Still, some are primarily in the BP blog and are posting on articles there daily.But, I still see some great investors on here and really good responses.Patience, persistence and authenticity are the magic ingredients to building great relationships, and even a great reputation if that is what you are after, here on BP. 

This is a great question, but I suspect you're more knowledgeable than 99% of the rest of us so you may be asking the wrong crowd for advice ; ) Personally, I'd have to go the simplest route and I know it's doable.

I'd never say never, but it would be tough even in a buyer's market and this isn't a buyer's market.To do the job you're doing, you have the most important ingredient to be successful - you know how to work.

This is the simplest method, but it also means your tenants are more likely to abuse the utilities by leaving windows open with the heat or A/C running, leaving lights on, ignoring the toilet that constantly flushes on its own, etc.3.

@Monica Davies Yes a lease purchase option is simplest.

The question that it would bring up to me is the seller aware of disclosure laws in the state because I suspect in most states a seller is required to disclose known defects they can't simple state "as-is" like when selling a car and not tell the buyer material defects with the property. 

If mom had no spouse, the living children (in the simplest scenario -- no dead children who have descendants) own the property by operation of law.

This is called "cost of goods" just like parts of a computer or food ingredients. 

I'm thinking this is the easiest and simplest way to do it and most likely what I'll be doing as well.

The simplest LLC a single member LLC is a disregarded entity by the IRS and the taxes are rolled right into your personal taxes as if it didn't exist at all!