A short sale, and all that entails, is the only option, prior to the foreclosure, and only if the lender will delay the foreclosure for the short sale.  

Here's the sales pitch."

Make sure the tenants sign off on the deposit amount so you can make sure it is transferred to you on sale.  

A funny story about that.Our son was 1 at the time and I couldn’t muster up the money from our house sale to purchase 2 properties.

I am actively looking for properties to rehab and sale.

Watch the property and wait.It will need to go through probate and if they are not knowledgeable about home sales it will likely be listed with a agent.Don't get your hopes up most family members get real greedy after a death so the likely hood of a good deal may not exist.

@Vince Gamboa at 21I would get my real estate sales Lov and work on a team that cranks sales.

Of course the answer to this issue if you close late in the year and want the full 180 days is to file an extension.For you it is irrelevant whether you sell and close the purchase in 2016 or close the sale in 2016 and the purchase in 2017.  

Most are GURUs GURUs GURUs - you may not know but the local club that host the GURU, usually gets 50% of the sales after expenses are paid.

From what I've read, people are only using hard money lenders for the full sale price of units.