Is this common practice for Seller not to release rent roll until a contract is signed?  

@Chris WatkinsThe rentability of accessory units or "mother in-law apartments" is regulated by the municipality.  

Hrs also a firefighter, yea small town, practically know everyone or at least know of them.

Are there any regulations on who!

At that price range consider perhaps Palmdale, Palm Springs,  etc...for many practical reasons.  

I practiced law as a biotech IP litigator on downtown Boston before jumping to RE full time.

Additionally, this structure is not required for RE investing, but it does simplify things as the LLC manager can write checks for expenses incurred by the LLC-owned property, instead of sending invoices directly to the IRA custodian for payment.Be sure you're working with a qualified, regulated IRA custodian that has a specialty in Self-Directed IRAs or alternative assets.

It's a breeze to lay, in the past, if someone breaks open a box and hands me the piece I can lay about 200sqft per hour.It's practically indestructible for tenants, but it has one achilles heel which is cat piss.

So you can decide which state works best for you, learn the rules and regulations of the auction and if you are the winning bidder then you will have your tax deed acquired property of ownership. 

You can use fancy words such as 'using leverage to enhance returns' etc. all day long, but the fact remains: if as a client I loose 50% of my premiums to commissions and fees I don't care what kind of leverage I gain as a result, it would practically be impossible to recover my losses.