Good work to some other Realtors and agents who have provided good information here. Please hire a qualified Realtor agent and find out through that person about comparable sales in your neighborhood and area. You must have all possible facts availble about the home, the neighborhood, sold prices, history of trends, the CA real estate market in general, the HOA for the home, to make a good decision about an offer and then proceeding with the purchase. Best wishes.

Harrison K. Long, Realtor agent and broker, Coldwell Banker Previews.

Amy:

As in any buying situation the buyer can make any offer he or she wishes, but then you must deal with the consequences, namely not getting the home you desire if the offer is not acceptable. In most cases there are multiple offers on foreclosed homes so you are dealing with competition, which can bid up the sales price (while many REOs sell below asking, although not significantly so in most case, but many sell over). The bank will decide what they are willing to accept on the basis of a BPO (Broker Price Opinion) or more than one which will be based on comparable sales. The ability to negotiate will also depend on the bank itself and who is responsible for the final decisions, along with what the other offers are.

Understanding the comparable sales in the area will help you and your agent make an informed decision, and of course your agent should be in touch with the listing agent to gather as much intelligence as possible before making an offer. You will also want to consider the home and its condition in your thinking about what you are willing to pay.

Absolutely....you can offer anything you want but a lower offer may seriously damage your chances of obtaining the property.

Our advice to individuals in your situation is:

If you really, really like the home and this is THE ONE. Make your first offer your best offer because of the home is desirable you probably will no have a second chance to improve your initial offer.

Hope this is helpful. Good lick.

As a buyer, no one can tell you what to offer for a home but I will tell you that REO track records show that they are hoping for close to list price. I advise staying within 90% of the list price. At least they will know youa re serious and will counter you if you are not near the bulls eye yet.

Hi Amy,

You can always offer less. In fact homes that are already owned by the bank (and not a short sale) are much more negotiable. Short sales usually list for less than the bank is willing to take. They can be a dissapointment for buyers who do not anticipate this. One big drawback about bank owned to look out for is, banks are not required to disclose problems with the house such as bad plumbing, electrical or roof that regular sellers are required to disclose. Get an EXCELLENT inspection before you complete the purchase.

Good luck!

Hi Amy,

As I represent both buyers and sellers of foreclosed homes, I have seen how the banks react to various offers. As noted already in the other answers, you can offer less and that would be the typical scenario. Whether that offer gets accepted or not is dependent on many factors. A good buyers agent may consult with the listing agent, and based on the buyer's agent's market knowledge, offer you advice on what would constitute a fair offer.

And for those listings where you wouldn't offer less than asking price, keep in mind these recent bank owned sales in 92009 Carlsbad and 92056 Oceanside:
2934 Rancho Cortes: asking price $939,900, sales price $975,000
7598 Circulo Sequoia: asking $849,900, sales price $900,000
4787 Via Colorado: asking price $336,900, sales price $408,000
1330 Calle Goya: asking price $343,900, sales price $380,000

Amy,
Generally speaking all asking prices for foreclosed-upon homes are negotiable and are a starting spot for negotiating. However, a "low-ball" offer, particularly on a newly listed property, usually won't be successful. In my experience, reasonable offers are the wiser starting spot. They usually are able to be negotiated to a successful conclusion. Be sure to know your stopping spot in the offer process and be sure you aren't "upside down" in the property after the cost of any repairs and updating is added back into the final purchase price.

You can offer anything you like however not adviced reasonable offers are your best interest and most foreclosures can be in a bidding war. http://www.lynn911.com

Amy,

Dee is right. It is liking buying from any other seller than you can offer what ever you feel to be fair value. However, I have been in a few offers where there were mutilple offers on the property. An agent in my office told me about one that had 15 offers on the property. If you are working with an agent, you should have your agent try and reach the listing agent to see what activity is on the property.

I usually do this for my clients and a CMA to see that they make a offer that will get them countered, but not over pay for the home. If you need any help, please don't hesitate to contact me Catherine Barden at 760-815-3866 I am a north county real estate agent. Or visit my website, with information about foreclosures.

Good Luck!!!

Amy:

As with any listed property, you can always offer less than the asking price. The real question is, what is the market value of the home and how much do you want it. If you really like the home, offer close to or at market value. If you are looking for a deal, offer what you are willing to pay and be ready to make multiple offers before you find a bank willing to accept the amount you are offering.

Good luck in finding a great home, at a great price and negotiating a great deal; and Dare to Dream.

Shel-lee Davis
Real Estate Consultant
RE/MAX Palos Verdes Realty

Amy, the price on a bank-owned property is the same as any other listing price.... it is negotiable! However, we are starting to see a homes in good condition and the right price having multiple offers. That may bear on what you'd want to offer on the home. If you wish further information, just give me a call at 619 742-0046 (cell) or email at DeeMarie@SellingProperties.com