There's a lot of suckers who attend these sales, particularly for the lower priced properties and that's precisely who you don't want to be bidding against.

If you need a new job once you move, you will need an offer letter prior to closing on your new home (and you will need 6 months reserves in order to be able to use the offer letter as income). 

With proactive planning, they should be able to close on replacement properties within the 180-day period.

When you say "section 8" tenants, are you looking at low-income housing tax credit type properties, or standard rentals that are in lower income areas and therefore cater to HCV tenants?  

Contrary to most business lending, the REI industry has a lot of "non-bank" lenders that provide attractive loans that can lower your cost of capital and improve your profit/cash flow. 

Next Step: With with sparkies quote, I'd get that quote over to sellers and with an amendment all written up ready for there signing giving me a credit at closing for exactly that amount. 

Their ability to recover their money should you default is much lower in this position.

My kids and extended family are in the lower 48 so I don't mind excuses to get down there- and the sun too! 

that we’ve learned in our 24 years, managing almost 700 doors across the Metro Detroit area, including almost 100 S8 leases:Class A Properties:Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, 3-5 years for positive cashflow, but you get highest relative rent & value appreciation.Vacancy Est: Historically 10%, 5% the more recent norm.Tenant Pool: Majority will have FICO scores of 680+ (roughly 5% probability of default), zero evictions in last 7 years.Class B Properties:Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, decent amount of relative rent & value appreciation.Vacancy Est: Historically 10%, 5% should be applied only if proper research done to support.Tenant Pool: Majority will have FICO scores of 620-680 (around 10% probability of default), some blemishes, but should have no evictions in last 5 yearsClass C Properties:Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, high cashflow and at the lower end of relative rent & value appreciation.

Once you find this range you should be very close to understanding your buy box.