I just bought a brand new pair of Sketcher's Sport Shoes and I bought them at the Skechers Factory Outlet. 

In 6 years I have contributed the following:  -Lived in the property for the first year to get owner occupied loan (which we didnt get anyway)- Loan is in both names personally (credit tied up)-55k out of pocket- Time spent dealing with contractors for the 9 month rehab, etc., tenants, lawyers, zoning, license and inspections, etc.  

Please keep up to date on the progress if you can, as i will be following since i will soon be in your shoes as well!  

He would pay the homeowners to vacate and then lease the property to a tenant and collect about 2 years of rent while he applied his knowledge of the court system to tie up the foreclosure.  

Part of the reason I started investing was for "freedom" but my house is still tying me down. 

I have done several of these, some are in the works for me, and I have done some for others (acting as the Broker and Property Manager working for the seller and/or buyer(s)) It's really a neat way to tie up a property and for both parties to get what they need, on their terms.I am in one right now with a fellow BP member, and in our situation it has worked extremely well.  

This was likely some wholesaler type tying up a property and trying to prevent the seller from selling it to anyone else.  

It's obvious you don't have a clue about a short sale transaction, and that's okay, but don't tie up some owner's house for 90-120 days on a short sale, then walk way leaving the owner facing a foreclosure auction with no time to sell to a real buyer, if the listing agent is dumb enough to let you put it under contract.  

What would you do to complete your first RE deal in my shoes, or would you just NOT BOTHER?

I had all my money tied up for a while due to investing in the hight of the market and have now sold the place I was investing in with my partners and did a 1031 exchange into a small 15 unit apartment complex it is makes about 2k per month +/-.