The Santa Maria/Orcutt CA market for foreclosure properties is certainly not unique. However, because of media reports on overall trends in the national real estate market, many who venture into the local home buying market are under the misimpression that there are hundreds of cheap houses sitting out there for the picking. That is not exactly how it is currently working. I might say that about the local condo market — but not the market for homes. That is not to say that there are not bargains out there. There clearly are. But, the local market for foreclosed properties is extremely competitive. On one particularly choice recent bank owned listing, the listing agent reported 28 offers in 5 days.