questions about land contracts.

[Benjamin Cowles]

how do you protect your investment in a property someone else owns?

how do you keep liens/encumbrances off the title?

If the seller already has a mortgage in place, one that could foreclose on the property, would you insist on taking the "deed subject to"?

how do you know the seller is using your payments to pay the T&I?

when flippinga/assigning a land contract, how typical and easy or not is it? is it standard or something to be emphasized at some point as an option before signing anything? I'm thinking from a seller's pov that my trust is being transferred to a stranger. isn't that something a seller should think twice about or should the deal have been structured so that the actual entity/person you're selling to makes little/no difference?

Thanks!