Touchy Subject: Foreclosure, Divorce and an Unfinished House

[Jordan H.]

I live in a town in Northern NJ right outside of NYC.  Within that town is an even smaller neighborhood...basically a larger cul de sac with about 50 houses...where everyone knows everyone.  There's a new construction house in the center of the neighborhood, right next to the park where all the children and parents hang out, that's been sitting at about 60-70% completed for probably the last 18 months.  I'd love to buy it as once its finished it could probably sell for around $700k.  It probably needs another $150k worth of work at most.  

After doing some digging, I was able to find out that the construction stopped because the owners are going through a divorce.  Last week, as I was walking my dogs I noticed workers boarding the place up.  After talking with them I learned that the building was about to go into foreclosure.  The double whammy. 

Any advice on how best to approach the owner to see how I could help his situation and ease the burden of it all by buying his house?  Knowing its a small neighborhood with no secrets, its definitely a touchy subject and I want to make him feel comfortable enough to chat to figure it out.  

Thanks in advance!