Forclosure Sales: Boom or Bust?

Now that banks are having to repossess homes from delinquent mortgagors, some buyers are asking, "should I buy a bank owned property"? Even with years of real estate experience and knowledge, the best answer here is still: "It depends." Shopping around and knowing the particulars of each sale are still vital as they can vary widely from one house to the next. Arming yourself with some basic information on these types of transactions should also help to give you an idea of the risks and potential gains involved.

SHOP AROUND

Bank-owned or REO (real estate owned) properties can vary in condition from damaged to excellent, and be priced properly (at market) or be a great value. You just need to shop around. I have some clients that have found absolute gems priced 10% to 20% below market.

Even after you shop around though, there's still a fair amount of risk involved in buying this kind of property. Most of the homes in this category are sold in "AS-IS" condition. In some cases, you won't even be able to inspect the house before you buy it. Banks won't make repairs or be held liable for damages, mold or the like so be prepared to sign lots of addendums exonerating them from any responsibility after the sale. Also the bank tends to place a per diem clause that may cost you $100 per day if you're late in closing.

If you're prepared to accept these conditions, I say "Make an offer" and see what happens. Basically, there are three types of foreclosure sales:

AUCTION
This is the riskiest way to purchase bank-owned property, but can also net the greatest financial gain. Some estimates say 25% off the original purchase price is common. If you want to play the auction game, you'll have to pay cash and you'll have to forego any kind of inspection. Auctioned homes are truly "AS-IS." There is also no way to avoid the fact that you are profiting from someone else's misfortune with this option. People who are losing their homes may refuse to move out or may damage the property in anger

SHORT SALE
This isn't really a foreclosure sale, but a sale the homeowner makes in order to ward off foreclosure and do some damage control. Also known as pre-foreclosure, this is when you buy from a homeowner before the bank intervenes. You can inspect the house before you buy when you go this route, but be warned - many of these deals are stalled or squashed by the banks before they're closed.

REO
This is when you buy a foreclosure from a real estate company. REO presents the least risk of all three options. You have clear title, right to inspect and can get your financing in line first. You won't get as great a deal as you could by buying at an auction but for many buyers, the reduced headache is well worth it.

One thing I can say for certain: banks NEVER want to own these REO properties, they just want to lend money and collect mortgage payments. When a property becomes bank owned, it's because the borrower has forced the bank to foreclose, that is it. What this usually means for buyers is a clear chance to purchase a home from a very willing seller.