As there is an additional approval needed via the court, have you found them to be a much more lengthy process or is it more of just a slight hiccup? 

If this is the case, an administrator of the Decedent's estate may be appointed who will either be acting as the fiduciary of a Decedent's intestate estate or acting pursuant to a will for which no living person was qualified or willing to act.In many jurisdictions an informal summary probate is possible for a simple, low value estate that us uncontested which eliminates some of the lengthy delays of a full probate. 

Each may have different rights and each may have a different legal remedy required to remove them - this could be a lengthy process depending on your states laws. 

If you intend residing in a home for 5-10 years you're spreading those closing costs over a lengthy period.

id=0BwfHXCzMW3...This  could be very lengthy but I will try to keep it to the important stuff.  

So homeowners all trying to avoid foreclosure basically put liens on each others property to keep banks at arms length. I

This is a lengthy post, so don't feel obligated to respond to all of the questions.  

You could purchase the note and go through a lengthy and expensive foreclosure but as the note holder you still have to put the property up for auction so you aren't guarantee to get it.

It's not something I look forward to-- with this last turnover being an unusually more challenging/lengthy process, but I certainly don't feeling like holding her "hostage."

Thank you for reading my lengthy post :) - Matt