How to win a HUD auction

Due diligence reveals great news

We’re proud to report the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, one of Blackacre’s investor clients won a HUD auction. We showed the property the weekend before and had a nice chat with the neighbors who shared some interesting facts about the property. Stuff you can’t learn by reading the Property Condition Report.

What did our investor learn? Most significantly, the home had been vacant for over 7 years. And a winterization notice the client found on the basement floor confirmed the water was turned off in 2011. This particular property is a condo in a 3-unit building which was built in 2004. So the home was technically 14 years old but only had 7 years of wear and tear. That was a pleasant surprise!

BRRRR strategy is best

We produced a detailed market analysis by looking at recent sales and rental comps. With that information, our client determined a price that would work to execute on a BRRRR strategy. This property would be considered a cosmetic rehab with the budget focused on new appliances, fresh paint, new carpets, and HVAC maintenance.

The rehab budget was estimated at 30 days and $7500. And the potential rental income would easily meet the 1% rule of both the purchase price plus rehab and after repair value (ARV).

HUD counteroffered our bid

That Sunday night, we submitted a bid for our client. Our experience has shown that a bid that nets HUD 80% of the list price will trigger a counteroffer. This home was listed for $108,900 so assuming 6% in broker fees (3% to the listing agent and 3% to Blackacre) the net to HUD would have to be $87,120 which equates to a $92,680 bid.

Net to HUD refers to the amount HUD receives after all commissions have been paid plus any closing costs HUD pays on behalf of the buyer. In this case, HUD counteroffered with a price that was 87% of the list price (net to HUD).

Blackacre did some more due diligence for our client by speaking with the listing broker to determine the level of interest in the property for other potential bidders. With that information in hand, our client directed us to place another bid. The next morning we were happy to confirm the bid was accepted! In the screenshot from the HUD website, you’ll notice the winning bid of $95,060 is 87% of the $108,900 list price.

Blackacre Properties LLC is your HUD home expert

Bidding on a HUD owned property is a unique process that is best executed by an experienced broker to ensure the greatest likelihood of success. Its a combination of art and science. Important things we research for our clients include: who else is looking at this property? what are the estimated repair costs? what are comps in the area? how long has it been on the market? when is the next price reduction? what will it take to trigger a counteroffer? what will it likely cost to win the auction?

Blackacre Properties LLC is your local Boston-area HUD home specialist. Click here for current HUD inventory in Massachusetts.

Katie Ulrich

July 28, 2024.

Working with Greg was great! I had full trust in him, and he went above and beyond to help us find a place while we were still across the country--doing FaceTime viewings, following up with other agents, etc. I would definitely recommend working with Greg to friends and family.

Sean Kaukas

April 26, 2024.

Blackacre Properties was a pleasure to work with! I’m a first time landlord and they helped find me great tenants for my condo in Boston and took away the stress of the process. Greg and Julina kept in constant communication and handled all of the paperwork for the rental. They are true professionals and easy to work with. I will absolutely use Blackacre again.

Julia Daly

October 18, 2023.

It was an absolute pleasure working with Greg! He was incredibly responsive and supportive through our entire moving process. Greg helped us rent our Boston apartment and find a new place on the South Shore. He was respectful of our time and highly professional. I could not recommend working with Greg more. We will continue to work with him for years to come!

Laura Thompson

August 5, 2023.

I cannot recommend Greg and Blackacre Properties highly enough. Having lived in Boston on and off for over a decade, I suddenly found myself needing to rent an apartment in downtown Boston for work with a relatively modest budget. Greg was accessible and thoughtful in his recommendations and helped me consider factors in my apartment search that I otherwise never would have taken into account. I am well-positioned to say what an independent apartment search in downtown Boston is like (I tried it!), and how Greg helped streamline that process once we began to work together. Specifically, Greg was able to help me narrow down the very long list of available apartments that were worth visiting, taking into account things like nearby greenery, beauty/age of buildings in the area (something I cared about), street parking availability, tourism flows (esp in summer), public transport accessibility, local amenities (grocery stores, restaurants, walking paths, access to the Charles), and building amenities (rooftops, courtyards, etc). He also helped me gauge prices in terms of local apartment offerings (and so could help me figure out what I could expect and what was a deal and so might go more quickly). I had originally thought that using a broker would be only for people with a large budget for their apartment search, but I finished this process thinking that even apartment searchers with a more modest budget can benefit from working with someone like Greg. Greg helped me maximize my time in town, helped me visit apartments remotely (which was easier once we had made clearer what I was interested in, and which he did by FaceTiming me from the apartment, which he physically visited), and then facilitated the signing of my lease after I had left town. One final note: a number of the apartments I visited on my own in downtown Boston are represented by brokers who are understandably ambitious, but also pushy and competitive (with one another). Having a broker on your side--especially someone like Greg who is thoughtful, reasonable, and easy to get along with (for other brokers)--helps insulate you from having to manage those relationships directly. Once you visit an apartment represented by a broker (the vast majority of apartments in downtown Boston), you will be paying that broker fee---so why not pay it to someone who can think with you, navigate the world of apartment brokers, and also negotiate for your interests? So overall, even in the rental market and for those with a more modest budget, working with a broker can make a lot of sense (even financially). If you are looking to work with a broker, I highly recommend Greg Kanarian at Blackacre.

Gwendolyn Collaco

July 3, 2023.

Greg was the best agent that we could have asked for. I'm very picky and had been looking on rental sites for about a month for a new apt. With Greg, the first listing he sent to me and my roommate was the one we rented! He worked with us to ensure we included all the info that we could to strengthen our application and secure the apt on this competitive market. He was the best advocate for us to the owner. I say all this after having lost out on other apts prior to working with Greg. Despite having great credit, income, and history, I was always passed over for stronger candidates, but with Greg the first application was all we needed. It was such a welcome relief after a long and harrowing apt search! He answered all our questions about the lease in a timely manner and made sure that the listing agent made all corrections necessary to the final version. We were well-informed every step of the way.

Chan Lee

June 29, 2023.

Greg from Blackacre Properties was extremely communicative and hands-on during my search for rental apartments in the summer of 2023. He was quick to respond to my questions with informative answers, and most importantly, I could tell his priority was in advocating for his clients when he successfully negotiated a better lease for me. I strongly recommend Greg and Blackacre Properties for your real estate needs. Thanks again Greg!

Jacqueline Cornejo

June 28, 2023.

Moving in Boston is stressful especially with the housing market right now. But Greg and Blackacre Properties LLC made the process so easy and smooth. Greg made sure to answer all my questions and always made himself available. Really great experience!

Allisson Dugan

March 13, 2023.

I cannot recommend Greg and Blackacre Properties enough. I recently worked with Greg to rent my 1BR condo and as a first time landlord he made the process quick and simple. He was able to market the place beautifully and secured a tenant quickly. He also provided me with all the information I needed on my end to complete the process. I will certainly work with Blackacre in the future.

Kristen Tomlinson Carter

March 4, 2023.

I was lucky enough to come across Greg when I was first renting my property in Bay Village, and have now worked with Greg for many years. His knowledge of the rental market, his professionalism and candor throughout the process, and his willingness to go above and beyond are just a few reasons I've continued to work with him, and will continue to do so going forward.

Ana Abraham

February 28, 2023.

Greg and Blackacre were extremely helpful in facilitating our move! Greg works very fast, got us a showing of an apartment within a couple days, and helped us get all of our documents in order to sign our lease! We couldn't be happier, and we recommend Greg and Blackacre to anyone looking to move!