If there is a will, a beneficiary deed or some other mechanism that transferred ownership then you need to find out who the owner is and work with them.  

I am a full time mechanic for restaurants so I know how to fix almost anything and everything in a house which is good and helpful.

I have not engaged private money lenders before, and need some advice on the mechanics of engaging a private money partner.  

I am mostly interested in mechanics on how to "apply" the rent payments towards the price ...legally

I have looked into some systems, after reading 4 hour work week and LL on auto-pilot or PM software but I am not sure how Much time they save as opposed to just being more structured/organized.

I operate on auto pilot, after I decide to act, there is no planning about it.If you are rehabbing, that's a bit different, overall plan should be known prior to contracting, things change that can change the original plan, so it's back to the drawing board.

My tenants usually just do auto and it comes in every month.

Small leaks can add over time such as toilets etc. i had some bills almost double from usual , back to normal after redoing most of the flush mechanism.

Usually the mechanical systems in these houses were replaced within the last 6 yrs which puts off any major costs in those areas any time soon. 

I bought it as a personal vacation unit (second home) and it slowly turned into a vacation rental for specific events: golf tournaments at Pebble Beach, Auto Shows and nearby auto racing events.