Hat tip to Susie who sent in this article about a law recently passed in California:

The new rules apply to one- to four-unit properties sold at foreclosure auctions. If an investor wins one of those homes at auction, then people who want to live in it, as well as nonprofit organizations and government entities, get 45 days to submit competing offers.

If the home is a rental, the tenants living there could win by matching the investor’s offer. Other would-be buyers must offer more than the investor.

Known as SB 1079, the law takes effect Jan. 1, 2021.

State Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley), the bill’s author, said her goal was to make it easier for individuals and affordable-housing groups to compete with investors.

“Homeownership is the primary way people have to build up generational wealth,” she said. “When we have rules that give advantage to a corporation, then that dream is just not available.”

The manager of the foreclosure auction is required to maintain a website that details the highest bid at the auction and how to submit competing offers.

Link to LAT article

I don’t know how many amateurs will be paying more than investors for homes sight unseen, and without proper title searches for additional liens.  But there will be a few!

It was the last paragraph that was the most intriguing.

The State of California has institutionalized transparency!

Making the highest bid known to the public could revolutionize our business. Can you imagine if Zillow ran a website that openly tracked the offers on their homes for sale – buyers would love the transparency!  Then every brokerage would be pressured into doing the same, and boom – no more agent shenanigans!

Are you thinking of selling?

Transparency can help ignite a bidding war, and get buyers to bid up the price because it becomes more about winning, then getting a deal.  It’s how I handle my listings – let’s talk about how I can help you!

Here’s the classic courthouse-steps example of how auctions help to drive up the price:

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