I sent letters to owners of distressed properties we found on these drives.

Our owners have always paid their own utilities, but I've decided to start offering to pay utilities for them.

Hi @Connor McGinnis, congrats on getting your plan together...Obviously your Dad has many options to help you out...and that may be good.If you ARE looking to take title in your own name, an FHA loan (owner occupant) at 3.5% downpayment would be great - ($17,500 on a 500K duplex) and you'd be able to cover other closing costs as well.

I know of a hotel you can get owner financing on with $250,000 down.

Talked with both old and new owners about what to watch for when putting things into the sewer system.  

Purchase price: $80,000 This was our first flip and it happened to need a full re-remodel due to previous owner performing a full demo (sheetrock removed, electrical, plumbing and all left was studs.

The prior owner had a loan on the property when they were sold so I know it's possible, but just have never run into this before.

Noticed it was abandoned, researched courthouse records, determined it was adjudicated to the Parish for non-payment of taxes, submitted purchase request to the Police Jury for amount of back taxes, made required notifications by mail and newspaper, waiting mandatory days for owner to redeem, and when redemption period expired, closing occurred at Police Jury Office.

It's a risk that owners are willing to take to move the rent roll forward. 

For example, source contacts from county lists, listsource or propstream for specific avatars (absentee owners, vacant landlords, pre-foreclosures).