A coworker mentioned they learned how to invest in real estate using the Bigger Pockets website so I decided to check it out to see what it was all about.

I’ll also call code enforcement and check the county records just to see when things like roof/hvac have been done/permitted. 

What if the person staying at your place signed a contract but their 1st payment check bounced.

I would simply hire a good civil that has done development in that jurisdiction and pay for a feasibility study and let them run through all the check items.. but thats really just the start.. also for context .. these projects require 350 to 750k in CASH up front to get to approved plat status ..

We already paid them a pretty sizeable entry fee ($30k) to cover some of their equity and debt in another project..Your title report should have alerted you to the issue.The payoff the escrow company got from the lender should have alerted you to the problem.Your interview of the seller before you bought the house, should have alerted you to the problem.You calculations on the numbers should have alerted you to the problem.Check, cross check and check again.

Since you can’t do a formal inspection, a detailed contractor walk-through and phased renovation estimate are key.Have you considered checking city records for past permits to uncover any unaddressed issues?

But now, consumers will get a check for $13 each and have little force lobbying for private property rights. 

Additionally, you could also check with your insurance provider to confirm there's no active risk and provide that documentation to the lender as reassurance.

You can also check their reviews online at Google, Facebook, or Yelp.

I would check the rules in all of your jurisdictions.