Paperwork (deed of trust and promissory note) will be signed and notarized in Kansas, although the investor will close at a title company in Missouri and they will record the deed of trust.Should my choice of laws section read Kansas or Missouri?

Also the insurance market is "hardening" which means most people, state farm or not, are going to start seeing rate increases on all types of insurance.

At a minimum I would do is to have a written agreement signed and notarized.

Depends if the title company require that you be there or not. Are

I have a Promissory Note from a tenant who left for X reason, all I know is they left and signed a Promissory Note, notarized and they failed to complete the tasks and items on the Note.

You could also get that agreement notarized.

Is it enough to conjure up your own contract on word and put a statement at the top that says "this is a legally binding contract", or do you have to get it notarized or do something special for this document to hold up in court if needed.I am just starting to get my feet wet in real estate, am sole owner of a condo in Malden, MA and 1/2 owner of a two family property in New Bedford, MA that net a positive cash flow of $450.00/month.I ask just this to increase education and knowledge giving my current investments.  

Assuming all goes well, on Friday it'll be signed and notarized.

If this docuement is to be notarized how would that be effective over the phone?

These would cost you somewhere in the $1500 range in Tennessee as opposed to $2500-$3500 for a simple quiet title action.I'm picking up the notarized order signed by the judge tomorrow on a quiet title action pursuant to a tax sale on a property I own.Tennessee is a lien priority state, so when your tax deed is prepared in Chancery Court you need to immediately pick it up and record it.