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.

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.

Foreclosure.com today announced that it recently added thousands of foreclosed homes for rent-to-own properties to its industry-leading, nationwide database of more than 2 million distressed real estate listings.

To search for potential foreclosed homes for rent to own in your area visit http://www.foreclosure.com/rent_to_own today.

Foreclosure.com already offers the most comprehensive, accurate and current collection of preforeclosure, short sale, foreclosure, Sheriff sale, foreclosure auction, bank repossessed (bankruptcy), HUD homes and tax lien listings in one convenient location.

Adding foreclosed homes for rent-to-own properties, according to company Vice President James Houston, was a natural progression that reflects a shift in the ever-changing housing market.

“Buyers, who are predominantly watching their wallets closer than ever, as well as financial institutions, which have tightened their lending requirements significantly, are all super cautious right now,” said Houston. “Renting foreclosed homes with options to buy them at later dates is the best of both worlds: Buyers aren’t locked into long-term, expensive contracts and banks don’t have to worry about a glut of defaults.”

Houston adds that the renters of foreclosed homes also have time, which all depends based on the individual agreements, to “test drive” communities and neighborhoods, all the while putting dollars toward a potential purchase. It also helps revitalize foreclosure-ravaged homes, which can often drag down surrounding property values if left in states of disrepair.

“Foreclosed homes for rent is one of many bridges that will get the housing market on the road to correction sooner rather than later,” said Houston. “And, because our listings are bank-owned with options to buy, renters don’t have to worry about having their homes sold from underneath them.”

To search for potential foreclosed homes for rent to own in your area visit http://www.foreclosure.com/rent_to_own today.

Buying Fannie Mae-owned homes just got easier.

The largest mortgage buyer/backer in the nation recently rolled out HomePath Online Offers, which gives real estate agents the power to submit bids on behalf of clients who are interested in buying foreclosed — also known as Real Estate-Owned (REO) — homes.

Buyers/investors in Orlando, Fla., San Diego, Calif., and Detroit, Mich., will be the first to test out the new program.

Jim Tiegen, Vice President of Fannie Mae’s REO regional offices, had this to say to DSNews.com about the innovation:

“HomePath Online Offers provides increased transparency and efficiency in the submission process for our real estate partners and prospective buyers. This online pilot is a critical step toward ensuring that all buyers have the same experience making offers and purchasing homes.”

To view foreclosed homes for sale from Fannie Mae you need to visit HomePath.com. For more information about how to submit offers online for properties you can watch an informational webinar about the process right here.

Major mortgage backer Freddie Mac recently estimated about 4 million new and existing home sales for the third quarter of 2010, which would mark a 20.7 dip from the same time last year and a 23 percent slide from the previous quarter.

Government stimulus, or lack thereof, is believed to be the primary culprit, according to HousingWire.com. The homebuyer tax credits both expired in April.

Poor home sales, as well as rising delinquencies, have pushed prices down overall. That’s great news for buyers, but at this stage — with the unemployment rate still high and money tight virtually all around — it seems that the pool is still super shallow.

It’s an ideal climate for investors in speculators, however. In fact, the recently-introduced “First Look” program was designed to help communities and traditional buyers beat cash-laden opportunists to the punch, providing them with much-needed time to land the best deals before they are gobbled up.

To check out the best distressed real estate deals in your area today remember that you can search Foreclosure.com free for seven days. You can start right here.

It’s a recurring theme at Foreclosure.com: You ask, we deliver.

In response to overwhelming demand, we recently enhanced our popular “Foreclosure Alerts,” enabling you to now track foreclosure filings on a street level.

Ever wonder, “How can I find foreclosed homes for sale on my street?” Or, “How can I find out if my neighbor is foreclosure?”

Well, now you can get the answers to these types of questions emailed directly to you the moment they happen. And it won’t cost you a single penny.

That’s right, our “Foreclosure Street Alerts” are totally FREE and require zero obligation.

How does it work?

It’s simple: Just provide us with the desired street name and its corresponding zip code. We do the rest.

Want to watch streets in more than one neighborhood? No problem. Foreclosure.com allows you to monitor up to 10 different streets all at once.

So whether you’re waiting for a vacancy to open up on your favorite block or you’re just plain curious, “Foreclosure Street Alerts” ensure that you catch everything in your crosshairs before someone else does.

Sign up today to receive daily “Foreclosure Street Alerts” with no obligation. It’s quick and easy. Did we mention it’s also FREE? Click here.

And it’s not just because of the desert heat, according to the Wall Street Journal:

“Bargain hunters here and in many other metropolitan areas are up against a paradox. By far the biggest wave of foreclosures since the Great Depression was expected to be a bonanza for anyone with cash or the ability to get a loan. But prospective home buyers say it is increasingly difficult to find foreclosed homes at attractive prices in desirable neighborhoods. Supply is shrinking largely because of federal and state efforts to help millions of distressed homeowners avert foreclosure, which have delayed many likely foreclosures, keeping the homes off the market for now. The bargain chase is even tougher for those buying with a loan. Investors with cash have an advantage in that their offers aren’t conditional on obtaining a loan so banks often prefer selling to them than taking the risk that another offer will fall through. They are also often quick to react when bargains appear.”

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again — the best deals often get cherry-picked as soon as they hit the market by savvy investors and/or dedicated house hunters.

Yes, there is more distressed inventory from which to choose these days, but just because a property is classified as a “foreclosure” or “short sale” doesn’t mean it’s bonafide beauty right off the bat.

Finding the best home deals in your area, and then having the ability to move in on them faster than anyone else,  often takes a little bit of homework, preparation, persistence and luck.

A great way to get started is to sign up for our FREE daily foreclosure e-mail alerts. We conveniently deliver all the best deals, depending on the property type(s) and zip code(s) that you select, directly to your inbox.

Of course, you can also search foreclosures in Las Vegas and beyond right now with the limited-time blog reader special discount on our FREE 7-Day Trial.

Hurry!

Real estate has always had the potential to turn ordinary novice investors into wealthy experienced entrepreneurs.

Seizing opportunities in the multi-billion dollar foreclosure industry is a common factor behind many of these success stories.

Timing is everything.

And there is no better time to score a great foreclosure deal — or several — than right now.

Remember that you can be the first to know when hot listings become available in your area thanks to FREE daily foreclosure e-mail alerts from Foreclosure.com. We conveniently deliver all the best deals, depending on the property type(s) and zip code(s) that you select, directly to your inbox.

It gets better.

Our design team just got done giving our FREE daily foreclosure e-mail alerts a facelift, ensuring that all of the rich property information that you request appears in a more eye-catching, organized and easy-to-read format.

Here’s what you get:

• Daily e-mail updates from the most accurate and largest one-stop source of foreclosed homes on the Internet
• Nationwide inventory of more than 1.8 million distressed properties
• No membership, purchase or obligation required
• Properties 30-60 percent below market value

Put simply, you can search endless properties across the nation from your home or work by entering a zip code just once! We take care of the rest.

So if you don’t have the time or the diligence to keep your eyes peeled in the coming days and months for your winning real estate ticket on Foreclosure.com, simply take advantage of our FREE daily foreclosure e-mail alerts and we’ll keep our eyes peeled for you!

Get ready Missouri, Ohio, Utah and Wisconsin deal seekers:

RealtyBid.com, which has sold more than 25,000 foreclosed homes to investors throughout the nation in recent years, has more than 400 bank-owned properties hitting the auction block from Jan. 22 to Feb. 2, 2010.

It’s a 12-day super sale with inventory from one major lender. These properties MUST be sold!

Check out what’s available (For complete details click here):

• Missouri (CLICK HERE)
• Ohio (CLICK HERE)
• Utah (CLICK HERE)
• Wisconsin (CLICK HERE)

It’s a 12-day super sale with inventory from one major lender that has RealtyBid.com Executive Vice President Mike Keracher very excited for homebuyers/investors in the area.

Here’s a snip:

“As always, we have discount properties from around the country available on our website. However, one specific lender we are working with has supplied us with dozens of Ohio, Utah, Wisconsin and Missouri foreclosures to auction. This is a banner opportunity to buy homes in these states at unbelievable prices.”

All inventory will be auctioned at the lowest possible prices.

Remember that you have to submit your bids online. So head over to RealtyBid.com right now and familiarize yourself with the bidding process while you zero-in on the property that’s right for you.

Bidding is safe, easy, and compliant with all legal regulations. And you don’t have to be an experienced real estate expert to purchase a property.

To check out the homes for sale at the upcoming foreclosure auctions in Missouri, Ohio, Utah and Wisconsin, as well as to see when RealtyBid.com will auction homes in your area, click here.

Good luck!

The report indicates that the struggling United States economy is a big reason for the interest, saying “we saw old-fashioned thrift become a necessity.”

Indeed, there is a perceived value that is always associated with foreclosed homes. It’s human nature to want to get the most house and spend the least amount of money to own it.

Whether it’s the case or not (and it usually is), most curious homebuyers and investors feel that buying distressed real estate is cheaper than going the “traditional” route … especially when there is a large pool from which to choose like there is today.

There’s no denying it — this is a buyers market.

Deals are out there now more than ever and buyers are on their computers feverishly trying to hunt down the ones that are right for them. Pepper in limited-time government tax incentives ($8,000 and $6,500 tax credits) and historically low interest rates and you have a recipe for a mondo Web-surfing surge.

So check out the hot real estate deals in your area today on Foreclosure.com. Our nationwide database of more than 2 million distressed property listings is free to search for seven days.

Be sure to act fast because the best deals never last long! Search now.