The properties up for auction on ebay these days are going at obseenly low prices.  Do you want to know why?

Sherrif's auctions are happening everyday and people are taking advantage of the low low prices.  Sherrif's auctions can basically give homes away for $2,000.  BUT BUYER BEWARE!!  People get what they pay for and the home is probably better off being knocked down and rebuilt. 

The winner's of sherrif's auctions are then taking their new pot of gold and re-selling them on eBay without so much as a fresh coat of paint.  Although that may just be trying to "shine a turd" as they say. 

Most counties these days have their auditors website online and accessible to the public.  This is where the real gold is found.  Property information can be found for every home with an address in the specific county.  This information includes sale dates, purchase prices, owner transfers, home information, and more. 

Always check the county auditors website if you can before buying a property on eBay.  Check the homes nearby.  This will let you know if you are likely to turn a profit or get yourself into trouble.  Some neighborhoods are, I'm sorry to say, destined to fail.  There is one neighborhood near me that homes don't sell for over 13,000 even if they look brand new. 

Don't risk a flip if you don't do some research with your county auditor first. 

Youngstown, Ohio is a great example of homes bought for 2-3,000 and sold for 20-30,000 when they are probably not worth more than 2,000.   You can view Youngstown, Ohio homes on the Mahoning county auditor's website at www.mahoningcountyauditor.org  and all you need is the street address.