While I don't like how much cash it takes, I am not exactly upset about the cash flow.

He said he owns and operates a portfolio of I think he said 50 units in a low income area for now over 30 years and he said he is not even close to a million to retire on: he was pretty upset, so we looked into it a bit.

Buyers hear the "upset price" (basically, that is the amount that the attorney states the bank will bid up to, so that a real buyer starts above that) and underbid it, dragging out the time it takes to auction a property that ends up back with the bank because the bidder wasn't going to top that bank's position.

Assume people will lie and be a pain and be pleasantly surprised when they are not rather than think everyone is honest and fair and be upset when they are not.  

It is OK with me if there are some errors i.e. if there is no property in probate but I do not want the recipient of my letter be upset with me.

If that is the case finding the owner is no problem it is on the eviction records at the courthouse.Stay out of war zones, drive by the property, is it even worth chasing, check to see if owner owns other properties, if they do they are not likely to sell because this is upsetting but not upsetting enough to sell at a highly discounted price.

That's an easy way of communicating to the seller what you're doing without having them get upset over an assignment of the contract.

The founding fathers were upset about taxation without representation, among other things.

When the properties were announced the representing attornies would give the minimum bid then announce there Upset Price.

There is a 10 day upset period after the sale.