I did have this happen to one of my customers (he was the owner & his tenant shot & killed himself in his unit). 

I have worked for about 25 years in retail sales/customer service and hospitality.

Frequently, places will get stuff on custom order that either the buyer returns or never picks up- and you can snag it for a song.Way cheaper to stockpile essentials on the low and then put them to use as needed.

A demonstration panel I saw at a store, allowing customers to tap on four samples with a small mallet, was marginally informative.

My favorite is to get them to elaborate about current or previous jobs or customers - if they speak poorly about anyone, it is a warning sign in my book. 

I custom design my marketing pieces to the specific market I'm sending to.

I've not worked with them so can't speak to customer service but I have heard mostly positive things.

It is a lot easier to sit in your house and click a button to send 2,000 postcards than to pick up the phone and call someone, much less drive to their house.

When an HML knows a borrower, has done business before, they may well cut the interest for a good customer.

Can't say I have come across that software, people usually put together custom spreadsheets(excel, Google sheets, OpenOffice) and use those.