When is it too late to tie up a Pre Foreclosure deal?

[John Payne]

Learning more and more about Pre Foreclosures and Notice of Defaults, but one nuanced question. Whether paying cash or taking the property subject-to, the overdue lien that is causing the foreclosure in the first place needs to be wiped out.  Assuming you do your due diligence, it meets your criteria, and the seller agrees, at what point is it too late to intercede to gain control of the property before the lien holder does?