You can then make the bank an offer before the bank is even aware that they have taken possession of the property.

Some states waiting for the 3 years without doing anything will nullify your rights instead of strengthening them because the owner has possession for that time.  

While technically you could try to do that while you have the possession of your funds during 60 days - doing so in my opinion is like playing with fire and Doreen's example perfectly demonstrates that. 

is he in foreclosures or tax salewhy he is selling, make sure you get the real reason (often the seller will tell something that is not their real motivations, you need to dig to get the REAL reason he is selling)what's the rent, what do the leases look like, how long have the tenants been there, when does the lease expire, what type tenants was there in the commercial space  (their business)what is the highest and best use of the property, can the zoning be changedwhat's the potential for a change of usewhat is the condition of the apartments, are they quality tenants, how long therehow much contract candy (incentives) can the seller provide; seller financing, can add (stuff - a car, truck all the good stuff in the buildings, contribute cash to buyer at settlement, possession with a delayed settlement, principal only payments on the seller financing- that is no interest)After I feel comfortable with his answers and I feel he is being truthful with me and that I understand the property and his motivation I may consider making an offer.My problem is that I am involved with his problem and I don't want to make a mistake!

There is a source that will fund homeowners who have possession of the property and need money to renovate for ultimate resale.

Not sure about the laws in Tennessee, but in Florida, if they don't move out on their own free will, you'll have to hire an attorney who files a motion with the county court to obtain a "writ of possession", which you then take down to the local sheriff's office to get the eviction.

After a "writ of possession" is preformed and the tenant/mobile home owner is escorted off the property, what happens to the mobile home?

Does a purchase of the taxes eventually turn into possession of the property after a set amount of time?

It looks like I actually may have possession by the end of October/ mid-November.As a point of reference - noticing began last February....we filed in court in May. 

We are not sure of the details that led to the caretakers accomplishing all this, but we do know the caretaker has filed probate in Santa Barbara and notified his next of kin (including NONE of my uncle's actual family) of his possession of a will.