You can see some of my personal photos at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/metairie  Enjoy

Fannie Mae's take on Automated Valuation Models for removal of private mortgage insurance: https://www.efanniemae.com/sf/guides/ssg/annltrs/pdf/2007/0725.pdf  "an AVM, relies on public record information to determine estimated value without any assessment of the current condition of the property. As such, Fannie Mae will not permit the cancellation of MI (mortgage insurance) coverage based on the estimated value provided by an AVM, since a real estate appraisal completed by a qualified appraiser is the most appropriate standard and most reliable indicator for determining property value."   Based upon the above statement, why would Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac use AVM's and Broker Price Opinions to estimate the market value of the properties that are underwater for loan modification? 

• Road Home Program information:  Melanie Ehrlich and the Citizens Road Home Action Team (CHAT) along with myself have fought hard since 2006 to get the homeowner supplied Pre-Storm appraisals accepted.  As of November 9, 2007 the Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA) and Office of Community Development (OCD) changed the policy (CP188G) to accept homeowner supplied appraisals with over a 20% difference. The homeowner supplied appraisals were reviewed by a Road Home appointed Louisiana Certified Appraiser who agreed or disagreed with the estimate of value. This process was working very good from Novermber 9, 2007 unitl HUD and/or the LRA stopped the policy on March 4, 2008.  An LRA  member stated: "These common-sense changes were requested by advocates and jointly drafted by the LRA and OCD staff as proposed by the LRA's Housing Task Force,"  Click on the link to see the CP188G field review appraisal policy press release:  http://www.lra.louisiana.gov/index.cfm?md=newsroom&tmp=detail&articleID=71     As of July 9th 2008 the Road Home Program  changed their policy.    You can request Road Home to order a 1004 interior & exterior appraisal for free.  The "Catch" is that if you request the free 1004 appraisal from the Road Home program, the estimated value conclusion will be used even if the value is lower than any previous valuations.  The result of a lower valuation could cause your grant award to decrease even if you already went to closing.  For the latest version of the Road Home Program policy  click on this link and go to page 28 - 31 for the Pre-Storm value policy. http://www.road2la.org/Docs/policies/Homeowner_Program_Policies_070908.pdf 

Citizens Road Home Action Teams (CHAT) -  important Road Home Program information. http://chatushome.com 

Loyola Law Clinic Post-Katrina Help Site: http://law.loyno.edu/probono/clinic/index.html

FEMA guidelines to determine the estimated flood damage to the improvements.  See pages 15-20

Real Estate Dictionary: http://www.answers.com/library/Real%20Estate%20Dictionary-cid-203883111

Foreclosure prevention and advise articles: http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/mortgages/20071018_foreclosure_counseling_a1.asp?caret=2

http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/mortgages/20070906_mortgage_workouts_a1.asp?caret=1

http://www.homeloanlearningcenter.com/YourFinances/ForeclosurePreventionResourceCenter.htm

http://www.housinghelpnow.org/

HUD advise on foreclosure:  http://www.hud.gov/foreclosure/index.cfm

Neighborhoodworks:  http://www.nw.org/network/home.asp

IRS Questions and Answers on Home Foreclosure and Debt Cancellation

 http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=174034,00.html

HUD in Louisiana link: http://www.hud.gov/local/index.cfm?state=la

FEMA flood map service: http://msc.fema.gov/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/FemaWelcomeView?storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&langId=-1

New Orleans Zoning Municodes: http://ordlink.com/codes/neworleans/index.htm

City of New Orleans Homepage: http://www.cityofno.com/portal.aspx

Louisiana Housing Finance Agency: http://www.lhfa.state.la.us/programs/homeownership/first_time_homebuyer.php

FHA: http://www.fha.gov/

Bankrate.com http://www.bankrate.com/brm/default.asp

Fannie Mae: http://www.fanniemae.com/index.jhtml

Freddie Mac http://www.freddiemac.com/

New Orleans local news sites

http://www.wwltv.com/

http://www.wdsu.com/index.html

http://abc26.trb.com/

Times Picayune Newspaper online  http://www.nola.com/