Buying Foreclosured Homes–Stories from the Trenches

There was a great story in the Los Angeles Times yesterday about the reporter's strugles to buy a home in foreclosure. I was particularly fascinated by what appears to be some creepy dealings by the listing agent on one of the properties who never even showed the reporter's offer to the bank.

I've been poking around on my own, looking to buy bank-owned property in a Los Angeles neighborhood called Canoga Park. It's a frustrating experience no doubt. I had a close encounter with a wild dog sleeping underneath one house I visited. Fortunately he didn't bite. I've seen homes where flippers left unfinished bathrooms. I saw several houses with paint splashes on the walls, put there by owners who never even had a chance to finish painting.

Another home had perhaps fifty business cards from various real estate agents, scattered across the kitchen counter like coins in a wishing well. One Realtor told me he doesn't even bother going to visit houses anymore. "There are 6,000 houses for sale in the San Fernando Valley," he said. "I'd never have time to see them all."

The last house I went to look at was listed as bank-owned in the Multiple Listing Service and had pictures attached of a nice, empty home. When I got there the home was occupied and the hastily scribbled sign outside said "for sale by owner." A half-hour drive for nothing.