Purchase price: $390,000 Cash invested: $150,000 Rezoned to allow for ADU and am currently finalizing plans to add a second story and redevelop the 3-car detached garage into an medium term rental with an ADU above the garage.

Leverage the equity in all my properties to purchase more.

However, there's obviously no guarantee in what they'll find... so - how do folks mitigate the risk of the 2k-5k loss when looking to purchase a new property for a plan like this?

I am currently retired and just purchased my 1st duplex in Upstate NY using a conventional investment property loan. 

I don't know a ton about tax lien investing but my advice for note investors is to be selective as to when you order title reports (can get pricey if you run too many), but it can be wise to pay a bit more (two-owner search, for example) for a more thorough search for those assets you are likely to purchase.

Purchased various sheriff auctions, short sale, low-balling, flipping, being a landlord and much more.If you are stuck, not knowing where to turn, please feel free to reach out, All the best

Any particular part of the city you want to live in....giant place.What drives the purchase?   

Or lease with purchase options, these are arguably the 2 forms most vastly used over more years than I can recount, generations. 

How are you financing your purchases in this lending environment?

Quote from @Theresa Hansen: Make your purchase contingent on removing the squatters first so you can inspect the property.