The first: Mentors, Industry Conferences, and and local real estate groups- As I stated, I haven't been able to locate groups that are doing foreclosure sales at auction or pre-foreclosure experts.

I will have access to ~1M in cash for down payment and closing costs (I would also have reserves, separate from this capital).

If we close, you collect your 3 percent commission, having done nothing with or for me. 

If you know the market and where to price your property, a listing agent is really not going to add a lot to the process and will cost you 3%,  Now before I get blasted by agents posting how mush they add to the sale on the listing side, I will say that if you are not familiar with the sales process, maybe you need to pay the 3%. 

I've been doing 3-6 "trial leases" for new tenants and they can extend after; however, I have a W2 sales job that takes a lot of my time.

I had a step-son who went to school at SFSU, there were occasional days of pleasant weather, but never like good ole San Diego.CA with crap weather sounds about as close to hell as we will find in this life. 

I suspect the title company or closing attorney may carry some fault here?

As for the Media scare, I saw one news article touting a $100k special assesment on a HOA and when I pulled up the building the average cost of fire sale condos are $3M TO $5M and part of the special assesment was to cover new unneeded landscaping. 

You might talk with a real estate/estate attorney and see if it's possible to open a probate, have a Personal Representative appointed and obtain an order from the court authorizing the sale of the property by the PR with the proceeds being deposited into the registry of the court for later distribution when all the heirs are identified. 

My preference is to rent it to a trusty family member or close friend so I can ease into being a landlord and continue making improvements without it being a big issue.