As a real estate investor, I’m always looking for property to purchase. I love finding great deals from people going into foreclosure. In this case it’s usually a win/win situation. The owners win as they are selling their home before it is foreclosed on and I win because I can purchase a property without having to pay another Realtor commission.
Unfortunately, you can’t always find the deals before they go into foreclosure. Some investors try to purchase foreclosed properties at real estate auctions or sheriff’s sales. I tend to avoid those. When purchasing a home at an auction there are several factors that can work against you such as very tight time constraints and a limited ability to inspect the property.
If a property doesn’t sell at auction then the mortgage holder, usually a bank, is stuck with the property. The property is now known an REO, or Real Estate Owned. I found a great article that I’d like to share about “The Advantages of Buying REO Properties – Real Estate Owned Properties.”
Here’s what the Author has to say:
- All liens against the property are removed once it becomes an REO, and taxes are paid.
- Unlike properties at foreclosure auction, REOs can be inspected prior to contract, and are listed with real estate agents.
- While many foreclosures are often in deplorable condition, REOs are typically restored to at least a readily salable condition by the lending bank.
- The bank or lending institution that owns the property will often offer financing with better deals then they would offer on traditional properties.
- The bank or lender that owns the property will often provide an allowance for certain repairs.
- You can save money in your title search if you use the same title company that the lender used during foreclosure. They will often discount the cost up to as much as 100%!
- REO properties are usually listed on your local MLS (multiple listing service), or can be located by going directly to your local REO bank’s website.
- REOs will often times include appliances
- While in hot markets, you may not see a difference in price between an REO and a typical property, during slower markets, you can pick up an REO at discounts to the property’s actual value.
Checkout the rest of the article here.
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