What about these Foreclosure Lists? I had a Buyer Client ask me if I had access to the foreclosure lists he keeps hearing about. I thought about how to answer him carefully. Of course I had been sending all the foreclosure homes on the MLS to him but he was looking for the "special deals" that everyone keeps telling him he should be looking at. You know, the houses being bought for pennies on the dollar.
I told him that there are companies out there that for a fee will sign him up for daily emails with lists of homes that have been culled
from the records of the county that are pre-foreclosure homes or that are actually foreclosed homes. They may even tell him when "the big auction on the court house steps" is for this property. I also mentioned that these homes are mostly bought by savvy investors or bought back by the banks that held the mortgage. Those banks then find a real estate agent and list the house on the MLS for the market value (or often higher than the market value because of deteriorated condition). I asked my client if his friends knew of any individual who had scooped up a property from these lists?
In any given market there are people out there who will take advantage of unsuspecting individuals. These foreclosure list selling companies do not have to be licensed real estate professionals. They do not give you a guarantee of anything other than the lists they email to you. There are companies that exist to prey on people who find themselves unable to pay their mortgage, who are trying to get debt under control, who are trying to buy investments the easy way, and any other number of things. Please don't let yourself be fooled by them.
It takes a special individual to take on the challenges of a foreclosure. If you are prepared for the challenge it can be rewarding if the house is priced for current condition and you can afford to have it upgraded or have the skills to upgrade it yourself. If you are looking at the top of your price range and have no additional funds or can't borrow additional funds to fix up the property then you should be looking at resales or estate sales instead.
I love to help my Buyer Clients to find the perfect home for them. I also love to find the right investment properties for my Investor Buyer Clients. I will help you to find a foreclosure if you feel you are ready and able to take on the extra work and expense. You won't have to buy a list. I will send those properties to you as part of a search. My services are paid through the transaction at the closing as per agreement. My professional responsibilities are regulated through my license with the State of New York.
I hope this helps other people who are looking for real estate bargains. Don't be fooled by an offer that seems too good to be true. Believe me it probably is.
If you want to start your search for real estate in the Greater Hudson Valley of New York I would be happy to speak with you about how I can help you. If you are looking anywhere else in the world I can help you find a real estate professional to help you there. Give me a call or email me today!
I'm Paddy Pizappi - Work with Me and You'll be Happy!
realistic about the size and location of the first home. They know it is a stepping stone and the ability to use this money that is already allocated to them through the programs already in place with raise that stepping stone a bit higher out of the water. I hope that many of you decide to explore the possibilities.