Santa Monica

Santa Monica

Santa Monica Homes for Sale and Methods to Get a good deal on Them Tip 19

There are many homes which have been repossessed by creditors, usually meaning you can pick up a great deal, but how do you go about obtaining one? To begin there are many Santa Monica homes for sale which are currently going to auction, so look further into that as an option.

Firstly, it is advisable to sit down and have a think about the statements listed below:

o In virtually all of the states the only method to obtain a home which has gone to foreclosure is through an auction. You're not provided access into the house prior to the auction. You will of course be provided with the address and should drive around the area and past the house to make certain you know what you are potentially purchasing. The home may be vacant or it may have its occupants living inside right up to the time of the auction. They had a problem like this in Venice recently, where there were numerous Santa Monica homes for sale due to foreclosure, the authorities had huge problems with tenants remaining in their houses after auctions had given their property a new owner.

o Winning the auction also does not always mean that you are guaranteed to be able to move into your new home immediately, you will usually have to follow eviction laws prior to this. This throws open the chance that the previous occupants of the house may still be residing in the property. What is usually an attractive solution to this potential problem is to consider paying those still in the home a few hundreds dollars or so to move. At the end of the day, it will save you money and time in the long run just to pay around $ 1, 000 to the occupants to avoid any problems arising. This precise tactic was one which those with Santa Monica homes for sale recently deployed.

o It is also vital that you check as to whether the house has been vacant through the winter period. The pipes may have suffered extensive damage if it transpires that the home was empty.

o You can usually get a listing of all the foreclosures that are to be auctioned off at the Sheriff's office.

o In order to ensure a smooth transaction and that you pay a fair price, get hold of your local REALTOR for advice. This will enable you to know what sort of price the house will sell for.

o It's also sensible to ensure that you are fully aware of all the liens associated with the home in question. (A lien is anyone who has a financial interest in the property for example a bank.) This info can be obtained via contacting the office of the Recorder of Deeds. Every lien on any property should be found there.

o Liens tend to be seen in this order:

1. Federal Tax

2. State Tax

3. Local Tax

4. 1st. Mortgage recorded.(the first mortgage taken out)

5. 2nd Mortgage recorded (commonly a home equity loan or similar).

o What commonly happens is that when the higher ranking party forecloses the lower ranked liens are wiped clean, apart from TAX liens. However, this does not always happen, therefore it is prudent to read everything before agreeing to purchase a house which has been going through the foreclosure process. Please find below some examples. The below statements use Santa Monica homes for sale for examples.

1. The house has 10K in tax liens, 200K in first mortgage and 50 K in second mortgage. The consequence of the auction is that the house sells for $250,000. So firstly the tax lien will be paid, then the first mortgage and then there would be no money left for other liens. The new buyer would then own the home out right with no existing debts from the previous owners. (That is never guaranteed though, it all depends on the regulations in force in your area.) In the Venice district the regulations regarding Santa Monica homes for sale are very harsh.

2. The next example I want to explore is when a house has $50,000 in tax liens and is foreclosed by the government. In this example the home also has 250k in a secondary mortgage. This clears the tax that caused the foreclosure to begin and most, if not all other loans ranked lower than the original tax lien. When this occurs the primary mortgage creditor will bid on the home to protect their financial interests in the property.

o The typical procedure if you win the house at auction is to pay around 10% up front. You'll then have around 1 month to pay the rest.

o Another good piece of advice which you should follow is to hire the services of an experienced attorney and perform a title search on the property.

o If you don't find any other liens on the property then go ahead and pay the outstanding balance.

o If the search completed by your attorney does indicate more liens or similar then it might be best to write off the 10% you have paid and walk away, seek advice first though.

o If you are happy with the title search then pay the existing balance and then proceed to record the deed (your attorney will aid in this procedure).

o Now, if the house is vacant, you'll want to gain access, (you won't get any keys). You own the property though. (You might find that in some states there is a period of time where the existing occupants can reverse the foreclosure by settling the amount they owe This is particularly true of Santa Monica homes for sale.) You will of course have access to the house, but the risk is high.

o If the house is not vacant, you have to work with the local sheriff to evict the current tenants. Note my suggestion above.

I hope this info has helped to show to you the risks involved with foreclosure properties. It is not nearly as easy as it sounds. There are many other options you have.

1. Firstly you can just purchase a house through the standard set procedure. Banks will sometimes lower their lien (called a short sale) to avoid the cost of foreclosure and the risk with it. This process could have prevented Santa Monica houses going up for sale.

2. Another little-known way of buying a house is to actually contact banks and creditors and try and purchase homes off them. Many banks use local realtors to list their property; so again, working with a REALTOR will help in this case. Just before I forget though, if anyone is looking for homes in California, check this resource out Santa Monica homes for sale.

Foreclosure houses can be good investments. But the other side to this is the massive risk involved. Please make sure that you know what you are in for, if you choose to pursue this route.

Just remember to hire the services of a licensed REALTOR. Your contract, which your lawyer should prepare must ensure that the property is clear of all liens or closing will not occur. You've probably seen the news articles about how those purchasing Santa Monica homes for sale were recently caught out by not carrying out proper research.

Good luck if you are intending to pursue this route of buying a new home. For people who don't want all that risk, then my advice would be to contact a REALTOR and start looking around. Real estates agents have responded recently in a positive manner to the masses of people wanting to move to Venice by locating them Santa Monica homes for sale.

(All of the info contained within this information is solely provided for your information. Local Laws and ordinances will dictate the exact foreclosure process in your area. You need to validate the local laws/ordinances as they will supercede any information contained here within.) Before I forget, if you are wanting to purchase in California then check out Santa Monica homes for sale.

About the Author

Richard Raymon enjoys writing about Santa Monica homes for sale.  You can check out his website at http://www.santamonicahomesforsale1.com##Santa Monica Homes For Sale

Does anyone know of a good, reasonably priced contractor in the Santa Monica Area?

I just bought a new house and am looking for a really good contractor in the Santa Monica area that is reasonably priced.
Does anyone have any suggestions?

yes, e-mail me at paul.thetileguy@gmil.com and leave your number or I can e-mail you my number. look at cslb.ca.gov and find my name

Everclear - Santa Monica