Foreclosure.com is extending Black Friday throughout the month of December!

We are so grateful for our newsletter readers and website visitors. We started Foreclosure.com more than a decade ago with the goal of making it the number one-ranked online destination for distressed property listings.

And here we are, 13 years later, thanking you for helping us make that vision a reality.

To commemorate the holiday season this year, we are excited to announce a treasure trove of our most generous money-saving opportunities ever, which we designed especially with you in mind. Enjoy extended free site membership, discounted foreclosure and short sale educational programs and much more.

As always, we also invite you to check out the myriad free tools available on our site to help make your foreclosure and short sale searches a success. It would be just silly to miss our free On Demand webinars, free foreclosure listing alerts and everything else that we offer at absolutely no charge.

The November 2011 edition of Foreclosure.com’s free educational newsletter, “Investment Exchange,” is now available, which will help you uncover the unbelievable wealth that might just be waiting for you right around the corner — literally — thanks to an unprecedented package of discounted resources.

We’ve never offered such an amazing bundle of deals and zero-cost learning opportunities to kickstart the real estate investment careers of our website visitors. So, take advantage of the free, money-saving offers that we are gifting to you this holiday season before it’s too late.

And well before all the New Year “resolutioners” flood the market.

To read this month’s free educational newsletter from Foreclosure.com and cash-in on our limited-time holiday offerings CLICK HERE.

If you ever dreamed of investing in a short sale, foreclosure, tax lien or any other type of distressed real estate situation, preparation is the key to success. And the sooner you get up to speed on whatever money-making plan you intend to hatch, the better it will be for your bottom line (savings or profit).

Even in this market climate, in which inventory is high and prices are at rock bottom, you can’t afford to be caught unaware.

It’s all about staying on top of what’s new and what’s changing in the real estate investment arena. That way, when that perfect property lands in your lap — the one that could be your forever home or your next big investment windfall — you’ll be ready to take action and scoop it up before someone else does.

The October 2011 edition of Foreclosure.com’s free educational newsletter, “Investment Exchange,” is now available, which shows you how to get your real estate investment career rolling right now.

New Year’s Eve is right around the corner and you know what that means: Real estate resolutions. Seize the opportunity to get rich with distressed real estate right now before the thousands of well-intentioned “resolutioners” crowd the competition pool come January 2012.

To read this month’s free educational newsletter from Foreclosure.com CLICK HERE.

That’s a real estate investing recipe for success more often than not, especially if you can discern between money pits and money makers. When it comes to flipping foreclosures, or even purchasing a discounted distressed property as a primary residence, it’s critical to spot the “diamond in the rough” before someone else beats you to it.

Distressed properties are often in less than tip-top shape, but it’s that shabby exterior that is concealing the massive opportunity for riches for those investors who know how to take advantage of great deals when they see them.

Spotting a diamond in the rough isn’t difficult, but it does take the right knowledge and an open mind. You need to be able to see past the unsightly condition of a home that has turned off other investors to determine if it is really worth your while.

The September 2011 edition of Foreclosure.com’s free educational newsletter, “Investment Exchange,” is now available, which shows you how to find and capitalize on those diamond-in-the-rough properties that are just waiting for an investor like you

Learn how to hone your detective skills to uncover these amazing deals before your competition does. The potential financial rewards will be well worth your time.

To read this month’s free educational newsletter from Foreclosure.com CLICK HERE.

Sometimes it just takes patience.

As we researched these particular deals, we noted that there were multiple offers throughout the listing process. If the offers were rejected, and the homes would be re-listed, the price would be reduced about six weeks after it hit the market again.

Patience and the discipline of patience is where money can be made, or saved, for that matter.

That blend of risk taking and waiting can only be achieved by practice and knowledge. First you need the knowledge and then the practice. The application once these two key ingredients are combined is where wisdom is gained.

Have you ever noticed that change both positive and negative occur line upon line and precept upon precept? Taking an action, even if it’s small, takes you in a direction. From there, you can always change course, but taking an action is where it begins.

Long-term perspective can be a fruitful practice and the virtue of patience is real.

To check out (and monitor) listings in your target market be sure to check out Foreclosure.com today. You can “save” properties of interest and watch them, as well as their descending prices, until you are ready to make your patient move.

Apps, smart phones, iPads and other innovations are all the rage these days. Real estate agents, sellers, buyers and investors are all taking advantage of the latest technology to expedite the marketing and sales of homes at seemingly every turn.

But with the competitive market flooded with so many products, services and short cuts, it can actually hamper your home search rather than make it smoother … and cheaper.

The August 2011 edition of Foreclosure.com’s free educational newsletter, “Investment Exchange,” is now available, which teaches you which technological gadgets are worth the effort of getting to know and how to put them to work so you can save time and make money faster.

We’re also very excited to tell you about a 100 percent free opportunity to learn all about integrating technology into your investment strategies quickly and easily. It’s a crash course in the essential technological tools that, when used correctly, promise to make a real difference in your bottom line.

Learn about the most innovative and intuitive technological tools that will make finding, purchasing and profiting from distressed properties easier than ever before.

To read this month’s free educational newsletter from Foreclosure.com CLICK HERE.

As a result, home values came hurtling back to Earth — many as much as 50 percent or more from their pre-crash equity — like cosmic fireballs. That has enticed opportunistic, cash-laden investors to snatch up real estate at drastically reduced prices.

In fact, a recent report in the Miami Herald reveals that in May 2011 “home sales continued to rise, keeping South Florida on track to have its best year on record.” In addition, “in the first five months of the year, more than 23,000 homes and condos have traded hands in South Florida, one of the strongest five-month runs on record.”

While sales are clearly brisk, going in the opposite direction of national trends and actually setting records, home prices in South Florida continue to plummet. Typically, when demand increases, so does the cost of doing business.

Apparently that’s not the case in this market.

The large existing (and unknown) inventory of distressed real estate — cheap foreclosures and short sales — is likely to blame for the current situation. Ron Shuffield, president of Esslinger-Wooten-Maxwell Realty, attempts to explain it:

“It’s an odd time. We’re able to say we’re selling more homes and condos than we’ve ever sold in history, but at the same time 61 percent of our sales are short sales and foreclosures…. [Shadow inventory is also] keeping the pressure on prices. We have seven months of inventory in single-family and six months of condo. Any other time in my 30 years of doing this, when we get into levels of six or seven months, prices would be increasing more than they are today. The fear of the unknown is keeping a lid on prices.”

Real estate agents, investors and first-time buyers in the “Sunshine State” more than likely are not complaining about Florida’s foreclosure frenzy. It’s a chance to capitalize on once in a lifetime deals and market conditions that, over time, will be paid back in spades.

To get in on the red-hot action be sure to check out all the foreclosed homes for sale in South Florida and beyond on Foreclosure.com.

Home prices today in your area are likely the cheapest they have been in years. Mortgage rates, too, are hovering around all-time lows. Meanwhile, the cost to rent is around the same it has been and will likely grow year-after- year.

In fact, since 1986 it’s never been this cheap to own a house as compared to the cost of renting.

Mark Zandi with Moody’s Analytics explains the long-term benefits of owning rather than renting:

“I think the arithmetic is such that if you plan to live in your home five or more years, then you should really consider buying a single-family home in most parts of the country at this point in time. Prices have fallen so far, that single-family housing now is very, very attractive; very affordable [...] and it’s now even attractive relative to renting.”

Several buyers are still waiting for the market to hit “bottom.” Those folks might miss the boat entirely … especially if they are in financial positions and personal situations to invest in a home right now.

The fact that not more people are “jumping in” has many housing experts “puzzled,” thinking that a monumental shift in buyer behavior is underway. One theory is that younger professionals are opting to spend their money renting condominiums and apartments in expensive cities — where “homes” are virtually obsolete — until their futures are more certain.

Whatever the case may be, the fact of the matter is that there are incredible real estate deals available throughout the nation. And most of them can be found on Foreclosure.com right here.

Those who fail to learn from history’s mistakes are doomed to repeat them.

Current and future homeowners would be wise to examine the causes of the real estate bust that has forced countless families into foreclosure and many more fighting to avoid it.

Unemployment, divorce, illness and other unforeseen events are hard to avoid and nearly impossible to predict. But there are several situations for which homeowners can prepare and control.

NASDAQ.com offers “3 Lessons to Learn from Foreclosure:”

1. Live within your means. Basically, don’t stretch your finances too thin. Sure, that house down the block is fabulous. But if it means you’re going to have to work three jobs just to afford it, as well as all the living-related costs that are involved, you need to look elsewhere. There are several great (and affordable) deals on the market today. Take your time, shop around and crunch the numbers. Hard.
2. Get a better understanding of the terms of your mortgage. Most distressed homeowners got into foreclosure trouble because they didn’t understand their mortgages. Adjustable and balloon rates — those that increased over time — created impossible repayment situations. If you go from paying $1,000/mo. t0 $2,000/mo., and aren’t in a position to cover the difference, things could go downhill real fast. And they did.
3. If you have issues paying your mortgage, talk to your lender. Communication is the key to avoiding the foreclosure process. Reach out to your lender early and often of you know foreclosure is possibly in your future. Be proactive and persistent. Don’t take “no” for an answer. There are several programs available today that could help you stay in your home. Inquire about them before it’s too late.

To search foreclosed homes in your area today — and possibly save as much as 50 percent on your next (or first) home purchase — click here.

Catch them while you can.

That’s the opportunistic approach that many investors in major real estate markets such as Detroit, Mich., Las Vegas, Nevada, Miami, Fla., Phoenix, Ariz., and Tampa, Fla., are taking as home prices plunge at or below 2002 levels.

Foreclosed homes and other discounted distressed deals are being “snapped up” with a quickness, “forcing down” collective home prices and “thinning the supply of homes” by as much as 13 percent, according to BusinessWeek.com.

In fact, the report reveals that 35 percent of previously-owned homes purchased in March 2011 were done so with cold-hard cash, indicating that investors are hoping to buy low today and sell high someday in the future.

Mike Shannon, an agent who specializes in Detroit-area foreclosures, marvels at the recent surge in buyer activity:

“It’s like a feeding frenzy when a home goes on the market now. We’re getting a few dozen offers on some homes in a matter of days.”

If you’re not interested in “swimming with the sharks” or just don’t have cash at your disposal to compete with investors, remember that there are several programs such as Fannie Mae’s “First Look” that give traditional buyers the first crack at scoring a fantastic foreclosure deal.

To search foreclosed homes for sale in your area today free for seven days check out Foreclosure.com … before it’s too late.

Many would-be investors never get off the ground because they focus on the obstacles instead of on the solutions for overcoming those obstacles.

For example, a popular myth that keeps people from investing is that it’s hard to get the money needed to buy their first foreclosure.

This simply isn’t true!

There are plenty of ways to get your hands on the money necessary to finance your distressed property deals.

All it takes is a little persistence and creative thinking.

The April 2010 edition of Foreclosure.com’s free educational newsletter, “Investment Exchange,” is now available, which focuses on exploring the opportunities for financing that you may have never before considered.

Seize your opportunity to get started in distressed property investment!

There has never been a better time than right now to buy your first property and make a nice profit while you’re at it. Stop making excuses and start gaining control of your financial future.

To read this month’s free educational newsletter from Foreclosure.com CLICK HERE.