But from your post it seems all that may not be correct.

To thrive in real estate investing, you must maintain a firm grip on your finances.

OK so your agent did send the mutual release and return of EM to the Title company requesting they forward to the seller.. is that correct ?? 

To thrive in real estate investing, you must maintain a firm grip on your finances.

Common advice I've received from other landlords is to avoid them because they often leak or fail and are difficult to maintain.

What do you do to ensure that the tenant is responsible for security deposit disputes since that is the largest reason for owner lawsuitsHow familiar are you with the newly changed laws that can affect you the owner if they are not used correctly?

Than maybe with adjusting the vocabulary to REALIZED performance and UNREALIZED performance, we can start correcting understandings. 

If you buy it too low, in some jurisdictions they will call it "equity skimming" which is illegal.It can be very profitable, I've done many, but you really need to know what you are doing. on pre foreclosures on the West coast if you happen to do them legally .. the old owner is due 80% of the profit if you sell within 36 months.. so there is that.. but if your buying pre foreclosure for long term hold and wait out the 36 months then your fine. the reality these days is post GFC lenders/ banks/ servicers have realize that working with the buyer to reinstate recast redo the loans is far better than taking it all the way to foreclosure so your correct its usually the worse houses that make it all the way to the end and go to sale.thats why if you follow NODs  Notice of defaults or whatever they are call in your state. you see so many postponements and or removed or paid off etc.. so you hone in on one property do all this work only to have it not go  to sale  rarely are you going to buy a home that you really want LOL

@Nicholas L.Unfortunately James I am not convinced you are correct.  

You need to maintain a fund to handle those unforeseen expenses