Notes
Slide Show
Outline
1
Welcome
to the
Fifth Annual
Safeguard Properties
Vendor Conference
  • August 24-26, 2008
  • Cleveland, OH
2
Schedule for Day One
3
Navigating the Crisis
4
State of the Industry
  • What is “the crisis”?
  • The industry today vs. last year
  • Where we are headed
5
Outline
  • Lifecycle of an REO loan
  • Accurate and efficient work completion
  • Building relationships with agents
  • Good Neighbor program
  • Documenting and reporting property condition
  • Submitting bids
  • Curb appeal vs. marketability enhancement
  • High Risk, safety and hazard items
  • Code compliance and code enforcement
  • Quality control
6
Session 1: Initial and Ongoing Services
7
Navigating REO
  • Lifecycle of an REO loan
    • Initial services
    • Ongoing services: grass cuts, snow removal, winterizations
    • Refresh maid services
  • Maintaining relationships with the agents
8
Initial Services
  • Work to be done
    • Securing
    • Winterization/grass cut
    • Maid Services
  • Communication with the agent
    • Call and e-mail after securing is completed, and again after the trashout is completed
    • Inform agent of any issues at the property
  • Good Neighbor Program
9
Maid Services Best Practices
    • Scope of work: “maid services” includes trashout as well
    • Cleaning products
10
Detailed Photos of Commonly Missed Areas
11
Detailed Photos of Commonly Missed Areas
12
Detailed Photos of Commonly Missed Areas
13
Detailed Photos of Commonly Missed Areas
14
Detailed Photos of Commonly Missed Areas
15
Ongoing Services
  • Work to be done
    • Ongoing grass cuts
    • Snow removal
    • Winterizations and dewinterizations
  • Communication with agent
    • Contractors required to contact the agents and advise when dewinterizations will be completed
16
Poor Grass Cut
17
Redemption States
  • What is a redemption state?
  • Requirements and restrictions
18
Personal Property
  • Definition
  • How to handle
19
Refresh Maid Services
  • Complete these as ordered
  • Includes vacuuming, removing cobwebs, removing any exterior debris that may have accumulated
20
Session 2: Accurate and Efficient Work Completion
21
Accurate and Efficient Work Completion
  • A positive impression begins with completing all ordered work as quickly and thoroughly as possible
22
Accurate and Efficient Work Completion
  • Work completion and updating timeframes
    • Status updates
    • Sending updates within 24 hours of work completion
  • Streamlining initiatives
23
Building Relationships with the Agents
  • Communication is critical to success
    • Calling and e-mailing after each phase of initial services
    • Status update function on Vendor Web
  • Agents rely on contractors for constant communication throughout process
24
Building Relationships with the Agents
  • Why communication with agents is critical
    • Agent held accountable for timeframes
    • Every day the property is not on market costs the clients money
    • If the agent is not aware that the work is done, it might as well not be
25
Building Relationships with the Agents
  • Ask for direction from agents on other work that may be needed
    • Landscaping
    • Interior upgrades
26
Good Neighbor Program
  • New initiative to improve communication with the neighbors
  • Additional assistance in ensuring the properties are protected
27
Documenting and Reporting Property Condition
  • Damages and safety hazards
  • Calling from site
    • Identifying the issues
    • Addressing them: when to use emergency allowables
28
Submitting Bids
  • Necessary vs. unnecessary bids
  • Appropriate bid amounts
  • Using emergency allowables
29
Session 3: Curb Appeal vs. Marketability, High Risk, Claims, Code Compliance
30
Curb Appeal and Marketability Enhancement
31
Curb Appeal and Marketability Enhancement
  • “Curb appeal”: making property look as good as possible without spending additional funds
    • First impressions make or break sales
  • “Marketability enhancement”: additional work to improve the property’s presentation
32
Curb Appeal
  • Creating and maintaining curb appeal
  • Yard maintenance requirements
  • Debris removal
  • Sprinkler system maintenance
  • Vacant blight issues
33
Poor Grass Cut Photos
34
Poor Shrub Trimming
35
Marketability Enhancement
  • Upgraded landscaping
  • Pool maintenance
  • Special requests from broker
36
Upgraded Landscaping
  • Orders to mulch and plant flowers based on area in which property is located
37
Pools and Spas
  • How to address
  • Maintenance: short-term vs. ongoing
38
Vacant Property Registration
  • Growing concern to clients
  • Caused by increased volume, lack of maintenance on vacant properties
  • Notify Safeguard of new ordinances
39
High Risk
  • Reporting potential violations
  • City and County postings
40
Severe Weather Alerts
  • Contractors’ responsibility to monitor severe weather and update Regional Coordinator
  • Assess damage levels (see Memo 1225)
41
Safety/Hazard Items
  • In cases where there is an emergency allowable, use it to correct issues
  • Call from site for approval on issues that constitute an immediate hazard
42
Hazard Claims/Repairs
  • Often, REO clients request bids to put the properties into rehab marketable condition
    • Always discuss with the agent
  • The estimate and repair division is part of the Hazard Insurance Claims Recovery Department
43
Good Repair Bids
  • Address every issue requested in the order
  • Provide adequate descriptions
  • Do not group all bids into one dollar amount
  • Specify materials being used
44
Complete Bid Information
  • Information that must be included in every bid:
    • Quantity
    • Location
    • Dimension
45
Complete Bid Information
  • If permits are required by local or state code, a permit must be obtained
  • Work must be completed according to the scope of the bid submitted and approved
  • Supplemental damages must be reported immediately
46
Code Compliance Issues
  • Potential violations
  • City/County postings
  • Vacant Property Registration
47
Reporting Potential Violations
  • Unsecured properties
  • Exterior debris
  • Yard maintenance (grass, shrubs, weeds, landscaping)
  • Exterior graffiti
  • Unsecured pools/ pools with stagnant water
48
Reporting City/County Postings
  • Provide good, clear photos of ENTIRE notice (top to bottom and all pages)
  • Provide details in your update (nature of postings, issues in question)
  • Provide complete and accurate contact information (name, title, entity, phone numbers)
49
Knowing Your Local Guidelines/City Ordinances
  • Licensing/registration requirements
  • Securing requirements (Fast Track, No Boarding Laws)
  • Water meter removal restrictions
  • Pool securing requirements
50
Knowing Your Local Guidelines/City Ordinances
  • Provide new/amended local guideline information to Safeguard for future reference
  • Provide bids for all issues identified in notice (if qualified to address)
  • Partner with neighbors
51
Communicating with Code Enforcement Officials
  • Call them directly with questions
  • Build a relationship during face-to-face encounters
  • Provide them with your contact information
52
Communicating with Code Enforcement Officials
  • Provide them only with information you KNOW is 100% accurate.  If you don't know for sure, don't guess
  • Contact them directly when the work order is complete, especially when you know a re-inspection is required
53
Points of Contact
  • High Risk Department
  • Regional Coordinators
  • Customer Service
  • Have bids ready and be prepared to complete work if qualified
54
Session 4: Quality Control
55
Quality Control
  • Internal measures
  • Field QC team
56
Internal Measures
  • Safeguard conducts QC on all initial service orders (REOFU)
  • Safeguard conducts QC when brokers report issues (BSOFU)
57
Field QC Team Objectives
  • Order completion performance: completion to update timeframe
  • Improved contractor QC results on subsequent visits
    • Improvement in field work
    • Improvement in internal measurements
  • Continuous contractor improvement measurement
58
Field QC Team Objectives
  • Provide training to new as well as existing vendors
  • Create standard contractor models for specific coverage areas
    • Based on volume and contractor set up know what type of vendor should be in certain areas
59
Quality Control Requirements
  • Anticipate Broker Expectations
  • Avoid Common Contractor Errors
    • Ensure all photos are in when updating work completed
    • Update all work within 24 hours of completion
    • Submit status updates immediately
    • Build relationships with the agents
60
Work with Field Quality Control
  • Field Evaluation Vendor Report Card is reviewed when our Field QC Representatives visit contractors in the field
  • Work with your Field QC Rep to implement better processes and make your office as efficient as possible
61
Vendor Web
  • Current status
  • Rollout plans
  • Challenges
62
Media Coverage and Inquiries
  • Media interest in the industry is hot because of the mortgage crisis
  • Project a positive image of the industry
  • Follow company media procedures
63
Media Coverage and Inquiries
  • What to do if you encounter media or receive inquiry:
    • Politely explain that you are not authorized to speak on behalf of Safeguard or permit access to properties
    • Immediately contact your Regional Coordinator
    • Provide name, media outlet, contact information, pertinent facts
    • Call will be referred to Safeguard’s Director of Public Relations for follow-up
64
Thank you for attending