Is a Foreclsure Right for You?

Does buying a foreclosed property save you money?

If you are looking to make an investment, however, you need to consider the market in which you are buying a foreclosure. A weak and ailing market could mean values will continue to fall. Buyers may be scarce. This is not an ideal environment for an investment.

Other issues must be taken into consideration, as well. The process of buying a foreclosure can take weeks longer than traditional deals. This is simply the nature of the beast. A foreclosure is a legal process. A foreclosure also means you must buy title insurance. A title search will pick up errors before you sign the check and protect you if something was overlooked. In the unlikely event that a former owner returns to challenge the foreclosure, the insurance company will defend you.

Foreclosed houses also warrant very close home inspections. There have been horror stories of new owners finding cement poured down drains by the disgruntled evicted. Be sure to see the house for yourself before you sign on the dotted line. And have a licensed professional carefully examine the home.

Even if the property hasn't been purposefully vandalized, many foreclosures need extensive repairs. A home may simply have been neglected and older homes require updates and normal upkeep. Budget carefully as you assess how much work the property will require.

If you take all of these matters into consideration, a foreclosed property may be the ideal buy for you.

Happy Day of the Dead!

Did you all have a fun Halloween? No, well you're in luck, you have a chance to make up for it with "Day of the Dead"!

Day of the Dead is a holiday celebrated by many in Mexico and by some Mexican Americans living in the United States and Canada. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. The celebration occurs on November 2 in connection with the Catholic holidays of All Saints' Day (November 1) and All Souls' Day (November 2). Traditions connected with the holiday include building private altars honoring the deceased using sugar skulls, marigolds, and the favorite foods and beverages of the departed and visiting graves with these as gifts. Due to occurring shortly after Halloween, the Day of the Dead is sometimes thought to be a similar holiday, although the two actually have little in common. The Day of the Dead is a time of celebration, where partying is common.

Scholars trace the origins of the modern holiday to indigenous observances dating back thousands of years and to an Aztec festival dedicated to a goddess called Mictecacihuatl. In Brazil, Dia de Finados is a public holiday that many Brazilians celebrate by visiting cemeteries and churches. In Spain, there are festivals and parades, and, at the end of the day, people gather at cemeteries and pray for their dead loved ones. Similar observances occur elsewhere in Europe, and similarly themed celebrations appear in many Asian and African cultures.

So if you didn't have enough Halloween... get your Dead on! (This may or may not include Jerry Garcia)