Go for lists of California foreclosures that are as up-to-date as possible Many lists of foreclosure properties in California are extremely out-of-date. This is especially true for print listings. Foreclosure listings move at the speed of light because of their bargain basement pricing. Therefore, it's important to always choose a resource that will provide you with up-to-the-minute bank-owned foreclosures in California

I recommend:  RealtyStore.com puts every listing on its site through a 10-point quality check before it goes online. And its $1 week-long trial offer really lets you look at all kinds of California foreclosed property listings for very little money.

Choose lists of foreclosed properties in California from reputable sources We've all seen the late-night infomercials with a crazy-looking, crazy-acting guy trying to sell lists of foreclosed properties. But really, is this the type of person from whom you should learn about California foreclosure listings? Instead, look for legitimate companies with a strong reputation for providing quality foreclosures.

I recommend:  HUDforeclosed.com has the largest inventory of government foreclosure listings in California available. With the number of HUD-backed loans that end up in foreclosure, these foreclosure properties in California are courtesy of the most reputable source there is, Uncle Sam.

Don't spend a fortune for California foreclosure listings With the myriad lists of California homes in foreclosure, it would be easy to think that you need to spend a good chunk of change in order to reap the best deals. This isn't necessarily so, though. Instead, focus on finding lists that fit the above criteria but don't cost an arm and a leg.

I recommend:  ForeclosureFreeSearch.com offers a free seven-day trial period. Another site offering a seven-day trial membership is ForeclosureDeals.com. This trial costs only a few dollars, so again a great price for the opportunity to see what the site offers.

Begin your search for California foreclosure properties online Find a few different foreclosure websites to use in your search. Look for search options or websites that offer free trial memberships to make sure they list all the foreclosure information you need to narrow down your search. Look for listings that include property values, sales data, loan information, local property comparisons, mapping features, photographs and e-mail notification of future foreclosures.

I recommend:  Use search engines at the California Real Estate Center to find foreclosure homes, HUD-owned homes, REO and bank-owned foreclosures in California as well as homes for sale by owners that may be pre-foreclosures. Search by county first when using the RealtyTrac foreclosures search feature. The national website has a large selection of California listings.

Find the options for which you are looking using a California foreclosure listing website Once you've found a few good websites to use, you'll want to search for the type of California foreclosure property listing you want. Begin your search in a specific area, or search several areas in California to find a specific property type.

I recommend:  Get help finding the amenities you need with Harvest Properties. The real estate and investment company has California foreclosed property listings in many cities. Search ForeclosureNet using their county feature. Choose an area, and then browse the listings for the perfect business property.

Make an informed decision about any foreclosure properties in California you are considering Once you've found a few foreclosure listings that look interesting, you have to move quickly. If the property is a pre-foreclosure, cautiously contact the current owner directly. Some owners may not know the property is on a pre-foreclosure list. If you play your cards right, you may get a great property at an even better price if the owner is looking to sell and pay off the mortgage for which he is defaulting. When properties have already foreclosed, you'll want to contact the bank or Realtor listed as owner to view the property and negotiate a price.

I recommend:  Find help purchasing a business property in foreclosure. Hire a trained Realtor you find through the California Association of Realtors, or use the ForeclosureRadar website to gain access to the latest in California real estate foreclosure news and properties.

Start online by searching California foreclosure listings Find a good online list of property foreclosures in California by first looking at what the website offers. The better foreclosure listings will include property values, sales data, loan information, local property comparisons, mapping features, photographs and e-mail notification of future foreclosures in the area in which you are interested in buying property.

I recommend:  Use the All Foreclosure website to search for foreclosure listings in specific cities in California. Use the free search at CA-Foreclosures.com to find a bank and government California foreclosure listing including businesses, office buildings, commercial, industrial and retail properties.

Find listings for bank-owned foreclosures in California Bank, government-owned and real estate owned (REO) foreclosures may not save you as much, but if you find the right California foreclosure property, you may be able to get it for a lot less than a piece of property that isn't in foreclosure.

I recommend:  Search the U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD)recommended government foreclosure listings in California at PEMCO Northern California or PEMCO Southern California to find government owned foreclosure properties in the state.

Search California foreclosed property listings for auction properties Find out about foreclosure listings before everyone else sees them by keeping tabs on listings at your local courthouse. Look for auction listings of homes in foreclosure, or better yet, find listings for homes in pre-foreclosure. The earlier you catch a property in the foreclosure process, the better deal you'll get.

I recommend:  Search the CalHomeAuctions.com site for upcoming auctions for homes and businesses. Register at the Real Estate Disposition Corporation to get updates of newly listed California property auctions.