Today’s real estate market is characterized by an extraordinary number of foreclosed homes. More homes went into foreclosure in 2007 than in any other previous year and that number is expected to increase in 2008. Very often times the lender seizing the property will auction the house off at well below market value in order to recover their debt as quickly as possible.

 

If you perform a search online for the word ‘foreclosures’ you will discover endless advertisements for foreclosure based money making opportunities. Many of these opportunities involve lists of homes that have gone into foreclosure only recently and therefore present big opportunities for investors. While many of these lists contain nothing more than information that could be found in your local newspaper, some of these lists can provide you with the information you need to make a killing with foreclosed homes.

 

Some experts believe that buying a foreclosed home before it reaches the auction block can drop the price by as much as 50%. The drastic pre-auction price reduction allows an investor to easily double their money with a single property. Pre-foreclosure homes are great too because they give the investor the opportunity to thoroughly research the property before they purchase it.

 

As already mentioned, most pre-foreclosure lists contain information that is freely available to the public. Before you purchase any such list you should always do a little bit of research online and contact your county clerk or county records office. Many times your local government offices can provide you with the same information as list brokers but won’t charge you a dime for it.

 

However, list brokers will many times be able to provide you with much more detailed information than a trip to your county records office might. A list broker can provide you with such detailed information as the phone number of the selling agent, property liens, loan amounts, and the price of the foreclosed property.

 

Unfortunately, investing in pre-foreclosure homes can have several disadvantages that investors should consider before risking their money and time. The biggest danger for foreclosure investors seeking to take advantage of the disparity between the low auction prices relative to market value is the actual condition of the home. Foreclosed homes have an unfortunate tendency to fall into disrepair, including homes that may seem to be in otherwise pristine condition.

 

The emotional distress faced by the homeowner simply causes the homeowner to stop maintaining their home in the way they normally would. The cost of repair and restoration can quickly eat away at the investor’s potential profit. Before investing in a foreclosed home, an investor should have the property in question thoroughly inspected. Failing to do so could be a nightmare for the investor.

 

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