Search Foreclosures FREE For 7-Days!

Free access for 7 days, try it out! No strings, no contracts, no hassles and you can cancel at any time. Hurry! Foreclosures sell fast. Visit RealtyTrac.com. With virtually every Bank, Government and Institutional property you’ll find your next home waiting for you

RealtyTrac, Inc., the leading online marketplace for foreclosure properties, provides all the resources that home seekers, investors and realtors need to locate, evaluate and buy properties at below market value. Founded in 1996, RealtyTrac sets a new standard for online real estate services by offering the largest database of pre-foreclosure and foreclosure properties, with more than 650,000 properties across the country, comprehensive property data, productivity tools and extensive professional resources. RealtyTrac hosts close to 2 million unique visitors monthly, and is the exclusive foreclosure data provider to AOL, Home Gain, MSN House and Home, The Wall Street Journal Real Estate Journal and Yahoo! Real Estate.

Buying a Foreclosure Property Below Market Value: Five Tips from the Pros

House hunting can be a very daunting experience, especially in today’s real estate market. Both investors and home buyers have been priced out of the market by escalating costs, and good real estate deals are increasingly difficult to find.

But there are bargains out there, for people who know where to look.

“For people willing to do some homework, the foreclosure market offers some of the best opportunities in real estate today,” explains James J. Saccacio, chief executive officer at RealtyTrac, the leading online foreclosure marketplace.

Web-based services such as RealtyTrac give consumers access to foreclosure and pre-foreclosure information that was previously available only to professional real estate brokers and investors. Today, homebuyers can use these services to assist them identify and research potential home purchases, as well as the tools and professional resources they need to help them close the deal.

With interest rates ticking up and ARMs adjusting upward, experts predict an increase in the number of foreclosure properties on the market. RealtyTrac, which provides all the foreclosure data for both MSN House and Home and Yahoo! Real Estate, has already compiled a list of over 550,000 foreclosure properties across the country.

“Foreclosure properties can be a terrific investment, or give home buyers a much more affordable option than traditional properties,” notes Saccacio. “But they’re not a way to get rich quick, and a foreclosure purchase needs to be approached in an educated, intelligent manner.”

Saccacio offers five tips to help you close a deal on a foreclosure property:

1. Learn about the different types of foreclosure properties, and the foreclosure process.

There are three basic types of foreclosure properties, representing different stages in the foreclosure process: notice-of-default (NOD) and notice of trustee sale (NTS), which are both pre-foreclosure properties; and real-estate-owned (REO), a foreclosure property which has been re-purchased by the bank.

For most consumers, buying a pre-foreclosure property from a private homeowner is the best option. It’s important that both the buyer and the seller see the situation as a win-win situation, in order to ensure a smooth process. In this case, the seller is able to get out from under a mortgage without destroying their credit rating, the lender is saved the time and expense of foreclosing on the property, and the buyer gets a below-market price on a home.

Foreclosure auction sales are typically the domain of the professional investor. These properties are formally in default, and sold to the highest bidder at an auction. Buyers are required to be physically present at the auction, and must pay 100% of the sale price in cash, on the spot. Though foreclosure auctions can offer significant savings, they are not for the feint of heart or the uninformed. Unless the buyer is already familiar with a particular property, there is usually little time to examine it. And the buyer will be competing against professional investors—and sometimes even the lender—at the auction.

Once the lender officially reclaims a home, it becomes a real-estate-owned property (REO). While REO properties typically offer more time for evaluation and a more standard bank-managed transaction, their prices are usually very close to full retail market value.

CHART: Stages of the foreclosure process

Stage
Positive
Negative
Pre-foreclosure:
Notice-of-Default,
Notice-of-Trustee Sale

– Highest potential savings
– Potential win/win scenario benefits all parties
– Chance to evaluate property
– Buyer / Seller negotiations can be difficult\
– Time pressure to complete transaction before auction

Foreclosure:

Auction sale
– High potential savings
– Immediate property ownership
– 100% of the sale price required in cash
– No time to evaluate property
– Competing with professionals

Foreclosure:

Real Estate Owned (REO)

– Affords significant time to evaluate property
– Traditional bank financing
– Lender often rehabs property
– Lowest potential savings

2. Secure financing early

It’s important for a buyer to be pre-qualified before engaging in discussions with a seller. This ensures that the buyer is in a financial position to purchase the property, and is in the strongest possible position to negotiate. It’s best to work with a lender who understands the foreclosure process, and can guide the buyer through certain steps, such as ensuring that a property is FHA-compliant. Another reason to consider pre-qualification is that not all lenders finance foreclosure properties. Having approved financing in-hand makes negotiations with both the seller and the lender easier, and may even make it possible for the buyer to simply cure the default and take over the existing loan to reduce loan processing fees.

3. Engage a real estate agent as a “buyer’s representative”

Most people hire a real estate agent to sell their home. These “seller’s representatives” are charged with making the sale and negotiating the best deal for their clients. “Buyer’s representatives” have the home buyer’s interests at heart, and are charged with finding the right property and negotiating the best price for their clients. Picking the right real estate agent will make a buyer’s life much easier. There are agents who specialize in the foreclosure market, with specific experience in REO properties. Look for an agent with foreclosure transaction experience, as well as knowledge of local, regional and state laws. But it’s also important to consider the agent’s knowledge of the area; their ability to close a deal; and their access to other professionals (attorneys, lenders, mortgage and title professionals) to ensure that the buyer is in good hands.

4. Do your homework

Stocks offer higher potential returns for investors than traditional savings programs, but are also riskier. Similarly, purchasing foreclosure properties is somewhat more risky than buying traditional real estate properties, but offer much higher potential savings. With the right examination and due diligence, buyers can significantly reduce the risks. It makes sense to give any property under consideration a thorough examination. Here are eight steps for doing a professional-level exam.
CHART: Examination process steps

· Identify desirable neighborhoods – Identify specific neighborhoods where you’d like to live or own a home. This will limit your search to a manageable size for you and your real estate agent, and give your a sense of relative property values.

· Cast a wide net – There are a number of Web-based services that can put hundreds of thousands of foreclosure properties at your fingertips. Since the best savings are often found in pre-foreclosure properties, it’s important to check the percentage of pre-foreclosure (vs. REO) properties in any database before subscribing.

· Determine the property value –Look at the original purchase price, and recent comparable property sales to determine the current value of the property.

· Find out the amount in default and the remaining loan balance – In order to determine a reasonable offer price, you’ll need to know—at a minimum—how much money it will take just to satisfy the debt to the lender.

· Run a legal investing report – Before purchasing any foreclosure property, make sure it is free and clear of any bankruptcies, tax liens or other financial liabilities.

· Assess the condition of the property– If at all possible, visit the property, ask your realtor’s opinion, and review pest and structural reports to make sure that the property is in acceptable condition, or to determine how much of a rehab budget you’ll need to build in to your deal.

· Build a positive relationship with the seller – Before purchasing the property, try to make sure that you’re entering into a win-win situation with the seller, so that they’ll do what they can to make the process easier and leave the property in good condition.

· Leverage your timing – Knowing when a property is going to be auctioned gives you an extra bargaining chip when negotiating with the seller or the lender.

5. Make a realistic offer

Despite what you may see on late-night cable TV, investing in foreclosure properties isn’t a sure fire “get rich quick” formula. Lenders aren’t likely to give properties away, particularly in a real estate market where prices continue to rise. And homeowners in financial distress may be difficult to deal with, particularly early in the foreclosure process. The keys to a successful foreclosure property purchase are diligence and patience.

As a rule of thumb, the best savings can be made at the pre-foreclosure stage, where home owners can avoid a foreclosure and lenders can save the time and cost involved in going through the process.

Another critical point in the process is immediately prior to the auction date, when all parties might be most open to a last-minute solution. It’s not unusual to save from 10-30% of the market value on a foreclosure property, and certain properties offer savings of 50% or even more. An educated buyer—one who knows how much is owed on the property and what its market value is—can usually come up with a realistic offer; one that offers significant savings, while meeting the requirements of the lender.

Now go out and familiarize yourself with the resources and tools available to take advantage of the opportunities offered by this formerly-hidden real estate market. With the experts pointing toward significant growth in available foreclosure properties, there’s never been a better time to line up your resources and get informed.

Free access for 7 days, try it out! No strings, no contracts, no hassles and you can cancel at any time. Hurry! Foreclosures sell fast. Visit RealtyTrac.com. With virtually every Bank, Government and Institutional property you’ll find your next home waiting for you

Defaulted mortgages create a backlash whose effects are felt by not only the lenders, but the economy as a whole suffers as well.  A defaulted mortgage could greatly limit a bank’s borrowing ability by nearly 900%.  Lenders can be blocked from borrowing up to $900,000 on a defaulted loan of just $100,000, that is, until the property is divested.  Not to mention that, as an asset goes down in market price, the banks are forced to adjust the numbers accordingly and eat the deficit.

(A quick note from the editor:  For related information, check out Bulk REO Investing.)

Banks have few options that buffer the burden placed on their books by non-performing assets.  Only as a last resort will banks foreclose.  Lenders must face excessive legal fees over the course of this process.  It also generates sizable problems included with property management while the property is an REO (Real Estate Owned).  There is a higher chance that vacant REO properties will suffer damage further plummeting in value.  There are also the expenses of selling any real estate holdings that include transaction expenses and marketing.

Staffing is yet another issue lenders face.  Even if a bank believes that foreclosure is the only feasable answer it has to contend with employing enough people to manage and sell REO’s, especially if there are bulk REO’s on hand.  The last time a major lending crisis of this proportion took place was about 15 years ago when REO experts among the lending staffs were let go, much to the detriment of banks and buyers alike.  On top of this, the United States has few in-house experts at any of the larger lending institutions who can handle bulk REO’s which need someone to manage them, secure them and sell them with minimal loss.

As quickly as humanly possible today’s lenders, bond managers and servicing agencies appear to be charting the same course: Get rid of those unstable loans even if it means selling at a loss.

A free listing of foreclosures shows pros and disadvantages, but if you take your time and are able to find reliable foreclosure listings for free you can reap many benefits from these free lists.

What are the benefits of free listings of foreclosed homes?

The most sought-after advantage is plainly the opportunity to purchase a house with an inexpensive price tag. Often a free listing of foreclosures lists properties that sell for twenty to fifty percent less than the original price, that is, if they had not gone into foreclosure.

Real estate broker foreclosure listings for free

It is a good idea to visit the web site of a real estate agent, because their free listings of foreclosed homes are in general correct and kept up to date. You will find that some of them give more accurate descriptions than generic foreclosed home lists through companies that give access to their listings only after you pay a monthly fee.

A really useful free listing of foreclosures will list many districts and areas where you can buy properties. It will also include specific details like the exact number of bathrooms and bedrooms, a brief statement about the shape of the properties, and the dimensions and price tag of each house.

Drawbacks of a free listing of foreclosures

In fact, an important difficulty is actually discovering the free listing of foreclosures itself. When you begin your online search, you will come across many web sites that claim to provide foreclosure listings for free. At the same time, they request your credit card information so that they can start charging a monthly fee after a thirty-day trial.

However, once you have access to totally free foreclosure listings, the shortcomings are not too bad. But of course, it is you who have to decide if this is what you were looking for.  Some of them may be lacking on specific info in one area or category. Others may not have the best of customer services.

Unfortunately, although many web sites state their customer service works around the clock, this does not always ensure that your questions will be answered promptly.

The truth about free home foreclosure listing updates

A pitfall you may encounter is that their free listing of foreclosures is not modified quickly enough to reflect the latest information. If the properties are not updated quickly and on a regular basis, it could happen that you waste your time making plans about a house that is no longer available.

To avoid the disadvantages of a free listing of foreclosures, another option is to work together with a real estate agent company you can trust. Generally speaking, you can rest assured that a free listing of foreclosures compiled by realtor companies is up to date.

Realtor free listings of foreclosed homes are often derived from foreclosure information owned by a bank, which is usually accurate and updated daily. In addition, in this scenario you can ask your specialized real estate agent to clarify anything you do not understand about the free listing of foreclosures.

Free foreclosure information on homes is available in all areas of the United States through newspaper advertising as well as through court filings. One of the worst scenarios for a family is the loss of their home. In some parts of the United States families seem to lose their houses more often than in other parts of the States. This is where people looking to take advantage of certain situations can find houses at reduced prices by knowing where to look.

In some US states a lender must file any claim through the law courts before issuing foreclosure proceedings on the borrower. Once a judge reviews and agrees the foreclosure information during a judicial review, they will then offer the defendant a specified time frame, usually 30 days, in which to make payment of the entire loan amount that the judge determines to be due. At the end of that time, if the borrower has not been able to meet the deadline set by the judge the court can then order the home to be sold at auction. Just because the court has ordered foreclosure of a mortgage, does not mean the homeowner has left it too late to stop the foreclosure auction continuing. The homeowner has right up until the day of the auction to pay the mortgage, along with all the costs and maintain ownership of the property. Because this foreclosure information is open and available to the public through the law courts people looking for an opportunity to buy a home before it goes into foreclosure can review court records and then contact the owner before foreclosure is authorized by the court.

Check The Facts Before Making Any Offers

Potential buyers should look at several issues that may affect the purchase of the property before making any offers, especially if it is being purchased as an investment. Whilst the foreclosure information provided to the court is likely to be accurate; if the home loan is quite new and therefore has not time to generate much equity, the amount needed to purchase the property may be higher than the propety’s value once all the associated costs are calculated into the final price. Negotiating a deal with the property owner can sometimes be far more beneficial than just dealing with the lender. One way to find out who the owner is is by looking through the foreclosure information in the newspapers. The lender knows that through auctions as well as subsequent civil action they can recoup the cost of the loan and legal costs incurred when trying to collect. And whilst it’s unusual for a lender to accept a lower amount for a mortgage, there’s no harm in giving it a go.