What are short sales and foreclosures?

Short sales are voluntary and require approval from the lender. Foreclosures are involuntary, where the lender takes legal action to take control of and sell the property. Homeowners who use short sales are responsible for any deficiencies payable to the lender.

Are foreclosure prices negotiable?

Banks are willing to negotiate foreclosures because they are losing money on the property when it sits vacant. Banks can negotiate directly with buyers without the assistance of a real estate agent. Because they own the property, banks can set the price for any value they deem acceptable.

Can you offer less than foreclosure price?

If there are no offers on the REO home, you can probably offer less than list price and get your offer accepted. However, if there are more than two offers, you will most likely need to offer above the asking price.

What’s the difference between pre foreclosure and foreclosure?

Pre-foreclosure is the time between your notice of default on mortgage payments and the loss of your property to your lender or a buyer. Foreclosure is the end of the road: your home is sold at auction or the bank repossesses it.

Which is better short sale or foreclosure?

A short sale transaction occurs when mortgage lenders allow the borrower to sell the house for less than the amount owed on the mortgage. The foreclosure process occurs when lenders repossess the house, often against an owner’s will. Furthermore, a short sale is far less damaging to your credit score than foreclosure.

Is it better to buy short sale or foreclosure?

Buying a foreclosure typically is faster than buying a short sale, and an investor can buy a home for rock-bottom dollar. The national average of a foreclosure that needs some work may cost around $107,600, according to Re/Max. The investor could rent out the home or resell it after fixing it up.

Do banks accept low offers on foreclosures?

Many banks won’t even consider lowball offers, and many bank-owned properties actually sell for above the asking price. Before a bank will take a lowball offer, they will almost always reduce the list price first, and see if that attracts a higher offer than the lowball one they have in hand.

What are the different types of foreclosures?

There are two types of foreclosure: judicial foreclosures, which require a court order, and non-judicial foreclosures, which do not. In judicial foreclosures, the mortgagee must go to court and prove that it owns the mortgage and has the right to foreclose on it.

Do banks prefer short sales or foreclosure?

Increasingly, banks are offering struggling homeowners wads of cash to allow their homes to go into a “short sale” and avoid foreclosure.