Financing Canadians for Las Vegas Real Estate

We have discovered a great lender for Canadians wanting to buy Las Vegas homes or condos, either as a second home or as an investment! This lender charges no loan discount points or origination fees, and the rates are the same as what a US citizen can obtain.

Lately all our blog posts have been about finding Las Vegas mortgages for our clients. With the high rate of national foreclosures, many traditional venues and programs have been discontinued, leaving buyers, even those with substantial down payments, in limbo. It has truly been a challenge for us to find mortgage lenders with reasonable down payment and rate structures.

In our never ending quest for foreign national financing for Las Vegas real estate purchases, we have literally stumbled across a lender who is able to loan money at competitive rates to Canadian citizens. This lender is able to use Canadian credit scores and income to provide mortgage loans for the thousands who are trying to flee a harsh winter climate for a few months each year.

General program guidelines for this lender are as follows:

The program is available for both second homes and Las Vegas investment properties. The minimum down payment is 20%, although the best financing on investment properties would be with a 25% down payment.

The programs that are offered are full qualifying loans. Available are the 3/1, 5/1, 7/1, and 10/1 Adjustable Rate Mortgages. Each is a 30 year loan with a 30 year amortization locking in the loan rate for the short term of the loan. For example, if you got a 3/1 ARM, your start rate would be locked in for three years. (Rates are typically lower for shorter loan locks.)

The typical documentation list is as follows. Based on your own individual circumstances, more documentation may be required:

2 years personal tax returns including all pages and schedules
2 years T4s
2 years corporate tax returns including all pages and schedules (if self employed)
Most recent 2 months bank statements reflecting name, account number, and 2 month transaction history
Most recent 1 month retirement / investment account statement reflecting name, account number, and current balance.
Mortgage statement on any property owned in borrowers personal name reflecting name, property address, current balance, current interest rate, and current payment.
Line of credit statement on any property owned in the borrowers personal name reflecting: name, property address, current balance, current interest rate, current payment, and available balance.
Lease agreement for any rental properties.
Clear copy of passport to include the signature page and picture page.
Two unique benefits of this lender are their rate renegotiation prior to closing and their loan modification process.

The rate renegotiation is available to a client in the event that they lock their rate in but before closing rates drop. The borrower has the ability to renegotiate the rate to that day’s pricing with a modest premium paid.

The loan modification process would come in to play should rates drop after the borrower has closed the loan. There is a one time modification available to the borrower. It allows them to simply lower the rate with no documentation, appraisals or closing fees that a refinance would incur. It is one page that the client signs and it gets recorded behind the deed of trust. Again, a modest fee is paid for this privilege should the borrower elect to take advantage of it.

Like all loan programs, there is no guarantee on how long this one will last. So if you are a Canadian citizen who has been thinking about purchasing property in the States, call us right away so we can put you in touch with this lender. 702-985-7654 Once your financing is in place, we can find you a phenomenal STEAL on Las Vegas foreclosures! Las Vegas Nevada real estate hasn’t been priced this low in almost ten years.

Foreign Investors Scramble for Financing on Las Vegas Real Estate

With the dollar expected to rise against foreign currencies later this year (that trend has already started), foreign investors are hurrying to purchase real estate in the US while their dollar goes further. Most of these investors are targeting the Las Vegas real estate market in particular, where the sharp decline in prices (due to the high amount of Las Vegas foreclosures) and the world class amenities have made it an attractive get-away destination. In particular, Canadian buyers are looking to Las Vegas homes as a vacation retreat from their harsh winter climate.

Most banks will not loan on real estate outside of their own country. With all the recent shifts in the credit markets, the qualifying criteria has changed for mortgage loans in the United States across the board, including those to foreign purchasers. Prior to this year, a foreign national could obtain financing from US banks as long as they had 35% to put down with no or limited documentation. Now US mortgage lenders are requiring full documentation of income and assets on all mortgage loans without exception, though the down payment requirements have dropped.

A citizen of a country other than the US can obtain a loan for property in the US based on what classification they fall under. A permanent resident alien is a foreign national who has been granted the right to work in the US permanently and who has been given a US social security number. A permanent resident alien can purchase property under the same guidelines as a US citizen. They can get a loan with as little as 5% down payment for a primary residence, either on a fixed rate or adjustable rate mortgage at the current interest rates available to US citizens.

All other foreign nationals, including those with temporary work visas, are required to put down a minimum of 25% for properties under $650,000 or 35% for properties over $650,000, whether the property is a primary residence or a rental property. Lenders will also require the equivalent of a US TRW rating as well as full documentation of their employment income and assets. In addition, the down payment money must be “seasoned” in a US bank for at least 60 days prior to the close of escrow.

These loans to foreign nationals are only currently available as adjustable rate mortgages or ARMS. The fixed rate terms can be for 3, 5, 7 or 10 years and interest rates are currently running between 7.5% and 8.5% with approximately 5 loan discount points prepaid for the amount of the loan (points can vary on a day to day basis just like interest rates). Each point is the equivalent of 1% of the loan amount, so on a $100,000 loan 5 points would be $5,000.

Another alternative is for the foreign national to obtain an equity credit line on their property in their home country and come to the US with cash in hand. Cash offers are very strong, and enable the buyer’s agent to negotiate the best possible price on behalf of their client.

For more information on getting qualified for a Las Vegas mortgage and to receive the latest listings on great deals in Las Vegas new homes, high rise condos or MLS listings, please contact our office at 702-985-7654 or email us at sold@greatlasvegashomes.com.

Good news for Las Vegas Cosmopolitan project

To the right, the Las Vegas Cosmopolitan Condos and the
Bellagio Hotel and Casino, to the left the MGM CityCenter project.
Photo taken September 5th, 2008.

Many proposed high rise condo projects around the country have had the plug pulled in the past two years due to cost overruns and tightening credit. Since Deutsche Bank announced they were beginning foreclosure proceedings on the Las Vegas Cosmopolitan condo hotel project at the beginning of 2008 on their $760 million dollar loan, over 1800 contract owners have been holding their breath, wondering if the development would be completed. Or if they would get their money back in full if the development was canceled.

There were many “interested parties” making bids to purchase the project, but as of this week Deutsche Bank has taken over full ownership of the Cosmopolitan under an affiliate, Nevada Property I. Deutsche Bank was the high bidder, paying $1 billion at a recent foreclosure sale to acquire ownership of the project. Those still hoping to own a piece of the Las Vegas real estate market on the Strip breathed a bit easier.

And Deutsche Bank isn’t letting any grass grow under its feet to make sure the project goes forward. It has already inked contracts with Related Companies to take over as the resort’s new developer. In addition Perini Corp. signed a new contract to complete construction work on the project. Perini has been working on the project from the beginning, and was being paid under an interim agreement since March when Deutsche Bank began foreclosing after the original developer, Bruce Eichner, failed to complete a deal to secure more financing. Increased construction costs helped drive the Cosmopolitan’s construction budget from its original $2 billion price in early 2006 to its current $3.9 billion price, and Eichner was unable to find a new partner with enough capital to infuse into the project.

A letter has already been drafted to contract owners by the resort’s new developer, Related Companies, letting them know of the management changes and informing them of progress to date. This letter will go out on Monday to almost 1825 contract holders, assuring them of the project’s completion. To date over 50% of the Cosmopolitan’s exterior construction has been completed, and it is anticipated that by December of 2008 owners will be celebrating the “topping off” of both towers, including the penthouse units. The new proposed completion date for the entire project is estimated for the second quarter of 2010.

Along with a rebounding resale housing market, this is great news for the local Las Vegas real estate market. For four months straight statistics have shown a significant rise in Las Vegas homes sales, with multiple offers on lower end properties, especially Las Vegas foreclosures. The buyers are back!

Amazing Deals on Units Available Pre Closing at the Palms

Even at the Palms Place, where most buyers were the young and the wealthy with cash to burn, there were some buyers that knew a good investment when they saw it. They took the plunge and plunked down a 20% deposit on one of the elegant Palms Place condo hotel units hoping to make a bundle by the time the property was built.

Unfortunately in the meantime the national economy stalled and the Las Vegas real estate market dropped. Now, almost four years later, many of these same buyers are unable to obtain financing in the aftermath of the subprime market debacle. They are desperate to find a buyer just to recoup part of their deposit.

The units below are all available on the pre closing market. The original purchasers of these units want to assign thier contracts prior to closing with the Palms, and these prices are far lower than the units that have closed and are already listed for resale! Check out the one bedroom unit for only $700k! Now THAT is MOTIVATED!!

	1 Bed	Strip	1.199,000
	1 Bed	Mountain	1.088,000
	1 Bed	Mountain	1.088,000
	Studio	Strip	651,900
	Studio	Strip	615,000
	Studio	Mountain	537,000
	Studio	Mountain	525,000
	Studio	Strip	548,000

                         1 Bed          Strip            700,000   -  Deal of the Day!

* All units are fully furnished
* Closing March 2008
* Studio (approx) 620 Sq. ft.
* 1 Bedroom (approx) 1,220 Sq. ft.

**Please note, the units are all on the upper level floors.  Residential units start on the 8^th floor. Floors 13, 14 and all of the 40’s have been skipped due to superstition.

If you would like to find out the details on the assignments, please give me a call at 702-985-7654 right away!

If you can’t quite afford the Palms Place but really want to buy Las Vegas high rise condos, there are also some GREAT deals to be had in the Residences at MGM starting in the high $300s.

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/03/prweb791764.htm

Las Vegas housing market update

Today’s blog is bits and pieces of things that are currently going on in the Las Vegas real estate market.

Clark County commissioners have given final approval to plans for the $6 billion Las Vegas Plaza Hotel and Casino Resort (modeled after The Plaza Hotel in New York) to be built on the site of the former Frontier Hotel and Casino. Despite earlier rumors that the project was stalling due to a shaky credit market, Elad chief Miki Naftali said the project was “forging ahead as planned.” Elad also owns The Plaza in New York and a Las Vegas spokesman for the group says groundbreaking could take place later this year on the 3,500-room Las Vegas Strip project which is slated to open in 2011.

Deutsche Bank announced that it was going to be commencing foreclosure proceedings on the Cosmopolitan Resort Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip. According to Deutsche Bank, they have made arrangements with the contractor to continue with construction. And sales are still being made out of the sales center in anticipation that developer Bruce Eichner will either find additional financing or will be bought out of the project. The Las Vegas luxury condos are already more than 80% sold out and the Cosmopolitan’s location is the best on the Strip, making it desirable to potential purchasers or partners, and Eichner expects to reach an agreement before long.

Two major Las Vegas residential projects, Inspirada and Kyle Canyon Gateway, are having difficulties meeting their mortgage obligations. Inspirada, a 2,000-acre project, was supposed to give rise to as many as 13,500 homes. There have been about only about 162 homes sold so far, according to Focus Group, master developer. And some of the smaller partners that are joint venturing in the project are unable to meet their commitments, leaving the larger partners to either take on their portion of the debt and put more money in, or decide to walk away entirely. With existing Las Vegas new homes builders getting low on inventory, putting these two large projects on indefinite hold would certainly help stabilize prices.

The FBI is currently carrying out a number of investigations in the Las Vegas area, uncovering fraudulent schemes involving 14 financial institutions. Some of the schemes under scrutiny include artificially inflating home values and placing low income buyers and/or beginner investors into adjustable rate mortgages that they can’t afford when the rates reset and forcing them into foreclosure.

Currently Las Vegas foreclosures are among the highest in the nation and foreclosed inventory on the market has driven down prices in the city substantially from all time highs in 2005. Investment buyers are returning to the city to pick up great buys and benefit from the strong local rental market, while first time buyers are taking advantage of affordable housing. Lower priced single family homes under $250k are even receiving multiple offers, lending strength to the belief that the price decline may have bottomed out.

Palms Place Condos Ready to Close – Resale Units Now Available

During the month of March both the much anticipated Palms Place and Trump Tower will be closing on their condo hotel units. In Palms Place, which is a smaller boutique project catering to hot young celebrities, the demand for resale units is expected to be higher than the supply.

When the Palms Place originally offered their condo hotel suites for purchase to the public in 2004, they were snapped up by hotel regulars. Frustrated Palms patrons who were not among the lucky few to secure a unit drifted to the Hard Rock, the other hotel catering to the young and trendy, only to be later disappointed when that project was scrapped in a sale to the Morgan’s Hotel Group.

Now the Palms Place tower is finished and has finally opened the doors to its first luxury condo residents, including rapper Eminem, wrestler Hulk Hogan, and singer Jessica Simpson. Palms Place is a 599 unit boutique project with a mix of fully furnished 600-square-foot studio units and 1,200-square-foot one-bedroom suites, while the more exclusive clients own penthouses on the top four floors. Palms Place is associated with the Palms Hotel and Casino which boasts the city’s most popular nightclubs, arena and a PlayBoy Club.

Closings will be progressing during the month of March on the condo hotel suites, with only a small fraction expected to be put up for resale contrary to condo hotel projects like the MGM Residences where over 150 units are currently on the market. But a few over-leveraged purchasers are expected to be offering their Palms Place units for sale as they come to closing. There are currently about half a dozen units that are available with prices starting in the high $500s. With the Las Vegas homes market finally picking up momentum again in spite of the national housing bust, none of these units are projected to last long as the word spreads.

To get more information on available units or to be put on the priority interest list to receive notice of units as soon as they become listed, please contact our office at 702-985-7654 of fill out the form online at: Palms Place Registration

In the meantime, down the street at Trump Tower the first closings will also be going on during March for those who are looking for immediate possession of a Las Vegas condo hotel in a quieter atmosphere in keeping with Trump name. The Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas will contain 880 studio units and 352 one-bedroom condominiums and 50 suites of one, two, or three bedrooms on the top five floors. Other popular condo hotel projects that will not be finished until late 2009 are the MGM City Center and the Cosmopolitan Resort Hotel and Casino. Both projects are located right on the center Strip next door to the Bellagio Hotel and are currently selling preconstruction.

To get floor plans or more information on any of these properties please visit our web site at: Las Vegas High Rise Condos

Attention investors! If you have already purchased a condo hotel property or are considering buying one, we have access to 25% down condo hotel financing on full document loans or 45% on stated income loans. Please contact our office so that we can put you in touch with our Las Vegas mortgage lenders.

Las Vegas Condo Sales Still Hot

Apparently, people with money are willing to pay to own a piece of the Strip.The single-family housing market remains at a standstill, thanks to the stagnating local and national economies. Luxury Las Vegas High Rise Condos along the resort corridor, however, are flourishing.

The first new residents are expected to take ownership of their high-rise one- and two-bedroom units inside the Trump International and Palms Place this month. Luxury condominium sales along the resort corridor are flourishing.

Meanwhile, sales of the nearly 2,670 residential units within MGM Mirage’s $8.1 billion to $8.4 billion MGM City Center development are proceeding at a steady clip.As of last month, buyers had claimed more than half of CityCenter’s residential offerings, totaling more than $1.67 billion in sales. CityCenter, a 77-acre site that includes a 4,000-room hotel-casino, boutique hotels, and a massive retail, entertainment and dining pavilion as its centerpiece, doesn’t open until November 2009.

“Demand for the residential offerings at CityCenter continues to exceed expectations,” said Bob Hamrick, senior vice president of CityCenter Realty Corp. Several multimillion-dollar penthouses have been sold at the Harmon, one of CityCenter’s four residential offerings. Residences at the Harmon, which is owned by the Light Group, are attracting a celebrity-laden list of buyers. The Harmon, a nongaming hotel, has 207 residential units, including 15 penthouses.

In addition, the $2.2 billion Encore, CityCenter, the Cosmopolitan, and the $2.9 billion Fontainebleau are all scheduled to open in 2009. These new resorts have the potential to boost Las Vegas’ business prospects by quantum leaps as they add more than 100,000 new jobs to the local economy.

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