When mortgage borrowers repeatedly fail to make their monthly payments, the bank—through a legal process—enforces the credit guarantees by taking ownership of the property as payment for the outstanding debt. In such cases, the bank places the property on the market to recover the unpaid capital.
Repossessed properties are real estate assets held in a bank’s inventory for sale, aimed at recovering the institution’s capital. It is important to note that maintaining a large inventory of such properties is not ideal for banks, as these assets generate no return and, in fact, incur holding costs.
As a result, banks are highly motivated to sell them quickly, often offering attractive financing terms and discounts of up to 30% (or even more in some cases) to interested buyers.