Also check out Netronline they have public records for many states and you can look up sales prices there.

Typically when an agent inputs the data for a listing, the property tax amounts are automatically filled in with data from the county public records.

We attempted running a space heater under the sink(next to the dishswasher, where the drain line arrives to feed the water into the garbage disposal, but even after a few hours of that, we ran the dishwasher and it failed to drain?

Yes, however document images for probate cases are not available via online public access.

This house is smaller, 2br 1 ba 940sqft, and i was looking to add space for another br/ba ~300 sqft??

Okay, go to your local public library.

I'm also aware property records are publicly searchable (if you know where to search, that is).

A small example of this was the very first rental I got was already in decent shape, but I really went through and updated it as well as added a permitted bed/bath combo in some existing unused open space (if you can't do the work yourself or don't have a trustworthy contractor, it makes a lot less fiscal sense).

Why is a half bath & a bit more space worth 40k more than a 2 car garage, for example?

Even if you lose, the fact that you filed suit is now public record for anybody who cares to check public records for this.