what would be the pit falls I need to look out for?

I think the direct purchase route is fraught with financial peril, but perhaps if you had a guide you could avoid the pitfalls. 

Talk to them about what you are planning to do, and they will walk you through the pitfalls.

I think that this helps understand where the pitfalls of Real Estate Investing are and how to avoid them.

I am just starting out and I would love to hear case studies of these people that got out of the RE business to possibly avoid their pitfalls but have not seen any. 

If you want to know the ins and outs and the pitfalls to avoid when investing out of state, you have to go to investors who have actually done it.  

it sounds great but I can see there might be pitfalls since it seems like more of an emotional buy?

If there are not ANY qualified tenants, and it is in your best interest to rent the property as soon as possible, I think that the increased months rent in advance is a good option as well as possibly charging them a higher security deposit to cover any potential pitfalls that are more likely with that class of renter.

What are the potential pitfalls?

While I've conducted thorough research to understand the process and identify potential pitfalls, I believe there is invaluable knowledge to be gained from those who have actually purchased properties at the auction.If you are an investor with experience in the Philadelphia Sheriff's Sale, I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to hear about your experiences and insights.