Buying Your Home - Foreclosures

Are foreclosures an option?
A foreclosure property is a home that has been repossessed by the lender because the owners failed to pay the mortgage. Thousands of homes end up in foreclosure every year. Economic conditions affect the number of foreclosures, too. Many people lose their homes due to job loss, credit problems or unexpected expenses.  It is wise to be cautious when considering a foreclosure. It is important to have the house thoroughly inspected and to be sure that any liens, undisclosed mortgages or court judgments are cleared or at least disclosed. The seller of a foreclosed home has no knowledge of current or prior conditions of the property so history on the home is limited.  In most cases the seller will not be responsible for repairs nor is there a great deal of flexibility on the terms of the sales agreement. Although foreclosure homes can be purchased at what appears to be a steal of a price, a buyer needs to be comfortable with purchasing a home with very few guarantees.

What types of foreclosure are there?
Judicial foreclosure action is a proceeding in which a mortgagee, a trustee or another lienholder on property requests a court- supervised sale of the property to cover the unpaid balance of a delinquent debt.  Nonjudicial foreclosure is the process of selling real property under a power of sale in a mortgage or deed of trust that is in default. In such a foreclosure, however, the lender is unable to obtain a deficiency judgment, which makes some title insurance companies reluctant to issue a policy.

How do you find government-repossessed homes?
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development acquires properties from lenders who foreclose on mortgages insured by HUD. These properties are available for sale to both homeowner-occupants and investors. You can only purchase HUD-owned properties through a licensed real estate broker. HUD will pay the broker's commission up to 6 percent of the sales price. Down payments vary depending on whether the property is eligible for FHA insurance. If not, payments range from the conventional market's 5 to 20 percent. One caution. HUD homes are sold "as is," meaning limited repairs have been made made but no structural or mechanical warranties are implied.

Where can you find foreclosures?
In most states, a foreclosure notice must be published in the legal notices section of a local newspaper where the property is located or in the nearest city. Also, foreclosure notices are usually posted on the property itself and somewhere in the city where the sale is to take place. When a homeowner is late on three payments, the bank will record a notice of default against the property. When the owner fails to pay up, a trustee sale is held, and the property is sold to the highest bidder. The financial institution that has initiated foreclosure proceedings usually will set the bid price at the loan amount. Despite these seemingly straightforward rules, buying foreclosures is not easy as it may sound. There are many conditions that may delay a foreclosure property from being eligible for resale.  To find out the status of a foreclosed property contact your local real estate agent.

What happens at a trustee sale?
Trustee sales are advertised in advance and require an all-cash bid. The sale is usually conducted by a sheriff, a constable or lawyer acting as trustee. This kind of sale, which usually attracts savvy investors, is not for the novice.  In a trustee sale, the lender who holds the first loan on the property starts the bidding at the amount of the loan being foreclosed. Successful bidders receive a trustee's deed.

Where do I learn about HUD foreclosures?
One good source is their Web page https://www.hud.gov.

What are problems buying foreclosures?
Buying directly at a legal foreclosure sale is risky and dangerous. It is strictly caveat emptor ("Let the buyer beware"). The process has many disadvantages. There is no financing; you need cash and lots of it. The title needs to be checked before the purchase or the buyer could buy a seriously deficient title. The property's condition is not well known and an interior inspection of the property may not be possible before the sale, says James I. Wiedemer, author of "The Smart Money Guide Bargain Homes, How to Find and Buy Foreclosures." In addition, only estate (probate) and foreclosure sales are exempt from some states disclosure laws. In both cases, the law protects the seller (usually an heir or financial institution) who has recently acquired the property through adverse circumstances and may have little or no direct information about it.

What about buying a foreclosure "as is"?
Buying a foreclosure property can be risky, especially for the novice. Usually, you buy a foreclosure property as is, which means there is no warranty implied for the condition of the property (in other words, you can't go back to the seller for repairs). There may be problems with the title also, though that is something you can check out before the purchase.

How do you get financing for a foreclosure?
One reason there are few bidders at foreclosure sales is that it is next to impossible to get financing for such a property. You generally need to show up with cash and lots of it, or a line of credit with your bank upon which you can draw cashier's checks.