I am a disabled veteran and I am looking to start finding homes and flipping them with the help of my step dad.

I might be shooting in the dark, but I was wondering if there was anyone in the Charleston, SC area that is familiar with this method(lease options)?

I've been getting addresses from abandoned home's what steps do I take to find owner of the property

On the other hand, I could have sat and complained that I didn't have enough capital to continue to grow my portfolio and only dreamed about the next steps (i.e., that would be 'interested').

Maybe run numbers to see if it would be a good BRRRR property to refi your capital back out (if you're not familiar with BRRRR search the forums and blogs,it's a great method for redeploying capital without a sale).

I also agree with @Joe Gamatoria, step 1 is speak to a CPA immediately.

They kept two cats and two dogs inside, and the place nearly required a gas mask to step into (and this is coming from someone who has animals in the house and is used to the smell). 

If they have to do a u-turn or do multiple steps to get into a place it is a major deterrent versus a middle turn lane without a concrete median.Check any road widening projects in the area as that could take existing parking spaces from the property you are looking at by eminent domain.

I don't need the flip profit to live on so is strictly for reinvesting.I'm not really interested in owning a bunch of SFH rentals which is why I haven't been doing the BRRRR method.  

So if I use your method I will probably walk with 20k.