I sent them a lot of "good faith" payments to be elilgable for loan mod reviews, but never got one, and all the money  I sent seemed to go to things other than the actual mortgage payment.

I personally don't have a lot of faith in insurance paying up and have a higher risk tolerance so I don't extra insure. 

The suggestion (elsewhere on BP) that borrowers paying for an appraisal shows sufficient good faith also has sadly not proven true.

I stepped out on faith and did the same.

My kids are all grown up with families of there own so I admire you for taking a leap of faith and doing all this when you guys are still a young family. 

I'm a bit frustrated but I have to keep the faith that there is always another deal!

[SOLICITATION REMOVED]Sometimes it pays to have a little faith.

I am taking a leap of faith because I don't even have a POF, a HML, or a partner, but I have found several deals that are great flips.

If previous owner did not do the work, and never had problems, then they sold the house in good faith and the buyer should be going after her INSPECTOR, if she bothered to get one.  

Then, all you will have to do is take that leap of faith to get into the game, which will be difficult to do no matter how educated you are.