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Buying REO property or a foreclosure in yonkers?
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Investing in a bank-owned property is not something to be taken lightly.
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What's an REO?
"REO" or Real Estate Owned are properties which have been foreclosed upon that the bank or mortgage company now holds. This is different than a property up for foreclosure auction.
When buying a property during a foreclosure sale, you must pay at least the loan balance plus any interest and other fees amassed during the foreclosure process. The buyer must also be ready to pay with cash in hand. Finally, you'll receive the property completely as is. That possibly will include prevailing liens and even current residents that need to be evicted.
A bank-owned property, by contrast, is a more tidy and attractive option. The REO property did not find a buyer during foreclosure auction. Now the bank owns it. The lender will deal with the elimination of tax liens, evict occupants if needed and generally organize for the issuance of a title insurance policy to the buyer at closing.
You should be aware that REOs may be exempt from standard disclosure requirements.
For example, in Texas, it is optional for foreclosures to have a Property Disclosure Statement,
a document that normally requires sellers to disclose any defects of which they are informed.
By hiring nortrud wolf spero, you can rest assured knowing all parties are fulfilling New York state disclosure requirements.
Am I assured a bargain when purchasing an REO property in yonkers?
It is frequently thought that any foreclosure must be a good buy and an opportunity for guaranteed profit. This frequently isn't true. You have to be cautious about buying a repossession if your intent is to make money off of it. While it's true that the bank is typically anxious to offload it promptly, they are also looking to minimize any losses.
When contemplating what to pay for a foreclosure, you need to look closely at comparable sales in the neighborhood and be sure to take into account the time and cost of any repairs or remodeling needed to prepare the house for resale.
The bargains with money making potential exist, and many people do very well buying foreclosures. However there are also many REOs that are not good buys and may lose money.
Time to make an offer?
Most mortgage companies have staff dedicated to REO that you'll work with in buying REO property from them. To get their properties advertised on the local MLS, the lender will often hire a listing agent.
Before making your offer, you'll want to contact either the listing agent or REO department at the bank and discover as much as you can about what they know regarding the condition of the property and what their process is for getting offers. Since banks typically sell REO properties "as is", it may be in your best interest to include an inspection contingency in your offer that gives you time to check for unknown damage and cancel the offer if you find it.
If, as a buyer, you can provide documentation demonstrating your ability to secure financing, such as a pre-approval letter from a lender, your offer will be more attractive and likely be accepted. (This is generally true for any real estate offer.)
After you've submitted your offer, you can expect the bank to make a counter offer. At this point it will be up to you to decide whether to accept their counter, or offer a counter to the counter offer.
Realize, you'll be working with a process that usually involves multiple people at the bank, and they don't work evenings or weekends. It's not uncommon for there to be days or even weeks of going back and forth.
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