Want to Buy Foreclosed Homes or Clean Foreclosed Properties? Contact a Certified Foreclosure Real Estate Agent: Here’s How & Why

April 7, 2010 | By Foreclosure Business News In Foreclosure Biz Tips & Advice, Foreclosure Resources |

One of the professional niches hit hardest by the foreclosure crisis that began in the fall of 2007 was real estate agents. It remains so to this day. Many realtors left the game altogether – moving on to other types of work to feed their families and hang on to their homes.

But, some saw opportunity and retooled their skill sets – becoming Certified Foreclosure Real Estate Agents. If you’re looking to capitalize on the foreclosure crisis, you definitely want to make contact with one of these agents.

Why Certified Foreclosure Real Estate Agents Make Good Contacts for Those Looking to Buy, Sell or Clean Foreclosed Properties

They Get the Leads: Many of the homes foreclosed on during the mortgage crisis were FHA-insured homes. When these homes are foreclosed on, they fall into HUD hands; ie, the title of the property is transferred to HUD.

So in essence, HUD Certified Realtors are some of the first ones to get leads on foreclosed properties in a community.

They Handle a Property Until It’s Sold: When a property falls into the hands of HUD, they are then responsible for getting it ready to go back on the market to be resold (having the lawn maintained, fixing broken windows, getting trash and debris removed, etc.).

HUD uses local Certified Foreclosure Real Estate Agents – who in turn act as intermediaries between HUD, the bank and the property maintenance and like companies (eg, foreclosure cleaning businesses) – to whip a property into shape to be resold, rented or leased.

How to Become a Certified Foreclosure Real Estate Agent: Watch Out for Scam Programs

Since the foreclosure crisis started, a lot of entities have popped up offering courses and training in how to become a REO (real estate owned) agent, ie, a foreclosure agent.

HOWEVER, you should know that only the National Association of Realtors (NAR) offers an official, industry-accepted foreclosure certification course. NAR’s Short Sales and Foreclosure Certification Program (SFR) is currently the only recognized certified foreclosure agent program.

How to Find a Certified Foreclosure Real Estate Agent

If you want to buy foreclosed properties and/or get leads on foreclosed properties, one of the easiest ways to do it is to network with a foreclosure realtor. To find one, look for real estate brokers (who hold the licenses of real estate agents) that are registered with HUD. They’re the ones most likely to employ Certified Foreclosure Real Estate Agents.

Here’s a quick, easy way to find HUD agents.

More Ways to Get Foreclosure Cleaning Job Leads

Register Your Foreclosure Cleaning Business with HUD & Other Government Contracting Agencies