Monthly Archives: June 2014

MERS: What is it and how might it affect your mortgage?

mers

MERS

Often times on a title search report a reference to MERS appears in the mortgage section. But what does it mean and what is it referring to? MERS, the Mortgage Electronic Registration System, is a collection of recordings that was establish in the 1990s by the largest mortgage lenders of that time. Essentially, it was created to decrease the legal costs incurred by these lenders when transferring mortgages between themselves. They had begun doing such a large volume in mortgage exchanges and assignments that it was costing them millions of dollars. Thus, they created this electronic registration system which allowed them to keep the original mortgage recorded in MERS and then, within the system, identify who was the lender responsible for collecting payments, who owned the mortgage, etc. However, the question of whether or not it was constituted as a valid mortgage or valid assignee arose when the foreclosure crisis began in the mid-2000s. Even so, in most court cases, it has been established that as long as the underlying lender has the proper documentation then they have the authority to foreclose under MERS.

If you have a title search that shows MERS as the lender then, in theory, it is the lender of record but in all reality there is an actual bank behind it. However, the bank lender is not something that is reported in an official real estate property title search. For this reason, having a title representative do an extended search to look up the lender of record specifically within MERS so there is no doubt or question as to the actual beneficiary or lender is recommended.

Today, there are many ongoing cases of homeowners battling legal issues involved with the process of their property being foreclosed and questioning MERS as a beneficiary. However, MERS seems to be coming out on top. The court has been recognizing “assignment of mortgages through MERS and its equivalents as valid and enforceable, and that MERS may assign a deed of trust just as any other hold or beneficiary.” For example, this was the case in the ruling of Citing Martins v. BAC Home Loans Servicing, according to RealEstateRama. In a similar case, Opraseuth v. HSBC Bank USA, “the borrowers filed a suit against defendants alleging, among other claims, that the assignment from MERS was invalid because MERS did not specify it was acting as a subsequent lender’s nominee,”  as described in the article Northern District of Georgia Dismiss Borrower’s Challenge to Validity of MERS Assignment. This ruling found that, “the plaintiffs lack standing to challenge the assignment in this case because they were not parties to the assignment contract.” For an additional example, read Lexology’s Sixth Circuit Upholds Dismissal of Borrower’s Challenges to Foreclose on Their Property, in regards to the Dauenhauer v. Bank of New York Mellon case.

Tips for Getting the Best Value on Foreclosures

Although foreclosures have seen a recent dip in the market, a valuable return can still be made when investing in them and those interested in purchasing foreclosures should know the smart way to buy them. Whether you are buying a foreclosed house for your personal use or as a real estate investment you should know how to get the best value for the property. There are typically three stages at which one can buy a property during the foreclosure process. The first stage is known as a pre-foreclosure. This is when an individual can buy a property before the foreclosure is officially finalized and the homeowner is forced out. The second option is buying at a public auction. At this stage of the foreclosure the property has been sent to the county where a neutral third party, such as a trustee, will carry out the public auction. The third option is to buy post foreclosure. This occurs when there is not a higher bid than the default amount during the auction so the property is acquired by a lender. If a bank takes the property to resell they will list it with a real estate agency, this is then known as an REO, or Real Estate Owned.

Now, here are a few simple tips for getting the best value for a house during the foreclosure process.

ADDED RISK IF PROPERTY HAS NOT BEEN SEEN

A property is still owned by the homeowner up until the point of auction. Thus, when biding on a foreclosure at auction, you typically cannot go inside the house to examine its’ condition. This can potentially be an added risk. Owners who have had their houses foreclosed couldn’t keep up with their payments so they most likely couldn’t afford to upkeep their home. A foreclosed house can have severe water damage, ripped out carpeting, holes in the walls, or be stripped of kitchen appliances. These, and any other unexpected expense, are now costs the new homeowner will have to incur. Therefore, unless you have had the opportunity to see the interior of the home, it is advised that you set your maximum bid amount based on the assumption that there is damage that will need to repaired.

FIND OUT IF THERE ARE ANY LIENS ON THE PROPERTY

When buying a foreclosure, unexpected liens can arise that are not recorded or that you simply are not aware of. The easiest and safest way to be sure if there are liens on a property is to contact a title search company to perform a title search on the property for you. Another option would be to do some investigating of your own by reviewing the property records at the county recorder, clerk, or assessor’s office. Often time’s real estate agents are not fully aware of all liens so you should be sure to check, whether it be through a professional title abstractor or done yourself, before buying a home. To learn which liens are often unknown to real estate agents watch this short video, 8 Most Common Hidden Liens on a Property. If you are going to perform the liens search on your own check out this short tutorial for details, How to Search For Free Lien Records for Real Estate.

ESTIMATE REPAIR COSTS

Foreclosures tend to require extensive renovation and are generally sold as is so you should not expect a discount for repairs. Before purchasing a foreclosed home, it is a good idea to hire a home inspector to estimate the costs required for the repairs. Keep the estimated costs you receive from the inspector in mind and even add an extra 10% to your repair budget. This will help you stay closely within your overall budget. Again, this is not always possible for a home in foreclosure and your maximum bid should reflect your ability to bear this risk.

KNOW THE SALES PRICES OF COMPARABLE HOUSES IN THE AREA

When purchasing any real estate you should look at comparable properties, aka comps, and their recent sales prices. Robert Jenson, owner and founder of the Jenson Group at RE/MAX Central in Las Vegas says people really have to look at the comps in today’s current market conditions and write a competitive offer based on that. Sometimes the bank prices the homes really low, and the home will have multiple offers over list price within hours. Sometimes it’s priced too high, and you can come in lower. A lot of times, buyers will come to me and say, ‘We want to write offers for half price.’ It just doesn’t work that way." By researching what similar homes are selling for at market value, you will be able to establish an accurate range of prices to base an offer or bid on.