First of all, you do not need to PAY someone for some magical list.  Most of the information is available free of charge.  Foreclosures from Rural Development, HUD [FHA] & the US Marshal's Service appear at www.homesales.gov and this information is updated each Friday.  Often there are property inspection reports that can be viewed as well.  VA used to have their foreclosed properties listed there.  You can find additional ones from www.hud.gov also.  Many of these properties are already listed with a Realtor, but Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac properties appear on that second site.  Local lenders may be another source if you are looking for foreclosed properties near to where you live.

Not all foreclosed homes have property inspection reports and most lenders will NOT pay to make repairs, so you need to be prepared to do those on your own.  FHA has a rehab/repair program that can be used if this will be a primary residence. Many foreclosed roperties are with deferred maintenance issues or intentional damage, so you should always have a property inspection done in these cases.

Land records also provide information on foreclosures, but it is a tedious process as most are not catalogued as such.  Driving around can provide some clues as well.  Overgrown lawns and apparent vacancies can mean the home either will be foreclosed or has been.  Note the address and search the land records and you may find out what you need to know.

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