You can use a form called an ‘amendment of contract’ form (available for free online, just google it) to alter the original language in the Purchase & Sales agreement/contract.

There are online services like Escrow.com but never used them and not sure if they would fit your needs. 

Search the company online and you will get their contact information.

coincidentially, I had this discussion with my friend last night and we ran some numbers with online 401k estimators (nobody knows what it's gonna do for real).

That is something you can research at the county courthouse or online under the delinquent tax department depending on where it is located. 

So, I am not a complete stranger to auctions, but Colorado had a public trustee system and finding reliable information on what properties were going to auction in a given week and the results of each auction was as simple as going to the county website.  

Clerk of Court, most are online now.

You mean there are not magical private lenders out there handing out cash to strangers for 5-6% interest because it is better than they were getting on a CD?  

I followed some advise I found online (actually giving by one of the founders of biggerPockets.com) which said to look online.

I have looked at over 20 properties in person and about 300 online and this one property meets my needs and numbers.