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When he's not writing or working, Alex enjoys reading, traveling, and the outdoors. It’s important to get a good sense of renovation costs before buying a fixer-upper.
Some obvious pros would be that you won’t have to open your house up for walk-through tours . It also takes much less time and you’ll know the exact date your house will sell, making your life less complicated when it’s time to move. You’ll also avoid the hassle of negotiating with buyers on making repairs—because selling your house at auction usually means selling as-is.
What Happens if There Is Another Lien on a Foreclosure Property?
Purchasing a house at auction, however, should come with quite a bit of due diligence. Seasoned real estate investors attend most property auctions, so they are not for the uneducated. Be sure, however, that before jumping in, you have a handle on how the auction process works.

In a foreclosure, the lender has never occupied the property, so more often than not, they know very little about the structure and potential problems that may be lurking. The owner often catches back up on their mortgage payments, and nothing ever happens with the property. There are many different types of auctions, including an absolute auction and a lender confirmation auction. Buying a home at auction offers an exciting alternative to the traditional route – one that can be perfect for those who want to invest in real estate. Finally, as far as logistics go, you’ll want to confirm the event is still happening .
Real Estate Foreclosure Auctions Explained
Homes are sold at auction for a variety of reasons, and the sellers can be homeowners, lenders, municipalities or even the U.S. government. One of the questions home buyers often ask is how do real estate auctions work? The question is often asked because they want to know how to buy a house at auction. They may also allow you to see the amount of other bids, but sometimes you’ll be bidding without any idea how much money others are offering. There are many cons, however, to selling your home at an auction—with the biggest being that it’s a more expensive process. Listing agents, on average, make a 6% commission for their services versus a hefty 10-15% for the services of an auctioneer.
This will help you know the property’s real value and estimate the cost of any repairs. This way, you will be able to determine how much you can afford to bid or if the home is even worth buying. You should also hire a title company to check for liens against the properties you have interest in.
Estate Auctions: What Are They And How Do They Work?
Let’s look at some of the most common reasons homes are sold at online auctions. As virtual showings have become more common in the real estate industry, so have online home auctions. An online auction is similar to a traditional auction, but instead of bidding on a home in person, you can do it from the comfort of your own home.
Essentially, a lot of people sit in a room while a fast-talking man spits out numbers and points to people around the room. Auctions are full of energy and often intimidating for new attendees. Investors seek their next flip opportunity, while bank representatives are trying to preserve company interest in the property.
The best way to prepare for this is by researching auctions, attending one or two before you are ready to buy, and asking for advice from someone who has purchased a home at an auction. If the property is located in a right of redemption state, homeowners may be able to reclaim their property even after the auction is over. By paying what they owe on their mortgage or property taxes even after the foreclosure sale, they can reclaim their home up to 7 months after the sale. If the right of redemption is exercised, the lender will compensate buyers for their losses.

Any liens could become your responsibility if you buy the home. Things like unpaid property taxes, court judgments, or mechanic liens are all possible landmines. You could end up responsible for tax liens or back taxes if you’re not careful. Each home auction will have its own set of rules and requirements that you need to adhere to. Whoever is the winning bidder must have the necessary funding and be accepted by the lender or the government.
Here’s everything you need to know about buying and selling a house at auction. Another risk is that the house may have liens or claims against it from creditors which you will be responsible for once you buy the house. Drive by the property, and consider asking neighbors what they know.

In many cases, house auctioneers won’t allow you to inspect a home before you bid on it. So if you win the bid, you’re stuck with the property regardless of its condition. This depends on the agreement between the seller and the auction company. There are some auction companies that take anywhere from 3% – 8% of the entire auction amount, then there are some auction companies that charge a rate of around 10% – 15%. For example, if a property gets sold at $1 million dollars, it would cost you around $100,000 to $150,000 to pay the auction company!