Long story short, she vacated but refused to turn in her keys so we couldn’t take possession.

Tenant will also need to have their own renter's insurance to cover their possessions in case of fire, flood, etc.

And while you may have good intentions of wanting the family to profit from the sale you are better served to take possession back, sell it yourself and then if you want to give the family money, you can do that. 

For a landlord policy I only have 5k in personal property which covers my appliances but none of the renters possessions since that’s where renters insurance comes in.  

And yes, if your new tenants cannot take possession due to another tenant not leaving, then you are in for a mess to untangle.  

After a tax certificate sale in Alabama, the investor is entitled to possession and in some circumstances can make improvements to the property.

After a tax certificate sale in Alabama, the investor is entitled to possession and in some circumstances can make improvements to the property.

Without going into excess detail,  I believe only one of them would have a valid adverse possession claim, based on the dates the houses and fences went in.The crazy thing is that even Google maps clearly shows the conflict between the lot lines and their fences and sheds.

I'm NOT a lawyer and I'm only commenting to further the discussion, but my understanding of contract law means he takes possession of the property and the lease on the date of closing which means he is entitled to pro-rated rent.

1) Pursue cash-for-keys, but make sure you pay NOTHING until they are out AND sign letter giving up possession of property and any personal possessions they leave behind.