The reason I decided to pay them (which wasn't much, less than $40 including chocolate for the cashiers) was that they were able to follow my guide lines using their system avoiding hours of online research and sifting through properties I wasn't interested in, and starting the relationship building with the ladies at the county office.

I went to the bessemer tax office a to ask about this and they said to just sign the redemption letter and let them (apex bank) in knoxville tn. prove that they hold the lien. when i spoke with the lady representing this bank she said the owners used property as collateral on a loan that was defaulted on , so i guess i have 2 questions in this thread. 

@Frank Bee ,There is a continuum of perspectives on whether to use leverage (i.e. debt) on the passive rental properties or pay all cash.On one end of that continuum, I know a widow lady in Denver that used her life savings to buy a $250k rental duplex for cash several years ago.

I said lady  those are my lots what are you doing trying to sell MY LOTS ..

I am assuming realtors are release information because this is not the wild wild west.  

Its the wild west of real estate.

They are wildly tilted in the favor of the tenant.  

Now the wild card is going to be your income which we don't have enough information on.  

It's a place to park cash that will perform better than the wild ride of the stock market.  

So the puzzle is:Number 1GU29 0QY, Midhurst UK. 3 bed house.101 year old lady dies, the house is sold to a massive property developer (23million + turnover in 2016) who buys it blind at auction and sits on it doing nothing for one year.