I banked on Jan being slow, I am moving this weekend into my TH that is just getting finished up January usually slow and the first half is almost completely dead usually but not always... Best wishes to you all for 2012!!!

First time in a long time, I have no work this weekend. A weekend off thats kinda nice. Just one order today and I just completed it.

Mainstreet does not pay BPO if you can not get in a gated community despite of the subject photos from the MLS. After three hours working on a BPO + 40 miles back & forth + gas spending + time to crop and to uploaded photos, the report has been approved after some additional requests, they do not pay you a full fee. Only $15 for the trip.
It does mean $15 - $6 gas = $9 for 4 hours work
Double checks first before accepting any BPO from them, otherwise you have to finish or you are out of their providers!

I have never had a problem with a gated community.I usually just park outside the gate and walk in. If there is a guard there I just tell them I need to take photos for the bank and they let me drive in.
But I guess each community is different.
BTW I refuse to work for MSV due to problems I had with them a few years ago.

So slow recently due to-
Have heard on 2 cable news channels that President Obama will annouce "major housing initiative" at State of Union. Rumored to be billions in fees to major banks and billions in principle reductions, relief from bank liabilities, new short sale intiatives perhaps, etc.
Apparently many of the incentives to banks re short sales expired at the end of the year and many banks are not moving on short sales until the new incentives are announced as well as, as we all know not moving on REO's until they are promised immunity from legal actions re robo signing etc...any one else heard anything?

Through 20 days this month, I had gotten more BPO orders than the in each of the previous 9 months. I've been swamped---13 companies making the orders, too.

Wish I had that problem northtxbroker. BPO orders have slowed to a trickle for me. I only completed 25 in January.

I just completed my last order for the day. Two are still in QC. I'm ready for today's big game......

What is it with companies handing out orders late Fridays? Equi-Trax just sent out a major dump of 11, and LSI sent two. I'm already fully booked and not feeling that great today, so I let most of them go by. LSI had a new low offering $38. Turned them down. It's the most orders I've seen from ET since they had that major bunch of orders a year ago.

I have recieved the 38 dollar orders from LSI...its not bad... you only have to do 3 sold comps...no listings...

strange...this... no new order thread... is now State of the Union Message????

You can thank Stew from a few posts ago for that. He took it upon himself to change the heading.

For your info, do not take any order from Mainstreet if
1/- it is a gated community and you can not get in
2/- if the property can not be seen fully from the road

because, if you accepte it, you have to finish the complete BPO and not being paid. I have already two of them non paid, three hours for each BPo + 1 hrs trip back and forth + gas expence.

Triple check their orders before accepting any order

Send the pics and they pay a modest trip fee...that at least takes the edge off the time loss:)

With Mainstreet you can not submit any order without fully finishing the whole order, so your work is almost free.