The credit crunch is biting as many homeowners feel the pressure of home foreclosure. In fact, the scenario is so dramatic that many people were caught off guard by the steady decrease in the home prices and the drastic increase of home foreclosure incidents. This means that many people are losing their homes which gives other people the opportunity to buy prime properties at a much lower rate.

If you are a novice in real estate investment, one of the better investment options is to to buy a house that has been foreclosed by the bank or a lender. Don't feel guilty about buying a foreclosed house. After all, it wasn't your fault. Besides, if you do not buy the property someone else will. If you have been priced out for the past several years, you can take advantage of the open market for foreclosed homes.

However, buying a foreclosed home has its inherent landmines and you must protect yourself from these serious pitfalls:

Firstly, you must have a background of the house. This is usually not easy to get especially when the foreclosed house is being auctioned. But careful observation of the exterior of the house or examining the title of the house could prove to be beneficial to you as the buyer. You wouldn't want to pay several hundred thousand dollars more for a second mortgage when you have already paid an amount higher than your initial payment for the first mortgage.

Secondly, be sure that there are no hidden charges that could spoil the good deal. When a house is foreclosed, this means that the previous homeowner was not able to keep up with the bills. You should be very vigilant with these charges and fees because when you buy the house, you also take along with you the unpaid bills and liens, if there are any.

Thirdly, be sure to prepare yourself for the uninvited expenses that could be brought by repair and renovation. When you buy a foreclosed house, you would buy it as-is. Meaning, all the damages present during the sale will be your sole concern. Some banks and creditors repair these partially though and the house would be sold for a much lower rate so that you would have enough money to spend for the repairs.

Buying a foreclosed home can be a great investment , but be wary of the hidden pitfalls as these can deystroy any investment upside associated with buying foreclosed properties.