Banks don't do Heads you win, tails they loose. 

I could see realtors loosing a majority of their function for facilitating sales outside of being buyers reps.

I don't think an insurance company could legally be able to be so therefore your liability should be contained within the bounds of anyone else doing the job.

If they are multiple years behind they are likely not going to come up with the money and would rather get something rather than nothing.I have also made loans at high interest rates to people who didn't want to loose their house.

You find motivated sellers same way a wholesaler would, however now you are seen as a professional & you have 1,000's of other agents at your disposal to help you market for buyers.......Sound a lot better than blasting up craigslist ads & praying you sell the house in those 30 days before you loose that earnest money?

Its easy to loose a month if not more when turning a unit. 

I would search the web for HELOC's I have seen offers for up to 125% again so the lending is getting loose like before 2007   

Then also consider what if the place doesn't rent right away, or you loose your job even.

Going to any other market will cause you to loose your entire edge.If investors are not available, is it good good to take a hard money loan? 

Galvanized inside the house rarely actually leaks or breaks, by the way - the bigger problem is the pipe corrodes so bad internally that you get ridiculously low flow & water pressure from the line, and bits of corrosion break loose and clog internal water passages in appliances, get caught in valve seats, etc.