What are Foreclosures?
These are properties that have been acquired by mortgage lenders because the owners have defaulted on the loan payments. The lender or "mortgagee" takes the property that was pledged as collateral for the loan when the payments are behind (that is, when the payments are "in arrears" or "delinquent" and the owners are said to be "in default"). Lenders must follow the state laws where the property is located. Owners default on loan payments for a variety of reasons including divorce, illness, death of a spouse, and loss of employment. Lenders try to work out some kind of resolution with the owners to make up the payments in a process called "loss mitigation." This period is referred to as "Pre-Foreclosure." If efforts to work out a correction for the problem do not succeed, the lender will generally initiate foreclosure procedures after three months of non-payment.
Another party may offer to solve the problem by buying the property from the owner during Pre-Foreclosure, or from the lender at time of the public foreclosure sale, or afterwards. This presents an opportunity for savvy investors and prospective home owners looking for bargains. Foreclosure properties represent an exciting way to buy real estate because they can be purchased at discount prices, typically between 10% to 50% (or more) below market value. These discount prices are possible because the sellers, which can be the borrowers, the mortgage lender, or one of several government agencies, are motivated to sell as quickly as possible to avoid further losses. As an owner-occupant buyer, you can purchase a foreclosure as your home and enjoy instant equity. As an investor, you can buy foreclosures for rental or resale with built-in profit margins. Read more inside our Members Section
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