E-commerce has gained a huge amount of popularity in the last few years that it has become unavoidable not only for businesses but also for personal needs. The main reason for its widespread acceptance is its ease of use. The whole transaction of buy and pay are at your fingertips wherever you need it. These days we see large amount of discounts and offers associated with online shopping which is also a major contribution in making this concept attractive. Not just online shopping but online auctioning has also started to gain popularity among investors.
Similarly, online auctions of foreclosed homes are also available these days. Most people still prefer to bid directly at the county courthouse because it is a place where money is involved and normally people need assured security in such cases. But there’s much to like about online auctions too. Due to some reasons numerous people prefer doing online auctions. Let’s try and list out some of them here.
> Benefits for the bidder
From a bidder’s point of view, it is the extreme convenience and the feeling of being in control offered by an online auction that attracts them. Foreclosure auctions may span from a few days to several weeks and the bidder is free to bid at anytime from anywhere in the world. Any person with decent computer knowledge would prefer bidding at an online auction in an environment he likes the most rather than standing on the steps of a local courthouse in sleet storm or amidst the craziness and inconvenience of a jammed hotel ballroom.
Online auctions give you a wider choice of foreclosed homes not only in a particular county or state but in whichever location one prefers. Numerous undervalued properties and good deals can be obtained simply by browsing through the internet for foreclosed properties. This results in an ongoing income asset for investors.
Many websites are rich in variety offering numerous features. Some give the complete description of the property, its environment, its proximity to important places like malls, airports, railway stations, etc. The bidders even get a chance to compare features of different properties before making the final decision. Some sites even have links that lead to direct communication with the seller. Leading websites for online auction even make management of settlement available online. All these can be done by just sitting in the comfort of your home rather than spending days or weeks in the local courthouse.
> Benefits for the Seller
Foreclosing lenders who are normally banks or government agencies will be in a hurry to sell the property somehow and recover their losses. For them the best option is to go for an online auction because the overall procedure takes less than a month for completion. Once the details of the property are posted on the website, the bidding starts within two weeks and will come to an end within the following two weeks. Speed of the process is the USP that attracts the sellers.
Moreover the charges involved in online auctions are much less when compared to the on-ground auction. The seller has to pay the charge, in the form of commission, to the website only after the sale of the property. This is of great advantage when there is a recession in the sale of property but there is abundant supply. An online auction is a no-risk method to move property quickly. Online auctions attract more investors, from all around the world ensuring a global involvement.
Managers of good auction sites often work in cooperation with the sellers. If the home gets a final bid less than that of the reserved price then the customer service manager of the website arranges a negotiation meeting with the buyer and seller so as to meet the reserved price. Usually these talks will end in a satisfactory note to both the buyer and the seller. Thus auction websites act as the marketplace for the buyers and sellers with their ultimate aim being the satisfaction of both parties.