Is there a reputable (and cheap!) website where a person can find listings of foreclosing homes in the area where you live?

Also, does anyone know how to search the MLS without having a realtor's license?

Thanks.

Cuthie - I think that anyone can search mls.com. That's how I found and bought my "retirement land" in Virginia.

cj/

ETA: Now I'm not so sure, it looks much different than last year when I used it. Sorry.

we went to the local/county tax assessors office and got a list of all property that would be up for the deliquent tax sell.

I think anyone can search the MLS--I've looked through it several times, especially when were looking for a house to buy!

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Mental that one, I'm telling you. ---Ron Weasley, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets"

Do you have a working link to the MLS? Thanks for the info on the tax sales.

Search MLS Listings Online in the United States - MLSonline.com

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Mental that one, I'm telling you. ---Ron Weasley, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets"

2 of the 3 houses we've purchased were foreclosures. The first we were renting and the landlord was foreclosed on, so the bank went around and made deals with the tenants to buy the rentals (so glad they did too.)

The second foreclosure we are living in now. It was actually for sale for a couple of months before we found out. We noticed it for sale in the paper and it was cheap for a house this size, so i called our real estate friend and we went and looked at it.

It is a little different when you buy foreclosures too, most of the time they are AS IS, which can get touchy. This was a newer house (built in 1990) and the first was a brand new townhouse so we didn't have too much to worry about. BUT you don't know if there are abandoned oil tanks, and other things about a house that normally would be disclosed. It's even more important to have every inspection on a foreclosure.

You can also look on Welcome_To_ResNet

Ours was listed on there. It's easy to sign up too.

Happy shopping!

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"A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked." ~ Bernard Meltzer

You can also look on Welcome_To_ResNet



How much is the annual fee? And is this site for all states? TIA

FirstPreston.com has listings as well. That's where we found the house we live in now. It's an old victorian (built in 1917). We got it for $55,000. It's 3300 sq ft and it did have A LOT of work to be done before we could move in. We did it though, and I love this house. We have a neighbor that's moving and her house is going for $300,000... so I really feel good about the deal now.

link First Preston Management, Inc.
This site let me search for free not sure if there are any other costs maybe fletchers mom could let us know. Unfortunately there are no homes available in the state I would want to buy in...bummer.

No, no fees and no credit card required, at least when I signed up about 2 years ago. And it is for all states, but not all foreclosures are listed on there. What I like is that it gives you the listing agent so you can go to their website and see if there's more information and photos.

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"A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked." ~ Bernard Meltzer

Most of the MLS links that I go to end up being a realtor's website... sadly. I wish I could get into *the* MLS. I really don't think that it is possible without a realtor's license number. Oh well.

I'll check out the other links that have been posted. If anyone knows of any others, please post.

Thanks for the help.

I'm certain that I was able to view MLS listings last year when I was shopping online for property. It looked exactly like the MLS book with the standard template, fill-in blocks, description, photo, and MLS number. In fact, I gave all the MLS data to a local realtor and asked her to map them out on a local map so that we could shop for property without having to drag her along.

Aha! I just looked up the spreadsheet I'd created for the realtor and turned out I used REALTOR.com - Real Estate Listings & Homes For Sale The listings show the MLS ID#, but aren't exactly MLS, I guess. They were really helpful to me...hope that they help you!

Carol

Thanks all!