I would caution that whatever route you take, be consistent to each and every tenant because if you say one thing but do 2 or 3 things, courts will not look positively at you for inconsistent practices.If/when you need to find new tenants, be sure to have your own application, use the GBREB forms, and I've used the smartmove background/credit check online system multiple times with much success.BTW, you will find multiple opinions of what to do or not do... neither is right or wrong, everyone has their own system that works for them, so you will need to make that choice on your own.  

The choices are:- Seed Lawn- Sod Lawn- Drought resist lanscapingMy broker is encouraging me to use sod for a quick sale, but the irrigation district has limited watering to two days a week.The neighborhood is about fifty years old without HOA restrictions.

Assuming you move forward because the underwriting checks out then you need to secure financing.Securing financing is easier said than done, and unless you have years of experience, successful projects and a fat net worth you most likely will not get financing from traditional banks or get rates that slaughter the economics of the project.

I have been submitting offers for properties on MLS including REO, traditional, short sales, etc. 

I can appreciate your choice to invest out of your area. 

Well, there's the traditional methods.  

As an owner I accepted the fact that I had to pay but now as an investor and making that choice, it would not be to purchase another property that has HOA.

The prior action might even have made things more difficult if a large amount of back payments were in a repayment plan that would likely require payment now.As for gaining control of his estate, you need to decide if it makes sense (if there is lots of equity remaining after payment of debts) and if you are the best choice for resolving this, especially if you have the financial resources and understanding to resolve.If you don't think you are up to these challenges, you won't have to be concerned with either repairing the house or the debt.

So ultimately, what people need to understand about Hubzu is that it's really closer to an auction than a traditional real estate sale. 

You just have to be able to evaluate the property the location, check your numbers for what you want to do with the property and make your own choice.