Making sure you are doing more hours than any other party can be tricky, which is why you should regularly monitor your hours and the activity of your vendors. 

How can I incentivize them to add me as an interested party if they choose to get renters insurance, have you had any experience with this?

-reliable "handyman" who can deal with minor repairs (make sure licensed and insured)-tenant self-inspection app or use third party service for inspections-vendors to service home functions, e.g. plumbing, electrical, HVAC, etc.

Just trying to find some history of what they’ve done and how they’ve performed from an unbiased third party.

However, there is a concept in law that the parties of a dispute must try to resolve the issue before just coming to court.

One part I would love to understand better is how do we go about differentiating from a design and furnishing standpoint, particularly furnishings?

Moreover, neither party seems very interested in my goal to build my RE portfolio. 

You can also drive by the property and perform a visual inspection before the auction date.Look for REO homesIf a home doesn’t sell to a third-party at auction, it becomes a real estate-owned (REO) home.

It's important to proceed with caution and ensure that all parties involved are treated fairly.

You can always negotiate changes to an existing contract as long as all parties agree.