""RealtyTrac"":http://www.realtytrac.com on Tuesday unveiled ""new site features"":http://www.realtytrac.com/content/videos/navigating-net-equity-and-loan-position-6466 of its online foreclosure marketplace that allow users to see the amount of equity - or negative equity - in a property based on its estimated market value and total outstanding loans, along with a list showing the position of those loans.
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The California-based company explained that estimated equity will be available for properties in the foreclosure process, including properties in default and scheduled foreclosure auctions.
RealtyTrac says this information will be displayed prominently on each property details page as a dollar
[COLUMN_BREAK]amount and as a loan-to-value (LTV) ratio, which represents the total amount of outstanding loans as a percentage of the property's estimated market value.
The equity and LTV will also be listed on search results, and users will be able to sort the search results by amount of equity or create search filters that only return properties within certain equity or LTV ranges.
""These new features bring key information to the forefront, helping buyers and investors more quickly decide which distressed properties represent good purchase opportunities for them and which do not,"" said James J. Saccacio, RealtyTrac's CEO.
Saccacio says the new site features will also help real estate agents and brokers pinpoint potential listing opportunities - both short sales and equity sales - and spot second- or third-position loans that could trip up a short sale.
""In addition, the position of outstanding loans will make it easier for auction buyers to avoid costly surprises when purchasing at the trustee's sale or sheriff's sale,"" Saccacio said. ""In short, these new features represent a giant step forward in terms of convenience and usability for our customers, paving the way for them to find the best foreclosure deals.""