Your Questions About Government Foreclosure Help Homeowners

Ken asks…
Why do we need to help Banks?
Obama is now working to leverage the second portion of the bailout money into a program that could result in $2 trillion in government and private sector cash infusions to help banks and investment houses clear away some of their “toxic” holdings and thereby spur lending. The part of his plan to help homeowners facing foreclosure is also intended to boost confidence in the financial community.

Larry answers:
We don’t and shouldn’t. A poorly run business should go out of business.

Linda asks…
Why didn’t the mortgage banks just lower their rates?
The government is planning to spend billions to help homeowners get their homes refinanced at a lower rate so they won’t go into foreclosure. Why didn’t the banks who held the foreclosed properties offer to refinance a year ago rather than get stuck with houses even they can’t sell? I don’t understand why they didn’t do this? Can someone explain it to me?

Larry answers:
There is no such thing as an artificial rate. It is based on market conditions most on bonds as they must be collateralized with some debt instrument. So for a bank to say the will lend you money at 1% they must offer that rate to every one. They could not since that would have cost them 4% or more as a total loss and they have stock holders that they must be responsible to as well plus they have to make profits to stay in the game

Donald asks…
Are you gonna take advantage of the housing stimulus package from the government?
How many people right here on yahoo answers are going to apply for the bailout for homeowners? Please state the political party you identify with and what tax income bracket you are in.
Please do not state whether you agree with it or not. I am not interested in those answers because that is not the question.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/03/04/guidelines-will-spell-out-homeowner-bailout/
President Barack Obama promised the guidelines would be released on March 4 when he unveiled his proposal to help keep up to nine million people in their homes at a housing event in Arizona last month.
The officials said the guidelines will include tests to help banks figure out whether individuals homeowners who are “underwater,” or have homes that are valued less than the mortgage, can be saved by the president’s $75 billion loan modification program.
Under the administration’s plan, those homeowners considered viable under the new guidelines could have monthly housing payments lowered to 31 percent of their gross monthly income to help prevent foreclosure.
The plan aims to help a second group of homeowners in danger of facing foreclosure who do not currently have enough equity in their homes to take advantage of historically low interest rates through refinancing. Only people who received their mortgages through Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac — about 40 percent of homeowners — are eligible for this part of the plan.
According to the officials, these homeowners normally can usually refinance only with a loan-to-value rate of 80 percent, so that there is at least 20 percent equity in the home. Given that many of these homeowners have dramatically lost equity, they will now be eligible for refinancing at a loan-to-value percent of up to 105 percent, according to the officials.

Larry answers:
It will never ever reach us.
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Your Questions About Government Tax Foreclosure Sales

Maria asks…
Why should I pay my mortgage if I can get the tax payers to bail me out?
Obama plans on stopping foreclosures! Why not let the government pay for my house? Or give me such a low interest rate that I can pay it off and resale it for a bigger profit? Or just sale it and move to a better nieghborhood?
It is sad that you just support Obama and you don’t hear what he says!
He is now pushing to stop all forclosures! It’s called a moratorium on all forclosures!!!

Larry answers:
And what is even more sickening is that the mortgages that are being called in and foreclosed are being represented as their total end value.
That means when a $200K house is foreclosed on, the end value of $600K is what is being called in.
We are all screwed, as we knew at the beginning of this debacle.

Paul asks…
National sales are down 0.04% and house foreclosures ar up 34%, so how long do we have to be bled by Obama`s..?
failed economic ideas before it sinks into his head and that of his Democrat controlled government that their trillions of tax spending venture is a total failure?

Larry answers:
Hey Ban (and whoever you were before today):
“Bush’s failed policies”
Dems have been controlling Congress for the last 2 years. Obama said he would fix everything. So far, he has done NOTHING to improve the situation. We now have a record deficit. We still have our wars. The economy continues to lose jobs at a rate of 1/2 million a month. They are bulldozing brand new model homes and apartments in CA because they are worth more as scrap landfill than they are on the market. Chrysler’s just went down in flames owing us $7 billion. GM and AIG are about the do the same. (I heard that GM stock is down to $1 a share today).
And Congress is running around like a bunch of hysterical girls with their heads on fire over the treatment of a few people who would cuts their throats and those of their friends and families from ear to ear in a heart beat if given half a chance.
America is boned.

Daniel asks…
How is Florida real estate getting better?
Florida is one of the states most affected by the mortgage crisis. The most accessible loans available in this market are FHA loans. After qualifying for an FHA loan I initially thought the difficult part of being a first time home buyer was behind me. However, it would seem that the journey has just begun.
Most communities do not meet the requirements for FHA approval. The most common reason is the high foreclosure rate. The community of interest must also be current on HOA fees, there must be a certain percentage of home owners to investors and other such conditions must be met for an FHA approval. With all these regulations and restrictions associated with an FHA loan it is not difficult to imagine that even this type of loan may become obsolete. The dilemma now is not whether you will exceed your budget but whether the available homes within your budget will qualify for the loan type.
With all fairness I am obligated to mention that conventional loans or cash sales do contribute to recent sales. The requirements for a conventional loan in Florida are not realistic. Where some borrowers may be able to contribute 10% down payment the newly required 25% down payment to say the least is a stretch on nearly anyone’s budget not to mention the budget of a typical first time home buyer.
Investor are buying at extremely low prices with cash and conventional loans. FHA loans cannot compete with these investors due to all of the restrictions and rules that they must adhere to. The increasing of number purchases by investors in a neighborhood/community further limits opportunities available to FHA first time home buyers. As a result investors and not “home owners” are benefiting from the low market rates.
I have concluded from my observations that the so called homes sales increase doesn’t fully disclose the underlying problem. The true rate of available homes and foreclosures properties are not represented in the market. Banks are slowly trickling inventory into the market while the excess or “ghost inventory” remains hidden in their vaults in an effort to manipulate market values.
I have also noticed another disturbing trend. Yes, single family homes, townhouses and condos are at an all time low. However, where FHA approval is not available home prices are much lower than market values. One would initially think this is in their best interest but these homes are primarily only available to investors due to requirements and restrictions placed on FHA loans. Where homes are FHA approved this results in homes being listed and maintaining the inflated prices. The limited homes available especially ones built in 2005 and 2006 are in high demand. As a result a new type of bidding war is ensues. Potential home owners of low to moderate income cannot compete with investors of whom recent sales can be attribute to.
I expect home prices will continue to fall. Do you predict a change in the way the real estate market and lenders addresses these new issues and it’s direct connection to lower home prices? Do you think the government will relax some of the FHA regulation to combat these issues? (which in itself has pros and cons associated with the outcome for home buyers). Finally do your foresee a new program/stimulus that will assist first time home buyers in the near future once this $8,000 tax credit expires?
I live in Pompano beach area. I thinking of buying in palm beach county. That market is over saturated with town homes and condos…. Over saturation can be a good or bad thing.

Larry answers:
Wow, you should be a writer!! Lol The way you typed this; your wording, ect is great!
Yes I do agree that here in FL it is very hard to obtain a loan & have all other requirements met as well. But the truth is…if you search hard enough & have a great real estate agent you will be able to find a good home that will except FHA loan & meet all the requirements. (I am going through the same thing right now in FL as well.) What part of FL do you live in?
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Your Questions About Loan Modification Bank Of America

Maria asks…
Bank of America Loan Modifications, Has anyone ever had one?
I am in the process with them, It seems very long (Its been a month). It is at the underwriter now, so they say. Please help I am really stressed out.

Larry answers:
Ive been trying to get a loan mortification for 9 months now i call every week I get different answers every time I call they say mine is at the underwriters too im stressed out too good luck

Lizzie asks…
bank of america loan modifications?
Can I find out any info on line on Bank of america if they processed my loan modification yet? I am getting sick of calling them. Thanks

Larry answers:
If you are not behind on your loan by 3 months and your total monthly mortgage including taxes and insurance is not more than 30% of your monthly income you will not qualify. If you do qualify, I would call them everyday, there is no other way to find out what is going on. The process can take up to a year in some cases.

Lisa asks…
bank of america has put me through modification hell. What are my options?
if I have been unsuccessful with bank of america getting a loan modification, what are my other options?

Larry answers:
Pay off the loan
walk away from the loan
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Your Questions About Short Sales In California

Carol asks…
I put an offer on a Short Sale in California. My agent went over the paperwork but am I bound to that agent?
I am not sure if I signed a Broker Agreement (I think that is the agreement that binds you to the same agent for 6 months?). But my agent hasn’t given me a copy of the paper work though I’ve asked for it. Can I just start working with another agent? Is it okay as long as I don’t put in another offer for the next 6 months? I am not satisfied with this current agent… thanks.

Larry answers:
If such an agreement has been signed, it could be for any length in time that you two agreed to, not just 6 months. To protect yourself against oweing the agent’s broker a commission, I would call up the agent (or e-mail) and state that it is not working out for you and you appreciate the time and effort they have put forth into this matter but you feel it is time for a change. Ask if a buyer broker agreement has been signed or not. If not, then say thank you and walk away. If so, then ask that the agent release you from that agreement (get something in writing). If the agent refuses, then get a hold of his/her broker (agents work for a broker) and request a release. We rather release you from a contract than to force you by a contract as we work on reputation and word of mouth.
Also, short sales can be frustrating if you don’t know how to buy them. You probably asked your agent for an update and maybe your agent doesn’t even know if your offer got submitted to the bank! Here’s the trick to buying short sales (you can educate your new agent!):
1. Find a short sale with no offer submitted to the bank or find a owner who is facing foreclosure and has not listed his/her property (realtytrac.com).
2. Depending where you want to buy in California, you can get the property anywhere from 10-20% cheaper than the lowest sold price of a comparable sale. So if you find a house with no offer submitted to the bank, then you offer below the last sold price. You ask the seller to pay for everything and ask the seller to pay you 3% for your closing cost.
3. The seller gets nothing from a short sale so they could care less what it sells for or who buys it as long as the buyer is qualified. So you then offer the seller cash for personal property or fixtures if they only use your purchase contract and if the dealcloses at the end of escrow. If the owner can’t be found, you then bribe the listing agent that you will gaurantee them 3% commission even if the bank knocks it down to 2-2.5%. Maybe you have to grease both the listing agent and the owner. Now only your offer gets submitted to the bank even if higher offers come in (unless the owner is selling to a family or friend in order to rent it back and buy later or if someone offers them more money).
4. Either your agent or the listing agent intercept the bank’s appraiser and give them 3 low sold and 3 low active comps (or even a filled out BPO).
If the listing agent knows what they are doing, you should have your low offer approved in a few months. A few pointers:
1. Never spend a dime or give a deposit on a short sale until you have a written approval in hand.
2. Make as many offers as you want on the short sales you like and go with the first one that materializes on the terms you like.
3. Always use a buyer’s agent on a short sale. Don’t think that you’ll get a better deal if you work with the listing agent.
There’s more, but this should put you on the right path of getting a great deal on a short sale.
Good Luck

Charles asks…
Do I have to pay taxes on a short sale in california on a home!?
we are saling it for 350K less than what we owe, who pays taxes? I heard that we would get 1099. thats allot of money we’d have to come up with. We can’t pay it! anyway to get out of it? or do we really have to pay it?

Larry answers:
If you get a 1099 from the lender, then I’m sorry to tell you that you have taxes to pay on it. If the lender doesn’t give you a 1099 then you don’t have taxes to pay on it.
I’ve attached a link to an article about it.

James asks…
Can I use an FHA loan to purchase or finance a short sale in California?

Larry answers:
It is conceivable if you do not exceed the FHA loan limits and the home is in lendable condition as is.
You need to have an executed purchase agreement and enough time to close. So, if you get a full conditional approval pending the contract, title and appraisal, it should not be a big deal.
Good luck.
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Your Questions About Va Mortgage Loan Rates

Ken asks…
Do people have bargaining options when getting an interest rate on a mortgage loan?
My wife and I are buying a home for around $210k in a rural town in VA. We went to a lender and were told that our interest rate would be about 6.5-6.8% and that it would be the same just about anywhere we went. We both have good credit (mid to upper 700′s) and have a downpayment of $60k. The rate she quoted was for an interest only loan lasting 5 years. Given our good credit and downpayment, should we try to bargain for a better rate? Is this rate going to be the same every place we go? I just felt like she was trying to give us as little info as she could and making it seem like the rate she quoted us is our only option.

Larry answers:
Yes
-me

Richard asks…
I want to refinance from a balloon to a 15 year fixed rate mortgage?
I live in Saginaw, Michigan.
The house is supposed to be worth $95k.
I still owe $68k.
I refinanced already twice and didn’t have to pay PMI because the first mortgage was a VA loan.
Will I have to pay PMI this time, and what lender should I choose?
The balloon mortgage is due in september 2010.

Larry answers:
You only pay PMI when you are borrowing more than 80% of what you appraisal comes in at. If your house really is worth $95,000, you could borrow up to $76,000 without PMI.

Susan asks…
can I get a better rate if I use a VA loan to purchase a home?
do mortgage companies give a break to veterans? I am retired, have fair credit, but want to mimimze my monthly payments on a 30 yr fixed loan.

Larry answers:
VA loans dont get you lower interest rates. What a VA loan does for you is it tells the lending company that your loan will be guaranteed (if you default on the loan). Also, you dont need to make a downpayment, pay points, or pay mortgage insurance. Some sellers dont like to sell to someone with a VA loan though. The seller has to pay any points, and (obviously) they dont like that!
I used my VA loan many years ago so I dont know what if any has changed since.
Good luck!
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Your Questions About Stop Foreclosure

Sharon asks…
how to stop a foreclosure without filing bankruptcy?
I have been out of work and start a new job on monday, but the mortage company says that i cannot make any payments or a 2,000.00 down payment untill i have a job and next month i will but next month it will go up higher and i just dont understand why they will not take any payment now even if i am not working untill next month.

Larry answers:
FIRST, i THINK that is BS. They cant stop youfrom making a payment.
Second, to answer your question.
A couple of gallons of gas and a book of matches should do the trick.

Donna asks…
If you stop one foreclosure auction how long do you have till they start the next auction in the state of CA?
I really need to find out because I thought it was 60 days before they could proceed with the next auction but WF bank is telling me that is 30 days. If anybody knows what are the regulations are in the state of California please let me know and please let me know where I could find this information!
Thanks

Larry answers:
They are not stopped, they are delayed, it is 30 days in CA.

Steven asks…
how to do stop a foreclosure from occurring?
If any of you were unfortunately in a forclosure situation, could you give me any insight as to what you did to resolve your problems? Thanks so much

Larry answers:
There are two ways to stop a foreclosure, one is to pay what is owed, and the other is to file bankruptcy.
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Your Questions About Countrywide Short Sale

Donna asks…
Countrywide has done some unethical things with my attempts at a short sale. What can I do about it?
Countrywide (now boa) has repeatedly lost important contract documents and purposely delayed the short sale of my home. I had a buyer in place last winter that got fed up and gave up. Now I have another one who is getting tired of waiting…Many times, we have faxed the papers to Countrywide/BA, gotten confirmation, then they claim later that we never faxed the papers. We’re here sitting here waiting, only to find out when we call that the short sale has been denied because “The correct documentation was not faxed to us” when we already did. Isn’t destroying documents against the law? What can I do here? Will consumer affairs, BBB or anyone help here? Tell me all my options. Please do not respond if you don’t know anything about this.
It’s not the RE agents fault. I have proven that by faxing the documents myself, only to have them claim weeks later that they never got them. It’s not her fault that they keep destroying documents

Larry answers:
There really isn’t any one to help you.
It is your RE agent who is dropping the ball.
Fire them, they are either lazy or ignorant.
Get yourself a decent agent. They are the ones that are supposed to be getting your deal closed.

Sandy asks…
How to get contact information of the Short Sale in charge at bank?
Hi Friends,
I am a potential home buyer. I put offer on one of the Short Sale home and I think the bank/lender is Countrywide bank.
It’s been more than 2 weeks but I didn’t heard any think from Bank or their agent. Is it possible to get the contact information of the person who is in change for this house? if yes then how? I am in PA.
MP

Larry answers:
No, it is not legal for them to discuss someone elses home loan and sale with you. The only person they might talk to us your broker (not an agent)
However, 2 weeks is nothing, they will not get to this for another 1- weeks or so. Your agent is a loser, they should have told you this takes 3-4 months.

Joseph asks…
Countrywide/BA is purposefully dragging their feet on a short sale on my house. What do?
The house is in foreclosure for 18 months now, we have another short sale buyer, but the bank is purposefully dragging their feet and not allowing me to move on and put it behind me. What can I do here? What do I have to do to get them to put this short sale through? Why in the world are they purposefully dragging their feet? They are doing very unethical things like losing all the contract paperwork, not documenting phone calls, and dragging it out forever it seems. We owe 300k and the buyer offered 280k. What do I have to do to end this nightmare?

Larry answers:
The newspaper had an excellent article explaining this. BofA get paid $30 a month by the holder of the “note” on your house. When the house is in foreclosure (or in the process of a short-sale) BofA gets paid $300 a month. You can see the incentive they have to drag out the process as long as possible.
We often think of BofA as the owner of the loan. But often they are not the owner. They just “service” the loan. They make their profit on the fees.
YOu can not end the nightmare. Even begging does not work.
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Your Questions About Countrywide Short Sales

Mark asks…
FHA vs. conventional loan offer on short sale approved home, who’s the winner?
I just put an offer on a home in california last monday 5/4. The home was short-sale approved at $285k and has been on the market for almost 150 days. I’m purchasing the home with an FHA loan with 3.5% down. I submitted an offer of $295k + 3% help with closing cost valid until 5/15.. I just found out that the only other offer on the home besides me is a person that offered $280k without help with closing cost and using a conventional loan with 20% down. I’m basically giving $1500+ over what the bank is asking but my agent is telling me that the sellers realtor is saying that the bank (countrywide) would like the $280k offer more because its more “clean” and they are not asking for any help with the closing cost and also because they have a 20% downpayment.
I heard from my agent that the bank has been sitting on the other offer for over 3 weeks prior to my offer. I was under the assumption that whatever loan the buyer uses didn’t matter because the sellers bank still gets the money. I was hoping someone can tell me what my chances are of getting this home or if I should submit a higher offer?

Larry answers:
How are these two agents getting together passing confidential information between the two of them? The selling agent has a fiduciary duty to the seller, not you or your agent.
The most a selling agent would tell a buying agent is that there is a better offer, but certainly not go into detail about the offer. Going into details about an offer that a seller has is paramount to telling your agent how to make a subsequent or counter offer. This is not on the up and up.
Something is wrong with this picture.
If the bank has been sitting on this offer for several weeks why did they not accept it then?
Normally a bank want get rid of a property as soon as a qualified offer come in. Since they had this other offer, why do they now come to the conclusion that this is now a qualified offer and was not a qualified offer 3 weeks ago.
You should find out where your real estate agent is getting this unauthorized information from and verify it.
Once the transaction is complete the bank will get all the money they agreed to in the sales contract, so the type of mortgage the seller is using should not matter what so ever.
I hope this has been of some use to you, good luck.
“FIGHT ON”

Steven asks…
Does anyone know why Countrywide would transfer offer to another location?
My husband and I put an offer in on a house that was a short sale back on Jan. 6th of this year. Of course we still don’t have an answer yet, but our agent has been calling the sellers agent about every week ( who has been calling countrywide) to check to see if we have an answer. Yesterday our agent told us that Countrywide transferred our offer to another location. Does anyone know why they would do this? Is that a good thing or bad thing? It is still with Countrywide, but just another location, possibly a closer location. And does anyone know what we can do as buyers to hurry up the process so we can get an answer?

Larry answers:
You should have had one by now….. And that answer is NO..
Move on to another house…

Nancy asks…
Short Sale 2nd Lender told us 8-10 days?
If the 2nd lender (CountryWide/BofA) says they will have a decsion in 8-10 days should we beleive them?
The first lender approved already but the approval is good up to August 3rd. So, on July 8th the 2nd lender said 8-10 days they will have approval.

Larry answers:
Do you have a choice?
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Your Questions About Home Foreclosure Help

Donald asks…
I have questions about buying a foreclosure home?
If anybody has bought a house please let me know what I should be aware of. Also I belonged to the CARE program from PGE will any of that change since they will see I bought a house, or what about MEDICAL (I have full coverage as well). Tell me what were the things that changed for you. I am a first time home buyer so I have a lot of questions. If anybody can help, anything is helpful. Thank you

Larry answers:
Well the first thing you should be aware of are the back taxes if any. You may get a good deal on the house itself but those taxes can sneak up on you if you aren’t aware. I would check out a site like GovernmentAuctions.org – they have an in depth list of foreclosures that can be narrowed down to your area. There is also a foreclosure tutorial on what to look out for.

George asks…
what does it mean when a home is a pre-foreclosure home?
So let’s say there’s 29,750 remaining on the mortgage (for a 3 bed 2.5 bath @ 545/mth). It states to talke over the existing mortgage payments. No money down. Is this too good to be true. Only pay $454 a month on a home like this until it’s paid off? Please help with explaining how to take over a foreclosure home. Thanks.

Larry answers:
It means the owner hasnt made a payment for at least 3 months and the lender has filed a notice of default. Depending on the state this pre-foreclosure period can be usually 90 days before the sale is held. The sale itself is the act of foreclosing, the sale legally removes the defaulted party from title and either the best bidder or the lender will now take title. Be very careful in purchasing this property as the terms seem reflective of one of those scammers that often use them cheesy “we pay cash for houses” signs. Make sure you are buying the home from the owner directly and that the trustee and the lender have viewed your purchase agreement. Those scam artists that lure people in with terms that seem too good to be true should be taken out and hung. They will keep your money for 2-3 or more payments and someone new will come and evict you as they will have the real title to the property in hand. The no money down is a red flag also as the house is at least 3 payments in arrears plus trustees fees. Your $454.00 per month doesnt even cover trustees costs. One other issue is the low balance suggests that you are looking at a junior lien. Before getting in deep I would highly recommend looking at title and contacting the trustee. Most real estate agents wont know what to do or how to do what this case requires. Make sure if you do seek out an agent it is one that specializes in investment propertys.

William asks…
What do I need to know/do to get into the home foreclosure market???
Are there any “free” sites out there to get information? If it is a “courthouse” sale, will there be a minimum amount of money I’ll have to pay? Can I buy it before the auction? How would I go about that? Please help! I am a very confused single, middle-aged woman with limited resources! I could afford to pay 20-25 percent down. I just don’t want to get ripped off!

Larry answers:
You get the list of foreclosures free at your County Recorder’s Office. They will help you.
The problem is that you must pay cash at the foreclosure sale. Cash in 24 hours. No loans. No one has that much money so no one bids at the auction. /
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Your Questions About Brevard Community College

Maria asks…
i want to go into diagnostic medical sonography @ keiser college
im in melbourne fl and keiser is the only college who offers diagnostic medical sonography. i’ve heard a lot of cons about the college and i know they’re a little more pricey but are they worth it if they’re the only ones who are offering it? anyone else took that program with them? maybe i should just go into radiology at the brevard community college? plus i only got a 20 on the wonderlic test thats good enough for radiology but need 25 for sonography

Larry answers:
I would like to know too

Donna asks…
I’m interested in becoming a vet tech. Can anyone can give tips on how to get observation hours from a vet?
I’ve emailed a few places and still haven’t heard back from them. I’m currently enrolled in a community college but just getting my general courses done. I’m planning to go to Brevard Community College in cocoa beach, fl.

Larry answers:
First, go see them in person. Even if you only get to talk to the receptionist, go by and leave a letter to the veterinarian explaining your goals and requesting to be allowed to observe what goes on in their practice. This allows the vet to come talk to you right now if he/she can and if not allows the receptionist to pass on your message and also a first impression of you.
Treat it like an interview. Dress neatly and try to present yourself as someone seriously pursuiing a profession rather than just looking for something to do. Make sure that your letter of introduction looks professional as well.

Mark asks…
How do you save to a PDF?
We received your transcript from Brevard Community College on March 25, but, for some reason, it didn’t include your fall grades. Would you please save a copy of your BCC degree audit as a .pdf file and email it to me?
I need to do that ^ lol but idk what it means!
I have Mico2003

Larry answers:
I think you mean it has to be printed to pdf. Install doPDF and go to the document and find the print button. Under printer name choose doPDF.
Http://www.dopdf.com/
Also if you have Word 2007, it already has the function to do this. Go to ribbon, and save as pdf.
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