Foreclosure is a legal proceeding. A bank, or other secured creditor, sells or repossesses real property. This is due to owner default, of its promissory note. Upon completion of foreclosure, it is typically said "the lender has foreclosed its mortgage or lien."
United States Foreclosures.
In the United States, there are two types of foreclosure, in most common law states. Under "strict foreclosure," the bank claims the title, and possession of the property, as full satisfaction of a debt. This is usually on contract.
For proceedings known simply as foreclosure, the property is exposed to auction. This is by the county sheriff or some other officer of the court. For many states, they require this proceeding in some, or all, cases of foreclosure.
A simple foreclosure protects any equity the debtor has in the property. Of course, equity only exists if the value of the debt being foreclosed on is substantially less than the market value of the property. Also, this discourages strategic foreclosure.
In this foreclosure, the sheriff issues a deed, to the winning bidder, at auction. Typically, banks and other institutional lenders bid in the amount of the owed debt, at the sale. This happens if no other buyers step forward. It allows them to get title to the property, in return. foreclosed homes for sale buying how to
Other foreclosures.
Other states have adopted non-judicial foreclosure proceedings. For these, the mortgagee, or more commonly the mortgagee's attorney, gives the homeowner a legally specified notice. This notice is of the default and the mortgagee's intent to sell the property.
The homeowner must cure its default, or use other lawful means (e.g. file for bankruptcy), to stop the sale. Otherwise, the mortgagee, or its representative, conducts a public auction.
This auction is conducted in a similar manner as the sheriff's auction, described above. The highest bidder, at the auction, becomes the owner of the property. This is free and clear, of any interest, of the former homeowner. foreclosed homes for sale buying how to
Foreclosures in practice.
For most jurisdictions, it is customary for the foreclosing lender to do a title search, on the property. Next, they name all persons with liens on the property. This includes by judgment, by contract, or by statute, or other law. This allows them to appear and assert their interest, in the foreclosure litigation.
Sometimes, a lender conducts a foreclosure sale, of property, with a federal tax lien. For all US jurisdictions, the lender is required to give 25 days notice of the sale to the Internal Revenue Service. Failure to give notice results in the lien remaining attached, to the property, after the sale. foreclosed homes for sale buying how to