Wednesday 22 June 2011

Buying Foreclosure Homes: Here's Why REO Properties Are A Better Option

By Carolyn Langlois


Are you looking to purchase a home at an affordable price? If you are, you need look no further than foreclosure property. Quite often, buying foreclosure homes lets you buy at a greatly discounted price. But there are a few challenges you have to get through. For a number of reasons it may be difficult to purchase and then move into a home that is subject to foreclosure. To avoid any problems, it may be preferable to only look at purchasing an REO, or real estate owned, property.

Buying and trying to take possession of a foreclosed home can be a challenge for a couple of reasons. Even if a foreclosed home is being sold at auction, winning the bid is only the beginning. For instance, some states have redemption laws. These laws give delinquent borrowers additional time to return their mortgage to good standing. Once the borrower does this, your winning bid goes out the window because the borrower retains possession of the home.

There is another factor that might negatively affect your ability to move into a foreclosed house that you purchase. More often than you might think, people who have lost their home to the foreclosure process, refuse to leave their homes. If this happens you will have to try to evict them from the house. Some will move out when they get an eviction notice, but others may still refuse to move. If push comes to shove and you have no recourse but to hire a lawyer, your costs will increase.

Finally, make certain that there are no liens on the property. Also check that taxes are up to date before completing the purchase. This is important because in many states, the buyer may be on the hook for these things.

Because of the risks that come with purchasing a foreclosed property, it's safer to buy real estate owned property. REOs are properties that are owned by the original lender. They have already been put through the legal process of repossessing the house, so as a buyer, you won't have to. With the great number of repossessed homes that have been reclaimed by the original lender through the foreclosure process, there is a huge opportunity to make a great deal.

Those in the real estate field agree that buying an REO home is a better way to purchase a property that is under foreclosure. When homes are repossessed by the lender, that institution has the money and legal power to evict residents who don't want to leave their homes. So when you purchase the home, you won't have to deal with the difficult task of eviction. Once you buy you know that you won't be faced with legal problems from the former owners simply because you didn't buy the home directly from them.

When you begin your search for properties it would be a good plan to contact the bank or mortgage holder directly. Even though some of these properties might be listed through a real estate office, often the best deals can be had where you cut out the middle man.

First off, call or visit the local banking and mortgage institutions. They will probably be more than willing to share information because they want to sell any REO properties as quickly as possible. You may also want to check websites, especially for any banks with more than one branch. Also, check websites for national banks as they may have even more listings available.

There is no doubt that there is money to be saved when buying foreclosure homes. But, whether you buy a foreclosed home, or are buying REO properties, or even a home sold though a real estate agent, always consult with a lawyer who specializes in real estate to avoid problems.




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