I learned when the funeral was (thanks to a Google search) and a few days after the funeral I contacted one of the daughters (emergency contact) and gave my condolences. 

@Ben Feder I mean buy a condo, live in one room and rent out the other(s). 

I was thinking about just going down there with some flowers and sending my condolences, and seeing where the conversation goes from there?

Thank You Hello Charlie,I'm sorry for your loss, my condolences go out to you and your family.LA and NYC are very similar with regards to this... while it is very popular practice for owners to rent by the rooms, it is not legal.Being that the numbers don't work without renting by the room AND you could be subject to fines in the future, selling the property and using the proceeds to purchase a multi-family makes sense.

That is an unfortunate thing to happen. i would give the Granddaughter your condolences and explain to her that you need to keep the deposit, as unfortunate of an event it is, you took the rental off the market and now have to try to re-rent it again and it may take some time.

@Michael GessnerIn addition to tracking down the cousins, I would mail out a letter to the house (someone's taking their mail I'm assuming) expressing your condolences along with an offer to purchase the asset. 

- Purchase a cheap condo, live in it a year, then move out?

So he recommended that I get a condo, live in it for a year and then rent it out.

I always acknowledge that someone has passed and offer condolences up front.

Karen,I assume that this was someone close to you so first let me express my condolences; sorry for your loss.