#realestateattorneycolorado

Thinking Of Buying A Home?

Keith Gantenbein

Jun 20, 2017

Thinking Of Buying A Home?

If you’re thinking of buying a home you’ve probably noticed the inventory of available houses for sale has been declining and mortgage rates and housing prices are on the rise. After years of having a huge inventory of houses to choose from, thousands of foreclosures and very low mortgage rates, the market is heading the other way. Denver is number three regionally for having the fastest time to sell a house. The average amount of days in Denver to sell a home is now 18 days,

Repeat Foreclosures On The Rise- Should You Hire A Colorado Foreclosure Defense Attorney?

Keith Gantenbein

May 17, 2017

Repeat Foreclosures On The Rise- Should You Hire A Colorado Foreclosure Defense Attorney?

Nationwide, home foreclosures have dropped to their lowest level since November 2005. During April 2017, there were 77,049 filings reported in the U.S. This number includes default notices, scheduled auctions and bank repossessions. The figures reflect the lowest number of foreclosures since the housing crisis began. While the drop is significant, at the same time there was a rise in repeat foreclosures. A repeat foreclosure is noted as any property address with the same owne

Freddie Mac Sells Off $667 Million
In Non-Performing Mortgage Loans

Keith Gantenbein

Mar 31, 2017

Freddie Mac Sells Off $667 Million In Non-Performing Mortgage Loans

The Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, known as Freddie Mac, announced last week that it’s selling off non-performing loans to private investors. Freddie Mac is a public government-sponsored enterprise (GSE) headquartered in Virginia. Freddie Mac was created in 1970 to help expand the mortgage market alongside the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae). Previously, from 1938 to 1968 Fannie Mae was the only institution that bought mortgages leading to and enco

Home Loan Modifications Ending

Keith Gantenbein

Dec 29, 2016

Home Loan Modifications Ending

The Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) was introduced in 2009 and established to help homeowners recover from the great housing bubble burst. The HAMP was part of the Making Home Affordable program (MHA) along with the Hardest Hit Fund program (HHF) that was under the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). These programs were part of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 and put into place to help struggling homeowners avoid foreclosure. HAMP and the entire

Homeowners Battle HOA Over Landscaping

Keith Gantenbein

Nov 9, 2016

Homeowners Battle HOA Over Landscaping

Homeowner Jim Hildenbrand has been embroiled in a four-year court battle with his Homeowner’s Association (HOA). His case went to the state appellate court but that court raised more issues than it settled. The Kansas Court of Appeals reversed the district court’s ruling and sent the case back for resolution. The appellate court said the district court applied an “incomplete test” in determining whether the HOA acted in good faith. The HOA has control over the 153 homes in hi

How To Spot A Fake Tax Call From An 'IRS Agent'

Keith Gantenbein

Sep 28, 2016

How To Spot A Fake Tax Call From An 'IRS Agent'

Hundreds of Americans are getting frightening calls from “IRS Agents” making threats including sending the sheriff over to arrest them if they don’t pay back taxes immediately. The first 8 months of this year there has been a 400% surge in these phony calls and text messages. These calls are alarming due to the fact the so-called “IRS Agent” have personal information including their correct social security number, where the person lives, where they used to live, their maiden

Denver's Hot Summer Real Estate Market- Will It Cool In The Fall?

Keith Gantenbein

Sep 15, 2016

Denver's Hot Summer Real Estate Market- Will It Cool In The Fall?

Colorado’s housing market continues to be ‘hot’. The top ten hottest cities in our nation are: Miami, Phoenix, Chicago, Fort Lauderdale, Houston, Denver, San Antonio, Charlotte, San Diego and Flint. Denver is number 6. In the Denver-area, the average price of a single-family home rose 3%, averaging around $445,000 per home. Condominium prices rose 4.5% to an average of approximately $298,000. Houses and condos are on the market (listed) an average of 24 days before they are s

The Tiny Home Real Estate Movement

Keith Gantenbein

Aug 15, 2016

The Tiny Home Real Estate Movement

About two years ago “tiny houses” began an upward trend in new sales of homes in what has become the Tiny House Movement. Even the most traditional builders are jumping on the bandwagon and building their own selection of tiny homes. America’s love affair with tiny homes is contrary to a nation whose homes average 2,200 to 2,600 square feet. What is the obsession with these tiny homes and what are they? A tiny home typically ranges from 100 to 400 square feet. By definition a

Co-Owning Real Estate With A Partner Or A Friend

Keith Gantenbein

Jul 26, 2016

Co-Owning Real Estate With A Partner Or A Friend

If you’re thinking of buying (co-owning) a home with a partner, if you’re an unmarried couple or just friends, it’s extremely important to protect yourself if there were a death, a parting or foreclosure. The decision you make in co-owning any property can have disastrous repercussions and consequences. Approximately 25% of primary homebuyers in the US are single. Generally speaking, non-married buyers have very little or no estate-planning protection at either the state or f

How Brexit Might Affect The U.S. Real Estate Market

Keith Gantenbein

Jul 6, 2016

How Brexit Might Affect The U.S. Real Estate Market

By now, most of us have heard something about Brexit (British Exit). In a sentence, Britain voted to leave the European Union (EU) in a historic referendum June 23. The effects of Brexit are being heard around the world. Britain has the world’s fifth-largest economy and is one of the United State’s biggest trading partners. After the vote, Britain’s pound dropped to a 30-year low prompting Americans to change vacation plans to visit Britain and take advantage of the low price

International Businesses- At Risk? French Tax Authorities Go After Major Businesses

Keith Gantenbein

Jun 23, 2016

International Businesses- At Risk? French Tax Authorities Go After Major Businesses

Our own IRS isn’t the only entity to fear when it comes to taxes. Europe has their eye on international businesses as well as wanting their ‘fare share’ of the profits. The French have widened their investigations and are cracking down on these international businesses concluding a nearly 3-year investigation and auditing of Priceline’s Booking.com The French tax authorities operate in a big way - with exactly $397.37 million in unpaid taxes slapped against Booking.com. The m

Signs The Real Estate Bubble Is About To Burst- Again

Keith Gantenbein

Jun 13, 2016

Signs The Real Estate Bubble Is About To Burst- Again

The number of luxury homes sitting on the global market and not selling is beginning to pile up. It may also be a forewarning of the beginning of another housing bubble getting ready to burst. The last time there was a rise in luxury homes not selling was in 2007 and 2008 - right before the housing crash. Analysts and brokers are warning of another housing bubble due to the high number of luxury homes not selling that they think is a sure ‘bubble signal’. The housing market

Tax Tips For Starting Your Own Business

Keith Gantenbein

Jun 6, 2016

Tax Tips For Starting Your Own Business

If you’re starting a new business, the tax obligations aren’t something you should try to handle alone. Meeting with a qualified tax and business attorney can save you thousands of dollars and ensure your business is starting out on the right foot. When it comes to taxes, there’s no room for error. An audit, additional taxes, penalties and fees can become a nightmare if you make one error, or grab the attention of the IRS. The first day your business is up and running, your b

Mortgage Foreclosure and Survivors' Rights

Keith Gantenbein

May 31, 2016

Mortgage Foreclosure and Survivors' Rights

California is a step closer to signing a bill into law to protect families from foreclosure after the death of the primary mortgage note holder. The Bill is known as the “Survivor Bill of Rights”. Other states may soon follow in passing similar laws. When a spouse dies, often the surviving spouse can’t afford the mortgage payment. The survivor usually calls the lender to let them know the spouse has died. When the survivor tries for a loan modification due to loss of income,

Goldman Sachs $1.5 Billion Mortgage Settlement Agreement

Keith Gantenbein

Mar 17, 2016

Goldman Sachs $1.5 Billion Mortgage Settlement Agreement

Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. announced last week they had reached an agreement to resolve an ongoing investigation of the Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities Working Group. The agreement was attained after more than seven years after the worst financial crisis hit the U.S. in which Goldman Sachs played a role. The agreement will conclude any real or potential civil claims from the Department of Justice, New York and Illinois Attorneys General, National Credit Union Administra

HUD Charges Three Loan Mod Firms With Scamming, Foreclosure Fraud

Keith Gantenbein

Jan 19, 2016

HUD Charges Three Loan Mod Firms With Scamming, Foreclosure Fraud

Our law office continues to receive numerous calls from homeowners who were scammed by so-called ‘loan modification’ companies. Most of the ‘loan modification scammers have companies based in California, Florida, New York and New Jersey. By the time the homeowner figures out the scam, they’ve lost between $700 and $5,000 on average and/or received a notice they are in foreclosure. Some homeowners have had no idea they’ve been scammed until someone comes to their door with doc

Colorado "Landlord" Arrested For Phony Rent Payments

Keith Gantenbein

Sep 10, 2015

Colorado "Landlord" Arrested For Phony Rent Payments

A Wheat Ridge, Colorado woman was arrested for renting out a home through Craigslist last week. A woman who identified herself as Lisa Sandoval, advertised the home for almost $1,800 a month, a steal considering the home had four bedrooms. And a steal it was. Lisa Sandoval’s real name is Michelle Copeland, 39. Copeland had no rights to the home at all. In fact, the home had been vacant for almost 5 years. When Francine Neilsen saw the advertised home, she jumped at the price,

JP Morgan Chase Robo-Signing; $50 Million Settlement to Homeowners

Keith Gantenbein

Mar 4, 2015

JP Morgan Chase Robo-Signing; $50 Million Settlement to Homeowners

In yet another settlement, JPMorgan Chase has admitted to filing tens of thousands of documents that were not reviewed by the people who had signed and authenticated to their accuracy. Many in the banking and legal community are shocked that Chase would admit to such wrongdoing in more than 50,000 fraudulent payment change notices. In court documents, it was stated that Chase “improperly signed, under penalty of perjury, by persons who had not reviewed the accuracy of the not

OCWEN: Alarmingly at Risk?

Keith Gantenbein

Feb 25, 2015

OCWEN: Alarmingly at Risk?

Ocwen Financial Corp. (OCN) subservices all the mortgage loans for Home Loan Servicing Solutions (HLSS). Mangrove Partners is an investment manager (hedge funds) and one of the largest shareholders of HLSS. HLSS is an affiliate of Ocwen. Mangrove Partners sent HLSS a letter demanding HLSS terminate its business relationship with Ocwen. Mangrove Partners sites a “dereliction of duty” and said it is “imperative” HLSS terminate its servicing relationship with Ocwen “without dela

Gantenbein Law Firm Provides Pro-Bono Legal Service to Denver Renters

Keith Gantenbein

Feb 6, 2015

Gantenbein Law Firm Provides Pro-Bono Legal Service to Denver Renters

Attorneys Keith Gantenbein and Matthew Coombs are deeply honored to have this special opportunity to offer their pro-bono (free) services helping the Spanish-speaking residents of Colorado who have limited means and resources. Our firm has a commitment to our community and we strive to offer help and build relationships with our neighbors. As attorneys, we recognize the difficulties accessing and understanding the justice system and are in a unique position to assist and help