If a problem arises with the property, the City will attempt to contact the owner and hold them accountable.

It would seem the only contact they are able to make is between their bank and my credit card.Any insight or advice would be greatly appreciated  

An uncontested foreclosure is often the best way to resolve issues with subordinate lien holders though I've also contacted some and explained they were about to be named in a foreclosure and suggested that could be avoided if they just released the property from their judgment/lien.

Quote from @Michael Challenger: I would connect with local people at meetups, that might give you some contacts for private money.

If you know any qualified applicants you can have them contact me.

It looks like Privy is a great tool for identifying investment properties by using up to date MLS data.

From using data to identify emerging markets to building tools that automate property analysis or management, your skills could really give you an edge.

You also need to change all contact information to you - all email, phone, address. 

Wholesale, foreclosure, and seller financing can work too, but I’ve noticed that careful analysis and having reliable local contacts often deliver the best results over time.So as you two gear up for your first flip, how are you balancing the potential risk with your long-term goal of buying rentals?

There was a lot of data in your first post about brands, and the like and things got off the rails.So, as I see it, you would be selling a business.