Brian recommends going to the local REIA and establishing rapport with the president, and then asking who is the most investor friendly RE agent in the group.

That's like me giving you a course on how to be a successful president.

It was with the encouragement of Cody Cox, our NWREIA President, I started the satellite group in Eugene, OR in September of 2012.Please email me and I can set up an introduction for you, as I know he has been networking in Medford to someday start a REIA [email protected]

My suggestion below are not to be construed as legal advice, only general suggestions based upon my own experiences buying probate properties over the past 10 years.Regardless of the agreement you use, or the level of authority of the administrator, to transfer title of a probate real estate property in California REQUIRES the approval of the presiding judge and an appropriate court order.

Call the club president and several vendors tell them you are thinking of coming to the meeting ask them their experience with the meetings.

Get an attorney See your local REIA  http://www.biggerpockets.com/rei/real-estate-clubs...Ask their president - organizer.It aint easy to find a good attorney that knows seller financing in the Dodd Frank environment.I hope that assists you.

President of the HOA is making it sound like I need to get a permission slip for interior improvements, and I'll likely get denied. 

There are call-outs for specific hardship exceptions like inheritance and employment relocation, but approval for these exceptions are also at the discretion of the board.At the time my partner inherited the property, we were mislead by the then HOA Board President into thinking that given the manner in which he came to ownership and the fact that we live out of state, he would be granted the ability to hold the property as a rental into the future.

I'll pass your information along to the club President to get you on the list.

Additionally, I am the Broker and President of a full service property management company (commercial/residential/associations) and full service real estate brokerage(buy/sell/lease/investments).