Banks have a servicing companies that work to bring the home up to standards for the buyer you would need to obtain a list of those companies, google search may assist.
http://www.lynn911.com http://www.homes-for-sale-dallas.com

I have not heard about this. I'm sure it happens sometimes. Typically they really don't want to know what's wrong. In my opinion there's no reason for the bank to do an inspection. You might want to try to go to the five star conference on foreclosures and ask around. There will be lots of booths and contacts to be made there.

Start a relationship with a realtor who specializes in the foreclosure market in your area.