Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

Best pay compared to cost of living.

Unfortunately due to the business you choose to operate incidents like the one you experienced are more likely to occur compared to a property that's continually occupied by a tenant where the water would more likely be run at a higher frequency which would prevent the pipes from freezing.  

I would talk to a number of residential, private, and commercial lenders.

No (institutional) lender will finance 100% of your purchase price as a purchase, all lenders want "skin in the game".

Quote from @Greg Loberg: I have been a lender on many notes through Safeguard Capital Partners over the last 5+ years. 

Whenever I ask lenders about it, they say they don't hold foreclosures.

using a hard money lender is a great resource . what is the project looking like ? 

Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

You will want to interview at least a couple of realtors and determine what resources they have available for you in several arenas (lenders, contractors, more).