The real estate-owned (REO) sector has undergone significant changes in recent years, with the industry experiencing a notable contraction and consolidation. The days of abundant inventory and dedicated REO professionals have dwindled, as the market has shifted due to various factors. The pandemic played a significant role in this transformation, with moratoriums on evictions and historically low-interest rates from 2020 to 2022 allowing homeowners to retain their properties. According to ATTOM’s 2023 Year End Foreclosure Market Report, foreclosure repossessions rose by 10% in 2023 compared to 2022; however, they were 28% below 2019 levels and 88% lower than the height of the foreclosure crisis in 2010. Additionally, rising home prices have provided homeowners with positive equity, offering them an exit opportunity to avoid foreclosure, further reducing the number of properties entering the REO space.
Consequently, REO agents and vendors who once thrived in this niche may now find themselves struggling with low volume, making it increasingly challenging to focus exclusively on REO work. In this evolving landscape, effective vendor management has become more critical than ever. Not only are there fewer properties available, the pool of skilled contractors has also shrunk, while compliance and regulatory requirements have grown more complicated. Clearly, the many pitfalls of vendor management in the REO space require careful consideration.
Pitfalls and Challenges of REO Vendor Management
One of the primary challenges for vendors in the REO space is the shortage of skilled maintenance technicians, preservation professionals, and contractors with experience servicing REO properties. As the inventory of REO properties has dwindled over the last decade, many of these professionals moved out of the REO space, making it difficult for vendors to retain experienced crew members.
For example, property managers often find themselves needing to ramp up and retrain staff to ensure they can meet the expectations of the government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac for their REO properties.
Another significant challenge can be the lack of transparency between vendors and stakeholders. In an industry so dependent on coordination, establishing and maintaining clear lines of communication is essential to ensure that all parties are aligned and working towards the same goals. Miscommunication or a lack of communication can lead to delays, misunderstandings, and ultimately, subpar performance that can be costly in such a tricky market.
Finding reliable and qualified vendors has also become more difficult as the industry has contracted. With fewer vendors available, competition for the best ones has intensified, making it challenging to secure the services of those who can consistently deliver quality work. Furthermore, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have different scopes of work and requirements, which can cause confusion among vendors. For example, Fannie Mae may require full repairs on a property, while Freddie Mac may not. Vendors unfamiliar with these distinctions may struggle to understand why certain tasks are necessary, leading to potential compliance issues.
Looking ahead, as the REO inventory inevitably increases in years to come, property managers may face the challenge of ramping up vendor operations to meet demand. This will require a proactive approach to vendor management, ensuring that the necessary resources and relationships are in place to scale operations effectively.
Best Practices for Managing Vendors
Success in the REO space may be contingent on adopting some vendor management best practices. One of the most important steps can be establishing clear expectations and performance metrics for vendors. Regular communication, such as monthly touchpoints and quarterly meetings with larger stakeholder groups, can provide a routine opportunity to discuss any challenges vendors are encountering that may be unique or outside their control. These discussions allow for the early identification of issues and the development of strategies to address them before they escalate.
Another best practice is having a backup vendor plan in place. Relying on a single vendor can be risky, especially in an industry where performance can be inconsistent due to external factors. By establishing a second point of contact or an alternative vendor, property managers can help enhance continuity of service even if the primary vendor fails to meet expectations. Avoiding single-source dependency is a key strategy for mitigating risks and ensuring that REO properties are maintained to the required standards. By proactively expanding their network, vendor managers can not only help avoid single-source dependency, but also prepare to support increased volume levels in the future.
Building and maintaining strong relationships with vendors is also an important consideration for successful vendor management. A positive relationship based on mutual respect and trust can lead to better performance, as vendors are more likely to go above and beyond when they feel valued and understood. Regularly evaluating vendor performance through scorecards and obtaining feedback from business units that interact with the vendors are excellent ways of keeping a 360-degree view through the REO process from acquisition and remediation to the final sale. These evaluations provide insights into areas where vendors may need additional support or training, ensuring continuous improvement.
Successful Vendor Management is a Collaborative Process
Not surprisingly, collaboration between vendors and stakeholders is a cornerstone of effective REO vendor management. In an industry that is constantly evolving, fostering collaboration may be vital for success. This includes working with competitors, as the challenges faced by the REO industry are often too complex for any single entity to tackle alone. In-person meetings and face-to-face dialogue can facilitate collaboration, allowing for the exchange of ideas and the development of innovative solutions.
Developing a robust vendor management strategy can help all parties navigate the hazards of the REO market. A good strategy should include clear goals, performance metrics, and a plan for addressing challenges as they arise. Taking a proactive approach can help uncover and manage potential issues before they become major problems. And as always, keeping channels of communication open and escalating issues as soon as they occur helps ensure that they are addressed promptly, minimizing their impact on operations.
Investing in technology solutions is another important recommendation for effective vendor management. Collaborative tools and technologies, like the Pyramid Platform provided by Radian Real Estate Management, can streamline processes, improve communication, and provide valuable data that can be used to make informed decisions. Ensuring that all parties involved have access to the same information and can communicate efficiently helps reduce the likelihood of misunderstandings and helps everyone stay on the same page.
In some ways, vendor management in the REO space is more of an art than a science with its own unique set of challenges, from low inventory and a shrinking pool of qualified vendors to compliance and regulatory concerns. However, by adopting best practices such as establishing clear expectations, building strong relationships with vendors, and fostering collaboration, and sticking to a proactive vendor management strategy, property managers can take control of some of the uncertainties. And by investing in technology, stakeholders can inject more science into the process so that, even as the industry continues to evolve, they can address immediate challenges while positioning themselves for success as REO inventory increases.
