Owner Died in 2012!

[Charlotte Trusty]

Hello,

My friend lives right next to a duplex that has been abandoned for years. The owner died in 2012 but the property is still in his name. I have tried to contact his family and left a couple messages with no luck. The bank won't give me any info since I'm not authorized on the account. 
This would be a dream fixer with some serious opportunity. 
Any tips on how to get more info on his estate? Or should I just wait until it forecloses? No idea when that will be, if ever since it has sat for so long already.  The bank is making the tax payments, and is up to date so far. I don't have much more info than that. 
Suggestions?  Thanks!! 

[Jeff Copeland]

Curious as to how you know it's in foreclosure (versus probate) and how you know the bank is paying the taxes (versus the estate)?

If the seller died intestate (which seems likely given the timeframe, the property will have to work its way through the probate process, then possibly the foreclosure process (once there is an heir/new owner to foreclose upon) - both of which can take months/years.

If you do some digging in the county's public records (google "your county + public records" and then find the probate filings), you should be able to find the attorney who's handling the probate and/or the likely heirs. From there, you can reach out to them and let them know you're interested if/when they decide to sell.