Vanessa
When you say the daughter was deeded off the property, what did the new the deed say about tenancy? I doubt that there was a right of survivorship but you never know.
The daughter is the lawful owner, she is just not on recorded title to the property.
Also, were there any other children or potential heirs? You do not say but you do not want to land in an estate fight. If there are other heirs, then there is that potential even if the will said daughter is to get the property. There still may be a need to open a probate, but that will depend on your jurisdiction.
Now will the daughter sign a deed and a contact for sale? Or give her some cash for a deed to get her off as the owner? A simple purchase contract referencing her as the heir of the will and the rightful owner would suffice. I would ask for a copy of the will which would show her as the new lawful owner. You want to keep track of the title to avoid title issues down the road.
The great thing is that the daughter is on the mortgage so see if she will sign an undated authorizations allowing you to speak to the mortgage company or their representative about your plans as a family member who is taking over the property. I would prefer two of these authorizations as there is usually a time limit of 60 -90 days on how long the authorizations are good for.
After you gain control of the ownership, contact the mortgage company and bring the loan current before starting any rehab work.
Good luck
Steve
