The market here is competitive but there are plenty of renters and I think betting on long term appreciation of prices in residential is a safe bet.

I'd run it by them, and if you send your specifics to @Mindy Jensen, I bet she'd take the time to offer you authoritative feedback too.The '@-mentions' for Manolo, Andrew and Joe didn't turn blue for some reason so I suspect they won't be notified of the mention.  

Amanda Moore I think your best bet is meeting with some locals like Dean above.

I would bet that a recorded lien would cloud the title to the point that a title company would not issue title insurance on the property without a lien release. 

I know Condos tend to be a little more susceptible to market trends, but if I am just looking for a good rental,  are they a safe bet?

My guess is that it will be a pretty big chunk of change to replace them and whether the return on investment would be worthwhile - I don't know but I'd bet no.  

Maybe I'm missing something that makes Pittsboro a bad area, as I haven't looked into it deeply, but If you are thinking about placing a bet on growth over the next ten years, then it could be worth investigating. 

I'd bet the price for any station for sale just jumped up 10-15% like the remaining gas in tanks... if there is any left. http://www.wral.com/nc-stations-run-out-of-gas-aft...

I bet not. 

If you have been at it long enough to have all the returns and financials the bank needs, but still have no luck securing the funds, Hard, Private or Asset Based loans are going to be your best bet.