Supreme Court's Howey case and subsequent case law have found that an "investment contract" (aka securities offering) exists when there is the investment of money in a common enterprise with a reasonable expectation of profits to be derived from the efforts of others.

Around the world, at least 30,000 websites are hacked every day, with small and medium-sized enterprises being the target of more than half of these crimes.

Without self promoting, you can then skip trace at a company that provides credit bureau level data -- since this will give you the most accurate numbers.

File a complaint with the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) and CFPB (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau).

Hi Seth,Here are a couple of sites I use to research in and out of state investment areas:crimegrade.org- Crime RatesCity-Data.com- Crime RatesUSA.com- Household Stats bls.com - Bureau Labor StatsCensus.orgHope these are helpful.

@Ron ClimerI got 110 hits searching for term Homestead in the CA Bureau of Real Estate Reference Book Chapt 5 - Title to Real Property.BRE Reference Book Chapt 5I'd expect a question or two about it on the licensing exam.

@Nelcol L Philip if he's a licensed contractor you should be able to turn him in to the licensing bureau in PA.

Do they report to your credit bureau? 

Hope it turns out to be in your favor, however I much appreciate that way way forward thinking and an enterprisingly different dimension of creative finance !!

Once you close it is your obligation to re-file the certificate of occupancy, get Bureau of housing inspection to pass, and maybe do more retrofitting and repairs.Who is proposed to hold the escrow money?