NEW bOOK · EDWARD RODARTE · LICENSED CA REALTOR · 25 yEARS
You Have More Options Than You Fear,
and More Time Than You Think.
Foreclosure notice. Inherited property. Divorce. A tenant who won't leave. Fire or flood damage. Whatever brought you here, DISTRESSED is the field guide for figuring out exactly where you stand — and exactly what to do next — from someone who has sat at hundreds of kitchen tables helping families find their way through.
NEW bOOK · EDWARD RODARTE · LICENSED CA REALTOR · 25 yEARS
You Have More Options Than You Fear,
and More Time Than You Think.
Foreclosure notice. Inherited property. Divorce. A tenant who won't leave. Fire or flood damage. Whatever brought you here, DISTRESSED is the field guide for figuring out exactly where you stand — and exactly what to do next — from someone who has sat at hundreds of kitchen tables helping families find their way through.
What you'll get
A field guide, not a pep talk.
This is not motivation. It is a practical, plain-English resource built for people who are under pressure, on a deadline, and need real answers right now, not inspiration.
01
A plain-English breakdown of your actual situation.
What is really happening with your property, what your real deadlines are, and what the law actually gives you at each stage of the process. No legal jargon. No vague reassurances.
02
Every chapter organized by your exact situation.
You do not read this book front to back. You find the chapter that matches what you are facing and you start there. Twenty-two situations covered, each one with its own roadmap.
03
Your options ranked from best to last resort.
Every chapter shows you the full range of what is available, with the keep-it options always listed first before any selling option is ever discussed.
04
Worksheets that turn panic into a plan.
Fill-in worksheets throughout the book get your real numbers, your real deadlines, and your real next steps out of your head and onto paper where you can actually act on them.
05
A Southern California resource directory.
Real offices, real phone numbers, and free help across all five Southern California counties so you are never left searching at midnight and landing on someone who does not have your best interests in mind.
06
The complete PDF, free, starting in the next two minutes.
No waiting. No shipping. No cost. The full book, all twenty-two chapters and all six worksheets, delivered to your inbox the moment you enter your information.
What you'll get
A field guide, not a pep talk.
This is not motivation. It is a practical, plain-English resource built for people who are under pressure,
on a deadline, and need real answers right now, not inspiration.
01
A plain-English breakdown of your actual situation.
What is really happening with your property, what your real deadlines are, and what the law actually gives you at each stage of the process. No legal jargon. No vague reassurances.
02
Every chapter organized by your exact situation.
You do not read this book front to back. You find the chapter that matches what you are facing and you start there. Twenty-two situations covered, each one with its own roadmap.
03
Your options ranked from best to last resort.
Every chapter shows you the full range of what is available, with the keep-it options always listed first before any selling option is ever discussed.
04
Worksheets that turn panic into a plan.
Fill-in worksheets throughout the book get your real numbers, your real deadlines, and your real next steps out of your head and onto paper where you can actually act on them.
05
A Southern California resource directory.
Real offices, real phone numbers, and free help across all five Southern California counties so you are never left searching at midnight and landing on someone who does not have your best interests in mind.
06
The complete PDF, free, starting in the next two minutes.
No waiting. No shipping. No cost. The full book, all twenty-two chapters and all six worksheets, delivered to your inbox the moment you enter your information.
The book
Written by someone who has been on both sides of the table.
In 2008, Edward Rodarte was a licensed California Realtor who understood the market, the paperwork, and the process better than almost anyone in the room. None of that made it hurt less when he lost his own house in the worst financial crash in a generation.
For the last eighteen of his twenty-five years in real estate, he's worked almost exclusively with distressed property: foreclosures, probate cases, divorce sales, homes buried under liens, inherited houses nobody agreed on, rentals nobody could unload, properties damaged by fire and flood.
Distressed is that experience, written down. Not a book about maximizing your sale price over a leisurely spring listing season — a field guide for people under real pressure, covering both paths honestly: keeping the property, and selling it.
"Most people who end up in these situations think they're already out of options. They just don't know it yet."
The book
Written by someone who has been on both sides of the table.
In 2008, Edward Rodarte was a licensed California Realtor who understood the market, the paperwork, and the process better than almost anyone in the room. None of that made it hurt less when he lost his own house in the worst financial crash in a generation.
For the last eighteen of his twenty-five years in real estate, he's worked almost exclusively with distressed property: foreclosures, probate cases, divorce sales, homes buried under liens, inherited houses nobody agreed on, rentals nobody could unload, properties damaged by fire and flood.
Distressed is that experience, written down. Not a book about maximizing your sale price over a leisurely spring listing season — a field guide for people under real pressure, covering both paths honestly: keeping the property, and selling it.
"Most people who end up in these situations think they're already out of options. They just don't know it yet."
Why this book
Find your exact situation. Start there.
You don't have to read this cover to cover. Most people shouldn't. Every chapter follows the same
structure, so you can go straight to the one that matches what you're facing.
01
You'll finally see the full picture.
Not the worst case your mind runs at 3 a.m. Chapter 2 helps you name exactly where you stand, what your real numbers are, and how much time you actually have. Half the fear people carry comes from not knowing their actual situation.
02
Every option, keep-it first.
Reinstatement, loan modification, forbearance, lien payoffs, partition buyouts, Chapter 13 repayment plans. Every legal tool that might let you keep what you have is laid out before any selling option is ever mentioned.
03
Real deadlines, no vague urgency.
Every situation in this book runs on a different clock. You will know exactly what each notice means, what each deadline triggers, and what becomes unavailable if you wait too long. Facts replace fear.
04
The mistakes that cost the most.
Every chapter names the specific missteps that have hurt other people the most in your exact situation. Most of them were learned the hard way by real families who did not have this information in time. You do not have to repeat them.
05
A worksheet-backed action plan.
Getting your real numbers and deadlines out of your head and onto paper is often the single thing that turns panic into a plan. Every chapter has a fill-in worksheet built for exactly that moment.
06
Know when the book ends and the professional begins.
This book is honest about its limits. It tells you plainly when your situation needs an attorney, a CPA, or a housing counselor, what kind, and what to ask them so you do not waste time or money figuring it out on their clock.
Why this book
Find your exact situation. Start there.
You do not have to read this cover to cover. Most people should not. Every chapter follows the same structure so you can go
straight to the one that matches what you are facing and know your next move before you go to sleep tonight.
01
You'll finally see the full picture.
Not the worst case your mind runs at 3 a.m. Chapter 2 helps you name exactly where you stand, what your real numbers are, and how much time you actually have. Half the fear people carry comes from not knowing their actual situation.
02
Every option, keep-it first.
Reinstatement, loan modification, forbearance, lien payoffs, partition buyouts, Chapter 13 repayment plans. Every legal tool that might let you keep what you have is laid out before any selling option is ever mentioned.
03
Real deadlines, no vague urgency.
Every situation in this book runs on a different clock. You will know exactly what each notice means, what each deadline triggers, and what becomes unavailable if you wait too long. Facts replace fear.
04
The mistakes that cost the most.
Every chapter names the specific missteps that have hurt other people the most in your exact situation. Most of them were learned the hard way by real families who did not have this information in time. You do not have to repeat them.
05
A worksheet-backed action plan.
Getting your real numbers and deadlines out of your head and onto paper is often the single thing that turns panic into a plan. Every chapter has a fill-in worksheet built for exactly that moment.
06
Know when the book ends and the professional begins.
This book is honest about its limits. It tells you plainly when your situation needs an attorney, a CPA, or a housing counselor, what kind, and what to ask them so you do not waste time or money figuring it out on their clock.
Take a look inside
Chapters by situation. Worksheets throughout.
This is not a book you read cover to cover hoping something applies to you. Every chapter is organized around a specific situation so you can turn directly to the one that matches yours and know your next move by morning.
22 chapters, mapped by situation
Fill-in worksheets throughout to get your numbers and deadlines on paper
A full Southern California resource directory with real offices and free help across five counties
Every chapter shows you the keep-it options first before it ever talks about selling
Take a look inside
Chapters by situation. Worksheets throughout.
This is not a book you read cover to cover hoping something applies to you. Every chapter is organized around a specific situation so you can turn directly to the one that matches yours and know your next move by morning.
22 chapters, mapped by situation
Fill-in worksheets throughout to get your numbers and deadlines on paper
A full Southern California resource directory with real offices and free help across five counties
Every chapter shows you the keep-it options first before it ever talks about selling
A preview of what's waiting for you in the full book.
See for yourself why this isn't just another book with quotes on a wall. Every chapter earns its place. Personal, relational, operational, eternal, this is the full architecture of a life that isn't running on default.
Take a look inside before you get your copy.
A preview of what's waiting for you in the full book.
See for yourself why this isn't just another book with quotes on a wall. Every chapter earns its place. Personal, relational, operational, eternal, this is the full architecture of a life that isn't running on default.
Take a look inside before you get your copy.
Results you can expect
YOU ARE NOT STUCK
Clarity, not just more information.
Know exactly where you stand. Your real numbers, your actual timeline, and your specific options laid out plainly before you make a single call or sign a single document.
See every path, not just the obvious one.
Reinstatement, modification, buyouts, repayment plans, and more — laid out before any conversation about selling.
Understand the clock before it runs out.
Every situation in this book runs on a different timeline. You will know exactly how much time you have, what each deadline means, and what becomes unavailable if you wait too long.
Avoid the mistakes that cost the most.
Every situation chapter names the specific mistakes that have cost real people the most equity, the most money, and the most options in circumstances exactly like yours.
A plan on paper, not just in your head.
The worksheets throughout the book turn fear and confusion into a concrete, dated action plan with specific steps, specific calls to make, and specific decisions to commit to this week.
Know when to call a professional and which one.
This book is honest about its limits. It tells you plainly when your situation needs an attorney, a CPA, or a housing counselor, and what to ask them when you get there so you do not waste a single hour or dollar figuring it out on their clock.
Results you can expect
YOU ARE NOT STUCK
Clarity, not just more information.
Know exactly where you stand. Your real numbers, your actual timeline, and your specific options laid out plainly before you make a single call or sign a single document.
See every path, not just the obvious one.
Reinstatement, modification, forbearance, buyouts, repayment plans, partition rights, and more. Every chapter shows you the keep-it options first before it ever talks about selling.
Understand the clock before it runs out.
Every situation in this book runs on a different timeline. You will know exactly how much time you have, what each deadline means, and what becomes unavailable if you wait too long.
Avoid the mistakes that cost the most.
Every situation chapter names the specific mistakes that have cost real people the most equity, the most money, and the most options in circumstances exactly like yours.
A plan on paper, not just in your head.
The worksheets throughout the book turn fear and confusion into a concrete, dated action plan with specific steps, specific calls to make, and specific decisions to commit to this week.
Know when to call a professional and which one.
This book is honest about its limits. It tells you plainly when your situation needs an attorney, a CPA, or a housing counselor, and what to ask them when you get there so you do not waste a single hour or dollar figuring it out on their clock.
About the author
Edward Rodarte
Edward Rodarte is a licensed California Realtor with twenty-five years of experience, eighteen of them spent almost exclusively in distressed property. Before real estate he served in law enforcement and went on to serve as an elected city councilman and appointed mayor in Southern California's Inland Empire.
Edward is also the author of Healing the Inner Brat, Fuck Average: Life's Real Playbook From Near Death to Next Level, and Corporate Gangsters, and co-hosts the Fatherhood Voices podcast with his daughter Alyssa. His work across books, coaching, and real estate is built around one conviction: that no one is defined by their lowest moment, and that the cycles we break become the inheritance we leave behind.
DISTRESSED is twenty-five years of experience and one very expensive personal lesson poured into a single volume so that the next family facing a hard situation does not have to figure it out alone.
TESTIMONIALS
What others are saying
"I thought I was going to lose everything. This book showed me I still had a move."
"Got the NOD and panicked for three weeks. Once I understood the timeline and what AB 2424 could do I stopped freezing and started moving. I called Edward, listed the property, and walked away with equity I almost handed to the bank." — Marcus D.
"I never thought a real estate book would make me cry. This one did."
"My ex and I could not agree on anything including what to do with the house. This book explained my rights and the process in language I could actually understand. I made a clear decision for the first time in months and walked away with my share of the equity." — Sandra R.
"We were about to blow up our inheritance fighting over it. This book stopped us."
"Three siblings, one house, nobody agreeing. The partition chapter explained our options so clearly we were able to sit down and actually have the conversation. We sold it, split it fairly, and we are still speaking to each other." — Daniel M.
"I inherited a house and a probate process I did not understand. This changed everything."
"This isn't motivation. It's a mirror. I saw my dad in these pages and I saw myself becoming him. That stops with me. If you're on the fence, stop thinking about it and just read it." - Jessica L.
Before you decide
A few honest answers.
Is this legal or financial advice?
No, and the book is honest about that from the very first page. Edward is a licensed California real estate professional with twenty-five years of experience and eighteen of those years spent exclusively in distressed property. He is not an attorney or a CPA, and he will tell you clearly in every chapter when your situation calls for one of those professionals.
This book does not replace professional advice. It prepares you to use it. Most people walk into an attorney's office not knowing what questions to ask or what their situation actually involves. After reading the chapter that covers your problem, you will walk in informed, focused, and ready to make better decisions faster.
Twenty-five years of experience went into every page of this book so that you do not have to figure it out alone. That preparation alone is worth the read.
What if I'm not sure my situation fits any one chapter?
That is more common than you think. Most distressed property situations do not arrive alone. They stack. A foreclosure that also has back taxes. An inherited house with a sibling dispute and a reverse mortgage. A divorce layered on top of a mortgage that is already behind.
Chapter 2 was built for exactly that moment. It walks you through a simple diagnostic that helps you name every situation you are facing, find the right chapters for each one, identify your most urgent deadline, and decide whether your goal is to keep the property or protect what you have built by selling.
Ten minutes with Chapter 2 and you will know exactly where to start.
What's the difference between Amazon and buying direct?
When you buy direct, your copy comes straight from Edward. You can request a personally signed copy, and you get direct access to the man behind the book if you have questions about your situation.
When you buy on Amazon, you get standard Amazon shipping, which is fast and convenient, but there is no personal connection to the author.
Same book either way. The difference is whether you want a signed copy and a direct line to someone who has spent eighteen years solving exactly the kind of problem you are facing.
What if I'm not ready to buy the full book yet?
You do not have to. Download the complete PDF version of DISTRESSED for free, no cost and no commitment. Same book, same chapters, same worksheets, everything you need to start finding your door today.
When you are ready to hold it in your hands, the paperback is available on Amazon or you can order it directly through me.
Either way, the information is yours. Start with Chapter 1, the story of the house Edward lost, and see if it speaks to where you are right now.
GET THE FREE FULL PDF VERSION NOW
More options than you fear.
More time than you think.
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