After the Foreclosure Auction in Atlanta

[Mike Johnson]

Let me start off by saying that this is my second auction purchase so I still consider myself a novice.  Last week, I purchased a home at auction here in metro Atlanta in a highly desirable location from auction.com.  After the sale, I drove over to the property to see what I bought and met with the former owner.  He was a really nice guy that stated that he had run into some hard times and need a couple of weeks to move his belongings out.  I expressed empathy and told him that 2 weeks would be fine and we exchanged numbers.  After 4 days I decided to call to see if I could at least see inside to determine the scope of work.  He did not return any calls but I got a text back that said he was in the hospital with no other details  My questions are:  Can I hire a locksmith to inspect the property?  Do I have to go through the eviction process?  How long do I have to keep the personal items before I can discard them if he does not return?  Any advise on this would be great!!!  I am really anxious to start the renovations.