Sellers rarely mind the low deposit and extended closing period due to the nature of the property, or at least they can be made aware of the fact that their lot has issues that will take MY time and MY money to solve and then they come around.My terms on the flip are: Minimum 10K spread between purchase and flip value.  1-2K deposit upfront to hold the property for 7 days then the deposit becomes non-refundable after the 7th day and the buyer has the same amount of time that I originally negotiated with seller typically 8-12 months(its a purchase contract but because of contingencies its essentially an option).  

You may also want to check the Columbus OH market - great macroeconomics with lots of job and population growth along with major companies developing here that drive strong rental demand. 

So seller did have a marketable title.

Again, assuming you are looking at groups that do larger deals, there is almost always a press release and it will note who the buyer and/or seller is.  

Look into seller financing or subject to properties in the area that you want to purchase. 

I cold call and go direct to the seller and I have a 3 person team that pretty much just calls all day long for me.

This has been the most successful model I have seen in real estate.This goes 100% against every guru and investor the past 5 years of get rich quick of buy, rehab, rent and refinance with little money - that video game is out of order so the gurus need to reinvest themselves and they are trying with seller financing and zero down.

The restrictions vary by location, but they can impact guest satisfaction and demand.

ci=Bismarck&st=Nor...This will help you determine how much demand there is and whether or not you can charge enough to cover your expenses and hopefully produce some cash flow for you.

Schools are solid, demand is high, and I think that you'll see an increase in housing prices in the future.