Housing and Urban Development (HUD) properties present unique opportunities for homebuyers. By purchasing a previously foreclosed home, you might save money on the sale and mortgage. But is a HUD home the right choice for you? Here are some of the key benefits to buying a HUD home:
Low Price
HUD wants to recoup the cost of the foreclosure as soon as possible. This translates into lower sale prices. While each property goes through an appraisal process to determine its value, the purchase price is usually under the market average for comparable homes.
Get In Before Investors
HUD homes are sold through auction. The auction process gives special priority to residential buyers by granting them a 30-day period to bid on the home. After that, the auction will open up to investors as well. This head start can help you get a great deal on a home without worrying about an investor taking it at the last second.
Help With Closing Costs
Closing costs are a major expense when buying and selling a home. As an incentive to homebuyers, HUD spends a certain percentage of the home's purchase price to help cover closing costs. This can save a homebuyer thousands of dollars compared to buying a traditional home.
Lower Down Payments
With financing, buying a HUD home is like a traditional home purchase. You can choose from many loan options and mortgage providers. In certain circumstances, buying a HUD home means getting a loan with a smaller down payment. HUD wants to sell the property as soon as possible, so they offer options for low down payments to encourage new buyers.
If you're considering a HUD home, keep these benefits in mind. While it might not be the right choice for every situation, for many homebuyers, the incentives and special perks can greatly outweigh possible drawbacks.
About the Author
Judy Szablak
With over 30 years in the industry, Realtor Judy Szablak has been on national television for her real estate expertise on the HGTV Network, featured on Martha Stewart Living Radio "Morning Living” , NPR radio as an expert real estate panelist, It’s Relevant News channel, and quoted in the Wall Street Journal for her in depth knowledge of Fairfield County Connecticut real estate.
She was also on the local NPR radio station (WSHU) as a Fairfield County CT real estate expert. Judy has provided multiple online respected news sources with her real estate expertise including The Daily Easton, The Daily Weston, The Daily Fairfield, The Daily Stamford and The Daily Greenwich, as well as in print in the New York Post. She is a weekly Real Estate Columnist for WestportNow.com, another real estate column "Real Estate With Judy” is syndicated through Hearst CT Media Online and seen in The Connecticut Post, The Danbury News-Times, The Stamford Advocate, The Greenwich Time, The Hour, Fairfield Citizen, Westport News, Darien News, New Canaan News and the Wilton Villager.
Judy is also the author of the book, The Art of Buying or Selling a Home, available at all major book retailers. Additionally, Judy has been nationally recognized in a number of national real estate trade magazines, some with distribution to over 1 million members. She was featured in Real Estate Today as early as 1994 for her commitment to, and implementation of technology in real estate. Judy appeared in the Certified Residential Specialist Magazine, as she provided advice on marketing strategies and ethics in the article titled "Marketing Makeovers.”
Judy was also featured in REALTOR® Magazine, regarding image enhancement for Realtors. She was again featured in REALTOR® Magazine, in an article on "Achieving Flow” and operating at optimal peak performance. In another article in the same publication, Judy offered guidance to fellow real estate professionals as she explored the topic of implementing and maintaining personal websites. She has appeared in The Council of Residential Specialists Magazine, which featured her ideas regarding technology. Additionally, Judy authored an article on marketing and technology for the Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) Online Magazine. On two occasions, in 2015 and 2017, she appeared as a featured agent in Top Agent Magazine. I have a few other websites- www.TheCtrealtyBlog.com www.CtHomesAndRealEstate.com www.BestWestportHomes.com www.ThePetitePowerhouse.com www,SzablakConsulting.com
