This has opened many doors to successful investors in Los Angeles and I've also learned a tremendous amount about real estate.

I would guess that the number of properties that are owned free and clear that don't need the money immediately may even shrink that pool even further.What if your seller had the ability to sell his/her note for cash at a discount after approx 6 months? 

For the siding, maybe talk to a neighbor or 2 with bad siding and see if they’d be interested in a replacement too for a discount and get the siding guys to throw you all a discount.

If you don't do this, you are essentially giving the buyer a discount on the sales price.

You've received some tremendously good advice here - listen to it.3.

They buy for cash at steep discounts, repair the issue and sell or refi.  

Excess acreage, usually over 5 acres or what is common for homes in the area will be discounted or ignored as to value with Fannie/Freddie, VA, and FHA mortgages, USDA can take more land value, depends on the region, but my guess would be 20 acres.

@Manolo D.Depends on what kind of discount you can get on a property and it's condition and if you intend to sell or lease.  

It will just make since, if you buy into it with 30% equity because you bought at a discount and the arv is pretty high on top of that, a person with the means would be crazy not to want a piece of the pie.You can't predict the future, but in this business you can come close.

The problem that I have come across in writing up most offers for these investors looking to wholesale or flip is that their offers are 65%-70% of asking price when these properties are already listed at a discount.