As a realtor, I recently helped a couple buy a home 3 years after they had lost a home to foreclosure. Out of curiousity, we pulled the listing of the bank sale in the mls of their previous home. To their dismay, the bank had sold the home for a large sum above what they had owed on the property and in only 30 days. When I asked them, "Didn't you try to sell the home yourself?" Tthey aswered, "No, we tried to keep our home, not sell it." Frankly, most people hang on quietly to the end. I think your best bet is to keep track of which lenders you have the most success negotiating with and cut your losses on the others. And of course, network with lenders and realtors.

Hi, Adam: Have you thought about developing a relationship with a realtor? They likely are aware of homes in which people are close to losing their homes. One such option is short sales. If you can find a realtor familiar with this process, this will likely hasten the process. Oftentimes, the reason the process takes so long is because the right paperwork is not submitted in the order needed for the lender. Keep in mind...there are many people in this situation; therefore, the lenders are being inundated with paperwork.

If you happen to be looking for these kinds of homes in Oregon, please feel free to contact me. I'll be happy to help you.

Look on line under HMBI.com and enter the zip code. Good Luck.

Market your idea to an area. "I specialize in helping you prevent foreclosure." List the home at a low price. When the first offer comes in, forward to the bank so they can see what a buyer is willing to pay. Adjust the price as needed until an offer is acceptable to seller. It will almost always be enough for the bank to short the sale and for the seller to save the foreclosure step.
Carl

There are many resources that will give you good information. Be careful of those that charge thousands of dollars.