hi Attila - I'm also a newbie from Sacramento but you are way ahead of me in action.

The best way to cure this fear is to take ACTION!

This way you have enough of a spread to work with.I will say thisThank you for taking some action and overcoming any fears you may have had.

make sure you account for the time delay it takes for you to request the custodian to take action and it actually getting done.

Have a bias for action... even if you spend a little more for a deal, if it's a money-maker, you're still moving forward.  

He can then advise you as to course of action or in my case, inaction.  

If a property appears neglected or vacant as @Ned Carey predicted, I check an online tax lien site, the auditors' site to estimate how much equity they may have, the scheduled sheriff sales site where the plaintiff is a clue to which are probably tax lien sales, and the Clerk of Courts which shows other foreclosure actions, judgments, etc.

A real decision is measured by the fact that you've taken a new action.

That would be abandonment in our jurisdiction and require a completely different course of action and would return our property to us sooner.

It incited me into action, but cautiously.Likely without that exposure, I would have let my fear command me and would not be taking steps to try real estate investing.