Do your research, pick a strategy that feels comfortable, find an agent that knows that strategy, look at some homes, run some numbers and then buy. 

 $500 does not seem unbelievable, but if he is his own insurance agent, he may have gotten a favor done on his own policy.

- How do I lower the expectations of the owners children (they are adults) after the previous agent listed it at Zillow's full estimated price - despite the fact that nothing has been done to the house since their father/the widows husband died some years back.

Have a witness with you (non relative).You can use a Skip Trace Agent (aka Collection Agency) to locate your "asset" (tenant).

I'm an investor in both Dade and Broward and am a licensed agent as well.

For my clients buying this as a vacation rental, even if they got coverage and could rebuild after a fire, the value of the short-term rental in Colorado would be ruined b/c no one wants to visit a scorched mountainside.If you're an agent like me working with STR/second-home buyers, or your just buying yourself, navigating the wildfire risks and other natural-disaster risks of a home are now part of the transaction.

I sent the check, I'll send it certified mail or Ups, my personal favorite, I am in California until July and I still have yet to receive anything from him.

build trust with an agent and sign a limited POA or have them as an authorized signor. make sure to review all docs thoroughly. if someone has less than 250 transactions in real estate don't work with them.

This is you agent/deal finder, lender, property manager, and handy man. 2.)

I used an agent who helped show me around several neighborhoods near my work.