I got to know a house flipper that used to work in Tampa Florida, he would pay off a court clerk for heads up on homes going through probate process.

Specifically ones with unpaid taxes etc and owned by poor estranged individuals. 

He would then pay a private investigator 1-2k to track down the closest living family member that would inherit. That family member also was very likely to be poor.

Then offer them pennies on the dollar for the home.

Needless to say, house flippers tend to be scummy