The challenge with doing this is that you need to know the preliminary plat process, zoning, etc.

@Joe Melvin This is how I would handle it.A preliminary screening process is what you need to quickly determine an immediate offer or MAO, based on what you currently know.

The aim of this report is to describe the procedural steps and preliminary results of VAAFT.

I'm just trying to find a formula that will allow a quick, preliminary analysis of a teardown candidate. 

Just open up escrow on it and order a preliminary title report.. or title work or whatever they call it in your state..once you get the title report back it will have the true vested owner.. and if there is issue with the title IE to convey marketable title it will spell it out in the Preliminary title report.some call it a title binder  etc etc.. usually a few hundred bucks. 

I'm just doing a but of preliminary title searching, to see if a property/properties that have been foreclosed by the county for auction at a TAX DEED auction, is a good candidate/investment.  

I understand you can ask the title company to run a preliminary title search but I'd ideally like a way to efficiently scan the marketplace and sort out those properties with no current mortgage.  

Make sure you know how to run all the numbers when you start looking.Just some early preliminary things that might help.

A preliminary title search is always a good idea.  

What service would you reccomend for my preliminary check - tenant provided me with driver license # and SS #?