REO vs. HomePath Properties!

[Steve Bernard]

As a rank amateur, this should be a simple question for all you pros. I'm interested in REO's (I think), mainly because you have a realtor guiding the purchase. However, there's a Homepath property near me that looks interesting but getting that close to big government is a little intimidating. How long do the auctions run, and what due diligence is required. Thanks in advance for your help.