Your title company can also pull data for all cash sold transactions in your target area and skim them to show only entities in which the entity appears at least twice in 1 year.

I agree with @Rob Lee  - get a BP book (either from here or from a local library) and go through it, pick something that you find interesting and really dive into it, try to understand not just skim over it. 

That's why the milk is at the end of the supermarket.

John, Way to milk every ounce of drop out of that one.

Mostly because if the guy is messing around with you now and trying to milk the deal I wouldn't really trust him.  

While its intention is good, i.e. prevent equity skimming, it has another result, due to its poor verbiage, that prevents many pre-foreclosures from getting the help they need.While not all is lost as there are many non-owner-occupied properties to work with, it is nonetheless a hindrance. 

If the price you pay for the HOA's equity plus the existing secured debts is attractive, go ahead and buy, but don't think for one minute that you're going to pull a fast one over the lender.Oh, and be careful about equity skimming jaws should the existing loan be Federally insured.

My young dumb self thought I could milk it for a few years though and save enough in the maintenance fund to replace it. 

They've been evicted multiple times before, and will probably just try to milk the situation further in some way if they sense you're worried about them trashing the house.

Usually this gives you a short list to skim looking to see if a tenant or potential tenant has ever been involved, or is currently involved, in an eviction proceeding (or other matter).