Help with steps needed to wholesale home before Sheriff Sale

[Chavis Atkins]

Hi BP, 

Forgive long post but I feel all is necessary info. I found a home driving for dollars (how I go about finding home to wholesale) in which I'm able to reach out to the owner. Home is a 4 bed 1.5 bath 2 story home and has been vacant for 4 years. Owner was renting the home but evicted the tenants due to financial reasons. Home is valued at 115k ARV (comps ran) and repairs are looking to be for someone sub-contracting investors 40k and do-it-yourself investors 28k. Details on what needs to be done, ask. 

My goal was to negotiate the home for 25k to 30k along with a 6,500 wholesale fee. Owner kept dodging me though not allowing me the opportunity to even see the inside of the home till I came to his workplace yesterday. I couldn't understand why after a week of stalling with me he wouldn't simply let me see the home and make a offer. I already have 2 buyers interested in buying the property for anywhere around 30k to 40k so pretty much just need him to commit to my offer. When I meet him he opens up with the situation. 

Owner went bankrupt 4 years ago, in a effort to be rid of the home in which at that time he owed 44k on it. Don't understand how it has come to the point that Chase banks is doing what they are doing if he included the home in bankruptcy. The man is 66 years old and set in his ways which is a bit difficult to deal with because he answered questions with little detail; this is the best I can say of the situation. 

Summed up, JP Morgan Chase has started a judicial foreclosure for a total of 81k in accrued interest, fees plus including the 41k balance and the like for the past 4 years concluding with the home going up for sheriff sale this May 1st. I don't know what to do from here as I told the 2 buyers interested in the home the situation and they don't have any strategy but simply having money to buy the home for the price they have in mind. The owner said he will cooperate fully if there is a route he can go other than his home going up for sheriff sale. He don't know of the repercussions of his home selling at sheriff sale, if it even will neither do I. I have seen the property inside and out already so I know whats going on with it physically.

I have no strategy of how to work this home except maybe contacting the bank but I don't know the steps of what to do, ask, say, need or understand. I have more I want to write but the post is getting long. This is a gist of the situation and someone experienced with this should understand where I'm getting at. I really want this deal done along with a owner kinda crying for help.