[header] How to acquire abandoned property [title] Make sure it's actually abandoned. [step] Just because a house is vacant or appears run-down doesn't necessarily mean it's abandoned. [substeps] The problem with taking control of an abandoned piece of real estate is that somebody does technically own it, even if they don't live in it or take care of it. 
Generally speaking, real estate can never be abandoned, because there will always be the name of an owner recorded on the deed for the property. But that doesn't mean that whoever owns it still wants to own it.