In this new era, with old-paradigm industries and economies crumbling all around us, I look forward to being a part of the new paradigm of voices coming together in unity. This allows us to create and nurture honesty, decency, and integrity in all of our relationships -- personal, social and business. In doing my small part as your consumer advocate and peace-builder, my vision is to help manifest a world in which these qualities ultimately are a given. A world in which kindness and community converge, inspiring us to care for one another and for our precious planet. Two qualities in particular -- transparency and authenticity -- are critical to this new paradigm of doing harmonious business together.
Here's the latest example...
I was contacted by a woman named Leslie this week, in hopes that I could assist her in resolving an issue she was experiencing in the purchase of a foreclosed upon property. The property was foreclosed upon and put to auction in late November, 2011. It is being advertised by Elite Realty in Oregon City, Oregon. This real estate owned (REO) property is a class of property owned by a bank, a government agency, or a government loan insurer, after an unsuccessful sale at a foreclosure auction. The property is being advertised as having two homes on it; however, one of the homes is a manufactured home and the deed to it resides with the former owners, who were foreclosed upon. Therefore, there is no clean title for that home, leaving a sticky situation for any potential buyer. I hope this illustrates how important it is to get clean title or to get concessions that will assist you in your own efforts to clear a title.
Leslie told me that Wells Fargo is the bank holding the property. My history with Wells Fargo in dealing with consumer issues has been stellar, and this time was no different. To usher in this new paradigm of dealing with corporations on the level of integrity and transparency, it's important to realize that corporations, instead of being mere behemoths of impersonalization and red tape, are actually comprised of people -- people who, from within, can cut through that red tape and streamline what should be a process of clarity, peace and ease for all concerned.
Keeping my focus on assisting my reader in what it is she needs, I was led to the loan servicing company. (Thank you, Jim Hines at Wells Fargo!) American Home Mortgage Servicing's Phillippa Brown told me she would get with their REO department and see what they could do to streamline the process of the potential sale of this property. The real estate broker would not give our reader the name of the appropriate person with whom to deal at the bank; so, there was a stalemate in what could become a sale and a commission for this same broker. Go figure! To get this deal done, I view myself as a friendly intermediary to forge a fair resolution out of a bottleneck of obstruction.
Phillipa Brown operates fast and got back to me within the day and has informed me that their REO department would like to speak to our reader. My job is complete, as I now have Leslie negotiating with the party that is anxious to negotiate with her. The goal of these servicing companies is to get these properties off their books by getting them recirculated and sold. It isn't good for the community, nor for the valuation of these properties stuck in limbo, to keep them vacant for lengthy periods. Phillippa said quite frankly that such circumstances show why it is better to try to work with the party being foreclosed upon, to help them stay in their homes. This said, there are still many homeowners being foreclosed upon by lenders who are either unable or unwilling to work with them -- and this stalemate frequently causes the homeowners to lose their home. Perhaps I can facilitate getting them to the proper person within the bank who can make all the difference in the world to them.
Let me know what's on your mind. As always, send me your emails and issues at help@thelistonradio.com Explain in your email (in no more than about five sentences) what your issue is, the company in question, and what resolution you're after. If I email you back about your issue, please respectfully get back to me in a timely fashion for follow-up correspondence. I will work on fixing your legitimate consumer issue -- insurance, healthcare, phone or cable service, construction, automotive repair or purchase, elder care, child care, real estate, banking, airlines, travel, hotels ... in short, purchases of product and/or services of just about any legal sort.
Donna Larner Lavery, MA Spiritual Psychology, a.k.a. "Primadonna," is an Emmy-award winning investigative journalist, consumer advocate, entrepreneur, peace builder, business and personal coach. (www.donnalarnerlavery.com)