A real estate foreclosure occurs when someone who had taken a loan for a bank is unable to pay the loan and the bank seizes his real estate to offset the loan. Such types of foreclosures are very beneficial to the investor, especially in the long run, since the properties are usually offered at rates that are way below the prevailing market rate.

Although the real estate foreclosure investment is a lucrative venture, it is not easy to find foreclosure listings, especially for an investor who is new in this field. It may be a very frustrating process to look for foreclosures only to hear about them when they have already been sold. Here are two ways to go about finding foreclosures that you may be interested in:

1. The best place to look for real estate foreclosure listings is the internet. This is a resourceful tool in which you can filter your results based on location or even pricing. In order to get the listings, you will usually be required to register with a website that provides the listing in order to access their database. When you register, you will be presented with a wide range of foreclosures that you would not have found out on your own.

In case you do not wish to pay the access fees, you can register at the websites for a trial period. This is usually a 7 day period during which the website will allow you limited access to their database, and depending on how useful you find the website to be, you can register or opt out if the website.

2. The next place to look for real estate foreclosure listings is at real estate brokers offices. Getting in touch with a reputable broker can be a wise investment as they can be a valuable resource on the real estate foreclosure listings available in your area. Ensure you build a rapport with the broker in order to get hot deals and first hand information on foreclosure listings that may interest you. Make sure you ask them questions and do an “interview” of sorts to make sure it is a person you want to work with.

There are other ways of finding real estate foreclosure listings like word of mouth and real estate journals. However, the internet and real estate broker agents are the major resources of finding the listings.

With many years vested into real estate investment, Amie Golden now wants to educate consumers on buying foreclosed homes. Are you confused when searching foreclosure listings? Then check out Amie’s helpful and practical guide to buying homes in foreclosure, bank repos, and pre foreclosed homes.

There are a number of ways that individuals can obtain their dream home without necessarily going the traditional route to secure financing. Rent to own and lease purchase options are two popular ways to do this.

Rent-to-Own Homes

Rent-to-own homes or lease purchase options have become a great source of income for the real estate investor and a lifesaver for those who would otherwise not be able to purchase a home.

You can compare this real estate strategy of lease purchase options to leasing an automobile where you put a down payment down, you lease it for a pre-determined amount of time, and then you purchase it at the end of the lease.

Benefits to real estate investors:

* They are receiving a residual income.
* They are assisting others obtain a goal that otherwise would not be possible.
* Their investment is secured by a non-refundable deposit, which the buyer forfeits if the deal does not go through.

Benefits to the buyers:

* They can move into the home before they actually purchase it.
* Many times, their deposit will be applied to the purchase of the home.
* They have a chance to improve their credit rating while leasing the home.
* They have a chance to save for the down payment while leasing the home.

How Lease Purchasing Works

* Normally, this rent-to-own or lease purchase agreement requires a non-refundable deposit, which is the “option payment.”
* The length of the lease is set 12-24 months, or whatever is agreed upon.
* There is a contract signed, which states the buyer agrees to make monthly payments to the seller. This monthly payment is normally higher than what the home would normally rent for. In some cases, a percentage of the payments may be applied to the purchase of the home.
* At the end of the lease, the buyer has the option to finance the remainder of the balance owed, sometimes referred to as a “balloon payment,” and purchase the property. Or they can move, forfeit their deposit, and have no further obligations to the seller.

Lease purchase or rent-to-own options are an excellent way for a real estate investor to make money because they have multiple sources of income from this one property. They receive the option deposit; they receive monthly payments; and at the end of the term of the agreement, they will either walk away with the proceeds from the sale or the forfeited deposit. Either way, it’s a win/win situation for the real estate investor.

Adam is active in various social and community programs aimed at providing equal opportunity to education,health,jobs and business opportunities to all regardless of where they are from. Adam has over 10 years experience in managing a successful multi-million dollar advertising and publishing company.

In another few years, the bulk of the baby boomers will be moving to a prime real estate area (like this one) and many of them will be down-sizing and looking to buy a modestly-sized house.

They will be ready to have fun and may not have the energy or the wish to renovate and decorate. They do not have youth on their side – but you will.

As many of you will not have started a family yet, you will have time to fit this in around your day job. It may even pay better than your day job. Let’s take a look at the figures for Bellingham Real Estate in the last ten years.

Now if you had taken this advice in July 2002, and bought a $100,000 home, it would have been worth more than double by now! Aha, you are thinking – I have missed the boat – but here’s why this may not be the case:

The largest population burst we have experienced will be hitting the retirement scene in 2011 – when the youngest of the so-called baby boomers will turn 65. Some of them have been lucky enough to retire early and have already bought their homes.

But, this massive retirement is in its early days yet. Sought-after real estate areas are already reflecting a 20% rise in sales between this October and October of last year.

Well, if I have you convinced, let’s look at some of the practicalities.

The least expensive house is a one bedroom home, and this is an ideal size to re-sell to a couple that is down-sizing. Many senior citizens are on a fixed income and do not want a large house because of the house taxes, heating bills and gardening that comes with a larger house.

If you are trying to attract a retired person, pay special attention to the noise factor. Do not buy near an airport, close to a nightclub, racing track, gun practice range etc.

Remember this home is an investment so resist the urge to indulge your creative flair and paint the bathroom lime green with purple trim.

All rooms and walls should have a neutral color scheme. This means white with a cream tint or white with silver gray contrast, or white with a beige contrast. Keep your bathroom units white and your kitchen appliances white as well.

Do not be put off by a tiny back yard space, many seniors do not wish to do vegetable gardening or lawn mowing! But you can build a nice wooden patio, or lay stone slabs or crazy paving for their barbeque area.

If you are keeping costs down, add a few pots with large shrubs in. They will help to beautify the eating area and they can go with you when you move

A workshop or a garden shed is a big plus on a smaller property, if you are good at carpentry then you will get your investment money back when you re-sell the house.

Finally add paths of crazy paving or blocks. This is labor intensive for a senior but easy for you. To help your prospective buyer satisfy any social conscience, you can erect a clothes line near one of the paths.

A final word of caution, as the market climbs up, resist the urge to hang on for the peak.

Eric Badgely is a top – scoring real estate agent in the Bellingham WA real estate market. He and his team mate, Angela Gardner rank in the top 15% of all Prudential agents nationwide. Contact them now to review Bellingham, Lynden, Birch Bay and Ferndale real estate.

If your home does not already have a suite then they are relatively simple to install. The main thing that you will have to worry about is putting in the kitchen. Now the kitchen for a suite does not need to be huge but it should have all the trappings of a regular kitchen that is; stove, sink, storage space, fridge etc. Organizing the space so that kitchen sinks and bathroom sinks and the shower or tub can plug into existing plumbing can save you allot of money in startup costs. Plumbing can end up being a major cost so try to plan out the suite accordingly. Also try to think about what the average renter needs and try to supply that. The more amenities you supply the more you will be able to get for the suite on a monthly basis.

This is also a great way to add value to your home as home buyers love to see properties with secondary suites. This is especially true of real estate investors. Any kind of property that offers a dual income opportunity will be a highly prized property. Investors spend months looking for the right dual income properties, as they really are ideal rental properties. Careful planning is essential in an kind of rental situation so plan this out properly and it should be quite profitable.

Carey Frankel is a real estate agent and associate broker serving the Jacksonville, Florida real estate market. For elite service and accurate information on Jacksonville Homes contact Carey or visit online at http://www.frankelrealtygroup.com