Los Angeles MLS

[Hugo Camberos]

I have an interesting situation, and I'm not sure if this has happened to anyone in the Los Angeles area. I have a few properties on my crosshairs that I am looking to purchase. This will be my first property, so I'm still a newbie at this. I found these multi family properties in the MLS and are both shortsale. I continued my research and found them to be on auction.com, yet to be auctioned a few weeks from now. My agent contacted the seller agent and mentioned the situation. Seller agent said it was not to be auctioned... Later we noticed it changed to foreclosure in the MLS.

I'm a bit skeptical about the situation, I really want the property since it looks like a great buy and hold. Is this normal? if so, can I just make an offer. Or wait until its removed from auction.com? the seller agent is difficult to contact. Does not answer through phone, and sometimes takes over 3 days to respond through email.  

I'm thinking this is a situation where the agent could be a wholesaler, buy cash and finds buyers interested before auction so they can make a quick flip? I wouldn't mind someone else making that turn over, im just really interested in getting those properties... any thoughts. Thanks BP!