My broker also received a few subject to offers and when looked them up in public records on other properties he say Notice of Defaults.

Many you have to have a full Brokers license not just a Sales license.

Mike licensed Mortgage lender who can do residential owner occ loans is what a RMLO is.they are tough to find because most work for a broker that will not allow one offs.. when I was current with my RMLO license I thought about setting up for this business but too much work for to little money.RMLO needs to be a state licensed mortgage lender and NMLS registered to do owner occ loans. 

A local broker/investor has recently bought a tax lien for the house next door to us.

Given the size of the transactions generally offered on crowdfunding sites, there aren’t enough secondary trades large enough to make the economics work systematically (besides the regulatory constraints) for Broker/Dealers to be incentivized to help LPs to redeem their positions via a sale/transfer to a new investor before the end of the investment period. 

What is you guys best ways to find true private lenders not "brokers". 

You will find many resource here that are more than willing to help you out with just about anything.I am a broker on the lending side of things and have a fairly solid presence in TX. 

Start growing your network, look on Facebook/BiggerPockets for different events, find a mentor doing what you want to do, and get to know the local lenders/brokers.

I am a Broker

As a Broker myself in California I woulld say hands down a 7 day listing for an exchange of a buyer is in your favor.