Quote from @Jamie Banks: This is very possible but as mentioned, very market specific. 

Would the bank go after them? 

Quote from @Wesley Yu: Point him to the law and how he failed to give you notice.If you want to be nice, offer to compensate him for some of the cost, since it is technically your property.

Septic field lines failed forcing me to build elgin system in the front yard and put a motor to pump sewer water from backyard to front yard. 

I'm looking to apply these skills to lending/mortgage banking, investment/property management, acquisitions or development. 

That’s how the buyers have been paying for their own realtor and then paying bank interest on the commission, while the bank financed an inflated price. 

I have read LLC's are not the best to buy real estate with it being difficult to get loans from banks due the limited liability. should I put these properties under my name, or should create some sort of corporation/llc to put my properties under. 

A local bank approved me a 200k home equity loan at 7.5% at $1,447/mo and currently talking to mortgage originator about refi options.

**Local Credit Unions & Regional Banks**: Many local financial institutions in South Carolina offer investor-friendly loan products and might be more flexible with terms for a cash-out refi.

If you refinance you are going to lose a % of your money in refinance cost to the bank and (I assume), get a higher interest rate.