Some of the best rehab deals I’ve seen have been bought at foreclosure auctions. Yet, when the rewards are high, so is the risk. The risk comes from many unknowns that are unique to homes sold at the auctions. One of the unknows is whether it comes with its former occupants and, if it does, how to deal with them. There are several reasons why you might be wary of buying a foreclosure that is still occupied.
In the regular transaction between a seller and a buyer, if a seller fails to deliver a clean title, the contract becomes void. No buyer wants to buy a property with someone’s else debt secured against it. It’s the sellers’ responsibility to satisfy all liens secured against the title they are about to transfer. However, this is not how a foreclosure auction works. The simple truth is that failure to research liens before buying a foreclosure can create numerous problems. Here’s how to do your homework in advance, so you don’t regret making that winning bid.