The structures are vacant and dangerous if anyone went inside (kids or vagrants)  At some point the city will condemn the property and we don't want to in possession at that time.We are her health care proxies and will handle the estate when the time comes.

That being said, most want some sort of seasoning period and I'm seeing fewer and fewer banks willing to make such loans right now.

@Dave Van Horn could probably warn you to the dangers you're wading into better than  I could since he's been swimming in the waters of 2nds far longer than I have

You don't need dead on ARV, you just need approx as-is value to gauge if the house is worth your time and expenses doing pre-lim title etc.I still feel trustee 1st tue auctions are a waste of time and dangerous for new folks. 

I have fewer properties this year as I sold off 24 doors last year.

Just present a clean offer with the conditioned factored in the price.After a home has been on the market for awhile fewer people will be opt to show interest.

Direct owned real estate gets far less attention and is covered by far fewer experienced reporters with deep knowledge of real estate so it does not surprise me at all that reporting is not as helpful for the experienced investor.

I'm in contract on a property in east Oakland so possibly more or less dangerous than what you're looking at (probably more).

I could see doing a 1031 exchange to get out of the cheapies and into fewer units while putting off a tax hit, but that move is many years down the road for me.Our market is expensive now compared to a couple years ago. 

Right now you know just enough to be really dangerous.