What is the process for purchasing an abandoned home for the purposes of tearing it down to do something more productive with the property? :)

First every property is owned by someone, they are just not being used.

So what you do is find the owner and buy it from them. Often they are abandoned and not used because the owner is wanting far more than it is worth, but sometimes they have went back to the government for taxes and sometimes tied up in estates where several people will not agree on selling.

So you go to the county court house and find out who owns it, the recorder of deeds office. You go to the property tax office and see who is being billied for the taxes and if the taxes are paid up to date.

If the county has taken them for taxes, then they will be sold, ormally once or twice a year at auction