@Mike Cumbie  Mystery solved - after having difficulty with the short sale, the owner signed over the property to an investor who gave her some money and then the investor was supposed to handle the loan with the bank. 

@Jay Hinrichs , you'd be amazed how often the mystery of something like that intrigues beyond normal behavior. 

I'm holding my breath here because of the mystery.

The probability of a title co 'missing' a tax lien is just absurd.. then on receipt of a complaint from the buyer, title co mysteriously closes (ceases to exist) but same agent is operating at the same address under some other name?

For example, let's say I do find a house and buy, then how to screen a tenant and all that is all a mystery.

And really its not mystery  there is only a few ways to contact a seller.1.

I'm sorry to hear it :( IF your PM has you set up on an owner portal on a management software site (like Hemlane, Appfolio, Yaardi, Buildium, etc) then check there for updates and financial information -- perhaps the PM has updated it before something came up.IF you have any contact information for the tenant, you might reach out to them to see if they have heard from the PM in the mysterious time-frame.IF you try all you can try and still cannot get in touch with them, it seems like the next move would be to speak with their local Real Estate Commission. 

There is no real mystery or magic to it, no silver bullet.

Keep in mind in the context of turn key company as its bandied about on BP.. is simply a company that buys and renovates homes and instead of putting them on the MLS  they sell them to their clients or through a net work of brokers Mainly on the west coast who specialize in selling renovated rentals in various cities.There is no mystery to this.. you can if you wish just go to a good agent in a market you like and get the MLS feeds.. properties are going to be priced the same maybe more maybe less ..

That way there's this mysterious third party (such as your cat) that you invent and have to call to approve things.