Are you looking to buy and interested in a short sale?  Do you have to know when you are going to move in?  If the answer is YES then consider an "approved short sale".  This is a short sale where the lender has approved of a short payoff already.  This is a very rare scenario but nearly assures a closed transaction at the end of the day.  Here is an example of an approved short sale in Boise Idaho. Bristol Heights - Approved Short Sale