While some time on the market is fine holding costs can really mess up your ability to do profitable deals.If you use short term financing because you are over-pricing the properties rather than discounting for a faster sale you will run out of runway before you reach a safe cruising speed.John Corey

Seems like this way is much faster to seal a deal.

Most buyer's agents do not charge their client any fees or commission as it is customary for the seller to pay these.

A short is your best bet because even though all the fines and legal charges have been accumulating the lender will normally go short to keep it from going into inventory.

Agents for banks are charged with getting the highest possible price just like agents for any other homeowner.Not to take away from the incredible importance of a good buyer's agent, a simple reality that you'll have to get use to is that buyer agents are at a disadvantage when it comes to submitting offers; but this isn't a characteristic of just REO, it's all of real estate.

If they told me that they were going to charge me to come and repair it I think I would have told them never mind fixing it just come and pick it up.

the property manager told me that that charge 25% gross !!!!!

I also contacted the people in charge of acquiring properties for the large renting companies in the area and they were excited to get on my buyers list.After I call them I send them a questionnaire via email which asks questions like:What exit strategies do you employ?

Bernie, in my experience the good thing about doing the lease option is you can charge a non refundable option fee or "down payment". depending on what the option sales price would be this could be as little as 5k and as high as the optioners will pay in your market.

They will have to charge you big enough rent to cover their payments and make a profit for themselves.