Then today I called and her phone was disconnected, and the emails I sent over the weekend and today have not been answered...

Also, be sure to reconnect the vent if your previous tenant disconnected it because of the noise.Exterior.

I feel like some of the other services have this disconnect between inquiry and application so I want to bridge that gap.  

Many of these people have disconnected their phone and few investors call on them. 

Space heaters heat up the electrical pretty good and it is possible that once on for a while it causes a disconnect somewhere and as it cools down it again makes connection.

If the neighbor disconnected their downspouts from the drains 50 years ago all that water plus the yard rainfall and irrigation could be flowing onto this property.  

Most home we can take down in 48 hours of the permit but some times you have to let the city disconnect the gas ,electric and maybe water get a public space permit for your cans if its not on your property get letters for abject neighbors informing them of the work so not as easy as getting a back hoe and a few cans to make it happen. a few factors if your friend get hurt if Miss utility mark that the power is off and it is still on did that before that cause us a problem and we do this on a regular base.Most places you have to get a demo permit make sure all utilities are off and if you still want to go for it, if it is touching another house no way to much risk get a pro.

Three days ago his phone was disconnected so since communication is imperative right now, we paid for it to be refilled.

Also, I think there are enough moving pieces in your situation (your income, the income that is being brought into the picture by your wife, the connected-but-disconnected nature of your brother in the equation, etc.) that it's worth talking directly to an attorney and/or tax professional - given the money and complexity involved, likely best to get the *right* answer rather than a cheap answer from BP.

After - not so much.Just on this forum are plenty of topic on the subject: house bought in PA at foreclosure where the owner won't leave and the litigation still going, about inherited tenant who finally get kicked out but it's a headache - all that you can avoid if make sure you have all the paperwork done.I was in situation before: I bought a house at foreclosure and there were people living in the house.You can't disconnect their utilities, you can't evict them, no legal recourse besides starting process of ejectment.I stopped by, introduced myself as an agent of the Buyer and offered some help with moving and other things.