Sounds like an uneducated agent and a wholesaler playing games.Likely when based on a close to full price or full price offer there was enough in the deal for the wholesaler fee and the agents commission to be covered.Now that you want to buy it at a severely reduced price the wholesaler is trying to trim the fees to still make it work.This sounds like the wholesalers fault for not getting the property under contract cheap enough.

Which means learning how to identify using public records the most likely candidates that would be willing to sell. 

I can't imagine banks being anxious to publicize their troubled loans.

(See JD-HM-7 on page 15)Here is the link:  https://www.jud.ct.gov/Publications/hm014.pdfAnd looks like it describes the process you're looking for. 

From there you want to check public records for upcoming auctions and do research on properties.

In October 2003 the Gail Borden Public Library moved into a new $30 million, 139,980 square foot, 460,000 volume-capacity building.

If you don't you've effectively reduced the security deposit you hold by $300.

Helps that you're a contractor as that takes a lot of the cost away from the project.As for buy and hold properties, personally, it's been my experience that investors prefer to buy with cash as it reduces the out of pocket expenses to close.

Your vulnerability to vacancies is greatly reduced, your cash return is far better, your compounding income is increased exponentially.

I don't know how to access your specific county's online system, however this is what I suggest you do to get started:1) Unless involving a guardianship for a minor, probate cases of Decedent's estates are public information. 2) Ask to see the Registry of Actions or similarly title list of new cases3) Start with a single case, typically the most recent filing.4) Request to pull the actual file to review5) Review the folder and note the documents and the order in which they are inserted6) Don't even think of separating or removing documents. 7) Determine what data you need, including Decedent's name, case #, PR name and contact info, etc.8) Most researchers capture the data then scrub later.9) If this is too much work, either pay someone else, find a commercial list provider or work another niche.