short sale, foreclosures and short salesIf you want to help someone prevent foreclosure and are in the market for a home, consider asking your Realtor to find some short sale homes that are for sale in the neighborhood in which you want to live. There are so many foreclosures and short sales available in many housing markets, so if you are in the market, it couldn't be a better time to buy. If you need a home in a hurry, you might want to think about looking at home foreclosures first; short sales take a while to buy. If you're in no hurry, your short sale home may not take all that much longer to purchase than a conventional home.

Some foreclosures need fixing up, but the value you will get for your money and the instant equity that you get with a distressed property will help offset the expenses of remodeling or repairing the home. And if you can do the work yourself, so much the better. Some remodeling chores are easier than others, like painting, yard work and deep cleaning. In any case, the best values in housing right now are the foreclosures and short sales. It's time to start looking.