How do you buy a foreclosed home?

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I have 2 questions actually:
I see a lot of foreclosed homes in my area (assuming that a boarded up home is foreclosed) & since there is no "for sale" sign, how do you get the information on that house? who do you contact? where do you go? etc.

Also, when I look up cheap foreclosed homes on trulia and other real estate sites, they basically direct me to Realty Trac...... I -KNOW- there has to be a way to find info on a foreclosed home WITHOUT having to pay for a membership (or whatever it's called) with Realty Trac. Maybe that's not true, but if so, how? I did a free trial with them already don't feel as if I need to pay monthly just to look at a couple homes.........

Hopefully someone can help with a clear straight forward answer. Thanks!