If what you say is true and the deed went into the trust, that's likely where it is now and maybe that's why it never sold or went to these "heirs", because the trust says it's supposed to go to the cat or something... or the trustee has no idea what they are doing and if they don't clean up their act they could get nailed. 

I haven't nailed down a specific market yet, and I don't have much insight. 

@chris @Chris Mason nailed it. 

Everyone seems to have nailed it already, but one thing I could add is to provide proof of funds upfront. 

I hits the nail on the head, and in my opinion applies not only to banks but other businesses as well. 

This is where you compare features (such as garages/pools/beds and baths etc.) of the subject property with the comps, assign a dollar amount to those features, and then adjust the sales price of the comps up or down as appropriate before calculating the subject's ARV based on those adjusted comps.This will hopefully help you nail down a more accurate ARV for your property.Feel free to reach out if you have any questions.

@Nathan WaldenTerrell nailed it on the head.

I can’t find any articles or advice on how to preserve my credit score while investing.

@Randy D Visser, you can save time by hiring an independent process server for "nail and mail" service you can get the same day you file your lawsuit. 

I'd nail an eviction notice to your friend's front door so fast her head would spin, and do everything in my power to make absolutely sure that an eviction ended up recorded permanently in Prince George's County books, so that any search in the future would expose it.And then your friend would never be able to sign a lease in the USA to live in any apartment where national record checks are run on possible tenants.