[Steps down off soap box]

Proclamations of greed are rooted solely in ignorance. 

It's rooted in a scarcity mindset, which will always keep people from reaching their potential.

I have used Sharkbites as a quick fix in underground copper line breaks where tree roots strangled the pipes, or in tight corners in the attic where if it would be dangerous to solder with so much flammable insulation around...etc, but in all cases those are emergency fixes to get tenants off my back, then I'll leave and think of a real fix and come back to do it a day or two later. 

In your experience what do find as the root cause for exorbitant taxes?

Depending on your $$ situation, some of these things will be grass roots efforts that require your time and effort, but little to no money.Pull Comps for a specific neighborhood and make copies with your contact info on it. 

But the real problem you're facing at the root of this one is that you own a property 600 miles away from you and you don't have a trusted provider for something like this.

As far as the political topic here, I will not join in on the soap box here, but only say that I am disguested with the media and the ignoramouses they interview.

We now know their statistical models were flawed because they intentionally chose the best of the risk scenarios at every step.This has led to extreme distrust of these rating agencies now and it the root of the current "credit crisis" that isn't really a crisis at all.

Tenant agrees to pay for clearing the drains of any and all stoppages except those, which the plumber who is called to clear the stoppage will attest to in writing, were caused by defective plumbing, tree roots, or a result of weather.