<prompt> Human: I was trying to schedule a viewing but was told it had been taken off the market, but I found it was up for sale by the county with a bit of investigating. Im a first time home buyer and seriously under-informed. Is it still possible for me to buy this home? Where should I look for more information? Will a realtor be able to assist here? Im located in PA, USA for reference. Ive saved enough for a down payment, and have great credit but have not yet applied for a loan or pre-qualification.  <response>: Auctions are cash only. Youll have about a week to finalize the sale.Other problems is you dont know the title status of the property. There could be liens against the house that you become liable for when you purchase the house. Also, have you been inside the house recently? It could be totally trashed. Ultimately, auctions can garner some great deals but Id consider them too risky for a first-time buyer and any bank will agree. Its not impossible if you can partner with someone a local investor, or rich uncle, for example to buy the property then you buy it from them. But again...itll be complicated and risky. 