The Ways to Invest!

by Ashley Hammons | Jan 7, 2019 | Buying & Selling, Buying a Home, Home buying & selling, Homeowner Financial Prep, Income Property, Real Estate, Uncategorized

Did you know there’s more than one way real estate investors find homes? There are a lot of homes for sale in Hunt County and surrounding areas. Most of those homes for sale in Hunt County are found because they are listed by a local real estate agent, placed on the MLS, and syndicated to real estate websites. But if you’re thinking about becoming an investor, that shouldn’t be your only avenue to find distressed homes. The best deals are not necessarily advertised as homes for sale. Here are a few ways seasoned investors find homes. Usually, investors focus on one or 2 ways and make that their niche.

Trustee sales:

All homes in Hunt County in the foreclosure process must go to the trustee sale according to state law. The trustee must auction off the property on the county courthouse steps. The mortgage holder, usually the bank, place the minimum bid which is the amount of payoff for the mortgage. The bank will then place these homes with an asset manager and sell them with an agent or online auction. The auction on the courthouse steps is your opportunity to purchase the property before it becomes a home for sale in Hunt County! You will only be bidding against other investors as the bank will not place a second bid.

Tax sales:

Tax sales can be quite tricky, but there are a lot of investors who make their money here. You can get homes and land often for 1/2 the price BUT these homes are subject to a redemption period by the homeowner, might have clouds on their titles, and may not be able to have a title policy for 2 years. But if you do your research and team up with a great title company you could make some good money specializing in tax sales. We also recommend having an attorney you trust to look things over to ensure you’re covering your assets!

Auctions:

After a mortgage holder gets a home back from foreclosure they will often list them for sale on auction web sites before listing with an agent to the general public. These homes for sale in Hunt County are placed on these websites with a reserve bid and if it doesn’t sell in the allotted time it will usually get listed by a real estate agent. Here are a couple websites where you could find auction homes for sale in hunt county not yet with an agent HudsonandMarshall.com, Hubzu, HudHomeStore, RealtyTrac, and many many more. In fact, there are HUNDREDS of real estate auction websites.

Driving for dollars:

A lot of newer investors start out driving for dollars to find their first few homes and grow their portfolio. It’s a time-consuming way to find homes. It entails driving the neighborhoods you want to invest in, writing down addresses for homes that look vacant or distressed, getting on your computer and researching ownership, sending a letter, calling, knocking, etc… and trying to reach the owner to see if they want to sell.

Bandit signs:

Do you ever see those signs on the side of the road saying “we buy houses”? Those are called bandit signs and a lot of wholesalers use this technique to get the phone ringing. The signs are cheap and if you put out 100’s or 1000’s out in your target neighborhood just one home purchased could be worth the time and investment.

Using a Realtor is still the number one way to find homes for sale in Hunt County, even for investors, according to the National Association of Realtors. These are just a few examples of how to find homes for sale in Hunt County that are distressed and ready for an investor that may not have made their way to the MLS just yet.

Are you financially ready to buy a home?

by Ashley Hammons | Nov 10, 2017 | Buying a Home

preparing to buy a home, being ready financially to buy a home

Do you have a budget? And do you know how to use it?

Owning your own place comes with a slew of new expenses. So good money-management skills are a must-have. If you don’t have a household budget right now, you need to start one. Remember as a renter any maintenance issues that arise are taken care of financially by the landlord. However, when you are a homeowner, on top of your mortgage, insurance, and taxes, are you have to be ready and prepared to take on that financial responsibility. Having a clear understanding of your finances is necessary when you’re considering buying a home. Prior to speaking with a real estate agent, you should make a budget to see how much you can reasonably afford to pay. If you simply cannot afford the increased expenses that come with a house, it’s never a good time to buy, no matter what’s going on in the real-estate market.

Have you been saving? Do you have a down payment?

When buying a home you will have to get a loan and with getting a loan you will have closing costs and the down payment. You will have to come up with money up front, unlike renting where the deposit is minimal. Down payment amounts vary based on the type of loan you’re offered but remember that the more you put down, the lower your mortgage payments will be!

Do you have a backup or emergency fund?

Before you devote all your savings to a down payment, closing fees, and home upkeep, you need to take a look at the bigger picture. You need to build up your savings in case of financial setbacks that could cost big, like unexpected unemployment or serious illness.

Always remember it’s not just money that should affect your decision to buy a home…..

Happy house hunting! Please feel free to comment any of your questions.

REO Properties For Sale

by Ashley Hammons | Feb 24, 2016 | Buying a Home

REO Properties For Salereal estate owned property

What is REO or Real Estate Owned?

REO or real estate owned is when a foreclosed home does not sell at auction, the property turns into a real estate owned property. Then it is placed back on the market for resale to the public. Real estate owned or REO is a term used to describe a class of property owned by a lender. Which is typically a bank, government agency, or government loan insurer.

Give REO Properties a Chance

For a number of reasons, real estate owned properties are a better option for homebuyers or investors than foreclosed homes. Just like foreclosed homes, REO properties are in poor condition. However, unlike foreclosures, REO properties are maintained until the sale of the home. Maintenance like basic yard-work, locking up the property, and repairing leaky roofs are common. Along with general maintenance, homebuyers are also allowed to tour the property. You also have the chance to hire a professional appraisal performed before making an offer. Taking advantage of the appraisal option will also help with the negotiation process between your real estate agent and the bank. If these benefits weren’t enough to persuade you to purchase an REO property, then consider this, they are often cheaper than market value because the banks want them off of their books as soon as possible.

If you think you might be interested in an REO property, contact the agents at, AT Home Texas Real Estate.

Real estate owned properties are priced to sell! Anyone can purchase an REO property. The difficulty comes when trying to contact the person at the bank who is responsible for selling the lender-owned home. The professionals at, AT Home Texas Real Estate, are eager to help you find the right home. If you are excited about the opportunity to take a home that is in rough shape and turn it into your dream home for a fraction of the price, call us today!