Finally- you can eliminate 95% of the troubles and risk by simply having professional and legal screening and management processes, so don't sleep on that piece. 

The question that I'm mulling over is, "Do I step in to fill that need, since I have the property management experience and contacts prior, or do I simply pursue investing and manage my own properties?"

One way to bypass the Probate hole is to put the properties in an intervivos revocable trust. 

But end of the day you simply have to make a choice and hopefully do the best you can choosing wisely what works for your personal situation and personality.The Norada thread was a perfect example of investors all over the map on how they react when a note payment is missed ..

My thought is FLA is sandy soil and you simply dont have as much problem as other areas.. its very cheap insurance for a buyer.. and now a days 10 to 20k to replace the line is kind of the going rate..

https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/12/topics/1136927-land-...I run a small organic farm in Victor, ID. 30 min from Jackson Hole and close to Grand Targhee ski resort in Idaho.

Thanks guys - my partner does the Brokerage and we were discussing how to address the commission - we are fine paying just debating how to handle the upfront question when the Buyers agent calls about the listing ...My thoughts were to simply state that Seller is fine paying a commission and put it in the offer - and he wants to offer the % upfront ... 

That doesn't happen when they have a fist-sized hole in their chest or head.

Sadly there is so little inventory that many are simply trying to last as long as possible and wait for the constable to tell them that the moving trucks are here for them. 

Same guy handled a triplex rehab (the one with the theft), and that's where he took money that he simply pocketed or used in some sort of Ponzo scheme to pay off other debts (I have no way to know, but the money did not go to contractors or to continue work at the site).