how to structure a pre-foreclosure deal?

[Chris Lupcho]

I am interested in information on how to close/structure a deal with a pre-foreclosure house.  I have assess to the county website and know what houses are scheduled for foreclosure/sheriff sale in the coming months.  I have researched which houses would work well for me, from a numbers standpoint.  I have the owners info from the county website.  

How do i approach the owners with my interest in buying their property?  Would this end up being a short sale, if my offer is lower than their current mortgage balance?  How long would the process take, could it be done if they only have 1 month until the scheduled foreclosure - if its structured as a short sale would that cause the foreclosure process to be put on hold?  

Thanks for any help on this.  I may develop follow up questions once I get more info on these.