[quote author="newbie2008" date=1254721321]Investor, possible flippers, knife catcher, buying at auction are helping clear the FC problems. They use cash, so the banks can unload them and limit their loss. If the investors weren't around and the banks keeps them as shadow inventory the supply would be very limited and prices even higher for now. But keeping the FC'ed houses and non-preforming loans as shadow inventory is likely the child keeping the sea back by plugging the dike with his finger.</blockquote>
The advantage of a cash buyer to a bank is that it's a (basically) guaranteed closing. Much less chance of the house falling out of escrow. But in the end, even with a loan, the selling bank gets cash from the loaning bank; that is, when it closes, there's no difference.