It's called a payoff statementif it's a big lender you will not buy the loan as it will take forever, you are better just paying it off. you then can foreclose based on the total balance owed to you which is both loans and any accrued interest. regarding fixing property or selling as is, that really depends and needs to be evaluated on a case by case basis 

We've been devouring all the BP podcasts, and starting to read the forums.

I totally get where you're coming from—pools are such a great amenity, but they do come with some added responsibility!

,Thanks for sharing the article and starting this discussion!

I wouldn't offer this to start with but these tenants may have difficulty getting out even if they want to be 100% cooperative.

Start with BiggerPockets Ultimate Beginners Guide (free).

The insight about ARV being influenced by nearby single-family properties is gold—makes total sense now.Right now, I’m just exploring Sacramento and trying to learn as much as I can.

Start by going to www.narpm.org to search their directory of managers.

For instance, if there was a total of $250K of debt on those properties that woud leave you with $350K of proceeds to use to purchase $600K of real estate.  

It's no guarantee but it's a good place to start.