Whether you're trying to avoid foreclosure or interested in buying a distressed property, Smart Market Realty has the experienced professionals available to guide you through the process.

Foreclosures and Short Sales

Pre-Foreclosures
Buying a property in pre-foreclosure involves approaching the borrower/owner and offering to buy the property outright. The borrower/owner can walk away with the equity in the property and avoid a bad mark on his or her credit history. The buyer has time to research the title and condition of the property and can realize discounts of 20-40 percent below market value.

Public Auction (Foreclosure Sale)
If the loan is not reinstated by the end of the pre-foreclosure period, potential buyers can bid on the property at a public auction. Buyers often are required to pay in cash at the auction and may not have much time to research the title and condition of the property beforehand; however, a public auction often offers some of the best bargains and avoids the unpredictability of dealing directly with the borrower/owner.

Bank-Owned, also known as Real Estate Owned (REO)
If the lender takes ownership of the property, either through an agreement with the owner during pre-foreclosure or at the public auction, the lender will usually re-sell the property to recover the unpaid loan amount. The lender will typically clear the title and perform needed maintenance and repair; however, the discount for these REO homes is typically less than a pre-foreclosure or auction property discount. Bank foreclosures can become government foreclosures if the loan is backed by a government agency such as the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) or the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). In that case the government agency would be responsible for selling the property.

Short Sales
A “Short Sale” or “negotiated settlement” occurs when a Lender agrees to accept less than the amount owed to pay off a loan as an alternative to foreclosure. If the property is valued at less than the amount owed on the property, the Lender will take a loss on the property if they foreclose on it. Therefore, Lenders are generally willing to work with you to mitigate their losses quickly to reduce their potential loss.

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