If it goes to trial and you lose, you're standing there naked - NOTHING is protected.

I feel as though the only way for me to really get to know the business is through trial and error.

The truth is, you could read 100 books and still not know enough because certain things need to be learned through trial-and-error.

They ultimately did obtain a mortgage which was secured by the property, but the fuzzy area for me is how they obtained a mortgage in the first place.The DOJ is prosecuting the borrower for two other bank fraud schemes wherein he temporarily misappropriated funds (he's a fiduciary) to create collateral accounts for the purpose of inflating the balance for the 3-4 months required to qualify for, induce loans from, third party banks.A few days ago the DOJ submitted an exhibit list for his jury trial that included mortgage loan docs for my sale, and there was a collateralized account with a bank with a  credit line that exactly matched the mortgage amount he obtained from a lender. 

The truth is, you could read 100 books and still not know enough because certain things need to be learned through trial-and-error.

It does take a lot more due diligence, trust, education, and trial and error.

Both products you mention have a free 30 trial you can download and test drive.

Daily exercise, proper diet, getting enough sleep, and quiet time. 

Adding a roommate, even if on a trial basis, is not considered a guest and needs approval prior to move in.

If anybody would be willing to share with me a title insurer who was willing to insure tax sale properties I would greatly apreciate it (could be through email if need to keep private).As far as approaching the previous owners/trustees (the previous owner established a trust to try to hide the property from the IRS, trust was demonstrated to be a sham by IRS in their trial) one is in prison, another is just out of prison, and I think the third is on the way to prison.