I would advise to explore those issues, uncover their sources, name them and deal with them in a straightforward manner.

Phrasing it that way allows you to just start a conversation and uncover their motivation, or lack thereof.

If your broker agrees, make sure you get it in writing to cover yourself.I won't do anything to ever risk my broker's license and although you may think it's okay, it only takes an audit of your broker's books from the association to uncover this transaction and raise red flags.

If you are growing modestly, you will still uncover the occasional value-add property. 

We do this not to uncover the original purchase price, but to discover what exactly is being assigned to us.Think about it: if there are stipulations in your contract that aren't disclosed in the assignment, how do I know what I'm agreeing to?

From what I have found, motivation cannot be created, only uncovered with good questions, if it is even there to begin with.

I have been browsing lots of different blog posts and forums on BiggerPockets, trying to uncover what content to put in my direct mail letter.

In this instance my assumption is that this was a preexisting condition which should have been uncovered. 

Of course, I had done some digging in advance, since I did uncover that they lived in a place they owned; I initially suspected they might be ready for foreclosure, but no lawsuit (PA is judicial) had yet been filed at the county courthouse. 

Philippe- In terms of large assets I would venture to guess the "future buyers" of a resale would be able to uncover the end of a PILOT program in their due diligence period.