If small capital improvements would go a long way in terms of increasing the value of the property, what would your approach be with the bank if the goal was to minimize up front capital requirements?

Every state is different in terms of redemption time line, however the owner could have actually sold the property before the action. 

I really doubt there is a RE attorney in the country I couldn't explain any strategy or niche operation to in terms they know in under one minute.

Just wondering what types of networking groups you found most helpful in building business relationships in terms of commercial property management in your area?

I'm sorry I don't have a recommendation for you in terms of an attorney, but I do run a Monmouth County RE investing meeting which is a good place for networking.

'out of state' absentee owners, its just a variance in terms of levels of pain. 

What exactly are you looking for in terms of marketing and mentor. 

There are many posts and discussions on the topic already on here, my quick thought is that it is a fairly quick process to get one and provides you with some advantages in terms of finding your own deals and spending less in commissions if you list your own properties.

But I can't really speak to your local micro-climate in terms of real estate investments, either. 

Here’s an example, in terms of the strategies I am considering: Step 1: Gain book knowledge (doing this now)Step 2: Learn everything about my farm area - look at tons of housesStep 3: Get financed/convince a partner to bring money - be able to describe in detail at least one potential deal and show numbers including repair estimates, comps supporting ARV, etc.