Bank Owned/ Reo Properties - What's Taking So Long? Is My Contract Accepted?

This is the question that I hear more often than not as it relates to bank owned properties. I've personally had REO properties listed that have literally gotten 20+ offers submitted by perspective buyers. This article hopefully will explain the process of gettinng a bank owned property to the market, sold and closed.

Depending on the state you're living in the process will vary. Typically once the foreclosure process is officially started, It may take anywhere from 8 to 24 months for the bank to foreclose and take possession of the property.

At some point during the foreclosure process the bank will assign an asset management company to the property. The job of the asset management company is to basically take the property from the foreclosure process, to possession and ultimately to closing. How the asset management companies do this is actually very interesting. As a side bar, banks are NOT allowed to sell real estate. Not even there own. You read correctly. Even though the bank can legally foreclose on a home, it can't market the property itself.

Ok, I'm back. Now, instead of working with real estate brokers (directly) on the local level where the property is located, the bank contracts with asset management companies to get the property through the system and sold. The asset management companies then contracts with the local brokers to walk the property through the steps. Below are the steps. Again, some states may vary. But the over all process is still the same. Keep in mind these step have been drastically abbreviated. But you'll get the point.

1. The asset management company gets the property assignment from the bank and then assigns it to a local broker.

2. Typically when the broker gets the assignment their job is to determine the occupancy status of the property. ( is the owner or tenant in the property)

3. If the property is found to be vacant the broker reports the status of the property to the asset management company.

4. At this point the broker will attempt gain access to the property by having a locksmith change the locks on the doors. At this point the broker will generally take interior photos to document the condition of the property and complete a BPO (broker price opinion) this is basically a shorten version of an appraisal. The asset management company usually orders additional bpo's from other brokers to confirm your estimation of value.

5. Once the asset management company and the bank agree to a price the broker then completes the listing agreement with the asset management company and the property is put into the MLS (multiple listing service)

Ok, so now you have a brief idea of what goes on behind the scenes of that. Once the property is on the market other brokers and agents request to show the property to their clients. Generally if the property is priced correctly for the market and its condition, it will receive more than a few offers. So now to the question. What's taking so long? Is my contract accepted? Here are a few answers:

1. Many banks will not allow the asset management company to review or accept an offer on the property for the first 15 to 20 days that the property is listed. That's right. It's bank owned, they want to sell it as fast as possible, but they won't even entertain a offer for 15 to 20 days. Go figure! So guess what? The offers pile up during that period.

2. Now when the 15 to 20 days are up the asset manager will review the offers. At this point. More often than not. There is more than one offer on the same property. So now the asset managers call for what's known as highest and best. This means the listing broker has to call all the other agents and let them know that there are multiple offers on the property and that they need to inform their client to make their highest and best offer.

3. Once the highest and best offers are submitted to the asset manager. They will then pick the deal they feel is best for their client. This is of course is based on offering price. But just as important is the ability to close. This step can take anywhere from 1 to 30+ days depending on the bank and the actual asset manager.

The delay is usually because the offer has to go through the channels at the asset management company and then go through the channels at the bank. Then back to the bank and finally to the listing agent and then the selling agent and the buyer. I hope this sheds a little light on the process and what really goes on behind the curtain.

About the author: I'm a licensed real estate broker in the state of Illinois and have been in thre real estate business for 20 years. for more information on real estate and bank owned properties visit the listed site.

Federal Stimulus Funds To Buy And Fix Up Foreclosed Properties

State and local governments across the nation are gearing up to spend federal stimulus funds. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) birthed the Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) that provides federal stimulus dollars to assist neighborhoods hardest hit by the home foreclosure crisis. The NSP falls under the umbrella of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

HUD's intent for the NSP is to provide assistance to more than 500 communities, cities and counties across America in the form of rent relief, for homeless prevention and to assist low-income families to buy homes. Organizations that are eligible for NSP funding are cities, non-profit agencies and housing authorities.

St. Lucie and Martin Counties in Florida hope to receive some .5 million in stimulus dollars. The counties recently applied for the funds through the state's Department of Community Affairs. Both counties intend on buying foreclosed homes, renovating them and selling them to low-income homebuyers. The other initiative for the funding will be to weatherize neighborhood homes.

Fresno County, along with the City of Fresno, has received a total of million in NSP funding to address the abundance of local area foreclosed homes. Officials have already interviewed several developers that will be hired to buy, renovate and sell or rent the homes to low-income families.

Blighted areas will benefit the most from the funds. A byproduct of the dollars will be construction jobs associated with renovating the properties.

Massachusetts may see some activity soon in many of their local cities and neighborhoods, since the state applied for funds in the total of million. Boston Community Capital, alone, applied for million in NSP funds in order to broaden the organization's ability to assist the state's residents who are facing foreclosure on their homes. The group has already committed million in assistance to purchase abandoned property, loan funds to small developers renovating vacant properties and assist struggling homeowners in keeping or buying back their homes.

Connecticut has thrown their hat into the ring for million in NSP dollars, which will target the state's four most hard hit cities. The Connecticut Consortium falls under the state's Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD), and will be responsible for allocating the funds to local communities. Low- to middle-income families will be the primary beneficiaries of the program.

Chicago received .4 million in stimulus funds earlier this year. The city's goal is to reinvest profits made from selling renovated properties back into other foreclosure properties.

Ohio was allocated million NSP dollars to jump start the housing market in blighted neighborhoods. The intent is to allocate the stimulus money quickly, so that communities will be enabled to attack the growing numbers of abandoned and boarded up homes.

Kentucky was awarded million, Evanston, Illinois applied for .4 million and Virginia received million. Brad Pitt even entered the fray with his Make It Right Foundation. If funding is approved, it will benefit New Orleans and a project the group will launch in Newark, NJ. His organization, as part of a consortium of non-profits, is asking for million.

Relying On Real Estate Brokers To Find Commercial Properties

Entrepreneurs often need a space away from their homes in which to set up their businesses. They may not know what size office space they need or what they can afford, however. When they hire a broker, entrepreneurs may be able to find the ideal location that will allow their businesses to thrive. As they search for this location, business owners may find that working with a licensed and qualified broker can make this process easier.

The first challenge many owners face is locating something that fits within their budgets. Many first time entrepreneurs do not have large budgets on which to operate; they need to find an area that is relatively low cost, yet agreeable to their business goals. Rather than search blindly, these individuals could make the process easier by telling a broker what their budget limitations are.

Their broker can then show them spaces in various parts of the city that fit within those limitations. People may in fact be surprised by what their money could make available for their first time enterprises. Sometimes they are not aware of what is available in a city until they hire a real estate professional to locate and show these properties.

Novice business owners sometimes make the mistake as well of not being aware of what their finance options are. They may believe that they are not eligible for grants and loans. Their professional might have this information on hand and be able to suggest financing options to them. Their brokers might also be able to refer them to local agencies that specialize in financing businesses and helping entrepreneurs by property.

When businesses expand, they often outgrow their existing properties. People find that they need more space in which to continue their enterprises. When a person's company has grown beyond its current location's space, he or she might choose to hire a broker to find a new location for that company.

The same principle could be applied as well to people who franchise their businesses. When they allow others to open franchise locations, owners may rely on broker professionals to locate the ideal areas for new franchises. These professionals often have the skill to ensure that these locations are spaced strategically throughout the city.

By relying on San Francisco commercial real estate brokers, California entrepreneurs may be able to set up new or expand existing companies. These professionals are often skilled in finding suitable office spaces that help owners.