William Vasana Earns Prestigious Designation to Help Homeowners in Danger of Foreclosure

Jacksonville, FL, October 15, 2009 --(PR.com)-- William Vasana of Watson Realty Corp. in Jacksonville has earned the prestigious Certified Distressed Property Expert® (CDPE) designation, having completed extensive training in foreclosure avoidance, with a particular emphasis on short sales. At a time when millions of homeowners are struggling with the possibility of foreclosure, the skills and education accumulated by Vasana will help benefit Jacksonville-area residents and communities.

Short sales allow the distressed homeowner to repay the mortgage at the price that the home sells for, even if it is lower than what is owed on the property. With plummeting property values, this can save many people from foreclosure and even bankruptcy. More and more lenders are willing to consider short sales because they are much less costly than foreclosures.

Today, more than 13 percent of homeowners are delinquent on their mortgage or in the foreclosure process. This is occurring across all price ranges, and the fastest-growing category of homes in foreclosure is the luxury home market.

“The CDPE designation has been invaluable as I work with homeowners and lenders on complicated short sales,” said Vasana. “It is so rewarding to be able to help families save their homes from foreclosure.”

Alex Charfen, co-founder and CEO of the Distressed Property Institute in Austin, Texas, said that agents such as Vasana with the CDPE Designation have valuable perspective on the market, and training in short sales that can offer homeowners real alternatives to foreclosure, which can be devastating to credit ratings.

“These experts better understand market conditions than the average agent, and can help sellers through the complications of foreclosure avoidance,” he said.

The Distressed Property Institute provides live and online courses to train real estate professionals how to help homeowners in distress, with a particular emphasis on handling short sales.

“Our goal is to help as many homeowners as possible, by educating as many real estate professionals as possible,” Charfen said. “William Vasana has demonstrated a commitment to the struggling homeowners, and will provide much-needed assistance in stabilizing the community.”

William Vasana is a Top Producing Realtor with Watson Realty Corp. Southside Office. He was voted "Outstanding Newcomer of the Year 2004" by Northeast Florida Association of REALTORS and was a recipient of "2006 Humanitarian Award." Watson Realty Corp. REALTORS® is one of the most successful real estate firms in North America. Established in 1965, Watson Realty Corp. has 1,200 sales associates, 450 employees and 39 sales offices serving Northeast and Central Florida as well as South Georgia. The company is recognized by its peers throughout the communities it serves for its integrity, professionalism, and high standards. The company has established several affiliate offices including Watson Mortgage Corp., Watson New Homes Division, Watson Title Services, Watson Title Services of Northeast Florida Inc., Watson Commercial Realty Inc., Watson School of Real Estate, Watson Referral Realty Inc., Watson Property Management, Watson Maintenance Services and Watson Relocation Services.

William Vasana can be reached at (904) 307-8998.

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