I'd say it's well worth the money to run background/criminal/credit checks.

It's sad, but there are a lot of criminal scumbags out there and the law does very little to them, even if they're caught!

Also check in with the state as there might be criminal actions the state wants to start.

Forgery is a criminal act and the person who committed the crime will be arrested.You just need to be clear what happened on your side.

Does it cost anything to get the criminal records and other reports from the courts?

The whole thing could lead to criminal charges.The reason i say lease it for 6 months, this will let the owner know that you want the property to make some money.

People who do so without a license are breaking the law and it can be a criminal or civil violation.

In my previous post, I was merely stating popular misconceptions that were created due to the actions of a relatively small number of criminals that operate freely within your industry.

They say McLeod forged signatures, lied on loan applications and altered appraisal reports.Prosecutors said they believe McLeod is the first to be prosecuted for "prohibited activities" by a foreclosure consultant.

Here is a link to where a couple was prosecuted for putting properties in land trusts and selling them without being licenced in the State of Ohio.http://www.com.state.oh.us/real/documents/2007Summer.pdf