GLVAR hosts Home Again event to educate Realtors

Keeping with its mission of helping homeowners and educating its members, the Greater Las Vegas Association of Realtors recently hosted a program informing both groups about the state’s Home Again program.

Home Again, the Nevada homeowner relief program, is a free public service from the Nevada Attorney General’s Office.

On June 10, GLVAR and the AG’s office presented a half-day event about the program and how it helps distressed homeowners, attracting more than 200 Realtors, homeowners, state and industry leaders. They heard from GLVAR President Scott Beaudry, Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt, Las Vegas City Councilman Bob Beers, North Las Vegas Mayor John Lee, Henderson City Councilman Sam Bateman and Boulder City Councilman Rich Shuman.

They also heard from local homeowner Rocio Rubio, who credited the Home Again program with helping her save her home, and possibly her life.

Rubio told the audience how she was unable to work for eight months at her job as a casino attendant because of health problems. While out of work, she said she was unable to pay the mortgage on the Las Vegas home where she has lived for 21 years, causing her lender to begin foreclosure proceedings. The thought of losing her home left her contemplating suicide.

“You worked so hard for something and it’s going to be taken away from you,” Rubio said through tears, with housing counselor Andrea Kisner interpreting her Spanish into English. “My thought was to put a suitcase in my car and drive to Arizona and drive off a cliff.”

Earlier this year, she saw an ad for the Home Again program. She called and was soon connected to housing counselors, such as Kisner at the Financial Guidance Center.

With their help, Rubio eventually received more than $10,000 from a program called the “Hardest Hit Fund” to help her pay her mortgage. By April, she said she was able to save her home from foreclosure. She has since recovered from her health problems and has returned to work while staying current on her 30-year mortgage.

“This program saved my life, to be honest with you,” Rubio said.

Some attendees asked about the need for such programs now that foreclosures and shorts sales have declined dramatically.

While far fewer homeowners are in distress, Beaudry said, “To be able to help just one person like Ms. Rubio, in my opinion, makes this program a success.”

As recently as 2011, Beaudry said GLVAR statistics showed foreclosures and short sales made up more than 70 percent of local home sales. Today, they account for less than 11 percent of all existing local home sales.

“The housing market is in much better shape than it was just a few years ago,” Beaudry explained. “Still, we know that thousands of local homeowners are still underwater and could be considered distressed homeowners, and we want to do all we can to make sure our members and homeowners have all the information about all the resources that are available to them.”

Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt shared similar sentiments, saying Nevada remains one of the top three states in the nation for underwater homeowners, or those who owe more on their mortgage than their home is currently worth. This is one reason why funding for the program will continue for at least another year, he added.

Michele Johnson, president and CEO of the Financial Guidance Center, said the Home Again program has served more than 20,000 Nevada homeowners since it was founded in 2013. While calls are declining, she said about 100 homeowners per week are still calling.

For more information, visit www.homeagainnevada.gov or call 1-855-457-4638.

GLVAR was founded in 1947 and provides its more than 12,500 local members with education, training and political representation. The local representative of the National Association of Realtors, GLVAR is the largest professional organization in Southern Nevada. Each GLVAR member receives the highest level of professional training and must abide by a strict code of ethics. For more information, visit www.LasVegasRealtor.com. E-mail your real estate questions to ask@glvar.org.