Thursday, April 17, 2014

Facts About Buying Bank Owned REO Properties

By Anita Ortega


Real estate owned properties, abbreviated as REOs are properties that are owned by financial institutions such as banks after unsuccessful foreclosure auctions. Some foreclosed homes fail to get bids especially if the amount owed to a lender is higher than the value of the property. The ownership of such homes reverts to the lender and they become bank owned real estate properties. Banks handle evictions if necessary and they terminate the mortgage.

Some banks that have real estate owned properties may perform some repairs on them. Banks also pay off dues owed to associations and negotiate with the IRS to remove tax liens. As they buy bank owned REO properties, investors get a title insurance policy. Prospective buyers are also allowed to hire an inspector to evaluate the property.

As they buy a REO property, individuals should also examine it in detail before making an offer. They should consider if the offer price is comparable to the prices of other homes in the area. Prospective buyers should also think about the costs or renovating or repairing a property and how long it will take to complete such a project. Most banks sell homes in their current condition but if a buyer requests a section 1 pest certification in their offer, banks ensure that the property inspected.

You can have a property inspected in any way you want but you have to meet the inspection costs. You may create an agreement to buy a property that is contingent upon an inspection. With such an agreement, you can avoid buying a property if a bank is not willing to meet the costs of repairing significant damages. You may give a bank another opportunity to pay for necessary repairs to a home or provide you with a credit after it has been fully inspected.

Banks are often willing to renegotiate an offer in order to complete a transaction instead of listing a property again. Even though most lenders do not offer financing of their REOs, you can still ask if you can finance the property you want to buy. You can do this if the home you are purchasing is in need of extensive repairs.

In most cases, offers to purchase a REO property are faxed to the bank. Your realtor will request you to provide him or her with original documents, a pre approval letter and a buyer biography. It is crucial to make an offer that a financial institution can easily accept.

Banks may follow a different process as they sell a REO property but they usually have the same goal in mind. Banks always seek to sell REO properties at a price that is close to their full market value. When you submit your offer to purchase a REO property, the financial institution will make its counter offer. This offer is usually intended to demonstrate to interested parties that the lender tried its best to sell a home at the best price possible.

The offers that banks receive are then reviewed and approved by several companies and individuals. There are a number of benefits of buying real estate owned properties. For instance, the risk of purchasing a REO property is low because the foreclose process eliminates title problems, taxes, liens and judgments. These homes can therefore be easily transferred to a new owner.




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