Louisiana foreclosure listings represent potential and opportunity for the right investor. Foreclosure listings in Louisiana can point you in the right direction, whether it's a 3-bedroom home in Lake Charles or coastal property you're after.

In foreclosures, Louisiana ranks 43rd among all states but there remains opportunity. Investors can find bargains in Louisiana foreclosures with the ability to make a quick profit. Most can purchase homes foreclosed in Louisiana for 20% to 30% below market value.

Louisiana foreclosures operate through the judicial foreclosure process, meaning it takes court action. In general, there are 3 stages of foreclosure:

1. Pre-foreclosure: In foreclosures, Louisiana lenders are not required to notify the homeowner before filing for foreclosure. Once a petition is filed, the homeowner is notified and has 3 days to pay the default amount before the court orders seizure and sale of the property.

2. Auction: The notice of auction of foreclosure properties in Louisiana must be published twice in a newspaper in the same area where the property is located. Anyone may bid, including the default homeowner. The winning bidder must pay the day of the sale or may have within 30 days to pay if he puts a 10% deposit down.

3. Bank-owned: When the lender takes on foreclosure homes in Louisiana, a broker or real estate agent may handle the sale.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Investigate homes foreclosed in Louisiana

Search foreclosure property in Louisiana by county, ZIP code or specific neighborhoods. You can even enter criteria you're looking for in Louisiana foreclosures. Most Louisiana foreclosure listings offer basic details for free and then for a nominal fee (some as low as just $1) you can receive more details.

I recommend: Search Housing and Urban Development (HUD) foreclosed homes and sign up for email news and alerts. Or try the leading foreclosures search engine, RealtyTrac.

Learn the tricks of the trade before considering Louisiana real estate foreclosures

Others have been there before--learn from their experience and mistakes.

I recommend: Whether you learn best by CD-ROM or webinars, Foreclosures.com offers many different training options to best fit your learning style. Read the latest foreclosure newsletter with current trends in the business from RealtyTrac.

Use online resources to your advantage when purchasing foreclosed property in Louisiana

Did you find some foreclosure property listings in Louisiana that interest you? Fully explore your options by using some of the web tools available to further your decision-making process.

I recommend: Try the Home Value Analysis feature from RealtyTrac to help you determine what a foreclosed home may really be worth. To help with financial stresses, take advantage of calculators available at ForeclosureData.com.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Louisiana's foreclosure proceedings are handled through the courts. As such, it may take longer to work through the process than in other states. The typical time line for a foreclosure is anywhere from 6 to 9 months.