I should mention I wanted to avoid a deed of trust and having to use a title company (for the extra cost, hassle, paperwork, etc).

My time and energy was nearly zero except for completing some paperwork.

Does the seller have to fill out any additional paperwork that states they are willing to sell a given appliance with the property such as a slide and plug range?

It isn't 2006 you can't just do paperwork anymore.

If you don't have POF or a strong preapproval, no competent agent would let their seller accept your offer, at any price, and no bank will even process the paper work if the buyer doesn't have it.

One of the in-place tenants was a Section 8 voucher holder and in order to allow the payments to be transfered to me I needed some paperwork signed by the previous owner (the bank).

Any title company will do a full public records search, not rely on 10 year old paperwork.

There are 3 big "components" (can't come up with a better term at the moment) to forming an LLC (or any business entity): 1) Formal paperwork to be filed with the state;2) Internal paperwork (e.g., operating agreement, bylaws, meeting minutes [if any], etc...); and,3) Understanding proper proceduresFORMAL PAPERWORKThe formal paperwork with the state is pretty simple and straight-forward: typically you need to state the proposed name of the entity, the address of the entity, name a statutory agent who will receive notice of official information, name of who is forming the entity, and signature of the person forming the entity.

This question is more around the legal framework and paperwork needed to acquire a property.For example, someone who is relocating for work and needs to purchase a SFH or condo, what costs would he incur to acquire a piece of property?

If you have your father pay rent to only cover your expenses, you have an income property with all the IRS paperwork to cover it.