Save Money Buying A Foreclosed House
It's anyone's guess when the housing downturn will finally hit bottom. If you're looking to buy a home now and plan to stay in it for a while there are plenty of bargains to be had on a foreclosed property.
Banks are often willing to sell foreclosed homes for up to 20% below market value just to get these troubled properties off their books, says Rick Sharga, vice president of marketing for RealtyTrac, a web site that lists foreclosed properties. With foreclosures at an all-time high in the past year, there's no shortage of these opportunities to pursue. However, prospective buyers should know that closing on that super-cheap distressed home is often a lot more complicated and risky than buying a home that doesn't have all of that financial baggage.
The biggest bargains can be found in areas where there's a large concentration of distressed properties. The banks with the most exposure to these areas are typically the most motivated to cut a deal since they don't want to get stuck with a glut of real estate they can't unload, says RealtyTrac's Sharga. But before you snap up the cheapest home you can find, make sure to do some research. Find out if the property is located in a decent neighborhood with good schools and healthy employment rates.
The least risky way to buy a foreclosed home is to wait until the bank has put it back onto the real estate market. These properties are called bank-owned or real estate-owned (REO). Before a bank hangs a "For Sale" sign, it pays off all the existing debts and taxes, and in many cases, repairs the home to bring it up to the standards of the neighborhood. Best of all, you should be able to buy a bank-owned property with a traditional mortgage.
Home prices have fallen dramatically from their peaks in 2006, a time when loose-lending practices allowed by Congress and signed by President Clinton allowed people of all credit ranks to easily obtain mortgages. Now, many homeowners going through the foreclosure process owe more on the mortgage than their property is actually worth. To make sure you aren't assuming an overpriced loan, research home values in the area. That way, you'll be better able to identify potential deals.
If you fall in love with a home in preforeclosure that's overpriced, then you can see if the bank will allow a short sale. This is when the bank accepts less for the home than the amount owed on the mortgage. While not an ideal scenario, accepting a lower price is often in the bank's best interest. Banks typically spend $25,000 to $50,000 during the foreclosure process.
