Q&A: How do I find Long Island foreclosure listings?

Q: Where is the best place to look for foreclosures for sale on Long Island?

Michael Smyth, Glen Cove

A: Finding listings for bank-owned homes can be a challenge. A number of pay websites exist, the most well-known being RealtyTrac. That site lists properties listed with real estate agents as well as those that are scheduled for public auction, says spokeswoman Heather Pond. There is a seven-day trial to use the site; after that, the monthly subscription fee is $59.95.

A number of realtors on Long Island specialize in selling foreclosed properties, including American Way Real Estate, Island Advantage Realty, Cruse Real Estate, NYonlinerealty.com, Options First Realty and Island REO Realty. Search these sites for listings. If you have real estate agent you like working with, he or she can search for foreclosed properties on the Realtor-only Stratus site run by the Multiple Listing Service of Long Island.

There are a number of free sites, including Trulia, where you can search for foreclosures, but they can be clunky to use. At Redfin, for instance, click on "buy" in the upper right-hand corner; under the options menu, uncheck "MLS listings" and "for-sale-by-owner" to get foreclosure listings.

Courthouse auctions are usually every Tuesday morning in Nassau; in Suffolk, they are held at different times on different days at town halls. Call Nassau or the individual towns for more information.

Have a real estate question? E-mail us at realestate@newsday.com. Be sure to include your full name, hometown and, for verification purposes only, a telephone number.

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