You can usually request this from a title company or look into public records in your county’s clerk or recorder’s office.If you’re not sure how to navigate this, contacting the auction house or a real estate attorney familiar with foreclosure auctions can help ensure there aren’t surprises.

If I were in your and/or your mother-in-laws shoes, I would go to a local bank and use the free and clear house to secure a $150K+ line of credit. 

Getting blinds for house 1 pick up blinds for house 2 /3 while you there.3.

A conforming loan refers to a type of mortgage that that aligns with the criteria set by the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA).

A chimney on the property completely collapsed—taking part of the roof with it and crashing through the neighbor’s house.

In your case of a fourplex, option 2 should get you a better deal.I would also agree with Bill on how the number of units may not correlate with the value of the property unless it is a large multifamily complex, and sometimes a fourplex or several single family houses would give you better returns. 100% We always recommend conventional first until you can no longer qualify for those. 

If they notice you have another house and your debt to income can't cover it.

Remember, ignorance is NOT a defense in MN on real estate and housing law's, so it's VERY important to actually know them, not just what someone else says they are.  

You've probably heard of big Landlords losing property, but only because they were flagrantly violating Fair Housing, running a slum, or otherwise egregiously violating the law.

So if you buy a 5 bedroom house and rent the spare 4 bedrooms = you can still sell tax-free under the 121 (you just pay back depreciation) If you buy a duplex and rent 1/2 and live in 1/2.