Tight Foreclosed Home Market Takes Heightened Scrutiny

If you’ve been following foreclosure news, you already suspect that cashing in on foreclosed home opportunities in Charleston, SC must be getting more difficult. According to CoreLogic’s Insights report at the end of last month, foreclosure inventory across the nation had dropped 35% from a year earlier. Whenever the number of available bank-owned homes shrinks, the tighter market produces some predictable results: the best deals are usually snatched up quickly with multiple offers and/or higher-than-asking prices, while questionable deals—foreclosed homes priced over market or requiring too many dollars in repairs—seem to predominate.

If you are investigating the market for foreclosed homes inCharleston area, that doesn’t mean you will have to settle for a dubious acquisition. It does mean that you should plan to do some tough-minded calculating (with a freshly sharpened pencil)!  

If you are newly interested in buying a foreclosed home in Charleston, SC (and some good ones are still coming onto the market), experienced foreclosed home buyers tend to agree on some basic precepts:

 1. Factor in All Costs

A very low price tag on a Charleston foreclosed home is a tempting opportunity—and a signal that you’ll need to do more than the usual amount of investigating. Especially in a tight market, a price that’s lower than expected often signals a high degree of disrepair that will require a great many improvements—ones the previous owners weren’t able to make. Such a deal can still be worthwhile, but requires doing the research to determine what kind of time and money it will take to make the place livable.   

2. Offer Your Best

Whenever the foreclosure market tightens, the properly priced offerings begin to sell quickly. If so, when you find a foreclosure you know is one you want, be prepared to write your best offer earlier rather than later. If the home is attractively priced, it’s risky to go in low, hoping to nudge the banks’ price lower. It will be worth spending the time to double-check the comps and fine-tune your initial offer. If you don’t, it is increasingly likely that someone else will.

3. Work with a Specialist

Since all real estate agents don’t have the same amount of experience, if you’re looking to purchase a Charleston foreclosed home, there’s no substitute for working with someone who is well-versed in these specific transactions. Not only will an experienced agent be able to help you identify prospective buys, but dealing with the bank to successfully nab a foreclosed home isn’t always a cut-and-dried process. It may take more than one attempt before you succeed in writing a winning offer—but whatever it takes, it’s certain you’ll be ahead of the pack when you have a knowledgeable pro by your side.

Thinking of buying a home this fall? Whether you’re specifically searching for a foreclosed home in Charleston, SC—or simply looking for your next home—I’m here to provide the resources and up-to-the-moment information that helps create winning offers!

Interested in selling your Charleston area home? Visit: www.jeffcookrealestate.com
Interested in buying a Charleston area home? Visit: www.discovercharlestonareahomes.com

-Jeff Cook

Jeff Cook Real Estate

Charleston, SC