Dry cleaner. Electrical engineer. e-Trader.

These are just a handful of the different professions of the individuals who take me up on the invitation to learn the foreclosure and auction process.

Every time I take a class to the Palm Beach County Courthouse there is always something new to learn — there is never a dull day.

For example, this past week there was a property that was valued at $150,000 that went for $30,000. The bidding started at $12,000.

It’s because of deals like this that the crowds at the courthouse are beginning to grow. Savvy investor groups are sprouting everywhere. They understand that deals can be had and that now is the time to invest.

So what are you waiting for? You could be missing the deal of the century … or several of them.

Come see what you are missing by joining us for a free courthouse tour — we’re happy to show you around each week!

Linda Yates, Director of Education at Foreclosure.com, conducts FREE auction education classes at the Palm Beach County Courthouse. The class will teach you how to look up information on the properties for sale, then you will attend a live auction to see how the auction process works. To make a reservation for the class call 1-866-382-2439. You MUST have a reservation because class sizes are limited.

… Angela Logan of Teaneck, N.J., has one, raising money with “mortgage apple cakes” to catch up on her defaulted home loan:

“A New Jersey woman hopes her bake sale will help forestall foreclosure and keep a roof over her head … [the divorced mother of three sons] has until July 26 to raise $2,559.54 due her lender under a federal program to help homeowners in financial trouble.”

At $40 a pop, Ms. Logan — who already has 42 pre-orders for her mortgage apple cakes — needs to sell only 22 more in nine days to avoid foreclosure, which appears within reach based on her current pace.

Yum.

If a local bake sale can’t solve your financial problems remember that professional foreclosure consultants can be reached right here. It’s free help.

It’s a real estate adage that is truer now than it ever was:

Location, Location, Location.

When you’re looking to get into the home of your dreams, location is going to be one of your key buying points. For example, is it in an appealing neighborhood? Is it conveniently located close to work and other oft-traveled destinations? Is it zoned for the top schools in the area?

Those same concerns also hold true for investors who are eager to purchase, renovate and flip homes for profit. Location is a major selling point — if you don’t have great location, you can be sure it will be a major strike against you in the minds of prospective buyers.

The July 2009 edition of Foreclosure.com’s free educational newsletter, “Investment Exchange,” is now available, which details how you can find a great home in an ideal location at a price you can afford.

The excitement of an opportunity-laden market like we are enjoying right now can sometimes cause you and other buyers to think that it’s impossible to lose; however, the reality is just the opposite — Yes, the market is ripe for the picking, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t a few bad apples in the bunch.

We’re here to help you make the right choice. The smart choice. To check out Location, Location, Location today be sure to click here.

Remember that “Investment Exchange” is a FREE resource that Foreclosure.com provides its site visitors. Sign up to receive the educational real estate newsletter each month at no cost right here.

NBA stars present and past, Dwyane Wade and Alonzo Mourning, recently joined the foreclosure fight in South Florida, taking part in a roundtable discussion and bus tour that highlighted the growing foreclosure issue and how it’s affecting Miami communities.

HOPE NOW Alliance sponsored the Neighborhood Housing Services of South Florida (NHSSF) event, which was designed to raise awareness of the housing crisis that has gripped the region, as well as promote the free foreclosure assistance resources that are currently available to cash-strapped homeowners.

Here’s a snip from Wade via the Miami Herald:

“It hurts my heart. I know it hurts everyone’s heart in here. I’m here to help bring awareness to this and to let everyone know that there is an opportunity for them, and that there is hope.”

Wade plays professional basketball for the local Miami Heat and is currently among the top talents in the league. Mourning — who played for the Heat on-and-off for about 10 seasons — retired in 2008 and is the only player to have his number retired by the organization.

Their collective star power and celebrity undoubtedly helped garner much-needed attention for a problem that needs fixing fast to reduce the amount of residents in the area losing their homes.

In addition to the roundtable discussion, Wade and Mourning participated in a bus tour, visiting distressed homeowners and educating them about their options such as renegotiating the terms of their loans. The pair, naturally, also posed for photos and signed autographs for fans at each stop.

According to the report, “Miami was the third stop on HOPE NOW’s nationwide ‘Bringing Hope Home’ bus tour. Earlier this year, the caravan rolled through Newark, New Jersey, with Queen Latifah and Wyclef Jean, and Atlanta, featuring Mary J. Blige and Big Boi.”

Keep the wheels on that foreclosure bus turning round and round ….

Foreclosure is unpleasant for several different reasons. Not only are homeowners forced out of their homes, but their credit scores suffer long after the banks repossess them.

In fact, a foreclosure can affect a credit score by as much as 250 to 280 points for up to seven years. That of course can become a major problem and inconvenience down the road when it comes to buying/leasing a car, renting a new place or even getting approved for a credit card.

It’s a horrible gift that, unfortunately, keeps on giving.

For the sake of comparison, short sales and deed-in-lieu are less of a drain on your credit. Short sales can affect a score by 80 to 100 points and deed-in-lieu is anywhere from 120 to 175. Clearly, it’s in homeowners’ best interests to try and short sale or sell their homes by some other means before losing them to foreclosure altogether.

The good news is that a credit score can never drop below “0.” It’s also always changing — when credit takes a ding for any reason time is a reliable ally that helps improve the rating.

Of course, a person needs to focus on doing the things that will not make a situation worse for a score to get better. The key to great credit is to be educated on how prompt payments and buying behaviors affect long- and short-range financial goals.

Nationwide consumer credit reporting companies such as Experian, Equifax and TransUnion allow one FREE credit file disclosure every 12 months. The first step, clearly, is finding out what your credit score is and the factors that went into it.

From that point on raising your credit score is like getting into shape — it takes some time and there is no quick fix. If you are having credit problems or would like to speak with a professional about how to best go about repairing your credit — especially if a foreclosure is involved — visit CreditLawGroup.com today.