| The economic upheaval of the past few years has | | | | has to come from somewhere…" |
| left some people looking at the expanding foreclosure | | | | Hidden fees are the first way no cost listing sites |
| market as a way of buying a new house. | | | | make their money. Some will wait until you have found |
| That has led to a plethora of websites offering | | | | your dream house, and before you can see certain |
| foreclosure listings, some for free, some for a monthly | | | | information about it, they will hit you up for fees of |
| subscription. Paying nothing sounds great, and many | | | | various kinds. Some will phrase it in a way where it |
| people will gravitate to those offerings first, partially | | | | doesn't sound like a fee, but if they offer services for |
| because they want to save money and partially | | | | no cost, then ask for a fee of some kind, it costs |
| because they know the foreclosure information is out | | | | something. |
| there for the taking. | | | | Other sites will only list properties that they have a |
| Aurora Lillo Editor of the "Best Free Foreclosure | | | | financial connection to, whether through a titling |
| Listings" website -- -- pointed out; | | | | company, a particular bank or real estate broker, or |
| "…However, when thinking about going the free route, | | | | some other connection. When they are sold through |
| people need to remember that they get what they | | | | the website, the website gets a portion of the sale, |
| pay for... | | | | which will in turn drive up the price even more. |
| …Yes, the foreclosure listings are available for free. | | | | Finally, many of these lists are not updated regularly, do |
| But what is required to get that information? If the | | | | not have pictures of the properties, or they are not |
| individual goes out and tracks it down themselves, they | | | | searchable in any meaningful way. Any of these |
| need to contact numerous banks, access databases, | | | | features, while they may seem unimportant, are great |
| search through county courthouses, talk to county | | | | time-savers. |
| clerks, drive out to property sites, etc. Avoiding that | | | | "…Paying a monthly fee to access foreclosure listings |
| time consuming and difficult work is what sites offering | | | | may not seem like a great idea at first, but when you |
| lists of foreclosed property are using as a draw. But | | | | think about what is lost by going the free route, paying |
| when a company is offering to do all that work without | | | | 30 dollars a month or so can suddenly look like a great |
| compensation, where will they make their money? It | | | | bargain…" added A. Lillo. |