The TSP is pretty simple and some people want a fancier product if they are taking their retirement savings out at once.

Often times manufactures discontinue certain lines and look to liquidate products that normally retail for $4+ per foot and can be found for under $2.  

Here is a link for some laminate ones I saw  http://swisskronousa.com/product/wp03-weathered-barnwood/

You could've said the exact same thing in 2002 and been dead wrong to the tune of $175,000:Man, I can't be putting all this production value into these posts anymore, they're taking me way too long to write lol.

But as far as the mold goes, there's a distinction you'll want to make between a home inspector, and a mold inspector: Not all home inspectors are authorized/qualified to do mold testing.

I just bought a leasehold condo in the Marco Polo building a couple weeks ago -- it's all about the comps and making sure there's enough time remaining on the lease to still make it a marketable product.

I'm not sure which lender you would have spoken with that said that you couldn't get a loan but maybe that lender didn't have investor friendly products. 

Remember the intent in taking title to the property must be to hold for productive use.  

However if you are allowed to take the property, it will get back into productive use.Did you bid more than the lien amount?

Barring overlays, that is a commodity product.