Since I use BP almost exclusively on an iPad, I'm off the grid until it works on an iPad again!

Raising money is mutually exclusive idea to buying a note or even making a note.  

My first deal was my best friend and he wouldn't even sign the contract to work exclusively with me because I hadn't taken the class on those contracts and what they are for, how they work etc.

Sometime though, there are properties that may get more individual attention if you let the buyers think they have an exclusive shot at a deal.

In a year or two you could decide to sell your current primary and take the gain exclusion which is tax free to pay off the other two rentals and convert the newest rental into your primary residence and move into it.

Yes if you have an exclusive buyer agency agreement with them.

., newspapers, blogs, or business trade publications) to know the area well?

Make sure you are putting your ad in multiple sites, newspapers etc.  

I don't imagine any eviction notices would be published in the local press, mainly because of space and manpower issues (not to mention, most newspapers keep far away from landlord-tenant disputes).However, the info itself should be public information that is readily available, regardless of state, because it is a legal action and can be found in court records.

The getting into debt part is also not something that is exclusive to gurus, hell, there are 100s, probably 1000s, of posts on BP forums promoting the same type of strategy that they use.