Mike Bell’s Blog – Real Estate and Bank Owned Properties in Silicon Valley

Full time REO Broker licensed in California, experienced in all aspects of REO disposition and preservation.

President of MBA Real Estate, Inc., Mike Bell is the Broker/Owner of REALTY WORLD – MBA in Santa Clara, California, a Realtor® for the past 17 years, specializing in residential real estate and foreclosures, and land investment through traditional retirement accounts. Certificates and designations include:

•  Federation Of REO Certified Experts (FORCE) - 2011

•  National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP) - 2011

•  Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE) - 2010

•  Accredited REO Agent (A*REO) - 2010

•  Five Star Professional (FSP) - 2009

•  REO Default Certified Professional (RDCP) - 2008

•  Realty World Hall Of Fame - 2008, 2009

•  Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) - 2005

•  Graduate, REALTOR® Institute (GRI) - 2004

•  Seniors Real Estate Specialist® (SRES) - 2004

•  Broker – California Department of Real Estate - 2003

•  Santa Clara County Association of Realtors®  - 1995

•  California Association of Realtors® - 1995

•  National Association of Realtors® - 1995

•  Realty World Broker Network© - 2004

*  California/Nevada Land LLC, Broker Representative - 2006

*  MyLand.US, Broker Representative - 2006

Mike’s stated purpose is “to help people make educated real estate decisions in order to improve their position.”  Mike considers himself more a counselor than a salesperson: “Understanding reliable information is foremost. Bringing buyers and sellers together to their mutual benefit is the common goal, and the most rewarding part of my job.”

A life-long resident of Santa Clara County, Mike was reared in Sunnyvale, attended Fremont High School and De Anza College, then the University of California Santa Cruz before settling in Santa Clara in 1978.  A dedicated family man, Mike is devoted to his wife and best friend, Sandi, an independent real estate appraiser, and daughter Malia, a student at Biola University in Southern California.  The Bells enjoy participating in and contributing to their favorite local Christian churches and charities, are avid baseball fans, and also enjoy playing golf and traveling. Music has always been one of Mike’s special passions.  He and Sandi are both talented musicians and can frequently be found performing at local festivals, resaturants, churches or with a number of popular local bands.

A member of the Local Compassion Board at Westgate Church in San Jose, Mike is also a director of the faith-based community service organization Beautiful Day's Better Homes program. Originally inspired by the popular television show “Extreme Makeover”, Better Homes is a break-through collaboration between the Faith and Civic Communities, providing support to the under-resourced, affecting direct, visible change in local neighborhoods.

This program partners churches with Code Enforcement, Housing, and other city government agencies to assist elderly or disabled homeowners who are suffering from visible property neglect issues, property hazards, in need of home repairs, or in violation of city code ordinances.  These are people who are unable to comply on their own, living in the margins of our community, frequently ignored, overlooked, and alienated from their neighbors.

Better Homes brings these homes into compliance through the use of volunteer labor and leadership.  Church groups are mobilized to implement city-sponsored grants for debris removal and landscaping, sometimes offering painting or construction repair, and far beyond.