Looking at the sales figures today, it looks like short sales on the Outer Banks account for about 7.5% of closed sales. Bank owned homes accounted for about 22% of home sales this year. Foreclosed land sales made up over 25% of OBX land sales so far this year.
Currently, 145 homes are listed as short sales in the OBX MLS. Bank owned and foreclosure home listings currently total 55. Today, the Outer Banks MLS lists 2,529 residential home listings that are active. New inventory is entering the market at a rate about 1.7 times faster than inventory is either going under contract or being sold.
In the year 2008, all sales of commercial, land and homes totaled 1,317. We currently have 4,046 active listings of commercial, land and homes for sale on the Outer Banks NC. At last year’s absorption rate, with no new inventory, we currently have a 3 year supply of property for sale. The actual absorption rate is negative due to new inventory out pacing absorption by the rate of 1.7 times. In reality, many sellers will likely leave the market to wait out the current challenges.
The Dean Agency currently represents about a dozen lenders and their contractors to help market REO, bank owned and foreclosed real estate along the Outer Banks. These banks require experience and training in the agencies they choose to work with. We have evaluated over 450 properties to help lenders mark to market their OBX distressed properties. Before you hire an agent in our market who claims to be “a foreclosure expert,” ask several important questions.
- Have you ever been formally trained by lenders to price and sell foreclosures?
- How many foreclosure sales have you completed?
- Do you carry Errors and Omissions Insurance to protect clients during a foreclosure sale?
- How many Broker Price Opinions have you completed?
An gungho, but inexperienced broker will cost you time and money in a foreclosure sale. Conventional sales experience is not enough to serve clients well in REO sales!
