if I already have a tax lien certificate in Alabama, can I renovate and then rent the house?  

The remediation was performed prior to myself purchasing it and I obtained the certificate with the closing documents.

@Wayne Brooks so pretty much what she told me was, "we met with the lawyer and he told us to get her mom's death certificate so we went to her sister's house and she is already in the process of becoming executor of the estate.

She indicated you need a business tax certificate which is fine, but she said that tax is only due on 30 days or MORE rentals, not LESS which seems incorrect to me.

Eureka is full of old sewer laterals and the city is moving towards a point of sale certification process. 

I wanted to take another class to get the certificate,..."

If there are no leases, the owner fills out a form called 'estoppel certificate'.

But it won't get you all the way to a $30K profit.If you have a real estate license and can list it your self and make your own offers on the purchase, you can earn pieces of the commissions on both ends of the deal.Here's a breakdown, again, with my assumptions:Purchase: $80,000Rehab: $30,000Selling price: $160,000Hard money loan amount: $112,000Purchase closing costs: $1,500 (include the legal & recording costs, lenders title policy, inspections, certifications, appraisal, insurance.)Hard money points: $4,500 (probably another $500-1000 in other costs here, too)Holding costs: $1000 (more insurance, utilities, etc.)Interest: $8,500Total so far (this is the money you need to do the deal): $125,500Now you sellPrice $160,000Closing costs: $3,000Commissions: $9,000Seller concessions: $5,000Net from sale: $143,000Payback loan and your investment: $125,500Profit (pretax): $17,500Now, say you can borrow money at 8% and no points.

Or...you can let your neighbor try to fix your car, save money and take your chances.I would not want to see backyard mechanics subject to fines for practicing without certification.

Earnest money certification 7.