As @Dave Metsker suggests, you can time the release of funds to keep your PR seller and estate heir/beneficiaries in a cooperative mood (and avoid adversarial threats from disgruntled family).

As long as there are no threats, no lies, no intimidation, and all parties enter into agreements willingly, it is perfectly ethical.Another thing to consider when people buy "steals" is the convenience they provide. 

Recording a deed is constructive notice but title companies, being in the risk business, want to eliminate all foreseeable threats from other potential heirs, claimants and creditors.As a wholesaler, you ought to know more about title and what is required since the key to wholesaling is both identifying opportunities to solve problems and adding value by actually solving them.

Your threats about repercussions and reporting to credit bureaus really carry little weight.

Did anybody else read the NY Times article about iBuying this week? For those who don't know, iBuying is essentially an instant offer solution for individuals that want to sell their homes. The seller uploads a few pi...

I have some in the paper asset stock funds as well and I do like the liquidity there, but my RE doesn't take a hit every time congress holds us hostage, Janet Yellen toots, Russia invades somebody, a terrorism threat appears, China or European growth slows...  

Never be afraid of idle threats when you are in the right.

It might seem kind of creepy like you're cyber-stalking but in reality it's a smart idea.

@Jonathan Holmes,The issue is not the electric meter, only that if the city found out that we rented out the apartment, and followed through on the threat to disconnect the power, my entire building is now out of hot water.

The PM left a voice mail mapping out her tenancy, the owner's knowledge and direction, that rents had been paid, with the demand to give possession, the threat of changing the locks and her position of representing the owner to allow her in to get her things and secure items left together with how her deposit would be handled.So, the update:I just called an attorney friend, she knew of the owner and his track record in other dealings, he has been stung before.