There are several websites that offer ’lists’ of foreclosures around the country.    Foreclosures.com and RealtyTrac.com are the two biggest.  They charge a monthly fee for access to their information, but what they provide is data they pull from public records when Notices of Default are filed with the county.  These properties are in the process of being foreclosed upon.  All of these properties are still owned by the Homeowner, not the bank.  Some may be listed with Realtors as short sales and others may not be on the market at all.

Knowing which properties are facing foreclosure may have some value to you, but there is no guarantee regarding if, or even when any of these properties  will ever be available for sale. 

Banks list all of their REO’s (Real Estate Owned) with real estate brokers. They never sell direct to the public.  Therefore, true foreclosures can be found on almost any real estate agents website as part of the MLS (multiple listing service) search.  A property in the process of foreclosure could be available for purchase as a short sale if the Homeowner chooses to list it with a Realtor.  However, banks will not accept short sale applications without a Realtor handling the transaction. 

There is no need to pay for this service. Zillow.com and Trulia.com display properties in the process of foreclosure as part of their standard search results. Access to public information is free, so anyone can compile the information and resell it to the public if they choose.