From: Susan Naber, Magnolia Ave. Elementary
December 4, 2007
To Whom It May Concern:
Last year, I attended a LATMAP informational session expecting to get some ideas and information. I left there realizing that being a homeowner was actually a reality for me. Thanks to all the speakers that were available, I learned about so many different programs that existed to help people like me, yet I had never heard of them before that afternoon. One of the fabulous people I met at that meeting was Iris Land. Her knowledge and friendly personality stuck in my head and I knew she was the one I would want to communicate with when I was ready. And the rebate Prudential was offering wasn’t so bad either!
Iris was readily available and very helpful as soon as I called her. She recommended Joseph Guzman with National City Mortgage for my lender and set me up with Jerry Bliss for a realtor. Joseph took my information over the phone almost immediately, and Jerry called me soon after. I was referred to the Homebuyer Education Workshop offered through CFRC, a requirement for the loans I was receiving, where I got tons more information. The class was great in getting me familiar with the different opportunities I would have and what to expect during the home buying process.
To Whom It May Concern:
Last year, I attended a LATMAP informational session expecting to get some ideas and information. I left there realizing that being a homeowner was actually a reality for me. Thanks to all the speakers that were available, I learned about so many different programs that existed to help people like me, yet I had never heard of them before that afternoon. One of the fabulous people I met at that meeting was Iris Land. Her knowledge and friendly personality stuck in my head and I knew she was the one I would want to communicate with when I was ready. And the rebate Prudential was offering wasn’t so bad either!
Iris was readily available and very helpful as soon as I called her. She recommended Joseph Guzman with National City Mortgage for my lender and set me up with Jerry Bliss for a realtor. Joseph took my information over the phone almost immediately, and Jerry called me soon after. I was referred to the Homebuyer Education Workshop offered through CFRC, a requirement for the loans I was receiving, where I got tons more information. The class was great in getting me familiar with the different opportunities I would have and what to expect during the home buying process.
"I can’t say that my whole home buying experience was rosy."
Joseph told me what I had to do to get the home I wanted (pay off a few things, defer a few things), and I was ready to do it all. He was very knowledgeable about the first time homebuyer programs, and combined programs from the City of L.A. and the Extra Credit Teacher Program to get me preapproved for just enough to get a great condo. Once I knew where I stood, Jerry was available to begin looking with me. He was so flexible with his time and I never had a problem scheduling times to see places with him, even when my own schedule was crazy.
I can’t say that my whole home buying experience was rosy. A few months into looking, I got an unexpected phone call from Joseph. The funds from the City of L.A. were depleted. I was going to be put on a waiting list. It could take months, Joseph told me. There was no way to know. In addition, he informed me that when funds do become available again, we would only have 30 days to use them. After that, I would be bumped back down to the bottom of the waiting list. Although I was upset, Jerry continued to be supportive, keeping me in the loop about new listings the whole time. It took two months until I got that call from Joseph. He told me it was my turn again, but I only had 30 days to use the funds. I called Jerry…I told him it was urgent, I needed to not only find the place, but have an accepted offer within 30 days. Jerry was on top of it. He was immediately available for me, scheduling viewings right away. Thanks to him, we found the place I wanted, negotiated a deal, and had an accepted offer within our time limit.
I can’t say that my whole home buying experience was rosy. A few months into looking, I got an unexpected phone call from Joseph. The funds from the City of L.A. were depleted. I was going to be put on a waiting list. It could take months, Joseph told me. There was no way to know. In addition, he informed me that when funds do become available again, we would only have 30 days to use them. After that, I would be bumped back down to the bottom of the waiting list. Although I was upset, Jerry continued to be supportive, keeping me in the loop about new listings the whole time. It took two months until I got that call from Joseph. He told me it was my turn again, but I only had 30 days to use the funds. I called Jerry…I told him it was urgent, I needed to not only find the place, but have an accepted offer within 30 days. Jerry was on top of it. He was immediately available for me, scheduling viewings right away. Thanks to him, we found the place I wanted, negotiated a deal, and had an accepted offer within our time limit.
"I would not have been able to be a homeowner
without the help of these programs
and more importantly, the people that make it happen."
The escrow process was the most stressful experience I have ever had. Because of complications with LAUSD, my last several paychecks had been inaccurate and caused confusion as to how much I make. The numbers were inconsistent, and it was difficult for the city to figure out. They required tons of supporting documentation to verify that I didn’t surpass their income limits, and it took much longer than expected. Thank goodness that our selling realtor was patient, because we went so far past our loan contingency removal period, anyone else would have pulled out. There were several days, weeks even, when I did not know if we were going to make it. Everyone was getting nervous. In the end, although we were late, we were able to finally close escrow.
I have to say that I don’t think I would have made it through this process and kept my sanity without Jerry’s support. He fought for me the whole time. He was a mediator, and somehow kept our selling agent at bay. He was consistently optimistic about the situation, and his patience was unyielding. He was relentless in getting answers when I needed them, and constantly kept me informed of what was going on. He was so available for me that I felt like I was his only client. I will forever keep Jerry as a realtor and refer him to everyone I know! I thank Iris for making such a great connection, for being so helpful and available to me when I needed, and for going so far as to come to my new condo to deliver my much needed rebate check to me. I can see that customer service with the both of them is a priority, and in such a stressful process, it really is so important.
I appreciate my experience with LATMAP and am spreading the knowledge that I have learned about all these great programs to others. I would not have been able to be a homeowner without the help of these programs and more importantly, the people that make it happen.
Thank you,
Susan Naber
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