In the case mortgage foreclosure, I usually offer to pay for the existing mortgage and give them a little extra to move.

You have acquired skills that are worth 500k, so maybe you can translate that into an adjacent career path and leverage your existing skills?

This is one area where it helps tremendously to have per-existing relationships with people in the industry such as family or friends.

Jason - First, we care about our users, which is why our policies exist. 

I have actually cashed out a lot of my IRA now bc I have so much depreciation from RE that my tax bracket is very low and the taxes to pay on the IRA withdrawal are also pretty much non existent (taking aside the penalty). 

Think of the California DMV..Defaults and Foreclosures : Not yet on the radar for most, is that the existing liabilities and mortgages need to be satisfied…either by insurance pay outs or other means.

got out of flipping to new construction in our market in columbus ohio. licensed general contractor. when interest rates got high single family existing went down by 30% new builds sold at a 6% increase that year which demonstrated the desire and premium that new construction commands. never looking back. total control, rinse and repeat. we can get permits in 28 days. we can buy land cash in 21 days. we can build in 120 days to 140 days and keep moving. super scalable and easy and no risk. we build the same 2-3 Floorplans 

If the structure on the property is determined to have no value, be careful when you consider paying the “value of the land”.The value of raw land is different than the value of land with an existing structure, even if the structure has no value.  

The existing owner has it in a trust but it is not his primary residence. 

If you can't find existing meetups, create your own by organizing casual gatherings for like-minded investors.