@Elliot Smithdepending on what your doing... an attorney is not needed for buying and selling or fix and flip sfr's in this market.all the title companies in WA do nice work. its best to befriend an escrow officer you like and then feed them your deals. 

I understand that you need to then find an investor buyer to assign the contract to but I have noticed some mention of having to send the contract to a Title agent or having it in escrow.What is that process and what is the meaning of escrow?

One word title is not likely to be noticed or attract attention, especially when you add to that fact that the one word is misspelled. 

BK doesn't transfer title the bank, they still have to foreclose.

You won't need a Realtor for this really, go to your attorney for contracting, use a title company through your lender.

Can I do this without a title company?

A great many "leads" that I see are nothing more than a vacant house with no attempt at researching the title or principals, just anecdotal info.

Does the bank proceed like a normal foreclosure and send a NOD to the seller who still is on the loan even though title has transferred?

Transferring property to a trust tends not to trigger payments due to creditors.Although you very well might be able to transfer title without the liens coming due, depends on the specific Philly laws

A septic system that based on it's age probably will not pass a Title 5 inspection.