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How Foreclosure Sales Actually Work

In foreclosure, distressed homeowners face the prospects of eviction alongside damage. Mortgage loan companies miss out. Familiarize yourself with how foreclosure earnings actually get the job done, so you might work with motivated sellers to purchase discounted property.

Identification

The mortgage contract specifies that banks carry rights to grab, or foreclose upon, real estate collateral to make good on missed payments. Mortgage lenders normally extend one 15-day grace period after the mortgage payment is due on the first of the month. Homeowners need to make the full mortgage payment until the grace period expires to prevent default and preforeclosure.

Characteristics

In preforeclosure, you might contact homeowners and banks to negotiate deals. Both parties are likely to make small cost concessions to prevent additional financial losses and inconveniences. At this phase, you will be permitted to inspect the property and have sufficient time to secure a mortgage for the purchase. Preforeclosures are often connected with sales, in which you get the house for a lower cost than its mortgage balance. If no sale materializes during preforeclosure, banks will post a notice of trustee’s sale that schedules a date to auction off the house. The notice of the sale of trustee normally arrives 180 days after mortgage loan default. These notices appear inside your local paper and recorder of deeds office.

Considerations

To secure a winning auction bid for a house, you might be asked to put a 10 percent deposit on its purchase price. Arrive in the auction using a cashier’s check made out to yourself. The cashier’s check may be signed over to the auction host. After submitting the deposit, you’re usually allowed 30 days to secure a mortgage and cover the house. Homes that cannot be successfully auctioned off are repossessed by banks as property owned properties (REO). Now, banks are more worried about making fair market value due to their possessions, and discounts are relatively minimal. Banks that offer REOs accommodate house inspections and are likely to provide competitive mortgage financing for buyers who take on those properties.

Strategy

Work to secure a mortgage loan preapproval letter. With the preapproval in hand, you’re better prepared to negotiate bids that are within your price range. From there, you may quickly purchase the property and begin restoring it to your criteria.

Warning

Auctioned-off homes sell for heavy discounts, in trade for risks. These deals allow for inspections and assessments. In reality could reside at the location until a purchase closes. Foreclosed residents are somewhat less worried about upkeep, and these homes can fall into disrepair. If the house is left vacant, criminals may enter the house to steal fixtures and metallic piping that is of value. The damages add up.

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