@Matthew R CrawfordThat's a shame that happened to you.I don't know much about these super high-priced real estate coaches, but I suspect that the only people that may benefit are extremely high net worth individuals that for whatever reason have no knowledge/connections in real estate.Meaning, it's a filter. 

As the previous owner now happily taking advantage of you the investor some courts feel the short sale and rent back was a sham transaction and the prior owner still has equitable interests in the house that you think you own 100%.  

That being said, one of the things I'm working on, and might work in your situation, is not being ashamed to make low offers.  

It sounds like I made the right decision in moving forward with the lower priced appraisal since this was my personal valuation but it was definitely a shame that the market (buyers) were willing to pay much more.

I know plenty it's a shame John obviously hasn't met them.

I’ve seen the magic of leverage first hand in conducting LBOs of tech companies and I’m ashamed I didn’t move into real estate sooner.

A decent lawyer who did his research would find out and said your LLC was a sham and you had pierced the corporate veil of your protection of the LLC and therefore your personal assets or any other asset in your personal name would be exposed potentially. 

While I’m sure it’s possible to bring a civil action against someone who has cancer I would be ashamed to be a plaintiff in that action.

Having 40K sitting dead is a shame.

Until I got into real estate I never realized the emotional attachment that takes place with a building . it’s a shame but what can you do