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Government Auction Buyer's Guide
7 guides on how government, foreclosure and tax sales work, how to buy agency-owned homes, and how to avoid scams.
- How Government Auctions Work
How federal agencies sell surplus and seized property, who can bid, how payment and pickup work, and what to check before you bid on a government auction.
- How Foreclosure Auctions and Sheriff Sales Work
What happens at a foreclosure auction or sheriff sale, the difference between judicial and nonjudicial foreclosure, how to bid, and the risks buyers take on.
- Tax Deed vs. Tax Lien Sales
How tax lien and tax deed sales work, which states use each, how interest, redemption and bidding work, and the risks of buying tax-delinquent property.
- How to Buy a HUD Home
What HUD homes are, owner-occupant and investor bidding periods, Good Neighbor Next Door, FHA financing and the steps to bid through a registered broker.
- How to Buy a VA-Owned Home
How VA-acquired homes are sold, who can buy them (anyone, not just veterans), how offers work through real estate agents, and where the official listings are.
- How to Buy a USDA Home or Farm
How USDA Rural Development and Farm Service Agency sell homes, apartment complexes and farms they own, who can buy, and how REO listings differ from foreclosure sales.
- Government Auction and Foreclosure Scams to Avoid
Common government auction and foreclosure scams, from paid list schemes and fake auction sites to foreclosure rescue fraud, with red flags and where to report them.