Wednesday, August 13, 2008

FORECLOSURES, GREAT DEALS WITH HIGHER RISK


To the 1sttime homebuyer or novice real estate investor, the word FORECLOSURE or REO means a good deal. While in most cases this is true, many buyers are surprised to learn that buying Foreclosures are riskier than purchasing a home owned by a traditional home seller who is not in distress. So you may ask what makes purchasing a foreclosure so risky? Having recently represented several buyers in the last 60 days, I’ve learned the pitfalls and risks associated with purchasing these GOOD DEALS. Here’s what I’ve learned:



  • A hot foreclosure deal usually gets many buyers to compete for the same property. After all that’s the point of buying in a buyer’s market, to get a good deal. About 65% of the foreclosure properties I’m selling have multiple offers. Multiple offers have been so evident lately, that one of my friends who represents banks as a listing agent had 30 offers on a property. Point is be prepared to bid over list price if you really want the property. Of course it has to make sense to do so. I provide all my buyer clients with a Buyer Comparative Market Analysis, which is a list of comparable homes for sale, in escrow, and that have sold. If the price you’re willing to offer (plus estimated repairs) is 10-15% below market value, it may be a wise decision to jump ship and place that offer. Besides, you can always cancel the sale if you find something you don’t like within the agreed upon timeframes.
SO THAT I DON’T LOSE MY READERS WITH A.D.D., I WILL BE COMPLETING THIS POST IN A 3 PART SERIES.

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