Ever wonder how people make money in real estate? If they aren’t landlords, then chances are they have been buying and selling properties they have discovered through real estate foreclosure auctions. Real estate is like stock in that you have to buy low and sell high in order to make a profit. Participating in a foreclosure auction is a great way to buy low.

Although you could sign up to a foreclosure listing service that tell you when foreclosure auctions will occur anyplace in the nation, you are asking for trouble buying property in a market you understand nothing about. For instance, it’s no good buying a small mansion in South Carolina if it is located in a city struck by a hurricane this past year. The thing you need to do is know what specific market you want and then wait for a foreclosure auction in your desired area.

It is perfectly okay to contact the owner of the property to try and do a deal so the property doesn’t go on the foreclosure auction block. Usually, owners are given about a month to find a buyer. It’s often much easier for banks or the government to deal with sales of foreclosed property than an auction.

Don’t participate in a real estate foreclosure auction just because you feel as if you have to be playing the market every moment of your life. You have to wait for just the right property. You’ll know it because it will match your written ideal as closely as possible. You can’t be swayed by dollar signs, thinking that you can soon sell a foreclosed home for twice what you bought it for. Plan on keeping the property for a couple of years, at least.

Usually, a good bid is twenty percent less than the estimated market value of the home or property being foreclosed upon. You can find the estimated market value by reading the complete valuation report or property reports. However, it is urged that you not only inspect the property yourself, but hire your own home inspector to give it a once-over. Although you can get bargains at a foreclosure auction, it’s not a bargain if you bought a home just about ready to fall apart.

Depending on the foreclosure laws in the state where the auction is taking place, you may have to pay for the property in full. Keep that in mind when determining your bid.