[quote author="Minimorty" date=1255151400]Questions on auctions:
A property I have been following was scheduled to be auctioned today. The published bid was $1,090,050. The opening bid was $862,750. The winning bid was $862,750. Now it is bank owned.
1.) Why is the opening bid much lower than the published bid?
2.) If I had been there with cash and bid, would I have walked away with this home for $862,750 ish?
3.) If there are 2nd and 3rd mortgages on the property, do these go away when the house is purchased with the winning bid?
Thanks!</blockquote>
1.) They have already written down the asset to that value or more, so it will be a break even or profit for them if it had sold. Plus, who knows who really owns the loan now.
2.) Maybe, if there was a 2nd or 3rd lien, they could have bid it up. Also, the minimum is not always the "high" bid that the 1st lien holder has in mind and they may bid it up too.
3.) Geotpf is correct. They get wiped out.
4.) You would be responsible for any back property taxes though.