50 Forgivable loans available through Minneapolis Advantage

If you wish to read the letter and flyer, please click on the links.

Webber-Camden Neighborhood Letter – February 20, 2010

What to Do List

Below is a proclamation issued by Minneapolis Mayor, R. T. Rybak, which proclaimed Sunday, February 14, 2010, “Get to NoMi Day” in the City of Minneapolis

Whereas, NoMi is a grassroots collaborative marketing campaign whose boosters are devoted to the health and well-being of North Minneapolis; and

Whereas, NoMi is comprised of elected leaders, public servants, neighborhood organizations, the Northside business community, and private citizens; and

Whereas, NoMi is to Minneapolis as “SOHO” is to New York – a branding campaign based in positive attitude, pluck, creativity, and seizing the opportunities that lie before our community, including our great parks, arts, and housing stock; and

Whereas, NoMi is re-branding North Minneapolis as a haven for artists, young professionals, families and upstart, can-do citizens and businesses committed to progress and urban vitality, welcoming to all races and cultures; and

Whereas, NoMi believes that North Minneapolis is fantastic community with a strong, diverse and affordable housing stock, from older houses built in the Victorian, Tudor and Arts and Craft style to new houses along the Humboldt Greenway; and

Whereas, NoMi, as a collaborative campaign, saw the issues created by vacant and foreclosed homes in its community and started the “Get to NoMi” home tour three years ago to attract new homeowners to the thirteen NoMi neighborhoods; and

Whereas, NoMi, after two years of well-attended home tours, decided to set a goal of expanding the home tour from 5 homes to 20 homes per tour in 2010; and

Whereas, NoMi, after extensive outreach and many volunteer hours, has successfully organized a home tour of 40 homes on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2010 called the “Get to NoMi and Fall in Love” tour;

Therefore Be It Resolved that, in honor of this accomplishment, I, Mayor R.T. Rybak, hereby proclaims Sunday, February 14, 2010, “Get to NoMi Day” in the City of Minneapolis.

We Watch – We Call helps to resolve that concerns. If several houses on a block share the public commitment to a safe neighborhood, one block at a time, no one will be singled out. With the We Watch – We Call sign in several yards it becomes a group decision that the block will be safe and crime free with the added benefit that the entire neighborhood becomes a safer place. Now, just putting a sign in your yard is not enough – the second part of the message to We Watch is – We Call. Calls to 911 or 311 (about non criminal complaints) must be made by one or all of the neighbors on the block. It is not enough to post a sign and expect that things will change by that act alone, although a block of signs signaling the intent for a safe neighborhood may be a deterrent to bad behavior. If you, and other residents on your block are interested in We Watch – We Call you may pick up a free sign at the office, 1206 37th Avenue North, or at 42nd Avenue  Station at 42nd and Lyndale Avenue North.  Call 612.521.2100.

CONTRACT FOR DEED

Buying your home on a ‘contract for deed’?

If you have signed a Contract for Deed with the owner of a property

BE AWARE

• That Registering the Contract for Deed is your responsibility and it must be registered within 2 years from the date it was signed for it to be legal!
• That all signatures of buyers and sellers must be notarized to be a legal document!
• That you should have a Real Estate Attorney go over the CD if you are unclear of all of the stipulations, especially clauses on vacating property if you miss a payment!
• That as the buyer, you are responsible for property insurance!
• That as buyer are responsible for paying the taxes, utilities and upkeep of property!
• That if the Contract for Deed  is not registered, it’s just like renting!
• There is lots more that  you need to be aware of – It’s just not just making a down payment, signing some papers and considering yourself “A Homeowner”

Be Smart – Be Aware

Don’t end up on the street and paying for the priviledge  because you didn’t take care of business!

• Work only with a nonprofit, HUD-approved housing counselor.  For a list of certified counselors, visit http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/hcc/hcs.cfm or call 877-HUD-1515 (877-483-1515).  If the name of the organization you are working with isn’t on the list, then switch to one that is.

• Don’t pay an arm and a leg.  Most housing counselors provide no- or low-cost counseling services.  You should not have to pay hundreds or thousands of dollars for assistance.

• Be wary of “guarantees.”  No one can ensure you good results.

• Know what you are signing.  Don’t let a counselor pressure you into signing paperwork you haven’t had a chance to read thoroughly or don’t understand.

• If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

• If you feel you are a victim of foreclosure fraud, trust your instincts and ask for help.  Report suspicious schemes to your state and local consumer protection agencies, which you can find on the Consumer Action Website at http://www.consumeraction.gov/.

Additional information about avoiding foreclosure scams may be found on the Federal Reserve Board’s website at http://federalreserve.gov/pubs/foreclosurescamtips/default.htm.

Call The Center for Energy and Environment (CEE) for information about all of WCNOís home loan programs. Brenda Yaritz, 612.335.5891.

• Perfect credit is required for a mortgage
• A down payment of 20% or more is required
• PMI (private mortgage insurance) is required with less than a 20% down payment
• Lenders share personal financial information with each other and the government
• People who do not have bank accounts cannot buy homes
• You must have the same job for three years to qualify for a mortgage
• You have to prove your actual income
• You cannot get a loan if you have had a bankruptcy
• You must sell your current home before you can purchase a new home
• We are only able to lend in one state

• Perfect credit is required for a mortgage
• A down payment of 20% or more is required
• PMI (private mortgage insurance) is required with less than a 20% down payment
• Lenders share personal financial information with each other and the government
• People who do not have bank accounts cannot buy homes
• You must have the same job for three years to qualify for a mortgage
• You have to prove your actual income
• You cannot get a loan if you have had a bankruptcy
• You must sell your current home before you can purchase a new home
• We are only able to lend in one state

Here are some of the benefits of NRPA:

1. Have your own profile page which will display your listings and resources (think myspace or facebook), you will be able to share this page with others with a unique address : http://nrpaonline.org/[your user name]
2. Manage all your listings in one place, prospective tenants will be able to contact you directly or request more information on any of your listings that you have posted.
3. Manage any of the resources you provide on your page

What are you waiting for…? SIGN UP TODAY!