If there is anything wrong with any of the major systems of the house forget about it unless you can get it cured.

Newbie Question ...If I find a house that has been listed for Public Auction by an HOA for non-payment of fees ...Can I approach the home owner and offer to buy his/her house if there is time to cure the default?

Aloha Hawaii Investors,If I find a house that has been listed for Public Auction by an HOA for non-payment of fees ...Can I approach the home owner and offer to buy his/her house if there is time to cure the default?

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure... 

I’d still send a notice of default / opportunity to cure letters to the prior contractors and consider legal action…

In many places, if you file for eviction for non-payment, the tenant can "cure" the breach at the court hearing by paying the arrears at that time. 

The party receiving such notice shall have 15 days from theeffective date of such notice to cure the default(s).

If your contract states something different, your cure would be with the wholesaler. 

Actually pre-foreclosure is nothing more than the lender filing a notice with the owners that they are in default and unless cured, foreclosure proceedings will result.

This again isn't going to be a cure-all, because private lending in my world is a relationship based model versus a transactional one.