The next day, he was still there and he blocked my phone # so I couldn't contact him.

How are you estimating the repair costs?

The estimated repairs are around 10k.

save up that initial 20% for a conventional down payment, have another 20-30 % for repairs and emergency funds.  

B) The real estate team I work on pays for phone numbers by geography, not necessarily probates, absentee owners, etc.

@Dylan B. lesson learned on that part, all her contact phone numbers are no good as I failed to update her original application information over last six years.

Hard money lenders focus a lot more on the property itself as far as current condition, rehab estimate, after repair value (ARV), etc. 

this is tricky, it tends to be a case by broker-case basis, and only a handful of brokers control the bank-owned..yikes......i forgot if the agent can rep. the bank and you, there in NC, if you make offer..Just thinking out-loud and opinion, not telling you what to do, dont know your plan (hold, flip, or your funding):  ...get over there, with a property preservation buddy, assess the repair and upgrades, (unless its already pretty perfect or you feel the agent can give you some accurate idea)...ask agent what he/she can sell for in good condition, confirm.. then factor arv, repairs needed, make offer with 10 day due diiigence professional inspection......are you offering an almost full retail-market priced forclosure anyway, then are you going to hold it for cash flow? 

Typically it is the local building and zoning with a similar rule, repairs of more than 50% are not prohibited, But if the rebuild/renovation cost is more than 50% of the property value then the property must be brought to Current building codes, which may include the floor elevation being raised to current building requirements, which is usually not feasible, cost wise.

@Tom Parris thankoops - typo from my phone