How can I tell if the bank is anxious to get this off the books/know how low I can offer?

Since we just have one property looking for suggestions on landlord /management programs for day to day book keeping &  screening potential tenants.

lolThis is job stability in my book

They never took it to foreclosure, which they had the right to do, they were not getting paid, they were paying the property taxes and insurance and they had a liability on the books.

There's a good book they sell on this topic in the store here.

You want as much "experience" under your belt and while you don't have the personal experience, many MANY people have shared their personal experiences in these forums, in books, & other blogs online.

I've owned a rental home since 2007 that has produced zero cash flow, but I am getting ready to change this situation after reading several books on real estate investing.

You might try Blue Book Network, and we sometimes find good contractors via CL.

So far since the middle of Jan I’ve read:1) Rich Dad, Poor Dad2) The Millionaire RE investor3) The Book on Estimating Rehab Costs4)Getting things done by David Allen5) RE with no or low money down 6) Multifamily Millions 1 BP podcast every morning, I scour the BP forums and YouTube vids.

In the age of internet, email, direct mail, face book etc. is this something investors do?