{"id":22140,"date":"2019-02-11T08:10:02","date_gmt":"2019-02-11T06:10:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.propertyshark.com\/Real-Estate-Reports\/?p=22140"},"modified":"2025-08-01T15:25:49","modified_gmt":"2025-08-01T12:25:49","slug":"how-to-find-foreclosures-in-nyc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.propertyshark.com\/Real-Estate-Reports\/2019\/02\/11\/how-to-find-foreclosures-in-nyc\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Find Foreclosures in NYC & Nationwide"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Editor\u2019s Note: This article was updated on July 16, 2024.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re in the market for a new home or looking for investment properties, knowing how to find foreclosures can lead you to new opportunities, thereby empowering you to purchase a home at a fraction of the market price. Plus, knowing how to look up foreclosures efficiently can save you time, money and effort; maximize your investment return; and get you ahead of your competition \u2014 whether you\u2019re an investor, broker, developer, house flipper or homebuyer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Do I Find Foreclosed Homes?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are many approaches you can take when it comes to how to find foreclosed homes, from online research to manual record searches, in-person scouting, hiring professionals and more. It all depends on how much time you can dedicate to your research and what your budget and goals are. And, while the legal framework, timeline and contingencies of foreclosures can vary immensely by state, the methods of finding foreclosures are mostly the same across the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>How Do You Find Foreclosed Homes Traditionally?<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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  1. Local newspapers:<\/strong> Foreclosure auctions will usually appear in the legal notices section of your local newspaper, along with some property details, the terms of sale and the date of the auction. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Public records:<\/strong> Because foreclosures are a matter of public record, you can look up foreclosures at your local county courthouse or, where available, research your county\u2019s online database for notices of default, lis pendens or other legal filings pertaining to the foreclosure (or pre-foreclosure) process. Or, in the case of New York City foreclosures<\/a>, each borough has its own county courthouse.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Courthouse auctions:<\/strong> Because many foreclosures are sold at local courthouse auctions (also referred to as sheriff\u2019s sales), attending these regularly can give you firsthand access to foreclosed properties.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Drive-by\/explore in person:<\/strong> Few other options for how to find out if a house is in foreclosure are as reliable as driving around neighborhoods looking for \u201cBank-Owned\u201d or \u201creal estate-owned (REO)\u201d signs. Alternatively, you can look for \u201cFor Sale\u201d signs, especially those accompanied by stickers such as \u201cShort Sale\u201d or \u201cRecently Reduced,\u201d as well as physical signs of neglect, such as overgrown lawns, peeling paint or other ignored maintenance.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Real estate or foreclosure attorneys:<\/strong> These professionals have insider knowledge and can easily guide you through all of the legal processes of buying foreclosed property.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. Auction houses: <\/strong>Specialized in selling foreclosed properties, auction houses will usually have both in-person, as well as online auctions or a combination of the two.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    <\/span>How Do You Find Foreclosed Homes With Newer Methods?<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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    1. Real estate agents<\/strong> & multiple listing services (MLS):<\/strong> Real estate agents and brokers have access to their local MLS. They may also know of distressed properties through their network or could be contracted by lenders to sell repossessed or REO properties \u2014 an increasing trend in recent years.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. Real estate websites: <\/strong>Real estate websites aggregate data from various sources and provide search tools and filters to narrow results. Some focus specifically on distressed properties, while others have a specific section for distressed properties. Generally, they can be categorized as:\n