HUD foreclosure listings can seem confusing to those not in the real estate business. In order to fully understand HUD foreclosures you must understand how the process of becoming a HUD foreclosure happens.
HUD is the Department of Housing and Urban Development, included in this department is the FHA (Federal Housing Administration). The FHA provides federal mortgage insurance to lenders. When a home purchased with a loan insured by the FHA is foreclosed on the lender can file a claim to have the balance of the mortgage paid by the FHA, the foreclosed property then becomes owned by HUD and is therefore a HUD foreclosed home and added to HUD foreclosure listings.
Purchasing a HUD foreclosed home is also a bit different than purchasing a home from an individual or a foreclosed property that is not owned by HUD. The properties found in HUD foreclosure listings are managed by HUD approved real estate agents. The actual department of Housing and Urban Development does not interact in the selling process at all, a buyer must find a real estate agent approved to sell HUD foreclosed homes (this isn’t hard most real estate agents and companies are approved to sell HUD foreclosed properties). Once you have found a property and an agent you can start the process of possibly purchasing a property in the HUD foreclosure listings.
HUD Foreclosed Property Purchasing Process
Purchasing a HUD foreclosed home is done through a bidding process. First you must find a property and agent that is able to sell the property. Once you have done this you will submit a bid during the Bidding Period. All bids that are submitted during the Bidding Period are sealed and unopened until the Bidding Period is over. Next the bids are opened and HUD will usually accept the highest bid offered by a bidder. If the bidding is continued after the initial Bidding Period is ended bids are generally opened as they are received.
Other unexpected differences in the way that HUD foreclosed properties are sold are that HUD does not finance its properties or repair damages to the home. If you need to finance the property you are bidding on you must find a financial institution to finance the amount to you and you pay HUD the full amount of the bid you submit. The damages that the property may have incurred before HUD acquired it are usually not fixed. It is a wise idea to have the home inspected for all types of repairs so you are prepared for the condition of the property you are bidding on. This is also important for the amount that you consider bidding on the property. Not all HUD foreclosure listings will have damages or need repairs but it is good to be aware of those that may exist.
Purchasing government tax foreclosure properties is one of the best ways that you can save money and get the type of real estate that is right for you. These properties go on the market when they are repossessed by the government, either at the county, state or federal level. This happens when individuals fail to make payment on the taxes that they are legally responsible for paying. The government goes through extensive steps to insure that these foreclosure proceedings only happen as a last resort, giving homeowners as much time and ability as possible to get the taxes caught up. When it does not happen, the government takes the home.
If you are planning to purchase a home, government tax foreclosure properties can be a good investment. Here are a few reasons why they work so well for so many investors.
• The properties are available for pennies on the dollar in some areas. The properties are often priced well below what their appraised value is because the government needs to get them off the books, so to speak. You definitively will want to get an appraisal but many times, this is a great way to save money.
• The properties are not necessarily in bad shape. Many of these properties are well maintained homes that simply haven't been paid for in terms of taxes. While this is not true for all homes, many of them are very much opportunities.
• These properties are located in some of the country's best cities, often in good neighborhoods. Again, this is not to stay that all government tax foreclosure properties are ideal situations, but many of them are. This can be a way to get into a great home for less money investment.
To find government tax foreclosure properties to invest in, you will need to work with a real estate agent who has been approved to work with HUD, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. You can find real estate agents that fall under this category by asking your local real estate offices or by visiting the HUD website. Information available through these agents can be provided to you about the government tax foreclosure properties.
You can view some of the homes and commercial buildings that fall under the category of government tax foreclosure properties by doing a simple search of the HUD homes on their website. This is just a small listing though. Many real estate agent can help you find the rest of the information you need to make a decision.
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