Texas does have specific rules regarding home equity loans and cash-out refinancing (often referred to as "Texas Equity Section 50(a)(6)"), but these don’t prohibit homeowners from using funds for investment properties.

Other times (situation specific) I NEED full service of a TOP PRO and pay the full boat.Your complaint seems to be that Realtor MAY be "overpaid", according to YOUR personal opinion, which seems to be based on a perceived HOURLY RATE.  

I do have a third goal, but too much will happen by the time my second goal materializes that my third goal will likely change drastically.Also, I tend to find myself wanting to ask market-specific questions to agents/lenders/investors/contractors/etc. a lot.

Have proof on hand (easy enough to find) online of the missed tax payments and any documentation that supports that he specifically didn't pay his taxes.Probably a simply mistake on his part, but now if he wants to develop on it, he either has to land lease it from you or buy it back.I'm not sure how the whole tax deed thing works, so that would be something you have to figure out between the two of you.

Analyze Rental Income PotentialRun the numbers for your specific property.

To clarify, I didn’t invest in a “fund,” but rather purchased a note for a specific fix-and-flip project.

I'd be happy to connect further regarding your questions about more specific and nuanced details. 

But when you're really ready to put rubber to the road you have to start being more active in your education, seeking out specific information and really thinking through what that would look like for you.

The Latest OTM episode calls out some markets that I've been hearing about for a while, ie Dallas, but one specifically that caught my ear....

Property taxes and insurance costs are best obtained through local county websites or reaching out to insurers directly for quotes specific to the area.Tools like BP Pro and Reventure can be helpful for an overview, but it’s a good idea to validate their data against primary sources to ensure accuracy.