Checking the Property before Bidding on it
You should drive by to the estate to discover out what condition it is in. If by chance you can get inside the house the better but since the homeowner is not likely to let you get inside. If people are still living in the house, you can make an assumption, more often than not, that people inside is using water and electricity.
On the other hand, you have to assume that house needs at least the some basic cosmetic repairs or replacements: carpet, paint, new appliances, new kitchen cabinets, and new vanity in the bathrooms. If the property is unoccupied try to take a peek inside the windows. You must be conservative with your fix-up estimates when you got a little information about the property you want to bid.