How To Get Free Foreclosure Lists
Foreclosures can be a great opportunity to purchase a house at a discount. Working from home or entirely changing careers is a current reality for large numbers of Americans. Many people are now deciding to relocate or even flip houses. Foreclosed properties can help a buyer get started as a homeowner or investor.
Flipscout By New Silver
FlipScout from New Silver is a free online tool that allows users to find the most profitable real estate investments available on the market, including foreclosures. Users can search for properties across the country using a zip code, city, or address and instantly analyze important metrics like ROI, cap rate, gross yield, and more. The database can also be used to search for on-market properties or users can just focus on foreclosed homes and auctions. This useful tool is completely free and allows investors to make smart decisions about prospective properties before the auction.
- Allows you to filter for foreclosed homes
- Completely free
Foreclosures Listed On A Realtor Site
You can buy a foreclosure generally for much less than its original loan balance, especially in a declining market. However, that doesn’t mean that the bank will sell the property for less than market value. The might be 50% less than the last time the home sold, but that foreclosure price will generally reflect the value of the comparable homes around it, less the costs to fix it up.
The truth is that it’s rare to find a cheap foreclosure listing in the Multiple Listing Service . Every so often, if you’re lucky and fast enough to write an offer, you might be able to buy a foreclosure for a little bit under comparable sales, but bargain-basement deals are typically not listed in the MLS.
That’s because banks, like any other seller, want to make as much money as possible. They hire real estate agents to prepare an estimate of value and tell them how much they can get. The agent takes the condition of the home into consideration and names a price. Then, other agents in the MLS compete to buy that home for their buyers.
When buyers compete, multiple offers are the result. Multiple offers tend to drive up the price. To find a cheap foreclosure, buyers need to reduce the competition by exploring the alternatives.
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Submit A Competitive Offer
Work with your agent to submit a competitive offer. Remember that you may have some tough competition depending on how good the deal is and that it can take a long time to close on the deal. One tactic is to submit multiple offers on foreclosed properties to better your odds of one being approved.
Real Estate Wholesalers & Attorneys
There are multiple ways to find preforeclosure listings without manually searching through data and properties. Instead of searching through data yourself, you can make valuable connections with specialized professionals who are consistently in contact with preforeclosure leads, like real estate attorneys and wholesalers.
Example real estate wholesaler
Real estate wholesalers are entrepreneurs who advertise to distressed homeowners to buy their home and connect it with a buyer or investor. For example, a wholesaler can find a homeowner in preforeclosure and make an offer at a certain price, depending on comparable properties and the homes condition. Wholesalers create a contract with the homeowner, but dont actually pay the designated amount. Instead, they find a real estate investor to buy the home for a fair price, and the wholesaler keeps the difference.
On the other hand, real estate attorneys are licensed professionals who can work with homeowners in a variety of legal matters. For instance, attorneys are often hired to represent clients who inherit homes that they cant afford. The best way to connect with attorneys and wholesalers is by going to in-person events or making connections through personal and professional friendships. You can also find them online or on social media and connect almost instantly.
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Find Foreclosed Homes For Sale
You can find foreclosed properties advertised in many places, from national websites to your local bank branch. They may not always be available in the neighborhoods youre eyeing, so be prepared to monitor the market for a minute. A real estate agent could help you.
You can find local foreclosures advertised in print publications and on Multiple Listing Service sites. You may have to use a search filter for foreclosures here are a few popular sites:
Real Estate Agents Brokers And Property Services
Respres/flickr via Wikimedia Commons
The age of property agents being secretive about foreclosures, preforeclosures, distressed properties, and REOs is long gone. Nowadays, listing these types of properties is just another way to attract buyers. That’s why most real estate services now offer easy access to their databases of distressed properties, such as these:
- Realtor.comThe officially licensed home for the National Association of Realtors provides free access to its property search engine. Predefined filters pull out foreclosures, properties that have seen price reductions, and affordable homes in communities you search. You’ll also find recent news and insights about distressed properties.
- TruliaOffers a well-designed search system that includes a predefined filter for finding foreclosures in communities you search. To find foreclosures using Trulia, perform a basic search by town, then use the More search filter and select Foreclosures for the type of sales listing.
- ZillowHere, you’ll find a foreclosure center with access to advanced search capabilities using a number of criteria, including by cost , neighborhood, and more. Buying guides, FAQs, and even a guide for those who may be facing foreclosure round out Zillow’s offerings.
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Online Options: Foreclosure Websites
Using sites that specialize in foreclosures can help you learn about options that arent on the Multiple Listing Service . Here are a few free sites to try:
- Homepath.com. Shows Fannie Mae-owned foreclosures
- HomeSteps.com. Shows Freddie Mac-owned foreclosures
- HUD.gov. Shows government-owned foreclosures
- Auction.com. Shows foreclosures that arent on the MLS
- Zillow, Redfin. Through search filters, users can identify foreclosures for sale
You can also do an online search for the name of a county to find local auctions, which might be held online or in person.
Your Real Estate Agent
A real estate agent may also be able to help you find a foreclosed home that meets your needs. While experienced investors may not need a real estate agents expertise, individuals buying a foreclosure for the first time, especially if they want to live in it, can benefit from working with an agent who has helped other people buy foreclosed homes.
An agent can help you determine a good price to offer on the house, especially if you can find a contractor to estimate repair costs for you. But make sure the agent is comfortable with and has experience dealing with foreclosed homes as they are time consuming and tricky not every agent is willing to negotiate these.
While you can work directly with the bank to buy the home, you might get a better deal by using a buyers agent who represents only your interests. As the seller, the bank will be responsible for the agents commission. However, since the bank might have to pay your agents commission out of the sale proceeds, the bank may be less willing to lower its price.
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What Are The Benefits Of Foreclosure
The benefit of foreclosure for buyers is primarily the chance to buy a house at a reduced cost. It is also a faster process to close the transaction. These are compelling reasons why many buyers are interested in purchasing foreclosed properties.
There are also potential downsides to buying foreclosed properties. A large downside is that foreclosed properties usually do not get inspected, unlike a typical property sale. This means there could be unforeseen expenses that might be immediate or may be required further down the road. It also means there could be issues for VA borrowers.
It is important to consider that a loan might not be an option in purchasing a foreclosed property. This creates the possible drawback that a property might require a cash-only sale. It is not a viable option for many people to purchase a house outright in cash.
Preforeclosure Leads: 8 Ways To Find Preforeclosure Listings
REVIEWED BY:Gina Baker
Gina is a licensed real estate salesperson, experienced trainer, and former high school educator of 1,000+ learners. She writes for Fit Small Business with a focus on real estate content.
Kaylee specializes in real estate, B2B, and SaaS companies. You can find her expertise in sales and real estate content on Fit Small Business.
This article is part of a larger series on Real Estate Lead Generation and Marketing.
When homeowners default on their mortgage payments, their property goes into preforeclosure. At this stage, they have a choice to keep the property, sell it, or conduct a short sale. This makes preforeclosures a valuable opportunity for real estate agents to gain a listing or for buyers and investors to purchase a home below market value. To find preforeclosure listings, you can purchase leads, search through the MLS and local directories, or generate referrals.
One of the most effective and time-saving ways to find preforeclosure leads , and expired leads) is with REDX. For $39.99 per month, REDX provides up-to-date preforeclosure property information in your county. It will include difficult to attain homeowner contact information and organize it in a database to give you a head start on the competition.
To start finding preforeclosure homes, try these eight methods:
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How To Find Home Foreclosures For Free
Many buyers are looking for a deal when purchasing a foreclosure. This means that competition can get intense, especially in high-growth markets. It is a good idea to explore multiple lists of properties and locations.
There are many free resources that can provide lists of foreclosures in a buyer’s preferred area. If a buyer is open to the location, some states have higher foreclosure rates. There are multiple federal resources where a potential buyer can view foreclosures for free:
- HomePath is a federal resource owned and run by Fannie Mae. It provides a listing of properties that are for sale by Fannie Mae.
- HomeSteps is another federal resource with listings run by Freddie Mac. This site provides a list of properties for sale by Freddie Mac.
- HUDHomes provides a listing of properties that are available for sale through the HUD.
- Although it is not technically a foreclosure list, the IRS lists properties for sale, often at a considerable discount, on the Treasury website.
In addition to federally owned or financed properties, banks are another excellent resource in seeking out a foreclosed property. Not all banks make this information public, but many do:
- Bank of America has a dedicated and free website listing its available foreclosed houses.
- Wells Fargo also provides its listing of REO properties available online free of charge.
References
How Can I Be The First To Know When A Property Is Listed
Zillow offers a Property Alert email which will notify you when a propertys status changes . By getting a Property Alert email about a home, you will know very early in the process about a home that you are interested in. To create a Property Alert, go to any home details page, click More and select Get updates on this home.
Find pre-foreclosures, foreclosure auctions, and bank-owned properties in your area.
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How Much Can I Afford
If you want to finance a foreclosure with a mortgage, youll need to analyze your income and expenses to determine how much house you can afford.
Lenders will look at the ratio of your pre-tax income to your other debts and financial obligations like credit cards, student loans, auto loans, alimony and child support. Theyll want your monthly house payment , plus your monthly payments on these other obligations to total no more than 50% of your pre-tax income, and thats only if you have excellent credit. However, most lenders will look for your debt-to-income ratio to be less than 36% when underwriting a mortgage.
Also add up your other expenses, including taxes, HOA fees, health insurance, transportation, utility bills, groceries, pet care and child care. Consider how much you want to save for home repairs and upgrades, emergencies, and retirement, as well as how much you want to spend on entertainment and travel. Then youll know what youre comfortable spending on a home, not just what a lender will qualify you to borrow.
Buy From Federal Agencies
You can also buy homes directly from various federal agencies, such as the Internal Revenue Service , Veterans Affairs , and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation . You can search for homes that federal agencies have listed and learn about auctions they hold. The Department of Housing and Development has a search tool for finding homes, and you can place a bid using the site.
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Foreclosure Listings Subscription Sites
RealtyTrac. Theres a free 7-day trial after that, its $49.95 a month, with discounts on multi-month packages. Members get access to RealtyTracs proprietary information, including auctions dates and locations, pre-foreclosure addresses, owner information, bank loan amounts and more.
Foreclosure.com. After the free 7-day trial, its $39.80 per month. Subscribers receive detailed information on the listed properties, tax roll data, files provided by the lender, local school districts and other listing details.
It’s So Simple To Find The Best Real Estate Deals In Your Area With Foreclosurecom: It’s One Easy Search
And that search can be performed at the state, county and city levels even the exact address and/or zip code so that your house hunt hits the ground running. Once you start digging into the incredible foreclosure deals, each listing will be complete with asking price, exact location, number of beds / baths, property type , available photos, tax roll information, helpful neighborhood / school district details and so much more. Indeed, we provide as much information as possible so that you can make the most informed decision possible.
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Get A Preapproval Letter
While some foreclosures may require you to pay cash or take out a hard money loan , others do allow mortgage financing.
Mortgage preapproval requires the lender to review the borrowers credit history and financial documents, such as tax returns, W-2s, 1099s and bank statements to see how much they qualify to borrow. If youre buying a bank-owned home, getting a mortgage preapproval letter may help you compete with the all-cash buyers who often purchase foreclosures.
Buy Directly From The Bank
The best way to eliminate most of the competing buyers for a cheap foreclosure is to contact the bank directly. Banks are often willing to give a break on the price if a buyer or investor buys more than one home in a bulk-purchase package.
What you will find more often than not is that the bank does not want to sell to you. If the home is not on the market, but it’s bank-owned, it’s probably because there are tax advantages to the bank not to sell it.
Some banks maintain a list of foreclosure homes online that are available to buy. Buyers can also check the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development website for a list of HUD-owned homes.
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What Is A Foreclosure
Foreclosure is when a lender takes ownership of a home because of a defaulted loan. Default happens when a borrower misses multiple payments on a home. In some states, lenders have to go to court to get permission to foreclose on a home. Foreclosure is typically a last resort, as it’s expensive for the lender and difficult for the homeowner.
You Don’t Have To Be A Real Estate Agent To Find A Foreclosure To Buy
Tom Nelson is an engineer, programmer, network manager, and computer network and systems designer who has written for Other World Computing,and others. Tom is also president of Coyote Moon, Inc., a Macintosh and Windows consulting firm.
Real estate agents are not the only ones that can suss out a great deal on foreclosed or distressed homes. Using this list of free, searchable online databases, you can find homes that are in foreclosure, in preforeclosure, REO , seized, and distressed, too. Most of these services are offered for free or with a small subscription that usually includes a free trial period. Here’s where to point your browser to find the right property for you.
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If Youre Searching For Foreclosures For Sale For Your Next Home Or To Flip For A Profit These Websites Will Guide You To Foreclosures To Buy
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You may remember that foreclosures were a big part of the Great Recession. As the economy cratered, foreclosure filings soared. In the first half of 2010 alone, 1.65 million U.S. homes spun into foreclosure, according to data from ATTOM Data Solutions, a property database provider.
10 years later, will the COVID-19 pandemic lead to a rash of foreclosures? That could spell a lot of hardship, but also an opportunity for investors to flip homes for profit as more American workers switch to full-time remote work, often in less-expensive cities and towns.
Ongoing efforts to ease the pandemic’s economic impact including the CARES Act — have slowed the foreclosure process, particularly for properties where mortgages were federally backed. But that stay doesn’t apply to lenders or servicers of loans not backed by the government .
Buying and flipping foreclosed homes might be a path to consider if you are building a home-selling business.It follows the maxim of buy low, sell high: buy a foreclosed home on the cheap, make the needed improvements, and sell at or above the market value.
Nearly 11,700 American properties received a foreclosure filing default notices, bank repossessions or scheduled auctions in October, up 20% from September. The states with the highest foreclosure rates in October were South Carolina, Nebraska, Alabama, Louisiana, and Florida, according to ATTOM Data Solutions.
