While most of the real estate world is still reeling from sunken
property values and the effects of the housing bubble fallout, one type
of property out there remains in hot demand. New statistics released by
Foreclosure-Support (www.foreclosure-support.com)
show that during the first quarter of 2009, one out of every two home
sales in the nation was of a foreclosure or short-sale property.
Experts with the company say that this data is indicative of a trend
that has been growing among homebuyers for the past two years.

\"After
the market crashed no one was buying anything\" says Steve Siefken,
business analyst for Foreclosure-Support. \"But once foreclosures
started to come onto the market in bigger and bigger numbers, I think
people began to take notice and thought, ’Hey, there’s a potential for
deals here.’\"

Foreclosure homes often sell for extremely large
discounts, especially in areas where there are a lot of foreclosures
available. Depending on the property itself and where you’re buying, a
foreclosure now goes for anywhere from 10% to 60% off the price it was
selling for only a year ago. And even though property values across the
country have fallen in that time, investors are snatching up these
properties in anticipation of the eventual turn-around, when home
prices will again begin climbing.

\"At first, it was mostly the
professionals at foreclosure auction, just like always\" notes Siefken.
\"Then we got reports of certain sales in the high-demand areas like
Texas, California - they were seeing record turnouts at these sales.
But the interesting thing was that even though there was high
competition, these properties were still going for way less than what
was originally paid for them, so the value’s still there\"

With
high-demand areas like Charlotte, NC, Los Angeles, CA, and Miami, FL
all reporting significant increases in foreclosure sale attendance, it
seems that for savvy buyers more foreclosures actually signify more
opportunities for smart investment. But the potential for future value
isn’t the only thing attracting buyers either. The federal government
recently approved a tax credit of $7,000 to anyone buying a foreclosure
home in 2009.

\"I think the tax credit really made people realize
that this is the time to buy. You’ve got homes selling for half of what
they are worth, and you’re getting paid by the government just for
buying one. There’s just no better deal out there today, it’s really
remarkable\"

Foreclosure-Support specializes in providing daily
updates of foreclosure listings and foreclosure news and information
from across the nation. With over a decade of experience in the
foreclosure marketplace, the Foreclosure-Support team helps buyers and
investors get a detailed perspective on the foreclosure marketplace so
that they can make the most informed and profitable purchases possible.
Visit http://www.foreclosure-support.com to explore foreclosures in your area and learn more.