Tree roots are a common cause of bucking but sometimes cutting them out will eventually kill the tree.

Thus far, she has made up numerous lies to the neighbors, to try to get them rooted against me (developers are usually not a well liked bunch as it is anyway).

I think the best approach is to assume that the ENTIRE scenario was fueled by emotions/hormones, and make the conscious decision to block that out.

If the property is without rent for months and your pool of tenants is almost nonexistent (which is what it sounds like), then you have to evaluate the root cause of that.

I'd charge a holding deposit and collect it so that if they back out you have something for your lost time.I give my applicants less consideration if they are moving from out of the area since they are less likely to stay long if they don't have roots, but I have found that in my area and probably isn't prevalent.  

Ferreting out the person behind something like that is John's job, but even most shysters won't put in the time / effort it takes to pierce multiple corporate veils, find the trust at the root of the structure, then make the paper chase to find the protected (non-public) information which would lead to a person who may or may not be in control of the entities and their activities.

Maybe set down roots?"  

We're rooting for you!

I understand using debt to leverage growth, but at the same time I root for the tortoise when he races the hare.

I wasn’t born in the south, but I do have southern roots... so I’m able to slip in and out the dialect as necessary.