Month: June 2009

Knowing When to Buy Foreclosures

Posted by on June 28, 2009

Everyone in the real estate business knows that foreclosures have great profit potential, but not all will be bargains.  Knowing when to buy foreclosures will save you a lot of time, headaches, and money.

For the investor buying foreclosures, they are looking to purchase properties below the market value and either flip them or sell them for a profit.  A few of the common mistakes that many investors make are purchasing a home that will not turn a profit either because the repairs are more than they bargained for, or the intended resale price will not sell in the area.

In most cases, when you buy foreclosures, you can expect to save between 10-20% of the market value, but this can quickly be downsized depending on the amount of work the home needs.

An investor needs to determine if after repairs, their profit will be worth the work.  For example, an investor can purchase a home for $100,000, and the homes in the area are going for $175,000.  But the home needs $60,000 - $70,000 in repairs and upgrades to make it sellable, this may not be such a great deal.  You have to take into account contractors and materials in addition to paying the mortgage until the home sells, or you rent it out.

Because foreclosure sales are more complicated than the traditional path, you need to educate yourself on what the differences are, and how you can avoid the common pitfalls that many new and seasoned investors make.  There are many loopholes when dealing with foreclosures that can be costly down the road or prevent a sale from happening all together.

You can learn from the mistakes of those before you by taking advantage of advice from the pros, and learn who the big dogs who are at the top and stay there.

 

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Foreclosure Investing the Smart Way

Posted by on June 28, 2009

With the number of foreclosures rapidly growing, foreclosure investing the smart way can mean money in the bank if you have a game plan.   Buying a home at a reduced price is always music to an investor’s ears, but there are a number of factors to consider.

Throughout the foreclosure process, you can make a deal with the homeowner at any time, you can wait until the auction to purchase the home, or buy the home after the auction from the bank.

Many of the infomercials state that you can buy foreclosed homes in pre-foreclosure and rent it back to the owners, in the hopes that they will purchase the home back from you at some point.  This is a risky way to go since the chances of the previous owner being able to buy the home back are questionable.

Dealing with the bank, you may not be able to get as good a deal as you would from the homeowner, since they’re not backed into a corner to sell.

Buying the home at a public auction means that there are other potential buyers, and the price can go beyond what you wanted to spend.

Dealing with the homeowner is the best way to go.  It’s unfortunate for them, but if it’s inevitable, you can make them a deal that they cannot refuse.  If you communicate with them, and let them know that you sympathize with their situation, and you want to help; the chances are you can persuade even the toughest homeowner to sell.

Sometimes dealing with distressed homeowners is not easy.  Do you want to learn tactics that will increase your chances of sealing the deal and increase your foreclosure investing sales?

 

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Foreclosures Make It Easy for Investors to Buy Low and Sell High

Posted by on June 24, 2009

A lot of millionaires made their fortunes investing in real estate. The old saying “buy low and sell high” is what many real estate investors live by. I’ve heard a number of different real estate investors say that you make money in real estate not when you sell it, but when you buy it. This basically means that if you buy at a good price you are almost guaranteed to make a nice profit.

A great way for investors to put the buy low sell high method into practice is to invest in foreclosures. Foreclosures are at an all-time high in this creates enormous opportunities for investors to get quality properties at bargain prices.

A lot of real estate investors like to look at a bank foreclosure list and see what kind of inventory their local banks are trying to unload. Most people go to a bank to get a home loan so it’s only natural that banks would have a certain number of people default on their loans and that the banks would then have a large inventory of houses that they need to sell. Banks do not wish to be in the real estate business. They do not want to own rental properties or fix up houses to flip. Banks want to have a portfolio of good loans, loans in which people make regular payments. Because banks want to have good loans on the books and because there are so many foreclosures now, banks are accepting short sales more than ever. This means that banks are prepared to accept offers for less than what is actually owed on the property.

Another way that investors like to find bargain properties is to look for government foreclosed homes. Banks are not the only institutions that lend money to people to buy homes. The Veterans Administration provides financing to men and women who have served in the military so that they can buy homes, many times with low down payment requirements and very reasonable interest rates. Like other lenders, the Veterans Administration has people that default on their loans from time to time and they will take houses back in foreclosure.

The Veterans Administration is not the only government agency that ends up with foreclosures. A lot of investors like to buy HUD foreclosures. HUD stands for the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The Department of Housing and Urban Development does not make loans directly but they are responsible for overseeing the activities of the FHA or Federal Housing Administration which provides mortgage insurance to approved lenders. If someone has a bank loan that is insured by the FHA and that person then defaults on their loan, and if the property were to go through the entire foreclosure process it would eventually go back to the Department of Housing and Urban Development which would then have the responsibility of selling that house to recoup losses.

HUD ends up with a lot of foreclosures because FHA insured loans are often times given to people with very little down payment money and a lot more flexibility when it comes to qualifying for a loan. The FHA makes it easier for people to buy but this also makes it easier for people to get in over their head and eventually lose the house to foreclosure.

Times are tough for a lot of people and foreclosures are at an all-time high but if you are an investor now is the time to buy. There is more opportunity now than ever before to get quality properties at rock-bottom prices and real estate prices will not stay this low forever. This is one of the best times in history to buy low and sell high.

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How to Save Your Home From Foreclosure

Posted by on June 24, 2009

The idea of foreclosure frightens most people. Current government policies encourage homeownership and there is a nearly endless array of mortgage options to choose from making buying a home easier than ever before. All it takes is missing a couple of mortgage payments to set the foreclosure machine in motion. Then, the home you worked so hard for is suddenly taken away from you. Even worse, you may still end up owing money on the house if the home sells for less than your loan. Add to that, the utter devastation of your credit rating and you have a very sad scenario.

There are steps you can take to prevent this unhappy event.

First and foremost, make your mortgage payments your top priority before any and all other considerations, except health-care. If you are in financial trouble, don’t worry about credit card payments, personal loans or other unsecured debts until you pay your mortgage. While falling behind in these bills can cost you money in fees and even damage your credit, it is not nearly as damaging as a foreclosure. Cut out extravagances such cable TV, entertainment, memberships to gyms, etc. Make pizza at home instead of eating out. Curtail extra spending everywhere you can.

Never simply ignore the problem. The farther behind you get on your mortgage, the harder it will be to catch up and the more likely you are to loose your home, despite any last minutes efforts you may make.

Contact your lender as soon as you realize that you have a problem - you are laid off or fired, you have an illness that means you will be out of work for a time, any other reason you may be temporarily set back financially. Your lender doesn’t want your house. More importantly, lenders have options that will help borrowers through difficult financial times.

Open and respond to all mail from your lender. First notices will offer good information about foreclosure prevention. Later correspondence may include information about important legal actions. Failure to appear in court will not excuse you from a foreclosure.

If you have any assets that can be sold to raise some money - a second car, jewelry, a whole-life insurance policy, a valuable gun collection - go ahead and sell them. Is there someone in your household that can get a second job for awhile? While it may not raise enough money to get you out of financial trouble, it will show your mortgage company that you are making an effort, you are making sacrifices to save your home.

Avoid foreclosure prevention companies who charge you a fee for helping you with foreclosure prevention. Use that money to pay your mortgage, instead. Most of the companies will provide information that you can get for free from your lender or from a HUD approved housing counselor.

Don’t loose your home to foreclosure recovery scams. If a company approaches you and tells you they can prevent your foreclosure if you sign a document, do not sign. You may well be signing your home over to a total stranger and you will become a renter in your own home. There are many options and resources to help you.

Your lender is always a very good place to start. Don’t fail to contact them because you are scared of what they will say or you are embarrassed. Not talking to them is likely the worse mistake you will make.

Perhaps even selling your home is a good step for you.  FindBuyers.com is a unique system that matches buyers and sellers much the same way a dating site works.  Give them a try and sell that home before you have to face foreclosure.

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Foreclosure News - Facing Foreclosure: How to Find Advice Online

Posted by on June 24, 2009

Your property is at the process of being seized by the bank and you don’t know where to go.  Keeping up the latest foreclosure news can really help you out.  Getting legal help may be out of the question especially at this time of need.  It is still more effective to seek the help of a lawyer but the internet could be an alternative solution to your problem.

The best place to search for information about mortgages and home ownership is your state’s website.  This is the best and first place you should go to.  Just type in mortgage seizure on the website’s search box.  A number of articles should appear with information about your search.  You can also search other websites, but it is best to rely on your state’s website for updated information.

You can also seek information from lawyers’ sites, those who are experts in foreclosures.  These sites contain great advice and you don’t have to pay any fees.  There was a search done for real estate lawyers that gave some information about bankruptcy and foreclosure, that bankruptcy can put a halt to the seizure of your home.  Not all legal websites will give you all the information you need, but surely the internet will provide you with some, if not all of the answers you need.

You can also hire a real estate attorney online.  Although money is a problem, there is always a solution.  (Note: When searching online for foreclosure news and information make sure to use commonly misspelled phrases like forecloser as well.)  Some lawyers give free legal help and there are some who will let you pay whatever you can as often as you can.  You should immediately seek legal help if you are being scammed or if your financer is mistreating you.  In general, seeking legal help when it comes to property seizure is important.

Another good source of information are debt counseling websites.  There is a risk, but they can be of assistance to you.  These companies may negotiate with your bank or financer.  They can come up with a lower monthly payment for you, instead of seizing your property.  The risk in availing the services of these companies are high, though.  Make sure you check valid information about the company before you even contact them.

There is also ample information at www.hud.gov.  This is the website of the US Department of Housing and Urban development and you can find precise information here.  The website will be of great help.  You will be given options throughout the whole foreclosure process and professional HUD advisors are also available to help.

People who have gone through foreclosure have also written about their experiences online.  You can read about their ups and downs, successes or failures on some websites.  These websites can provide you with more information and hope as well.  Reading about the experiences of these people may make you feel better about going through this.  To keep up with the latest foreclosure news you must continue your online education and research.

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