Buying that first home, whether looking for a homestead or an investment, can be exciting and terrifying. You’re thrilled about possibly owning a home or expanding your investment portfolio, but real estate prices can be intimidating. You might consider starting your search among real estate-owned properties that you can pick up for a bargain.
What Is a Real Estate-Owned Property?
Real estate-owned (REO) properties are those that banks, mortgage lenders, or mortgage investors own after they are foreclosed on but fail to sell at auction.
Once a property is foreclosed, it is put up for sale at an auction. When no bids are higher than the bank or mortgage company’s – in other words, when potential sales proceeds are less than the debt owed – then property ownership reverts to the bank or mortgage company.
A drag on a lender’s books, REO properties typically sell “as is” at a discount because lenders are motivated to get rid of them. REO properties encumber banks and mortgage companies with property taxes, assessments from local governments, utility bills and maintenance costs that reduce their profits.
Lenders sometimes have to deal with squatters in real estate-owned properties. While lenders hire asset managers to look after their properties, problems such as squatters can become headaches that financial institutions prefer to get rid of as quickly as possible.
How Does a Property Become Real Estate-Owned?
Properties that end up owned by lenders get dubbed real estate-owned properties after going through the foreclosure process, which varies from state to state but generally follows three stages:
Property Owner Defaults
Before foreclosure, property owners fall several months behind on their mortgage payments and cannot negotiate a deal with the bank or mortgage company to stay in the property. After 90 days, the mortgage holder begins the foreclosure process.
Property Enters Foreclosure
After several months in default, typically 120 days, the bank or mortgage company issues a notice of default and files a lawsuit to have a court issue a judgment of foreclosure.
Property Is Auctioned
The property is put up for auction, and the lender typically is the highest bidder. If it fails to sell or receives a bid price that does not sufficiently satisfy the debt, it officially becomes an REO.
Previous homeowners are typically evicted from single-family homes, leaving the property vacant. However, based on lease agreements, multifamily properties can sometimes still house residents after foreclosure.
Where Can You Find a Real Estate-Owned Property?
REO listings can be found in many ways, some of which you can peruse yourself. However, buying REO assets or REO homes isn’t as straightforward as buying a home the typical way. You may find your best starting place is to hire a real estate agent experienced in REO foreclosure and REO sales.
Here are places to find REO properties:
- Public Records
- Multiple Listing Service (MLS)
- Fannie Mae’s HomePath
- Freddie Mac’s HomeSteps
- Department of Housing and Urban Development Home Store
- Local bank websites
- Foreclosure databases
- Your network of friends or investors
Real estate agents with REO experience can help you stay on top of properties and are the ones bankers and mortgage companies choose to deal with. You also might pay a subscription fee to access websites that house foreclosure databases.
How to Buy a Real Estate-Owned Property
If you have a real estate agent with REO experience, you’ve already completed the first step toward buying a real estate-owned property. Buying a foreclosed property from a bank, mortgage lender or mortgage investor can differ from purchasing a home or multifamily unit in the regular real estate market.
As with any real estate deal, it’s critical to research the property you want to buy and understand your market.
Consider these as your next steps:
- Get prequalified for financing and secure an approval letter.
- Get a list of REO properties from your real estate agent.
- Encourage your agent to contact you first when aware of a pending listing.
- Deliver your offer.
- Anticipate a wait for approval or counter.
- Negotiate the terms.
- Close.
While lenders prefer to sell the property as-is – don’t expect any repairs to be made – you still want an inspection done. It will help you offer a fair price and understand the repairs you must put into the property.
Don’t expect a quick approval. Your offer can pass through many hands and the approval process can involve many players: the lender, asset manager, real estate agent, title company, appraiser and attorneys.
Asset managers or REO management companies look after the day-to-day tasks around a lender's properties and are often tasked with selling them. They coordinate with others to review offers. It can be weeks before someone gets back to you.
Pros and Cons of Buying Real Estate-Owned Properties
Buying a real estate-owned property can be a great way to get into a home or start investing in real estate. However, as with any investment, there are advantages and disadvantages. Consider these pros and cons:
Pros:
- Lenders highly motivated to sell
- Properties typically priced below market
- You often receive a clean title
- No tax burden acquired
- No former homeowner involvement
- Investment potential
- Low risk
Cons:
- Property sold as-is
- Future repair costs
- Potential property liens
- Property inspection is vital
- Potential occupants in multifamily units
- Hidden expenses after the sale
With the discount on REO properties, you may find more competition when trying to purchase real estate-owned properties despite their inability to sell at auction.
Are You Ready to Try Your Hand at Buying an REO Property?
An REO property can be a great find for first-time homebuyers or investors hoping to find a property priced below market. For homebuyers who don’t mind making repairs before or after moving in, an REO property can help you start to build equity. As an investor, rehabbing a property might already have been in your plan.
With one in every 1,478 housing units facing a foreclosure filing during the first quarter of 2024 in the United States, opportunities for buying or investing in an REO property are available. Now that you know more about real estate-owned properties, you can decide whether buying or investing is right for you and your financial goals.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does REO stand for?
REO is an acronym for real estate owned, a term describing a property that has been foreclosed on and failed to sell at auction, reverting ownership to the mortgage lender.
What is REO investment?
An REO investment is when an investor buys a property foreclosed on and taken over by a lender. Investors often find bargains among REO properties sold as-is to rehab, rent out, refinance and repeat.
What is the importance of REO?
REO properties offer homebuyers and investors an opportunity to buy a property at a discount. Banks, mortgage companies and mortgage investors are motivated to get the properties off their books, which opens them to negotiation.