"GO THE EXTRA MILE!"
When considering a prospective foreclosure property purchase, the importance of going beyond the façade cannot be understated. Why? Because, the ramifications of a foreclosure purchase gone wrong, can have serious consequences not just for the individual, but also future owners and tenants.
Market potential is the single greatest motivator for investing in foreclosure property. If you were to buy it and flip it, just how much money would you stand to make? Given the sale considerations, perhaps you could land a deal 20 or 30% below the market rate, allowing you to flip the property and make a tidy percentage. But the importance of conducting detailed due diligence is very important.
Conducting due diligence on a foreclosure property is of paramount importance. Make sure to clear any liens before you buy a foreclosure property, and be fully aware of any outstanding payments to contractors or financiers. Even if all seems okay at first sight, you may face hidden maintenance bills and renovation costs based on project work carried out, prior to your purchase!
It pays to conduct detailed property inspections on a home that’s been vacant for some time, which is often the case with foreclosure homes. Plumbing problems, water leaks, mold, and other obvious problems may be easier to spot, but unseen problems can lurk in structural and foundation concerns, which only an expert can tell. If you have limited real estate experience, it pays get an experienced property manager to do this. This can save you a ton of cash in un-wanted repairs, in the future. Property management companies have years of experience and skills to pick up on details you may skip, as you move quickly to secure the deal.
With a new foreclosure property, maintenance costs can recur continuously for a long time to get it to acceptable standards. You may also need to make more substantial, one-time investments. It is not uncommon to allocate up to 10 percent of the purchase price to repairs – and these are upfront costs, which you will have to pick up yourself.
Quite often banks and finance institutions may choose to forego full disclosure of a property’s foreclosure details. Meaning you will know less about its history of past improvements, structural concerns, and chronic maintenance problems. These will surface over time, and depending on their severity, play a damaging role your property’s ownership and resale value.
So, by all means, go ahead with that foreclosure investment. But only after you are sure that all the little details have been looked-into first!
