How to Get REO Listings - Button Down Your BPO's

The Importance of Being Accurate and Completesold comps.
If you're already an REO agent or want to becomeExample: 4,000 sq. ft. + 4,500 sq. ft. + 4000 sq. ft. =
one, there's one important thing you have to do to12,500 sq. ft.
receive a continuous stream of REO listingStep #3: Now, divide the total combined sales price of
assignments and BPO orders. And that's to strive toall three by the total square footage of all three.
submit on time, every time, a 100% accurate andExample: 2,570,000 from Step #1 divided by 12,500
complete BPO (Broker Price Opinion).from Step #2 = 206. This determines your average
For those of you unaware of what a BPO is, it's a toolprice per square foot in the area: $206.
used by lenders and mortgage companies to valueStep #4: Determine your adjustment value by
properties in situations where they believe themultiplying that average price by.25. Example: $206
expense and delay of an appraisal is not necessary -x.25 = $51.
BPO's are used extensively on foreclosures. REOSo $51 is the amount you would use to adjust for the
agents and brokers are assigned to do them by thevariance in square feet between the subject property
lender or asset management company, and it's also ayou're doing the BPO on and your comps.
common entryway to actually being awarded REOHere's how you use that number. Let's say the
properties to sell.difference in square feet between the subject
Doing an accurate BPO can be tricky and difficult,property and the comp is 500 sq. feet in this particular
however, when you adjust the price of the foreclosedscenario. That means you multiply that 500 by $51 -
property against active and sold comparablewhich equals $25,500. That is your adjustment figure.
properties in the gross living area. This is one of theSo if the comp is bigger, you would make a negative
first things the asset manager or the quality controladjustment by subtracting the $25,500. If it's smaller,
manager is going to review when they're auditing yourthen you make a positive adjustment and add $25,500.
BPO.Keep in mind that you are trying to "equalize" the
If your adjustments aren't consistent and on theindicated value. Let's continue working with the $51 per
money, then you'll be asked to do it all over again - andsquare foot adjustment figure we calculated above.
your quality control score will suffer. There's a way toLet's say your comp is 3,800 sq. ft. and, again, your
avoid that unfortunate situation - by using the formulasubject property is 4000 sq. ft. The difference is 200
below to accurately calculate the adjustment.sq. ft. We multiply that by the $51 and raise the
Step #1: Add the sales price of all three of your soldindicated value of it by $10,200.
comparables: For example, $900,000 + $870,000 +By making this adjustment, we are saying that if the
$800,000 = $2,570,000comp were 200 sq. ft. larger (equal in size to our
Step #2: Add up the square feet (above ground - dosubject), that it would have sold for $10,200 more than
not include the basement, if there is one) of all threeit actually did sell for.