{"id":1267,"date":"2020-02-19T11:38:23","date_gmt":"2020-02-19T15:38:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/education\/?p=1267"},"modified":"2026-03-17T11:23:53","modified_gmt":"2026-03-17T15:23:53","slug":"real-estate-farming-with-county-foreclosure-auctions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/education\/real-estate-farming-with-county-foreclosure-auctions\/","title":{"rendered":"Real Estate Farming with County Foreclosure Auctions"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Using <strong>real estate farming foreclosure auctions<\/strong> as a core acquisition strategy is one of the most targeted approaches available, allowing you to identify distressed owners months before properties ever reach the county auction calendar.<\/p>\n<p>Using <strong>real estate farming at foreclosure auctions<\/strong> is one of the most targeted acquisition strategies available, allowing investors to identify distressed owners and potential deals months before properties ever reach the county auction calendar.<\/p>\n\n<p>It always amazes me that investors ,  and it\u2019s usually the newbies ,  often use a scattergun approach when looking for properties to buy at the county foreclosure auction. Instead, it\u2019s best to concentrate on a territory that you are familiar with. You can brush up on your local district knowledge and really get to understand the nuances of the neighborhoods you\u2019re focusing on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><small>Updated 10-01-2020<\/small><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>This is called \u201creal estate farming,\u201d and you should add foreclosure auction hunting to your farm.<\/strong> A real estate farm can be any size in any location, and you can make many of them in familiar neighborhoods. However, the secret sauce of successful real estate farming is the PropertyOnion.com map tool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 ez-toc-wrap-left counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">In this Article:<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/education\/real-estate-farming-with-county-foreclosure-auctions\/#How_You_Can_Use_Our_Map_Tool_for_Real_Estate_Farming\" >How You Can Use Our Map Tool for Real Estate Farming<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/education\/real-estate-farming-with-county-foreclosure-auctions\/#Refine_Your_Real_Estate_Farming_Strategy_for_Optimal_Success\" >Refine Your Real Estate Farming Strategy for Optimal Success<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_You_Can_Use_Our_Map_Tool_for_Real_Estate_Farming\"><\/span>How You Can Use Our Map Tool for Real Estate Farming<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The rest of this article assumes that you have watched the how-to video \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/education\/walkthrough-move-map-search\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Walkthrough on Move Map to Search Feature<\/a>\u201d (located in the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/education\/category\/site-tutorials\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">tutorial section<\/a>&nbsp;of the website) at least once. This video explains our practical tool, which I guarantee will make life easier and speed up your searches for suitable auction property in your area of familiarity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Step 1: Open Your Default Map<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>From your home page, go to the default map view by clicking on&nbsp;\u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/property_search\/\" target=\"_blank\">Search Properties<\/a>\u201d&nbsp;at the top of the page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The page will open up to a map view with the entire list of your default county\u2019s properties in auction, including pictures and details on the right side of the page. Remember, the county you nominated when you created your account is your default county. To change your home county, simply go to the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/memberAccount\/memberPersonalInfo\" target=\"_blank\">Profile Info<\/a>&nbsp;page and select another county to the right of the \u201cHome County\u201d field shown on the page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Step 2: Get Familiar With the Map Tool\u2019s Features<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>Next, go to&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/property_search\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">map view<\/a>&nbsp;and click on the gray button that reads \u201cMove Map to Search?\u201d located at the bottom left of the map. This will put a check mark in the white box, and you will see a list of properties in the right-hand side panel. These are the properties that are currently showing in the map view window.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Try moving the map around with the hand tool ,  as you do that, the properties in the right-hand panel change and show whatever is in the map window. Is that cool or what?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/education\/walkthrough-move-map-search\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"411\" src=\"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/education\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/movemap-optimized.gif\" alt=\"Move map to search feature\" class=\"wp-image-1276\" \/><\/a><figcaption>Our Move Map to Search Feature &#8211; Click for Video Tutorial<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p> Our Move Map to Search Feature ,  Click for video tutorial<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s time to get really jiggy. At the top of the map screen, you will see a hand and chevron icon side by side. Click on the chevron and the curser will turn into a plus sign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At this point, you can choose to view the map in satellite mode or traditional map mode by clicking on the small white panel at the top of the map. For what it\u2019s worth, my preference is the traditional map view.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You will then be able to manipulate the map in all directions and zoom in using the wheel on your mouse or the plus and minus buttons on the bottom right of the map.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Step 3: Set Up Your Farm Area<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>Now the fun begins! Select an area that you\u2019re familiar with and zoom in.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the map window, you will see blue, red, and green map pins that denote properties coming up for sale, properties that have cancelled the sale, and properties that have sold, respectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Draw a polygon shape on the map by clicking the left mouse button and dragging it to another point. You will see a thick black line; click and move on to the second point, then the third point, and so on until you have completed the shape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/education\/walkthrough-draw-map-to-search\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"411\" src=\"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/education\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/ezgif-7-764d4d56dcb6.gif\" alt=\"Draw on Map feature for Farm Searches\" class=\"wp-image-1273\" \/><\/a><figcaption>Our Draw On Map Tool &#8211; Click for Instructional Video<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p> Our Draw On Map Tool ,  Click for instructional video<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The area you have created will gray out and place all the properties within it on the right-hand panel. Additionally, you can double-click any of the pins inside the shaded area of your polygon to get the complete details of the property.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Step 4: Narrow Down the Property Listings<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>Now that you have set up your farm, it\u2019s time to filter down to your preferred property types.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Simply go to the blue bar above the map and put in your preferences, such as the number of beds and baths, square footage, and listing type (e.g., single-family home, condo, etc.).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You also have the option to drill down further by clicking on the \u201cMore Filters\u201d tab and refining your search.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once this step is completed, some of the map pins will disappear because they did not match your criteria. In some cases all of the pins will disappear, but don\u2019t worry; this happens&nbsp;because not one of the properties in the shaded area of your drawn shape matches your preferences. However, tomorrow, next week, or a month further down the line, a property or properties may become available at auction or by a wholesaler who posted a deal to the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/property_search\/?view_type=wholesalerView\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">wholesaler section<\/a>&nbsp;of PropertyOnion.com. When a property is added, you will be notified immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Step 5: Save Your Search<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s time to save this map drawing as a search. Go to the panel above the property details section, click on the file icon, and fill out the simple form that pops up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Give the search a name like \u201cMy Real Estate Farm\u201d or whatever you like. By providing your email address or cell number, you will be notified every time a new property matching your property preferences becomes available in your drawn area. Now come on ,  that\u2019s cool, isn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Refine_Your_Real_Estate_Farming_Strategy_for_Optimal_Success\"><\/span>Refine Your Real Estate Farming Strategy for Optimal Success<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s a tip I learned from a PropertyOnion.com member at one of&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.meetup.com\/Cocktails-and-Real_Estate\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">our Meetups<\/a>. They use the real estate farming method in a slightly different but extremely effective way. Everyone has a favorite road or street that they would like to buy on, but way before PropertyOnion.com\u2019s existence, you had to keep revisiting the county website lists to see if one of your coveted street properties was coming to auction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The process is much simpler with our tool. By simply drawing a thin oblong polygon along the street of your choice and saving it as a search, <strong>you will always be notified when one of your preferred properties is coming to auction<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In October 2019, David Willard, a longtime PropertyOnion.com member, snagged three properties&nbsp;in&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/property_search\/Miami-Dade-County-Hialeah-FL\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Hialeah<\/a>,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/property_search\/Miami-Dade-County-Biscayne-Park-FL\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Biscayne Park<\/a>,&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/property_search\/Miami-Dade-County-Miami-Shores-FL\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Miami Shores<\/a>&nbsp;at the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/property_search\/Miami-Dade-County\" target=\"_blank\">Miami-Dade county foreclosure auction<\/a> by using the street method. He told me that he originally had six, but two got cancelled and one went for more money than he was prepared to pay. The three remaining were \u201csweet deals.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because he knew these roads and the surrounding areas intimately and had local knowledge of what the after repair value (ARV) would be, <strong>David had a distinct advantage and the confidence to bid a lot higher than anyone else<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>David now works this farming method exclusively because he can drill down exactly on his sweet spot using the filters. He explained that a three-bedroom, two-bathroom property at 2,000 square feet or above on one of the roads he likes will move immediately once the rehab is completed for good money. A similar property 600 feet further up and across the intersection is, in his words, \u201ca graveyard.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here is how I work my real estate farm these days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I have several districts in&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/property_search\/Palm-Beach-County\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Palm Beach County<\/a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/property_search\/Broward-County\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Broward<\/a>&nbsp;that I am very familiar with. Properties regularly appear at auction in these areas, likely due to the socioeconomic dynamics of the neighborhoods. However, there are some roads that I don\u2019t like and others that are really good because they are close to popular amenities. By using the street drawing method, I\u2019ve saved over twelve of my ideal locations, and I am always notified when a property becomes available.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I now have better control of the eventual outcome because I possess the local knowledge that my competitors may not. When bidding at auction, we all know<strong> it\u2019s about confidence and having the comfort of knowing what others don\u2019t<\/strong>. That\u2019s what gets you the property!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">PropertyOnion.com\u2019s Map Tool Is Your Key to Profiting from Real Estate Farming<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>This method can completely reshape your real estate farming strategy. I was a little skeptical at first, but I reckon this method has found me at least three properties in the last eight months that I would not have discovered otherwise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Real estate farming is a tried-and-true method for succeeding in real estate. Make sure you add county <a href=\"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/education\/january-2026-florida-foreclosures-surge-32-massive-opportunity-at-county-auction-sales\/\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"71834\" target=\"_blank\">foreclosure<\/a> auctions to your real estate farm now with our help!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let me know how you got on by leaving a comment in the comment box below.<\/p>\n\n<p>Real estate farming around <a href=\"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/education\/florida-foreclosure-county-auctions-mini-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">florida foreclosure county auctions<\/a> is one of the most targeted strategies available, since you can identify exactly which properties and owners are entering distress before the auction date is even set.<\/p>\n<p>Before approaching any pre-foreclosure homeowner identified through your farming strategy, conduct a <a href=\"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/education\/florida-title-search-101-how-to-uncover-hidden-liens-encumbrances-and-red-flags-before-you-bid\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">florida title search<\/a> to understand the full lien picture and calculate whether there is enough equity to make a deal worth pursuing.<\/p>\n<p>Understanding the <a href=\"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/education\/what-is-the-foreclosure-timeline\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">florida foreclosure timeline<\/a> helps you time your outreach to pre-foreclosure homeowners at the right stage, when they are most motivated but still have enough time to sell before the auction date.<\/p>\n<p>Properties you identify through foreclosure farming that go all the way to auction can often be purchased directly at the <a href=\"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/education\/understanding-foreclosure-auctions-in-florida\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">florida foreclosure auctions<\/a> if you could not reach an agreement with the owner beforehand.<\/p>\n<p>Investors who build a systematic farming approach around the <a href=\"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/education\/understanding-foreclosure-laws-in-florida-for-real-estate-investors\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">florida foreclosure laws<\/a> understand exactly what stage each property is at in the legal process and can tailor their approach based on how much time remains before the auction.<\/p>\n<div style=\"background-color:#eef6fd; border-left:5px solid #1a73b8; border-radius:6px; padding:24px 28px; margin:32px 0; font-family:Georgia, serif;\">\n<p style=\"font-size:20px; font-weight:bold; color:#1a3a5c; margin:0 0 10px 0;\">Get Complete Florida Auction Coverage at PropertyOnion<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size:15px; color:#2c4a6e; margin:0 0 14px 0;\">Join <strong>PropertyOnion.com<\/strong> free and immediately access Florida&#8217;s most complete foreclosure auction database, professional research tools, and a growing library of investor eBooks you can download today.<\/p>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/?&#038;reference_member_id=wpposts45&#038;ref2=wpposts45\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" style=\"display:inline-block; background-color:#1a73b8; color:#ffffff; font-family:Arial, sans-serif; font-size:15px; font-weight:bold; padding:12px 24px; border-radius:4px; text-decoration:none;\">Get Free Auction Access Now<\/a>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Using real estate farming foreclosure auctions as a core acquisition strategy is one of the most targeted approaches available, allowing you to identify distressed owners months before properties ever reach the county auction calendar. Using&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":1280,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[211,210,208,123,209,207],"class_list":["post-1267","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-real-estate-investing-articles","tag-advanced-features","tag-draw-on-map","tag-farming","tag-foreclosure-auction","tag-move-map-to-search","tag-real-estate-farm"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/education\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1267","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/education\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/education\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/education\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/education\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1267"}],"version-history":[{"count":31,"href":"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/education\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1267\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13392,"href":"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/education\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1267\/revisions\/13392"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/education\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1280"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/education\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1267"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/education\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1267"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/propertyonion.com\/education\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1267"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}