Find out who the person is handling the affairs.

So my tenant died last FRI 9/28 (not in the unit) and now his family is here handling his affairs.

For what you're paying to manage, it should be a pretty hands off affair so refi-till-you-die and use that equity to (as N-Sync would say) buy-buy-buy

FHA/VA REQUIRED PROVISION: I f the financing described above involves FHA insured or VA financing, it is expressly agreed that, notwithstanding any other provision of this contract, the purchaser (Buyer) shall not be obligated to complete the purchase of the Property described herein or to incur any penalty by forfeiture of earnest money deposits or otherwise: (i) unless the Buyer has been given in accordance with HUD/FHA or VA requirements a written statement issued by the Federal Housing Commissioner, Department of Veterans Affairs, or a Direct Endorsement Lender setting forth the appraised value of the Property of not less than $ ; or (ii) if the contract purchase price or cost exceeds the reasonable value of the Property established by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

There is a law library in Salem at the new super combined legal court center (or whatever they are calling it these days).You probably will want to look at 4,5,6, as those are generally about a fight regarding the property ownership where one party wants to sell and the other doesn't or who owns what percentage of the property. 7 is straight probate. 12 may get you something where a person can't manage their affairs and some one is appointed over them.

Our auto-responder is a home grown affair I've integrated into our mail transfer agent (MTA); it's all UNIX based.

But know that (where I'm at) they are all cash affairs.  

I probably won't be buying until the summer at the earliest, but I'd be interested to try to pick some of your wisdom on the current state of affairs of the Houston RE market and to let you know what I'm looking for so you could keep your eye out.

Oh yeah--21 years in military as well (Air Force--TACP / Space Officer /Politico-Military Affairs officer).  

As far as the current state of affairs....