Monthly Archives: January 2022

Paradise Island Estate Heads to Auction

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How to Buy Foreclosed Homes in Florida

Buying a foreclosed home in the Sunshine State of Florida can be an excellent investment for rental investors or the average homebuyer. Not only do you receive a home at a massive discount, but you get to close sooner than you would on a traditional home sale.

If you are curious about how to buy foreclosed homes in Florida, then you came to the right spot. In this brief Florida foreclosed home buying guide, we will go over the foreclosure process and a great alternative to buying or selling a foreclosed home!

What Is a Foreclosed Home?

A foreclosure is when a property has gone through a process where the lender tries to recover some of the past due payments from the property owner who defaulted. The lender will then sell the property at a foreclosure auction for a lower price to recoup their loss and get the home loan off their books. If you want to know how to buy foreclosed homes in Florida, you will need to understand the foreclosure process.

How to Buy Foreclosed Homes in Florida

The foreclosure process for buying a foreclosed home in Florida starts through the judicial process. This means that the lender files a lawsuit in the state court, and depending on the size of the court docket, it could take between 180 to 200 days to force the foreclosure. The timeline can take even longer if the homeowner contests the foreclosure.

Just like any lawsuit, there are court filings, preliminary hearings, summons, and other court etiquettes that can slow down the process even more. Once a summary judgment is in place, the foreclosure sale is scheduled within 30 to 60 days.

Banked Owned Properties

Bank-owned properties or real estate-owned properties are foreclosed properties that have failed to sell to a third party at the auction. There are several different reasons why a property might not sell at an auction.

For example, if a bid fails to cover the foreclosure judgment, then the sale falls through. When this happens, the banks will hire a real estate agent to sell that property.

Florida Foreclosed Home Buying Tips

During the pre-foreclosure process, it is best to try to reach out to the seller’s representative or the homeowner. Although this may be an uncomfortable conversation to have with the homeowner during this challenging time, talking to the homeowner directly will help you understand the home’s current condition.

You also will most likely have a better understanding of what is owed on the property as well. If you have a real estate agent, they can reach out to the homeowner or seller on your behalf. There is a chance you may receive a discounted price when reaching out to the seller directly.

Inspect the Property

If the seller’s real estate agent or the homeowner is willing to entertain your interest in the property, you should try to set up a time to inspect the location. Although this is not always guaranteed, it is worth a shot.

If the homeowner is motivated to sell now and they are still early in the pre-foreclosure process, the homeowner may allow you to bring your own inspector to have a look. With your inspector on-site, you will have a much better idea of the exact condition the house is in.

Have Financing Ready

If you reach out to the homeowner early enough in the pre-foreclosure process, you might be able to make them an appealing offer. Before you make that offer, make sure that you have the proper financial means in place so you can close quickly.

If you close quickly, be forewarned that you will forego any repairs made by the seller. If the homeowner accepts your offer, make sure that you reach out to a real estate attorney right away to ensure that there are no complications.

How to Buy a Foreclosure in Florida at an Auction

When properties are sold at a public auction in Florida, the auction must be advertised to everyone in the general public. The advertisement must include the place, time, and date of the auction. The highest bidder will win the auctioned property.

Although winning property at an auction is an exciting time, you must consider the risks that you will now bear. At the time of sale, you will need to pay for the property.

Any issues with insurance, taxes, or the title, will be your responsibility. If any tenants or people live at, on, or in the property, you will also need to take responsibility.

Benefits and Risks of Foreclosures

One of the main benefits of buying a foreclosed home is the cost-saving benefit. Depending on the current market conditions, you can expect to purchase a home for considerably less than other homes on the market.

The risk of buying a foreclosed home is the condition of the house. All foreclosed homes are sold as-is, and you won’t be able to walk through the property before the purchase.

If you have a seller or a homeowner who allows you to walk through, take advantage of that. As mentioned earlier, most foreclosed homes don’t allow walk-throughs.

Another risk of purchasing a foreclosed home is the possibility of vandalism. These houses may sit unoccupied, without any air conditioning or heat for weeks which leaves them susceptible to vandalism or squatters.

Ensure that you have more than enough funds to bring the home back up to code and make sure it is ready to move in.

These types of homes may sound like a better idea for real estate investors who do a lot of fix and flip projects. First-time homebuyers can also benefit from purchasing a foreclosed home, but a lot of work may need to be put in.

Where to Find Foreclosed Homes

There are several different resources available for you to use when looking for foreclosed properties. For example, you can check out bank websites for their list of REO properties.

The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, also known as HUD, also has lists of homes available for purchase. HUD houses have available foreclosures and homes available from different government agencies. There are also a few real estate companies that list their available foreclosures online.

First-Time Homebuyer Foreclosures

If you are a first-time homebuyer considering buying a foreclosed property, you will want to know about it. For example, you will want to ensure that you follow the steps that anyone wishing to purchase a foreclosure would follow. For example, obtaining the proper funding.

Make sure that you have a pre-approval letter or cash available to make an offer on the home. You will also want to conduct a title search on the house to ensure there is no second mortgage.

People who face foreclosure may take out a home equity line of credit, also known as a HELOC, to help pay their bills or catch up on payments. With these lines of credit, the home is the collateral.

This means that you may have to give up the home even when the house sells because of a previous obligation. Ensure that you have a real estate agent on your side to help you work through this process so that everything goes smoothly.

Alternatives to Florida Foreclosed Homes

Regardless of whether you are looking to purchase a foreclosed home in Florida or face foreclosure, there are other options available for you. You have the opportunity to sell the house as-is to an interested real estate investor, or you can try to sell the home on the market yourself.

It is crucial that you exercise great care if you try to sell a home on your own. If you run out of time, you may face foreclosure from your lender. If you are in a rush to buy or sell a home, you can also reach out to an iBuyer for additional help.

What is an iBuyer?

An iBuyer, also known as an instant buyer, is a company with significant financial backing and resources to give you an all-cash offer. They use artificial intelligence and big data to generate an offer based on the valuation of your property and any information you input in the application.

You typically will hear back within a couple of days from the iBuyer, and they may have additional questions about your home. They may ask about any renovations, updates, or if your home has a pool. The type of questions they ask depends on the iBuyer you decide to partner with. 

Sell Your Home Today!

Now that you know how to buy foreclosed homes in Florida, it’s time to look into the alternative. If you are interested in selling and buying a home as quickly as possible, you can reach out to an iBuyer!

The post How to Buy Foreclosed Homes in Florida appeared first on iBuyer Blog.

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Religious leaders critical to success of Puerto Rico debt restructuring

… voice for the most vulnerable Puerto Ricans — the least of these … . and Puerto Rico religious groups aid the people of Puerto Rico,” … : Early on in the Puerto Rican debt crisis, I asked … fund managers who purchased Puerto Rican debt at deeply discounted …

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In Nassau, The Bahamas, the Crossroads of Conch

The clack of dominoes; the knock of stringed shells; the cut of fresh Queen Conch. 

There’s a percussive ritual to Potters Cay, the historic fishing dock under the Paradise Island Bridge that just so happens to be the crossroads of the world’s best conch.

Rows of stalls and purveyors line the dock in the heart of Nassau Harbour, where conch, the prized, pink-shelled mollusk, arrives each day from all over the islands of The Bahamas for fresh purchase and consumption. 

There are colorful shacks and tables, with names like Bang’s and Wendell’s, one-word guarantors of world-class conch, most endorsed by the country’s famous Kalik beer. 

Some are larger, with indoor tables overlooking the brilliant turquoise between Nassau and Paradise Island; others are counters; some, like Blue Wave, are tables in the sun. 

Blue Wave is where Leslie, or “Les,” as he’s known, makes his fresh conch salad. 

And it’s conch salad that’s Potters Cay’s biggest draw, The Bahamas’ flagship dish: a mix of chopped peppers, tomatoes, onions, citrus juice and, of course, fresh conch. 

The recipe changes from stall to stall; chefs decide their seasonings; lately, some are even experimenting with new additions like pineapple. 

Donnie has been serving up conch here since 1992.

Les has had a location here for three decades, but a fire burned it down, leaving him with a makeshift table and the most scenic spot in all of Potters Cay. 

The conch salad he’s making today uses Exuma conch; over at Donnie’s, the conch today hails from Abaco. 

Conch comes in every day from places like Abaco, Exuma and the Berry Islands.

Further down the dock, the conch shells today came from the Berry Islands. 

“These are young and tender,” the vendor tells me. 

Conch fresh from the Berry Island.

Just about all of Nassau’s conch comes right here, or to Arawak Cay just west of downtown, another top spot for conch.

Over at Donnie’s, a patron named Tara is lunching on conch salad. She’s been coming here for 20 years, since high school, fiercely loyal to Donnie’s salad. 

Everyone has their preferred spot in this hyper-competitive, but endlessly friendly, conch marketplace, from the renowned Mackenzie’s right at the entrance to the Cay to Les’ stall in the sun. 

Les’ Blue Wave stand.

“Nobody does it better,” Les promises me. 

Of course, there’s more than just conch here; just about every stall has a broader seafood menu with Bahamian signatures: fish fingers, cracked conch (the battered, deep-fried preparation of conch), fresh whole snapper; grouper; hog fish. 

“We do the down home stuff,” Donnie says of the stalls on the Cay. “This is the real thing.” 

And then there are the copious beers and cocktails: Bahama Mamas, Goombay Smashes. 

And it’s all enjoyed right at the edge of brilliant blue water, with that captivating soundtrack of the harbor.

I ask Les how he knows if a conch is one of quality. He doesn’t hesitate. 

“If it’s moving.”

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