“… buyers – largely investors – are snapping up homes at bargain prices.”

– Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist, National Association of Realtors®

Cash-laden investors are cherry-picking discounted foreclosure, short sale and other distressed real estate deals at an increasing rate, according to the latest report from the National Association of Realtors® (NAR).

In fact, distressed properties accounted for 39 percent of homes sold nationwide in Feb. 2011, which is up two percent from last month and is five percent more than last year at this same time.

Investors accounted for 19 percent of all sales activity during this time and all cash sales reached a record 33 percent in Feb. 2011, too.

What’s it all mean?

It’s pretty simple: If you’re in the market for a home, you need to act fast because the best deals will be gone before you know it.

Cash is king … especially in a housing market like the one. And investors will continue to reign supreme for as long as the competition (that’s you) sits on the sidelines and watches opportunity pass by.

There are programs like Fannie Mae’s “First Look” that offer first-time homebuyers and local communities with opportunities to buy before properties go to market. It’s a clever safety net, but it doesn’t stop all the great deals from landing in the hands of investors.

Not even close.

A fantastic way to stay on top of the latest distressed real estate deals entering the market is to take advatage of our free foreclosure email alerts. When a new foreclosed home for sale in your area becomes available we notify you with an email that same day.

It’s an awesome resource.

Or, you can do what most investors and bargain hunters do and search our database each day for great discounts on real estate. It’s free for seven days! Click here.

That’s because a “startling” 87 percent of first-time homebuyers feel that finding a move-in ready home is important to them, according to a recent survey conducted by Coldwell Banker Real Estate.

Homebuyers these days are so fussy, in fact, that they “walk out of well-priced houses solely because of relatively minor imperfections” such as:

• The kitchen appliances are by different manufacturers
• There are no granite countertops
• A carpet needs to be replaced, or the color doesn’t match their furniture
• Wall colors are “wrong”

Most of these complaints seem trivial, but perhaps more alarming, fixable … for relatively modest costs, too.

As a result, buyers are “missing out” on excellent deals. Minor imperfections that “would not have bothered shoppers during the previous two decades.”

It’s clearly a buyer’s market these days and the rest of us are just living in it.

To find foreclosed homes for sale near you click here.

When investing in real estate often times we don’t pursue our dreams because we feel like we don’t have the money to put toward making them a reality.

The great thing about distressed real estate, however, is there are different ways to invest. And there are several creative options that you can consider — such as bird-dogging — without touching your daily bank account.

Today, for example, I was asked to present about investing in foreclosures for a self-directed IRA company. A self-directed IRA is a great tool because you can determine how to utilize the fund and guide its path … just like you can with a smart real estate investment.

Real estate, therefore, is a great complement to self-directed IRAs.

As I mentioned earlier, going to work as a “bird dog” is a great way to start becoming an investor. All it takes is a keen eye and forward-thinking organizational skills to turnover the property (or properties) in the shortest amount of time for the most profitable amount (s).

A savvy investor — the person who would lend you the money to bird dog for him or her — is always open to a great deal. There is so much information out there that sometimes him or her misses the golden opportunity because he or she can’t see the forest through the trees.

That’s where you come in.

So don’t let your emotions about money stop you from moving forward. When there’s a will, there is a way

Our good friends at DoorFly.com think so, saying that buying is almost always the better choice.

Why?

Let’s let them list the ways … all 10:

1. Build equity
2. Ownership
3. Make upgrades
4. Lock-in payments
5. Increase line of credit
6. Make a profit
7. Payments eventually end
8. Home value increases
9. No landlords
10. Emotional satisfaction

To read brief explanations for the points mentioned above check out the article in its entirety right here.

Remember, too, that Foreclosure.com offers a nationwide list of foreclosed homes for rent, which is often referred to as an option that provides “the best of both worlds” because you build equity while you rent.

To search foreclosed home for rent in your area today click here.