Tonight after I respond to a dozen BP posts, I will do my own title search on the property and thoroughly read the foreclosure judgement.

May or may not be worth pursing them for a judgement but get the place cleaned up and rented quickly to mitigate your loss.

If they cause damage to anything outside by something of their own accord, then yes they are to be held responsible just the same as inside. ie: tenant decides to pull all the bushes up because they don't like them, they are responsible for paying to replace all of them.The tenant's responsibilities for yard maintenance should be outlined clearly in the lease. ie: mowing the lawn every 2 weeks, raking leaves, etc.You are held liable for injuries that happen on the property if you're found to be negligent. ie: Your steps are notoriously slippery in the rain, tenant brings it up and a concern you dismiss it, tenant falls and breaks something.

If the house was having a serious water issue around the foundation during rain, these pipes would be buried in the lawn and connect to the downspouts to run the water further away from the house to the curb or into a french drain style system.

I'm frustrated by the HOA fees disproportionately increasing (long story but the HOA dues are 40% of the monthly mortgage payment due to a poorly structured assessment to the HOA about 15 years ago), frustrated and stressed over the liability of the neighbors from leaks, etc that I have no control over, and generally feeling powerless over so many variables that are not in my control (don't even get me started on how many times I've requested that the roofing over our unit be repaired before the rain arrives).  

Like in the case of Chase, other liens like sewer, trash, water and any other junior lien like a judgements that were properly notified would be wiped out.In practicality what often happens is that the buyer can bring the oversight to the attention of the county and the sale can be voided.

@Melanie Raine thank you!

Exactly A judgement against me how can the judge hold me liable for something I didn't know about I was never informed it was broke nor given the option to fix. 

I do think that every individual is different so I think you and your wife are the only two who can make the decision and ultimate judgement on whether the 14 unit is a good place to start.  

Now if the person is analyzing the NOI and makes the judgement to pay $2,000,000 for $100,000 NOI then he thinks that NOI is more desirable than paying $1,000,000 for the EXACT same $100,000 NOI in a perceived less PROFITABLE market.