Not sure about WA state, but actual foreclosures are typically sold at the county’s courthouse and most states require the sale be public with public notices posted. There are usually certain online or print media that offer these ‘listings’ similar to businesses that post DBA notices. Usually, these sales require you to bring cash to make the purchase.
Most people when they talk about buying a foreclosure, however, mean they want to buy a home that’s been foreclosed. Once a bank forecloses on a home, unless it’s sold at the auction (usually meaning that a cash offer has come in exceeded what the bank was owed), it’s returned to the bank.
At this point, the bank will generally list the home with a Realtor. So if you plan on financing a home, you most likely are looking at buying the homes returned to the bank (these are called REOs – Real Estate Owned (by the bank)).
SO – if this is what you want, a local Realtor will be happy to sent you listings for free, arrange to show you the properties, etc. This costs you nothing directly, as the bank (seller) pays the commission for their services.
Also, if this is what you’re talking about, please don’t exclude traditional sales from your home search. Because once these ‘foreclosed’ homes are listed for sale, they are not always such a great deal.