How to find absent owner

[AL-Teef Jones]

Hello BP,

I've  got a house in my target area that I've been watching for a long time. the house is in an ideal area in Newark NJ 07103. Its walking distant from Rutgers, NJIT, the light rail system, and downtown. Its on a small quiet block and I think it location make its a really valuable house for buying and holding.

The problem is the owner is completely absent, he has let the house dilapidate badly. The front and back doors have been forced open so there have been some squatter and looters that have came in and stole some of the piping and trashed the place. To spite the internal dilapidation the exterior is still solid.

The house it self is in a great area and does have potential for good rental income, before the owner abandoned the house the there were student tenants.

One of the neighbor said the owner was asking for $200K that was about 2 years ago they neighbors have not seen the owner since. with the amount of allowed dilapidation I cant see him getting it at that price.

I just want to know how would I  be able to find this own so that I can speak with him/her to see if I can add any value to this house because right now its just a money pit. if the guy still owns it he/she is literally just paying property tax.

Does anyone have any suggestions in finding this owner or finding out whats going on with this house?