However, there are a few instances where the owner can sell it without paying a realtors commission. 

so to be successful at this end of it means.. you need great contacts at your title company that will give you a lot of information and also do a date down literally on the phone with you.. you catch 97% of what needs to be caught but your still taking risk.you need to be able to prep your own docs.. you need to get the seller to a reputable notary  preferably at a title company your going to end up using to resell so they know the deed was not forged or coerced .. then you need CASH to either pay off the loan that day or reinstate it.. you need great relationships with the trustee's handling these you should be on first name basis with the person in charge of the file.. then you need courier service to run the cashiers checks ( in my instance from Portland to Seattle to NW trustee services). 

I buy with cash when I get a sweet discount for doing so (closing quickly) or buy an odd property (2 homes on one lot or a mobile on land for instance) or one with too many repairs for a bank to lend on.My last cash buy, rehab, rent captured about a 55% equity gain. 

For instance, don’t trust anyone calling claiming to be from the IRS.

In WI for instance, and this goes for most states too, the standard contract that most people end up using has language that allows for the appraisal obtained for mortgage purposes to also be used for the purposes of the appraisal contingency.

I would think you could possibly use the RUBS system in the instance of the single metered house, but you would have to do checking whether you could;d do it legally. 

It's in the negotiations and bullet-proofing the transaction, that they really get to know my worth in most instances.  

I'm usually tipped off because they also pay the rent late.Here is a learning point:  I did have one instance where a tenant was current with their bills but shutoff utilities anyway. 

For instance, I'll bet your lease requires the tenant to provide 60 days intent-to-vacate notice (or less) at the end of the lease term.

Use your standard purchase agreement form and add the Seller Financing Addendum for instances where you need it.Some other search terms to use would be Seller Carryback and Seller Financing.