<prompt> Human: So there is a house on my block that I would love to own. I just found out the owner died and the family is just going to let the mortgage company take over, which I think means ignore it until it gets foreclosed. What can I do to obtain this property?Edit: Family not on the picture, seems to be disorganized and out of state. Any way I can find the mortgage company before foreclosure?  <response>: First, see if you can buy it from the family that owns it. If it goes to foreclosure itll be empty for a long time and will accumulate damage that will be really annoying to fix.Alternately, talk to a real estate agent whos got good connections in your city. Youll want a good real estate lawyer and an experienced realtor who has good relationships with the city, the local lenders, etc. etc. If you know of a house thats going into foreclosure, then you can be first in line when it eventually comes to auction or sale. But beware, youll be competing against cash buyers. Much better to buy it from the family. 