Foreclosure - How Do I Negotiating Best Price With Bank

Foreclosure - How Do I Negotiating Best Price With Bank

Homeowner · Myrtle Beach, SC · Member since 2013 · 1 post · 0 votes

First, I'm very new here, and I tried to find answer from past posts, not easy to find or understand lingo, etc.
Anyways, here is what's going on, and my question.
I plan to sell my current house and plan to use the cash to buy a bank foreclosure. For the record, I am dealing with small money, less than 60K.
I have found a few foreclosures and looked at them. They are almost inhabitable and therefore over-priced, (I'll say, in my opinion).
How much negotiating room is there on bank foreclosures?
Will I be laughed at, or not taken seriously, if I put in an offer for about half of the listing price? To put this in perspective, one home is listed at about 60K. It's an older modular home and needs quite a bit of work. Floors, walls, exterior, cosmetic, etc.
The work involved doesn't scare me, I've dealt with worse. There has to be some consideration for the materials and my time to make this habitable and even marketable in the future to a typical home buyer.
Sorry to get long-winded on this.
I appreciate your help on this question.
I'm hoping to utilize this site to help me spring-board into doing this as a business, a source of income and investment.
Thanks

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Rental Property Investor · Mercer Island, WA · Member since 2008 · 22k+ posts · 14k+ votes
13y

If its been on the market for a relatively short time, say six months or less, then the bank is looking for something close to the asking price. A offer at 50% of the current listing price will get ignored. If its been on the market for a while, they might be more willing to listen. Over time (about once a month) they will drop the price. Eventually, it will become a good deal and it will sell.

I've also seen banks price properties low in order to draw multiple bids.

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  • Rental Property Investor · Mercer Island, WA · Member since 2008 · 22k+ posts · 14k+ votes
    13y

    If its been on the market for a relatively short time, say six months or less, then the bank is looking for something close to the asking price. A offer at 50% of the current listing price will get ignored. If its been on the market for a while, they might be more willing to listen. Over time (about once a month) they will drop the price. Eventually, it will become a good deal and it will sell.

    I've also seen banks price properties low in order to draw multiple bids.

  • Investor · Clairemont, CA · Member since 2011 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    13y

    One other thing to start with is establishing what it is worth. It may be listed at 60K and needs 20K in work, but would be worth 110K when livable. Now it already is a decent deal for an owner occupant like yourself, but not quite for a rehabber which is good because it may be hard for you to compete with them and their business models.

  • Real Estate Broker · Naples, FL · Member since 2013 · 9k+ posts · 6k+ votes
    13y

    @John Trempor:
    Just read about buying from banks in "The Unofficial Guide To Real Estate Investing". It has a sample letter for the banks along with good advice. Keep in mind if you are going to offer less than asking price you have to explain why your offer is valid and makes sense. The worst they can do is say no or counter offer.

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