We fixed it up and than rented it out when my husband was transferred.

Money transfer - What is the best way for him to give me the money in the first place without alarming the lender too much?

I ask because I am in the same situation and also need guidance on the financial aspect of earning money offshore and re-investing the money in the US e.g. tax, money transfer, etc...

with a land contract you retain title but sign a contract that says you will transfer title after the last payment is made.  

We fixed it up and than rented it out when my husband was transferred.

The seller in this case is not the deceased owner but a person empowered with the authority to transfer title by way of signing a deed. 

This could trigger the due on sale clause issues.If this is a friend of yours, you can't help unless he is willing to transfer an interest in title, there may not be any profit, tell him under the circumstances he needs to get a Realtor/PM.Not every house you find will be a deal, personal relationships don't set the stage to force a profitable situation, IMO, move on. :)

The bulk of the closing costs are loan fees, title insurance, transfer taxes, other taxes.

In both cases, the title transfers to the buyer upon closing.  

I know it's very common to buy a property in your own name and then transfer it into your LLC through a quitclaim deed.