Over the years, I've had a handful of homebuyers ask me about the process of purchasing a short-sale or bank-owned property. In theory, it sounds great! A Northampton area house being sold below market value - what could be better? But, the reality of of purchasing such a property can be rife with potential pitfalls.

I assisted a young couple in the process a couple of years ago. They were interested in a lovely 4 bedroom, 2 bath home with a wrap around porch, garage and private yard in [...]