What did I just witness on DLBA Auction?

What did I just witness on DLBA Auction?

Member since 2024 · 8 posts · 2 votes

Hello BP community, this is my first post. I'm just starting out still looking for my first project. 

Recently came across a Detroit land bank home that was in pretty good shape in a decent neighborhood, needed about 20-30k with ARV of ~115k. With bids starting at 1k I was very interested! Of course bidding quickly passed my 30k tap out point.

I wanted to see where this thing went so I watched the rest of the auction. With an hour left bids jumped from around 30k to 50 to 100 with a final bid of 200k.

I am totally confused and wondering if anyone here has any insight as to what happened? Was this some kind of strategy for bumping the previous bidder or just frustrated frenzy over what could have been a stellar deal? Would love to know if there's a part of this process I am missing should another chance like this come up again..

Thanks! 

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Investor · Arroyo Grande, CA · Member since 2014 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
2y

This is the one that was on Lafontaine, huh?

I was tweeting about it. And to be quite honest, I have no idea what happened there. The winning bidder "won" with a $200,000 final price. But it jumped from $100,000 before that and like $50,000 before that.

Honestly, I expected this house to go for $50,000 up to as much as perhaps $80,000. The $200k makes no sense and I highly doubt that buyer closes on it. 

I don't know what happens at that point. I believe the DLBA offers it to the next highest bidder.

One other potential scenario is the winning buyer was willing to pay ~$100,000 for this house AND they are a city employee or has a relative that is a city employee. That means they can get a 50% discount on the winning bid.

If that's the case, they a) knew they'd kill the competition by smashing it to $200,000 and b) know they weren't going to pay any more than $100,000 for the house. 

It's hard to say exactly what the outcomes but it was insane to see for sure!

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  • Investor · Arroyo Grande, CA · Member since 2014 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    2y

    This is the one that was on Lafontaine, huh?

    I was tweeting about it. And to be quite honest, I have no idea what happened there. The winning bidder "won" with a $200,000 final price. But it jumped from $100,000 before that and like $50,000 before that.

    Honestly, I expected this house to go for $50,000 up to as much as perhaps $80,000. The $200k makes no sense and I highly doubt that buyer closes on it. 

    I don't know what happens at that point. I believe the DLBA offers it to the next highest bidder.

    One other potential scenario is the winning buyer was willing to pay ~$100,000 for this house AND they are a city employee or has a relative that is a city employee. That means they can get a 50% discount on the winning bid.

    If that's the case, they a) knew they'd kill the competition by smashing it to $200,000 and b) know they weren't going to pay any more than $100,000 for the house. 

    It's hard to say exactly what the outcomes but it was insane to see for sure!

  • Chris SeveneyBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Investor · VA · Member since 2015 · 21k+ posts · 19k+ votes
    2y

    @Travis Biziorek

    Was it the original lender who won the bid or an individual?

    If it was an individual there are a lot of uneducated investors out there nothing surprises me.

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  • Investor · Arroyo Grande, CA · Member since 2014 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    2y
    Quote from @Chris Seveney:

    @Travis Biziorek

    Was it the original lender who won the bid or an individual?

    If it was an individual there are a lot of uneducated investors out there nothing surprises me.


    I'm not sure what you mean by lender. This home wasn't owned by a lender. It was owned by the Detroit Land Bank.

    I assure you this isn't about an uneducated investor dropping $200,000 on a house that's like worth about $130k. There's something else going on here.

  • Member since 2024 · 8 posts · 2 votes
    2y

    @Travis Biziorek, that's the one! 

    I thought the discount might've played a roll. I also thought it might go for up to or over 50k. 

    It's at least good to hear this isn't some common tactic that I'm unaware of. I'm still curious about people working together with the next highest bidder (presumably one with discount) winning.

    I appreciate your insight, I've read several of your posts and bookmarked your site in my research on investing here in Detroit! 

  • Investor · Arroyo Grande, CA · Member since 2014 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    2y
    Quote from @Jesse Kassel:

    @Travis Biziorek, that's the one! 

    I thought the discount might've played a roll. I also thought it might go for up to or over 50k. 

    It's at least good to hear this isn't some common tactic that I'm unaware of. I'm still curious about people working together with the next highest bidder (presumably one with discount) winning.

    I appreciate your insight, I've read several of your posts and bookmarked your site in my research on investing here in Detroit! 

    Yeah, I’ve thought about that scenario with bidders colluding. I think you’d need 3 folks. 2 to battle it out to super high levels and the 3rd as the next highest bid. 

    Then the top two say they won’t close and it gets offered to #3. 
  • Michael SmytheBusiness Member
    Real Estate Agent · Metro Detroit · Member since 2023 · 4k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    2y

    @Chris Seveney the Detroit Land Bank sells tax foreclosed properties that Wayne County sells to the City of Detroit (more or less).

    These are NOT lender foreclosed properties.

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  • Michael SmytheBusiness Member
    Real Estate Agent · Metro Detroit · Member since 2023 · 4k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    2y

    @Jesse Kassel surprised this property made it to DLBA auction!

    Most of the good properties mysteriously never hit the auction.

    Keep an eye on it...

    Logical Property Management4.9464 Reviews
  • Member since 2024 · 8 posts · 2 votes
    2y

    @michaelsmythe Same here! 

    I noticed it and had intended to contact DLBA but within a couple of weeks it was already up for auction. 

    Will keep an eye on it to see what happens.

  • Member since 2018 · 37 posts · 11 votes
    2y

    I am interested in what happened after that… I just saw a very nice-looking house with all the heating and electrical and plumbing torn out, and am tempted to bid… I would LOVE to find a construction partner in Detroit with a proven record of rehabilitating these lovely old homes, and save them.

  • Investor · Arroyo Grande, CA · Member since 2014 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    2y
    Quote from @Diane Perry:

    I am interested in what happened after that… I just saw a very nice-looking house with all the heating and electrical and plumbing torn out, and am tempted to bid… I would LOVE to find a construction partner in Detroit with a proven record of rehabilitating these lovely old homes, and save them.


    Hi Diane, I do a ton in Detroit. But I stopped buying auction properties (DLBA or tax) long ago. 

    People are grossly over paying and I can source much stronger deals off-market. Happy to talk about the market there in general. I have 12-doors in Detroit but live in California. 

    I do a lot there outside my own investing and am tentatively planning another trip in June. Happy to connect, share some resources, etc.

  • Michael SmytheBusiness Member
    Real Estate Agent · Metro Detroit · Member since 2023 · 4k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    2y

    @Diane Perry we know quite a few renovators, so PM us:)

    Logical Property Management4.9464 Reviews
  • Detroit, MI · Member since 2020 · 150 posts · 68 votes
    2y

    All of these auction sales across in different cities have stopped being a place I pay attention to. This reminds me of the last time I went to a real estate auction in NYC to bid on a few foreclosed properties. The one I was particularly interested in and bidding on ended up going for 200K more than the property was even worth.... renovated. I am seeing the same trend with DLBA. I have seen a few houses go for way more than I would anticipate anyone to pay. 

    There's got to be a bit of the psychology of winning the bidding war going on here. I mean some people might just be getting invested in the bidding itself and driving up the prices. Though that's all pure speculation on my end. Though I think @Travis Biziorek's theory makes sense if the winning bidder was a city employee. 

  • Member since 2022 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    2y

    It sounds like these properties are only meant for city employees.

  • Investor · Arroyo Grande, CA · Member since 2014 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    2y

    Well, definitely some funny business happened with this one (as we suspected).

    It's back up for auction today: https://buildingdetroit.org/properties/5010-lafontaine

  • Detroit, MI · Member since 2020 · 150 posts · 68 votes
    2y
    Quote from @Travis Biziorek:

    Well, definitely some funny business happened with this one (as we suspected).

    It's back up for auction today: https://buildingdetroit.org/properties/5010-lafontaine


     I just saw that lol. 

  • Investor · Arroyo Grande, CA · Member since 2014 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    2y
    Quote from @Nader Shariff:
    Quote from @Travis Biziorek:

    Well, definitely some funny business happened with this one (as we suspected).

    It's back up for auction today: https://buildingdetroit.org/properties/5010-lafontaine


     I just saw that lol. 


    Should I bid? I'm allowed to carry up to 7 DLBA properties now I believe. 

    We can move in together. Kings of 48224!

  • Detroit, MI · Member since 2020 · 150 posts · 68 votes
    2y
    Quote from @Travis Biziorek:
    Quote from @Nader Shariff:
    Quote from @Travis Biziorek:

    Well, definitely some funny business happened with this one (as we suspected).

    It's back up for auction today: https://buildingdetroit.org/properties/5010-lafontaine


     I just saw that lol. 


    Should I bid? I'm allowed to carry up to 7 DLBA properties now I believe. 

    We can move in together. Kings of 48224!


     We are kings of Detroit, Travis! You and I both buddy.

     But yeah I can bid for us if you want lol.  

  • Investor · Arroyo Grande, CA · Member since 2014 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    2y
    Quote from @Nader Shariff:
    Quote from @Travis Biziorek:
    Quote from @Nader Shariff:
    Quote from @Travis Biziorek:

    Well, definitely some funny business happened with this one (as we suspected).

    It's back up for auction today: https://buildingdetroit.org/properties/5010-lafontaine


     I just saw that lol. 


    Should I bid? I'm allowed to carry up to 7 DLBA properties now I believe. 

    We can move in together. Kings of 48224!


     We are kings of Detroit, Travis! You and I both buddy.

     But yeah I can bid for us if you want lol.  

    It will go too high, I'm sure.

    I picked up that Morningside duplex though. It will be our castle.
  • Detroit, MI · Member since 2020 · 150 posts · 68 votes
    2y
    Quote from @Travis Biziorek:
    Quote from @Nader Shariff:
    Quote from @Travis Biziorek:
    Quote from @Nader Shariff:
    Quote from @Travis Biziorek:

    Well, definitely some funny business happened with this one (as we suspected).

    It's back up for auction today: https://buildingdetroit.org/properties/5010-lafontaine


     I just saw that lol. 


    Should I bid? I'm allowed to carry up to 7 DLBA properties now I believe. 

    We can move in together. Kings of 48224!


     We are kings of Detroit, Travis! You and I both buddy.

     But yeah I can bid for us if you want lol.  

    It will go too high, I'm sure.

    I picked up that Morningside duplex though. It will be our castle.

     I agree. It will. That morningside duplex is a good one though.

  • Rental Property Investor · New Braunfels, TX · Member since 2022 · 409 posts · 408 votes
    2y
    Quote from @Travis Biziorek:

    I assure you this isn't about an uneducated investor dropping $200,000 on a house that's like worth about $130k. There's something else going on here.

    This house would only be worth $130,000 after a $100,000 rehab in my part of the world🤪
  • Investor · Arroyo Grande, CA · Member since 2014 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    2y
    Quote from @Account Closed:
    Quote from @Travis Biziorek:

    I assure you this isn't about an uneducated investor dropping $200,000 on a house that's like worth about $130k. There's something else going on here.

    This house would only be worth $130,000 after a $100,000 rehab in my part of the world🤪

    Good thing it doesn't need a $100,000 rehab!

    It sold for $52,000. Not an amazing deal but not bad either.

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