Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Facts About Buying Bank Owned REO Properties

By Anita Ortega


REO is the acronym for real estate owned property. This is a property that belongs to a lender like a bank after its foreclosure auction is unsuccessful. Some foreclosed properties do not get a bid since the amount of money owed on them is higher than their value. Such homes revert to the lenders and become bank owned REOs. The bank is responsible for handling an eviction if necessary. The mortgage loan also ceases to exist.

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.

When buying a real estate owned property, it is important to investigate the property before you make an offer. Make sure that the asking price is comparable to the prices of other homes in the neighborhood. It is also important consider the cost of repairs or renovations and the duration it will take to complete them. Banks usually prefer selling properties in their current condition but they usually offer a section 1 pest certification if you include it in your offer.

Banks allow buyers to get all the inspections they want at their own expense. It is important for investors to ensure that their offers include an inspection contingency period allowing them to end their agreement to purchase a REO property if an inspection report indicates the presence of significant damages that will not be corrected by a bank. Investors should request banks to give them a credit after they complete their inspections or request them to repair the property.

Banks usually renegotiate offers to save a transaction instead of putting properties back on the market. Most financial institutions do not allow buyers of REO properties to finance them but buyers can inquire if financing is available. This is particularly the case if the home is extensively damaged and they are buying it as is.

When buying a REO property, prospective buyers are usually required to fax their offer to the bank that owns it. They are also required to provide the realtor with original documents, a buyer biography and a pre approval letter. Buyers should seek to make offers that are easy for banks to accept.

All banks have similar goals when selling real estate owned homes but they usually work differently. Their goal is to get the best price possible for a property. For this reason, they offer the homes for sale at prices that are close to the full market value. After they receive offers, banks make counter offers, which are meant to show shareholders, auditors and investors that they tried to get sell a property at the highest 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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