The Austin Business Journal published a good article on this reality >http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/news/2017/01/27/austin-ranks-among-worst-u-s-city-for-flipping-a.html   

I'm also a published author who is working on my second book.

I'm sure there are agents/investors here who specialize in this submarket, you should publish the ratios you're used to at the Jersey Shore & they should be able to tell you how that compares with their figures locally.

Reed - He is a bit grouchy, but much of what is in items he publishes is great.

If it's not published, then there's no way to find out.

Aside from providing the basics (ie. listing tool to get the property published to 10+ major sites, scheduling tool to schedule viewings, tenant screening with comprehensive applications -- pulled reports from TransUnion, which include nationwide criminal background checks + credit checks + eviction history, digital lease creation tool, rent collection tool, and maintenance tracking tool), some services also offer your tenants waived ACH fees and additional capabilities which makes it an easier sell on your end when getting them to transition over (ie. their ability to report on-time rent payments to the credit bureaus; this can create an added incentive for making sure they pay that rent on time).

@Daniel Ditto First, self promotion is generally not allowed and each new post gets approved before it is published.

I would supplement @Russ Seiler's endorsement with a word of caution and a recommendation that you review any "creative tactics" gleaned with a tax accountant and/or attorney before putting them into play.There are still a number of "Rent to Own" providers in Canada who are operating in a manner that is "grey" and out of step with CRA publishings.  

(2) do any notices to creditors need to be sent or published before the property can be sold?

I'm sure I'm going to be on here very often asking for ideas but can't wait to start publishing successes from your help.