In this current real estate crisis, many people are loosing their homes either because they can’t make the payments or are walking away because their house is worth less then the amount owed. It was reported by CNBC on July 24 that foreclosures now represent half of all the homes sold in the US. Although this is downright scary to a highly leveraged homeowner or speculator this is also an opportunity of a lifetime for anyone looking to buy real estate at these depressed prices.
Donald Trump is a great example of someone who was investing in real estate during a downturn in the market. Now look at him! “There are always opportunities”, he is quoted as saying. “When I first started out in Manhattan, everyone was saying what a terrible market it was”. He admits if he had listened to the nay Sayers he won’t be were he is today.
Many of the most successful real estate investors currently see this as an opportune time to buy real estate (Mr. Trump is in this list) and see pre-foreclosures as the greatest means in which to negotiate the best deals.
The great thing about buying a pre-foreclosed home is that you are dealing one-on-one with the owner and have a chance to ask questions and inspect the house. Since the bank has time to evaluate the property there is a higher probability of being granted a mortgage.
It is important to understand the surrounding community or macro aspects when purchasing a pre-foreclosed home. Here are some macro aspects to consider:
- Do you notice an extremely unbalanced number of foreclosures available in the area? It’s preferred that your pre-foreclosure deal is the only one in the neighborhood.
- Check with the local tenants to see what the rent levels are and whether they have been increasing or decreasing over the last little while.
- What is the employment rate in the area? If declining then that may indicate that it’s not the right area in which to invest. Does the local economy appear to be stable?
- Check with local authorities to become informed about any infrastructure projects that may be planned within the next two or three years. Things such as new buildings and highways being built or corporations moving into town can be a positive indication of future growth.
- Demographically if there is a high number of elderly people living in town who are home owners, then there could be an over supply of housing in the future, as they move in with family or nursing homes for care.
If these macro aspects all work out in your favor, and if the inspection of the house goes well, then chances are it’s a great opportunity for you to buy that pre-foreclosed home. When it comes to making a mint in real estate it’s all about timing and location.
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