Foreclosure Education - Foreclosure Investing

Foreclosure investing is driving the US real estate market - we are starting to see an influx of investors from around the US and the rest of the world buying a foreclosure in Tucson based on the great foreclosure deals available.

Clearly our price to value ratio for a foreclosure has become very attractive to investors and we think this trend will accelerate moving forward as foreclosure investing increases in popularity.

We have a large inventory of foreclosures , although the implicit values of the homes is driving multiple offers in many cases; so, be prepared for a bidding process that necessitates patience and market knowledge for foreclosure investing.

Look at "friends and family" for creative financing or a "personal joint venture" in business vernacular for funding a foreclosure in Tucson. Meaning,  find a relative or friend who may not have the time or interest in managing a real estate investment and offer to split the upside with them, while you take responsibility for managing the property as part of your  foreclosure investing.

Two words come to mind easily - someone looking for "easy money" - risk/reward live together in life and there is no easy money unless you walk into a casino and put a buck in a $1M payout machine and win instantly. But, for the other 99.9% of us a real estate investment in a foreclosure in Tucson is going to require some good analysis and hard work to maintain the property, even if you have a tenant renting the property.

There are a lot of variables to consider; but, some of the primary issues you need to weigh include your employment position, with stability being very important and good cash flow supported by cash reserves for foreclosure investing.  If you are married or in a committed relationship your partner has to be totally behind you in this process too - you will need their support in more ways than just emotional and at times even financial.

If you look at Warren Buffet (the preeminent investor of the 21st Century) he's investing billions in companies and markets that are struggling in this economy - the time to get in to a good deal is when there is stress in the marketplace and when it is in chaos.

We aren't telling you there is no risk; quite the contrary, there is risk and any professional realtor should underscore this with you in detail. But, prices on foreclosures in Tucson are at historical lows in terms of affordability, the rental market is robust  and you can get into a cash positive position in many cases, depending on what type of home you purchase in Tucson or elsewhere around the country.

You need to take a very hard look at the neighborhood around the house you are assessing and work with a realtor likes us that is technically savvy for astute foreclosure investing - our team sits down with investors and we look online first via Google Street View at a neighborhood to get feel for the dynamics.

In many cases we engage the "Recker Realty Starbucks Rule " as our first pass filter for a foreclosure in aTucson neighborhood; if there is no Starbucks  within five to ten minutes we may tell the client we are moving on to the next foreclosure.

Also, you want to look at the houses up and down the street - are they well maintained and what is the general feel of the neighborhood? A good neighborhood "around" your home will help to drive the curb appeal for a rental as well as long term appreciation - don’t underestimate the neighborhood, you are investing in it just like the house.

No........absolutely not under any circumstances in our opinion for foreclosure investing. You want your investment property framed with a great neighborhood around it - it its surrounded by a lot of homes in disrepair you may have problems renting and maintaining it as a foreclosure.

And don't let a bargain "never again"  price dissuade you - you can't turn a sow's ear into a silk purse -  there’s better foreclosure Tucson opportunities elsewhere, especially in today’s market.

This is a "crystal ball" answer and no one has a good answer for this, unless they have a direct pipeline to Warren Buffett’s cell phone.  The right answer is, be prepared to wait out the market and make sure you buy a Tucson Foreclosure that is cash positive to offset your mortgage costs.

Then, you won't have a lot of pressure to sell it - let it sit and appreciate, making you more money. But, again, these are chaotic times and you want to drive a good deal by working with a knowledgeable realtor who knows foreclosure investing.