It seems you are falling for the alarmist rhetoric you’ve been reading and watching online.

I contacted that agency this week online & got a response they are not writing commercial properties now. 

I've been running no-pitch meetups since the pandemic where we started online and it takes a lot of vetting and not over-promoting.

What is the best way to go about finding these property listings online before they go to the auctions?

You can also check their reviews online at Google, Facebook, or Yelp.

I'd rather have a property remain vacant to I can spend time cleaning up and getting it ready and back-online so it could be available for someone else to rent.

This is merely what I've observed from the content I 've seen online. 

Each town is a little different, some require you to do a landlord registration and/or will want to do an inspection before you put a tenant in (calling the town would probably be the easiest, or they may have the info right online).

It truly shows your commitment to provide your current and future clients a better experience.I know that online reviews can take the best of one's head space and it can take a toll on the business. 

Property Details- Size: 64,000 SF Class A mixed-use building - Commercial Space: 25,000 SF - Residential Space: 39,000 SF (32 duplex apartments, 2BD/2BA) - Parking: 165 spaces Vacancy and Rental Status35% of the prime commercial space (about 10,000 SF) was vacant and not marketed for rent online. 13 of the 32 duplex apartments were rented at 35% discount to comps What made you interested in investing in this type of deal?