home sweet home

The Trustee Sale-And We Thought We Were Getting A Great Deal!

When you make an offer on a property, a home through the Multiple Listing Service or through a Trustee sale, it’s always a good idea to review the chain of title. At a Trustee Sale you can purchase a “limited title report” for approximately $80 to $110.

The reason for obtaining a chain of title is to ensure several things. One, that the foreclosing lender is a first position lien holder. Secondly, are there any IRS liens, mechanic’s liens or Arizona property tax liens.

When you purchase a home at the Trustee Sale, you are buying a lien, not a property. If you don’t do your research, you could accidentally buy a second position lien in which case you will have bought an obligation to pay off any first position lien.

IRS liens are rarer but more important. Per the IRS redemption rights, it states the property can be seized 120 days of notification of the Trustee Sale. Note the redemption period starts upon IRS being notified.

Another lien to consider is the mechanics lien. After verifying this type of lien, your next step will be finding the lien holder then try to negotiate a settlement. Contacting an attorney might be wise, otherwise consider passing on the home.

The less threatening and most common type of liens are property tax liens. These liens are almost always present on foreclosure properties. The property tax lien usually does not affect the buyer’s profit margin. They also do not have to be paid at the Trustee Sale.

Arizona Trustee Sales can be an exciting and rewarding experience. With a little time and effort on your part you will have a vast range of knowledge and experience to make purchasing at a Trustee Sale a profitable venture.

The successful investor or bidder can have huge rewards by preparing themselves accordingly. Now is one of the best times to buy homes in Arizona real estate.