What Are the Best Foreclosure Websites in 2023? Investor Tips

Steven Porrello

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Steven Porrello

November 11th, 2022
Updated November 11th, 2022

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Buying a foreclosed house can be far more affordable than a traditional home, but you have to know where to look. Free and subscription-based foreclosure websites can help you see what’s available in your area.

But for a more thorough search, nothing beats an experienced real estate agent. Agents work in your best interest to help you find a great deal in your area. They may also have insider knowledge of new foreclosures that have yet to hit the market.

🏡 Start house hunting: Try Clever Real Estate’s free agent matching service. Compare top local agents and start searching for your dream home today! Get started.

What are the best foreclosure websites?

Popular sites that list foreclosures

Zillow

Zillow, the most heavily trafficked real estate website on the web, has a fairly large database of foreclosures called the “Foreclosure Center.”

✅ Pros of Zillow
❌ Cons of Zillow
  • Easy-to-use app and website
  • Powerful keyword capabilities and search functions
  • “Zestimate” feature to calculate market value
  • Low, sometimes inaccurate inventory of foreclosures
  • Pre-foreclosures listings that aren’t actually for sale
  • No distinguishing between types of foreclosures

Our take:

Zillow is a great place to start when looking for foreclosures. Zillow is free, easy to use, and fun to browse. But the inventory isn’t always comprehensive, so you should probably look elsewhere too.

Realtor.com

Realtor.com is a good source for Multiple Listing Service (MLS) foreclosure. Because it’s owned by the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), it’s one of the most accurate listing platforms on the web.

✅ Pros of Realtor.com
❌ Cons of Realtor.com
  • Comprehensive information about the properties
  • Automatic search expansion your by 20 to 50 miles if there are no foreclosures in your zip code
  • No listings for pre-foreclosures or short sales
  • No information on off-market properties or homes going through a foreclosure

Our take:

Realtor.com is an excellent place to start your search for a foreclosure. But because Reatlor.com depends on the MLS for its listings, it doesn’t include off-market foreclosures, including pre-foreclosures and short sales.

Trulia

Trulia is owned by Zillow and features many of the same properties. The big difference between them is that Trulia has more information on the neighborhood and area of a foreclosed home.

✅ Pros of Trulia
❌ Cons of Trulia
  • All types of foreclosures, including short sales, pre-foreclosures, and homes under auction
  • Search results that clearly label the type of foreclosure
  • A mobile app with personalized alerts for newly listed foreclosures
  • Incomplete inventory of foreclosures in a given area
  • Same foreclosure data as Zillow
  • No “Zestimate” feature

Our take:

Trulia and Zillow have similar information, but these sites can complement each other. For example, Trulia lists the type of foreclosure (such as auction, pre-foreclosure, and short sale). And Zillow “Zestimates” can give you an estimate of the home’s market value.

Related >> The 20 Best Home Buying Websites in 2022

Government-owned foreclosure websites

HomePath.com

HomePath is Fannie Mae’s database for foreclosures. Previous owners financed these homes with a conventional mortgage, and Fannie Mae repossessed the houses when the debt wasn’t paid.

✅ Pros of HomePath.com
❌ Cons of HomePath.com
  • 30-day priority access for buyers in search of a primary residence
  • A well-maintained inventory
  • Closing cost assistance for first-time home buyers up to 3%
  • 30-day waiting period for buyers looking for a second home, rental, or investment property
  • Low inventory in certain areas
  • No contingency offers through Fannie Mae

Our take:

HomePath properties are ideal for first-time home buyers who are flexible about where they live. But if you’re looking for a second home or need to live in a specific location, HomePath doesn’t have much selection.

HomeSteps.com

HomeSteps is Freddie Mac’s database for foreclosures. Like HomePath properties, these foreclosures' previous owners financed with conventional mortgages. Freddie Mac repossessed the homes when those owners couldn’t pay off the debt.

✅ Pros of HomeSteps.com
❌ Cons of HomeSteps.com
  • Mandatory “Good Neighbor Practices,” such as trash removal, clean homes, and lawn maintenance
  • Accurate listings, usually including an inspection report
  • 30-day priority access for buyers looking for a primary residence
  • Low inventory in certain areas
  • 30-day waiting period for buyers looking for a second home, rental, or investment property

Our take:

HomeSteps homes are ideal for home buyers who want a decently maintained home for a discounted price. Similar to HomePath properties, you should be very flexible about where you want to live, as the supply of HomeSteps properties is typically low.

HUDhomestore.gov

The HUD Home Store lists properties that were financed with an FHA loan and have now been repossessed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

✅ Pros of HUDhomestore.gov
❌ Cons of HUDhomestore.gov
  • Affordable, easy to find homes
  • 30-day priority access for buyers looking for a primary residence
  • Closing cost assistance of up to 3% from HUD
  • Limited options
  • Homes in potentially poor condition or vacant for long periods of time

Our take:

HUD homes are best for low-income and first-time home buyers because they typically sell below market price and HUD pays some closing costs.

Subscription foreclosure websites

Foreclosure.com

Foreclosure.com has more than 1.8 million listings — one of the largest foreclosure databases. It’s free to search, but you’ll have to pay the monthly subscription fee of $39.80 to place bids or contact agents.

✅ Pros of Foreclosure.com
❌ Cons of Foreclosure.com
  • Nearly every foreclosure on the web
  • Comprehensive information on properties
  • Foreclosures listings available before they’re listed publicly
  • A 7-day free trial
  • Monthly subscription fee of $39.80
  • Lots of different types of homes to sort through to find foreclosures
  • An emphasis on real estate investors rather than home buyers

Our take:

If you’re looking for a massive selection of foreclosures, Foreclosure.com might be a good option for you. The $39.80 monthly fee is nothing compared to the money you could save on a good property deal.

RealtyTrac

RealtyTrac is a subscription website with a massive database of foreclosures and distressed properties. The site is built for real estate investors, but home buyers can use the free trial to see foreclosed homes in their area.

✅ Pros of RealtyTrac
❌ Cons of RealtyTrac
  • User-friendly platform
  • Search results that clearly label the type of foreclosure
  • Plenty of property information on foreclosed homes
  • A 7-day free trial
  • Large amounts of data to examine
  • A monthly subscription of $49.99

Our take:

RealtyTrac is ideal for real estate investors because it provides valuable property data. home buyers on the hunt for a one-time bargain might find the websites above more useful.

Foreclosure auction website

Auction.com

Auction.com is by far the largest online database of auctioned homes. The site also makes it really easy to find auctions near you and bid on foreclosures online.

✅ Pros of Auction.com
❌ Cons of Auction.com
  • Some properties under $50,000
  • User-friendly site
  • Online bidding
  • A reserve price – if bids are below this price, the home isn’t sold
  • Auction fees
  • No mortgage financing options
  • Fast-moving, competitive auctions

Our take:

Auction.com is great if you’re an experienced auctioneer. It makes it easy to find auctions and to place bids. home buyers who want to find an affordable home might do better with Zillow, Realtor.com, or any of the other websites dedicated to foreclosures.

Related >> How to Buy a Pre-Foreclosure Home — Is It a Good Idea?

Foreclosure website for investors

Equator.com

Equator.com is designed specifically for real estate investors. It can help you calculate the investment potential of homes, including foreclosed homes.

✅ Pros of Equator.com
❌ Cons of Equator.com
  • Free tools to estimate the investment potential of a property
  • Low, sometimes inaccurate inventory of foreclosures

Our take:

Equator.com is ideal if you’re flipping foreclosed houses and need a quick estimate of your ROI.

Bank-owned Foreclosure websites

Wells Fargo

The Wells Fargo REO (Real Estate Owned) online store sells properties that the bank has repossessed.

✅ Pros of Wells Fargo REO
❌ Cons of Wells Fargo REO
  • Clean property title with no liens or judgments
  • Paid appraisal if you apply for a mortgage through Wells Fargo
  • No offers for the first 7 days of a new listing
  • Limited inventory
  • Higher prices than most foreclosures

Our take:

If you’re planning to get a mortgage through Wells Fargo, buying a foreclosure from their REO store can be a win-win. The selection is limited, but you can find some good deals.

Bank of America

Bank of America’s REO website is a database of homes the bank repossessed.

✅ Pros Bank of America REO
❌ Cons of Bank of America REO
  • User-friendly website
  • A “prequalify” feature to see if you qualify for a mortgage on a specific foreclosure
  • Minimal property details
  • Limited inventory

Our take:

You can find a good deal on a foreclosure through Bank of America, but because the inventory is low, it might take some time to find a deal near you.

FAQ

Foreclosure.com has the largest database of foreclosures (between 1.8 million and 2 million), but it does cost $39.90 per month. If you want a free foreclosure website, Zillow and Realtor.com are the best places to start. Check out our list of the best foreclosure websites.

Foreclosure homes are cheaper than traditional homes, but they can come with major, expensive issues. Repairs might cost you more than you would have paid for a traditional home. Check out our list of the best foreclosure websites.

Yes, Foreclosure.com is a legitimate website with an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. Check out our list of the best foreclosure websites.

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