Bank Owned Foreclosure Investing Tips
Bank owned foreclosure Investing at a real estate auction can be a great deal if you have done your research and know when to stop bidding. On the other hand, if you only half heartedly did the minimum research you could find yourself in a very bad situation real fast. The way to purchase a property at auction is to be the highest bidder, the first time you attend an auction you will realize how quick a process it really is and why you need to be prepared in advance.
With foreclosed homes selling at below market values and interest rates at an all time low, many are looking to invest in the housing market. It is tempting to invest when the market is as attractive as it is now. Where do you find foreclosed homes? Depending on where you live, you may find foreclosure homes fairly easy.
There are many advantages to buying property at auctions, if your looking for discounted property and exercise some patience you can find bargain properties ranging from a comfortable profit to very large profits. The average auction property will discount for thirty five to forty five percent off the market value providing you the opportunity to make an outstanding profit on your original investment.
The temptation to jump on a deal like that is almost impossible to pass up. The average price on bank owned property for sale is about five percent below market. There are some properties that have been selling as cheap as thirty to forty percent below market. Another advantage to buying foreclosed homes is that the banks are eager to get rid of the property. Work with the bank in coming up with the best deal possible. Sometimes a lender will waive portions of the closing costs. Some have even offered a deal on the down payment or interest rate.
Do your homework in the areas you are interested in purchasing a property. Real estate agents have come up with some unique ways to show their database to find foreclosed properties. It was rare that some realtors would have so many listings of this type at one time, but now it is becoming common.
This forced some creativity in their listing practices. Some have sought to offer tours through neighborhoods to show listed properties. It sounds silly, but actually it is a great way to get a look and feel of the neighborhood. If there are properties sitting unsold for long periods of time, you may want to stay away.
One of the great advantages of foreclosure investing with REOs is the lending institution is the lien holder, and therefore you know you will have a clear title and that is a nice little money and time saving perk. I have heard so many stories about the hapless investor who was assured the title to the property was absolutely clear and not to waste your time and money doing a title search for nothing, only to be stuck with a property they have no clear title to. The only time you really know you have a clear title to a property is when buying the property from the lien holder, or having a title search done.
Now I would like to explain some of the drawbacks to purchasing REOs. Although this method of real estate investing has minimal risks, the profits that come with the sale are equally low as well. The average investor can expect anywhere from five to fifteen percent below the market value. A savvy investor with years of experience in REOs will do much more research and point out why the property should be discounted even further and may be able to get as much as twenty five percent off market value for a bank owned foreclosure.
