Drive the area looking for rental signs and then put the addresses into zillow etc...to see if you can find interior pics.

Overall the Oz economy has slowed significantly (mostly due to the oil and mining slowdown) but relatively low interest rates (nothing as low as US or CDN) are driving those investors that can, to invest (plus our currency is now much cheaper than just 1 - 1.5 yr ago). 

I met another person later on that connected me to agency (cold-calling) sales and I found out that I was amazing at it along with business intelligence - I did pretty well, but high-commission / low salary isn't a gig that is sustainable in the military recruiting field.

I guess it all depends what direction an hours drive it is.

If you don't like these kinds of headaches then look for different investments, but there is money to be made here so if you can tolerate it then drive on.I will also say to just let the insurance company deal with it and don't worry about whether or not these people profit from their scam.

When they begin to pick up on the financial restitution and fines available to them and understanding how lucrative financial laws can be, they may well stop chasing an ambulance and start  driving for dollars looking for Rent-To-Own signs!

It definitely has value above and beyond the tax bill, and I had a friend in that area drive by and verify the condition of the property and that it's occupied. 

That way I can be able to make the drive for whatever reason, as I am not adverse to the idea of investing a little sweat equity into my properties. 

Since I just got my hands on expired listings, I have put all the addresses together on my pad and will hit the streets in a couple of days, but I'd like to know if there's a software (free) I can use to put all these addresses (gps) and auto arrange all the addresses by distance so I can drive from point a, to point b, to point c, etc.

Although it's not as important as Senior Lien status, determining equity doesn't necessarily drive the outcome of the deal but it can protect you in case of default.For either 1sts or 2nds you can also look at where the property is located to determine foreclosure timelines as well, which could be important in the event of a default.