle had gone through a puddle right next to where we were parked, splashing dirty water. It came flying through the drivers open window, mostly hitting him and John, but also me in the back seat. It was so funny. The drivers side of the car was covered with mud and so was that side of his face and shirt. John had a white shirt on and it was also splattered. I got out of it very lightly with only a few splats on me and the back seat.

I have been noticing the great quality of life people enjoy here. Generally most offices and shops close for lunch from 1 – 3p.m. I am a great people-watcher. Now I have a great view from my desk. For example, I regularly notice a young man dressed in his business attire walking up and down in front of our apartment. Very casually I might add. Then the school bus stops and he greets his young daughter. He takes her bag and gives her a piggy-back home while she chats and hugs her Dad. We know that every school day, our friend leaves work at lunch time and collects his 3 year-old son from day care and also takes him home. It seems to me that these young Dads get to spend some quality time with their kids during the middle of the day. It could also be a de-stresser for the Dads as they concentrate on the child before going back to work. From my perspective, I think it is great because even if the fathers work later in the evening they have had the chance to spend some quality time with their children.

Hasta Luega Dixie