If you are starting with under $100k, then you are probably better off investing in a fund, but revert to #1. 3.

Are you an aviation engineer and your company just lost its next contract.Do you work in an assembly line making wash machines and they outsource to China.Are you a concrete worker and get laid off since construction has cut back.On this forum the question is how is your REI moving forward.  

With long term rentals (or any house aside from a flip), you are unlikely to make money off the sale of the home if you have only owned it for 2 years after you pay the realtors and other fees.

@Brittany MageeDo they have a mortgage on it, as typically the lender will require it to be repaired or they take proceeds to pay off loanUnfortunately not much you can do

One never returned my call or answered the phone, I immediately crossed them off my list. 

We still have the house and paid it off a few years ago.

If you are using a lender, I believe they would insist that it is paid off at closing so that you have a clear title.

So my question is: if I wanted to save on the recording costs, keep the deed for my records, proactively pay taxes as they're billed (would coordinate with the company I buy the CFD from), then work with the borrower to get the deed recorded under their name once they've paid off the contract--am I putting myself at risk? 

Turns out, the appraiser said it would pay off.

She has the title to the property as it is fully paid off.