Issue link: http://dsnews.uberflip.com/i/910828
20 is month, our editors caught up with Auction.com EVP of Client Management Ali Haralson to learn what real estate trends she feels will make the largest impact as we close out 2018. Haralson is responsible for growing market share for Auction.com while helping its clients find optimal solutions associated with distressed assets, leading to improved financial outcomes and a reduction in neighborhood blight. With more than 20 years' proven experience in the mortgage servicing industry, Haralson answered our questions about the changes we're seeing in third-party sales of distressed real estate. What changes are real estate marketplaces currently witnessing in relation to third-party foreclosure sales? Over the past year, we've witnessed the majority of distressed markets become more stabilized, as we approach what many feel like is the tail end of the mortgage crisis. With this, the market has begun to normalize relative to the number of assets undergoing the foreclosure process. is stabilization of the market has shifted the focus from liquidating assets to ensuring that they are being sold in an optimal way. Both sellers and buyers are keen to know more about the process itself. For much of the country, this normalization represents the new—or returning—normal, but we also see areas where volumes remain high. To balance this dichotomy, we employ a foreclosure sale strategy that creates more transparency into the foreclosure process, while also enabling a swift and compliant sale execution, with Auction.com marketing the asset, conducting the sale, or educating buyers on what to expect in the auction environment. What role does Auction.com play related to the foreclosure sale and how is it expanding its presence? Auction.com gives foreclosure sale buyers and sellers much more clarity around the process so they are better equipped to succeed in these environments. e traditional foreclosure sale process is fraught with shortcomings that often leave buyers in the dark on the status of properties for auction, or the relevant information needed to properly bid on these assets. We address this through a combination of strategies: First, we invest heavily into integrating resources such as photos, home disclosure reports, tax lien information, and more into our platform, enabling buyers to bid in confidence with a greater level of transparency into the asset. Second, we leverage display advertising, search engine marketing, and optimization to focus marketing geographically within the buyer's preferred region. ird, based on the buyer's prior activity on our site, we can recommend appropriate properties of interest based on specific buyers' established purchase history; and finally, based on the buyer's Google and/ or social media searches and through our live learning events, we provide educational information along with property and market information to help further educate the buyer. Additionally, in each of the 3,100 counties we operate in, we have partnerships with local resources such as law firms, sheriff 's offices, and contractors that provide perspective into the local market and what works (and doesn't) within these areas. We currently conduct or market properties in all 50 states, which enables us to provide an optimal auction experience when paired with our web platform which serves as an information hub to help drive the process. So, we not only provide the data intelligence that established buyers and sellers need to gain confidence to bid and sell, but we also create a welcoming environment for newcomers through our education programs. is, in turn, fosters healthy levels of competition in the marketplace, which keeps pricing at or above market levels. How do you manage the relationships with local stakeholders, such as county sheriff's, law firms, to benefit sellers? Auction.com's relationship with these local partners is invaluable and perhaps FIVE MINUTES WITH Get to Know Industry Executives Beyond the Boardroom "Over the past year, we've witnessed the majority of distressed markets become more stabilized, as we approach what many feel like is the tail end of the mortgage crisis." Ali Haralson EVP of Client Management, Auction.com