While I do have good relationships with all my sellers, I safeguard myself by depositing my payments directly in their bank accounts.

How successful you might be has alot to do with your knowledge in establishing trust with a seller, if they see you as the solution to a problem Michael's approach can work (not knowing his approach, but from his comment) and personality, professionalism and your track record will have a bearing on making a deal successful with any sub-2.In most deals, you'll be putting money down, if you're less motivated sellers, the normal deals, and putting in safeguards discussed here on BP can help swing a seller to your thinking.

It's simply that many in the business aren't aware of the role real estate plays in our economic system, the social impact, the protection of the public, that equity is usually the highest financial value many families have and why it is safeguarded as it is.