Distressed foreclosure listings are very attractive to home buyers and investors. It takes work to find the right property but the money realized might be hundreds if not thousands of dollars for an owner/buyer and investors who can pay cash and have the skill to handle serious problems can earn, in a few months, what most people earn yearly. But, what is the best way to find foreclosure listings? Here are 4 suggestions:

1. Call Small banks or credit unions. Foreclosure properties are owned by banks and credit unions one way to find foreclosure listings is to call them. Ask for the real estate owned or REO department. This work better for local banks because the large chains have a corporate REO department or a firm that handles it for them.

2. Check the county courthouse. When properties are foreclosed it is announced at the courthouse. Be sure call the local courthouse for details. Ask if the information i available online and/or is it published in the newspaper.

3. Find a real estate agent. Local agents that help buyers find foreclosure listings are your best bet. If you are serious about finding a foreclosure home you need an agent who specializes in the distressed and/or foreclosure sales. There are real differences and unique challenges specific to buying foreclosures. Above all make sure your agent will be your buyers agent.

4. Try the national foreclosure listing servicesvlike RealtyTrac for instance. National foeclosure listing companies publish nationwide. They gather the property listings from many sources. RealtyTrac claims to publish 1 Million properties from nearly 2,500 counties across the country, and is the foreclosure data provider for MSN Real Estate, Yahoo! Real Estate and The Wall Street Journal’s Real Estate Journal.

No matter which of these steps you choose you should estblish a relationship with an agent. They can help you determine what a property will sell for after it\'s ready for market and have access to attorneys, contractors, inspectors, etc (professions that will be needed when searching for foreclosure listings). Lastly a good buyer's agent will tell you when you need to move on because some deals just won't make sense.