I currently work for a big GC company in Columbus, Ohio, and have done both rehabs and new builds.

We ask simply questions, like were they late, did they have lease violations, outstanding debt and would you lease to the tenant again.

If they were long term I would let them break the lease and if the home was left in good condition then I would return the deposit - now this is just me but you have  alease that dictates specific terms that you can uphold them too or not.It would be ok to ask for the death certificate, and what you could say is its our policy to waive the fee for death but we need a record of it.

So many of us have a lot more on the plate and get it done.

We'll have several investors/realtors from the Inland Empire to help you including myself. 

I only have $2k down non-refundable earnest money. 

You don't have to use a realtor, you fsbo.

For some reason, I thought the former US steel site was near the Illinois / Indiana border, not downtown Chicago, but I must have been mistaken.Is the project going to be on the Chicago Riverwalk, as your picture indicates?

This is not optimal for return, but I have a similar issue with my properties that if there was not the recent interest hikes, I may have refinanced. 

I have been following up the content here and on youtube which has been really insightful.