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Take Advantage of Today's Market and Purchase a Fixer-Upper!
Contact Linda for immediate notification of foreclosures in any given area!
RIGHT NOW, IT'S anyone's guess when the housing downturn will finally hit bottom. But 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. 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.
Here are five things you should know before you buy a foreclosed home.
1. Finding Properties in Foreclosure
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. 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. (Local real estate web sites are a great place to start your research.) If you buy in an area that's losing jobs and is riddled with crime, home values are likely to take a lot longer to recover.
2. Avoid Auctions
While there are a number of safe ways to buy a foreclosed property, bidding on one at a court auction isn't one of them. That's because you're buying a home sight unseen and without an inspection. You'll have no idea whether the home needs repairs and how much they might cost. Some of these properties also owe back taxes, a headache that's transferred to the new owner. And finally, in most cases, you'll need to pay cash for the home.
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.
3. Research Home Values
Just because a home is being sold by the bank, doesn't necessarily mean it's a bargain. Home prices have fallen dramatically from their peaks in 2006, a time when loose-lending practices 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. On top of that, they typically end up reducing a home's asking price to match current market values.
4. Be Prepared to Move Fast - Line Up Financing First
Foreclosure usually means much more competition. Since there is a mass of distressed inventory, you need to understand you are not the only person in the market looking for a magic deal. So if you are serious about the proeprty, yo need to be in a position to "Pounce". While it's always a good idea to get preapproved for a mortgage before you start shopping for a home, it's even more critical when you're shopping for foreclosed properties. Even if you have stellar credit, some lenders won't make a loan on a distressed propert. Other lenders will only offer a mortgage if the house is in decent condition.
If your loan officer is willing to make a loan on a foreclosed property, find out what criteria the home needs to meet in order to qualify for a mortgage. You can expect the lender to allow cosmetic repairs, but be unforgiving of termites and other serious fixes.
5. Get It Inspected
Even if a home is brand new you want to get it inspected. But inspections are especially important when you're dealing with homes in foreclosure. When people have trouble paying their bills, they typically put off the regular maintenance on their homes. Once a home is seized by a bank, it then sits vacant and falls even further into disrepair. In a worst-case scenario, a homeowner could be so angry he lost his home that he actively destroys a property before he moves out. Without an inspection, you won't be able to estimate the cost for repairs or be able to report the home's true condition to your lender.
Important Note - If you are purchasing a home that needs repairs, be sure you ask about the government sponsored rehabilitation loan. You may qualify to borrow up to 110% of the home's future value to make necessary repairs like roof replacements, flooring, appliances, HVAC systems, etc.
Be sure to contact me if you would like to receive immediate notifications of new foreclosures on the market in any given area and be the first in line.
And then, there's the Short Sale.............
Short Sale 101
To best explain the process of a short sale, an overview of the foreclosure procedure will give you insight to what is referred to as “Short Sale”.
Pre-Foreclosure
In Florida, when a homeowner misses 3 mortgage payments, generally the lender will mail a letter to alert the homeowner that unless a payment is made, the home will fall into a “pre-foreclosure” status where foreclosure procedure is initiated. At this point, the lender files court action and records a notice of a pending lawsuit (Lis Pendens) against the borrower. The lender notifies the borrower and any other affected parties in person or in some cases by mail or publication. If the borrower does not respond to the court action within a specified amount of time, the county clerk can find the borrower in default and the lender can ask the court to make a final ruling. If the court rules against the borrower, the ruling will include the total amount owed to the lender and the foreclosure sale date. The borrower can stop the foreclosure up until the date of the sale by paying the total amount owed to the lender.
Notice of Sale / Auction
The sale date is typically 20-35 days after the court ruling, but this may vary depending on the individual court. The clerk of court issues a notice of sale containing the location, date, and time of the sale. The notice is published once a week for two weeks, with the second notice appearing at least five days before the sale. Within 10 days of the sale, the clerk transfers ownership to the winning bidder if no one disputes the sale. In most instances, a borrower has no right of redemption after the certificate of sale is issued. At this point, the homeowner has lost his/her home to foreclosure, their credit will show a foreclosure for the nest 10 years and the foreclosure does NOT mean the homeowner is free and clear of the debt that is owed. The entire process from the time the homeowner misses the first payment to the day of the auction is typically about five months.
The Short Sale
The Short Sale is when the lender, prior to the home being auctioned off, agrees to a lesser amount than it is owed, and agrees to accept this amount without further action to the homeowner. This is easier said than done. The lender must be convinced that the homeowner has done due diligence in trying to sell the home, he/she must show they can’t afford the payments and have a reason satisfactory to the lender. Financials must be prepared on behalf of the homeowner, contracts, bank statements and various other documents as is required specifically by each lender. If the lender agrees to the amount proposed in the short package, then the sale is made at the lesser price, the foreclosure is avoided and the remainder of the unpaid mortgage balance is excused by the lender. This acceptance of an amount which is less than what is owed the lender constitutes the “Short Sale”.
1. There is not guarantee your lender will agree to a short sale. The key thing to remember though is that the banks do not want your house back.
2 If they do agree, you may or may not be issued a 1099 for the portion of the loan they forgave. In other words, it might count as income. Regardless, if you stuck paying taxes on the amount, it would still be more of a savings than if you took a loan for the whole amount needed to close and also had interest to pay on it.
There are generally three options that the homeowner can take when faced with a foreclosure:
Option 1
Refinance – It may be possible to refinance your home. Yes, the interest rates are probably higher than what you are currently paying, but if you can afford the higher payments, you may be able to refinance your mortgage to pay off the foreclosure, existing debts and even end up with cash.
Option 2
Bankruptcy – Once the lender files the “Lis Pendens”, homeowners will most likely receive offers to help you file bankruptcy. But would this help you in the long run? Bankruptcy is not a cure-all that will save your home; it will only postpone the inevitable. Be aware that if you file bankruptcy, your home could still go to auction, thus resulting in both a bankruptcy and foreclosure against your personal credit. Bankruptcy delays the foreclosure because a lender can’t auction the home until the bankruptcy debts with creditors is resolved. Bottom line is, if you don’t pay the mortgage, you don’t keep your home; otherwise everyone would file bankruptcy, stop paying the mortgage and live mortgage free for the rest of their lives.
Option 3
Sell Your Home – Many people in foreclosure cannot refinance. The good news is that up until the day of the home auction, you have the power to sell and avoid the foreclosure.
Not the End of the Road - Going through a foreclosure is rough...avoiding it is better. And there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I specialize in helping my customers repair their credit history and qualify again for a mortgage on a new home after just a short time, perhaps as soon as a year. Some times, bad things happen to good people, not because they’ve done anything wrong, but because they are just having a bad season.
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