Are their extra steps involved to be sure nobody else is an heir to the property?

Your realtor should be getting feedback from showings to gauge buyer interest and feedback to help guide you on what steps to take next.

President, who values money that greatly as to be willing to take the foolish, reckless, and immoral steps that would be required to try to become filthy rich?

Those two steps may give you some answers. 

It's a good way to dip your toes in the water where the property is far enough away so that you need to rely on other people for most things but close enough that you could step in and do it yourself if it became necessary. 

Then multiple by 12 (or skip a step take gross monthly rents and multiply by 6) then divide by whatever cap rate you think is reasonable and compare to sale price.

The first step is to determine how much time you can devote to real estate investing: it will help you narrow your focus to either passive or active RE investing.

Insurance is great and that is the first step in protection, but its a business.

anybody lose their tail on a courthouse steps deal?

The next step is to figure out how to buy more properties.