You might also meet title agents who have resources on, say, foreclosures or probates…and might recommend lenders who actually lend on more difficult projects (as the title companies also know which lenders can close and which are difficult).I also go visit open houses to see what sorts of finish to put on my renovations or to look for the next house or area in which to purchase.  

It is very beneficial to help you make the right connections!

It is sometimes better not to sell to this buyer than deal with the year long headaches that follow.

Have you not been following along here Josh?

After collecting tenant pass-throughs for the year, do you pay the property taxes at the end of the year or the beginning of the next year?

And the more there is, the more log jammed the system get's, the longer they all take. 

Including most of the big malls like The Galleria in Dallas and the Stonebriar in Frisco.   

The savings from either will be many times the cost of the lawyer.  

First, all properties that appreciate the appreciation is based on the property value, not the equity. 

The overall LTV (including all 3 mortgages) will be key and your selling point will need to be that the 2nd mortgage ($8k) will burn off in 2.5 years (based on your surprise that it was even out there, I'd recommend that you follow up in 2.5 years and ensure that it's been satisified, so that it doesn't surprise you again in the future).Does the $8k grant vest over the 5 years?