Archive | February, 2012

How to Find a Deal with Real Estate Auctions

15 Feb

If you are interested in learning a bit more about finding a great deal when it comes to real estate auctions, you have come to the right place. There are wonderful opportunities for real estate auctionseverywhere you look these days, especially as many more people have chosen to sell their homes by auction. When you choose to dive into the world of real estate auctions there are certain things you can do to make sure you get a great deal. Here are a few tips:

Generally you will be able to check out a piece of real estate in person before you bid on it. If you have the opportunity to do this, you should certainly take advantage of it. When you buy a house through an auction, you are buying the home “as is”, which means you may be stuck paying for costly repairs, as you would be considered the new owner. If you neglect to go see the property, you may never know about the condition of the home and bid on real estate that is less than desirable.

Another thing you should do to ensure you are getting a good deal at a real estate auction is to take the time to search for the title of the home in question to determine if there are any liens on the property. If there are liens and you purchase the property, you may be responsible for this payment once you take ownership of the house. You will need to speak to the bank that holds the lien in order to see what type of plan you can work out. The choices can run the gamut from the bank totally eliminating the lien to you having to pay it off completely.

Another great tip to keep in mind when buying a piece of real estate by  auction is that you should make sure you are financially prepared to buy this property. You will definitely need enough for a down payment when you buy via auction and some banks will require that you pay in full immediately.  If you don’t have the cash on hand, it may be possible to get a loan in order to pay for your winning bid.

The final tip you should keep in mind before buying real estate by an auction is that there will be restrictions, rules, terms and fees associated with the transaction. It is very important that you fully understand these things before jumping into a sale such as a real estate auction. Doing research on the auction house, the property and the terms of the sale will make your decision on rather or not to bid on the real estate much easier.

Buying real estate through an auction can be very lucrative and it is possible to get some great deals. Just like anything, however, it is imperative that you do the research necessary before making any bids. It is always best to start small and remain cautious when you enter into the world of real estate auctions.

Should You Place a Bid on Online Real Estate Auctions? Here’s What You Need to Know

8 Feb


In the past few years, online real estate auctions have become more popular and more mainstream than ever before. Though most of this is due to the high amount of foreclosures that are the norm these days, another part of it is simply due to more people learning about real estate and the excitement that auctions can bring. Even though more auctions are taking place online in the real estate world, this certainly doesn’t mean that they are not exciting or lucrative. If you are thinking about making a bid at an online real estate auction, here are some things to consider.

Several years ago the norm in real estate auctions was that only old, dilapidated homes were put on the auction block. These homes usually had a lot of problems and were certainly, in most cases, considered a “fixer upper”. These days the homes put up for auction are usually in fine shape, they just need to be sold quickly. Online auctions for real estate are almost always legally binding and you certainly should do your research before placing a bid. Though it was mentioned above that most homes are in good shape, this is not always the case and you shouldn’t buy a home sight unseen under any circumstances if you want to be on the safe side. Some things that can happen if you do this are: liens that you could be responsible for, inaccessible property and structure that is not sound.

Another thing you should keep in mind when buying Wisconsin or Illinois real estate online at auction is the web site you use will make a difference. For example, there are definitely real estate opportunities on   general auction sites like EBay or Yahoo!. However, these auctions will not be legally binding and this is where you will find the most problems, scams and other issues that show up occasionally in the online auction world. If you are looking for a true online auction for real estate that is not only safe, but reputable, only go with a licensed and professional auction house.  Once you find a reputable company to bid with, you can be much more comfortable with the bid you make.

The final piece of advice you should keep in mind when participating in online real estate auctions is to make sure you read the rules and know what is contained in the fine print. This means you will probably need to do a little research on the company and know their rules and procedures before bidding. Many times this information can be collected from the company itself by contacting them via their website or you can also call for additional information. Knowing what to expect before placing a bid on a real estate auction will make the process easier and safer for you.

Choosing to buy real estate online at an internet auction can be quite lucrative and there are many other tips and tricks available. Learning about the process will be the first step in a successful investment in real estate.

How to Buy Property at Illinois Real Estate Auctions

2 Feb

How to Buy Property at Illinois Real Estate Auctions

If you have some of money on hand and want to invest in real estate, one of the best things you can do is to consider buying from Illinois real estate auctions. There are several wonderful real estate auction companies in Illinois that are excellent to contact when you are looking for property or real estate through auction. Before going through a real estate auction in the state of Illinois there are a few great tips that you should keep in mind.

The first thing you should do when you are interested in Illinois real estate auctions is to find a great auctioneer in the area. Many great real estate auction companies will list upcoming auctions for property on their websites or you can follow them on social media  like Facebook for all the latest offerings. They will usually have a list of available properties, the date, time and location of the auction as well as the address of the property and starting bids. It is always a good idea to drive by a property if possible before considering a bid. Though there will likely be photos online, seeing a property in person can be very beneficial. As the date of the auction approaches, make sure the status has not changed as it is always possible that the owners might change their minds.

Research is always important when it comes to buying property at auction. Though the starting bid will be significantly lower than the market value in most cases, you do want to know exactly what the market value of the property is before you begin bidding. All of this information is public record and you will easily be able to get the information needed by contacting the city or county office that holds these records.  It is very possible to get a bargain when you buy property at auction, but you won’t know if you are getting a bargain if you don’t know the value of the property. Additionally you will want to do some research concerning any liens against the property or other legal matters connected to the property. If you are the winning bidder and there is a lien, for instance, it is possible that you would be responsible for that.

Once you have found the perfect property and done your research, you should thing about what your bid amount should be. Some areas will require you to have your entire amount of sale in cash or cashier’s check at the time of sale, so you may need this money on hand before you will even be allowed to bid. If you do not have the cash, you may qualify for a cash loan, but you will, of course, need to secure this before the date of auction. Try to keep the bid amount, depending on your own cash reserves, at about 20% of the value of a property.

When you have all of the cash and information in order, you can bid at the auction. It is recommended to arrive early and relax as much as possible. Real estate auctions can be intimidating to first timers, so you may want to attend a few beforehand so you know how they work. Hopefully you will be the winning bidder at your auction, but if not, there will always be others. Keep an eye on the auctioneer’s website for new properties as they come in. 

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