How to Get Foreclosed Property Addresses

Foreclosures are at a all-time high these days, which is offering a great opportunity for both real estate investors and first time buyers to buy great homes at below market value. But, how can you find these fantastic foreclosure buys? There are plenty of places to look to find the addresses of homes which have already been foreclosed on, and ones that may be foreclosed on soon.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Check the local newspaper. State law requires that every foreclosure auction be announced in the local newspaper. These notices are usually found in the classified section of the newspaper under "Public Notice" or "Public Auction," and they will include the address of the property as well as the auction date and details. The local newspaper is also a great place to look for mortgage delinquencies and bankruptcy notices, two telltale signs of an upcoming foreclosure.

2. Take a trip to the local courthouse. It is a wonderful place to find out all kinds of information, like who is behind in paying their real estate taxes; who hasn't paid their mortgage lately; who is having their home sold at auction; and who's getting a divorce. All of these actions usually indicate that a homeowner is either in the foreclosure process or may be soon. Check with the different departments at the courthouse (such as the tax office, sheriff's office or records department) to see where you can find the information you seek. Some municipalities have everything clearly listed on their department websites, while others will require some real detective work to uncover the addresses you seek.

3. Meet with local lenders. Most have Real Estate Owned (REO) departments to handle the sale of their foreclosure inventories. Simply call the main office of every lender you can think of and ask them for a list of REO properties they are trying to sell and the REO agents they are assigned to. These agents work much like a traditional Realtor and can get you the keys to inspect any properties that you may be interested in.

4. Check with local Realtors. Although foreclosures are a specialized type of real estate sales, most local agents at least know how to get their hands on a list of available properties, or they can steer you towards an REO agent with an inventory.

5. Get help from other professionals. There are a lot of different types of professionals you can turn to help you find foreclosure addresses.
   Foreclosure and bankruptcy attorneys can often put you in touch with clients who may be interested in selling their homes during the pre-foreclosure phase, while Title Companies can easily find out if a certain property is under foreclosure and may be able to either give you a list or tell you how to find them yourself.
   Mortgage brokers can also be helpful. They sometimes have their own lists of REOs to try and sell, and since Insurance Agents must be notified when a home they insure has gone into foreclosure, some offer lists to people they know.

6. Find help online. A simple Google search can put you in contact with thousands of foreclosure directory sites for virtually every community in the nation. Some are free, while others charge a hefty sum. Of course doing your own Internet research takes more time and effort, but it can be a very fruitful endeavor.