I can't take a chance on felons, even though they, in many cases may be a better bet than some the losers with which I've had to deal. 

I would bet the attic is the 3rd br so it's really about 1k- 1200 sq ft overall. 90% of the props in all of Cleveland have converted the attic to make it a 3 br.

I’ve left two messages with her broker, and tried to email from emails I find on the internet but they are coming back undeliverable.

One thing I would add is to include the actual speed of the internet you provide.

NEVER send up front money to any lender that you met on the internet.. the only money you should pay for is a 3rd party appraisal and your check should go straight to the appraiser. 

How hard will it be to bet appropriate permits for the alterations (2 rooms and bathroom). 

Established developers with a history of successful projects are generally safer bets. 

If you really have a passion for this, you may want to follow and/or try to talk to developers in this food group, such as H5 Data Centers, PointeOne Development Corp, EdgeCore Internet Real Estate, Compass Datacenters, et al.

Right now I would imagine you're best bet is a small balance Freddie or fannie loans depending on loan size and location.

No current liens but these properties have tax deeds, not warranty deeds if that matters.That as-is value is going to make obtaining financing more difficult for sure.Financing options drop off pretty steeply below a certain dollar amount because foreclosure costs for lenders can be significant.Your best bet may be to connect with some local private lenders (local investor meetups/referrals are a good starting point for this) or local banks.