Why are foreclosure listings a good barter and how to find the details of listing?

Foreclosure listings are rising since a few years even though the economic downturn has shown signs of improving. More foreclosure houses are available for sale nevertheless good side of it is foreclosure houses are good bargain to buy as they are cheaper than the market rate.  
To start with you need to identify if you are an individual buyer that is, you want to buy a single house or an investor who invests in couple of properties and look to get returns on it?
As an individual, one need not go in depth in finding foreclosure listings. Few easily available aids should suffice. But, how does one obtain information about foreclosure listings?  Start right at home. Take your newspaper in the morning and start looking at the classified section and the real estate column. It is definite that one will find it here as by rule they have to be circulated in the local newspaper. 
Another simple means to find foreclosure listings is online. Several websites provide free information on foreclosure listings. Others require signing up for a trial period or asking for a paid membership. The free listings may not contain full and apt facts, but if one is not tight for time it is a good platform to initiate a search in comparison to the paid websites, that offer comprehensive information for a fee which can be obtained later via phone call or a visit to the place.
If one is not satisfied or cannot find enough data from the above sources, the local county court, Housing and Urban Development department and their website list properties that are put up for foreclosures are some other sources.
As an individual the above will be adequate but as an investor, endeavour to adopt other approach than the above for example putting an advert in the local newspaper mentioning your requirements. Spread a word of mouth among your office colleagues and friends. Find further information from various banks, asset management companies and mortgage houses. They are the first one to know which property will be added to the foreclosure listings. A real estate agent too maintains data of foreclosure listings in the local area and other states as well.