While prices of homes in Orlando have fallen over the past year, some respite is in sight with the government passing measures to try and fix the existing home mortgage situation. While prices in Orlando have fallen, they might not continue to do so for long.

Traditionally, homes associated with foreclosures sell for lesser than other homes within the same neighborhood. This, therefore, is a good time to buy a home associated with foreclosures in Orlando.

Bank foreclosure homes can be bought at three different stages. Homes that are facing foreclosure are sold as short sales. Once a house has been foreclosed upon, it sells at a public auction. If the house still does not sell, it becomes an REO property and can be bought directly from the bank.

A home can sell at the pre foreclosure stage as a short sale, when the existing homeowner wishes to avoid foreclosure. While buying a home at this stage, make sure you check for any unpaid property taxes or existent second liens on the property. Since the primary concern of a majority of the home owners opting for short sales, is paying back to the lender what is owed on the property, these homes can sell for substantially lesser than their market values.

Homes that are foreclosed upon are first put up for sale at courthouse auctions. Buying a home during this stage can be a risky proposition as these homes are not open to inspection, and any costs involved in repairing the house post the auction need to be borne by the buyer. However, some very good deals can be obtained if a good amount of research is put into the process. Ideally, the auction you decide to bid at should not be the first auction you attend.

When a home passes the auction stage, it passes on to the lender who holds the mortgage on the property. It is then referred to as a Real Estate Owned (REO) property. While buying a foreclosure home through a bank, previous arrears associated with the property need not be worried about. Also, the previous home owners would have been evicted before you buy the home. The primary concern of the bank, in these cases, is to recover the balance on the unpaid mortgage associated with the foreclosure including the costs they had to incur during the process. This, therefore, leaves good room for bargaining.

Lists of homes that are involved in foreclosures in Orlando can be found in local newsletters, the internet, local estate agents and lending institutions that deal with home loans. Make sure you explore all possible avenues before reaching a decision.