If a property doesn't have clear title, do you extend the dates on your original contract?

If you get the loans discounted, do a title search before spending any money.

Should I spend any more money or just pull the trigger and go down fighting.

Find an agent that's willing to spend the time looking at many properties and making lots of offers.Be sure the agent is OK with making multiple offers at once.

So I spend the half hour counseling these folks cause they're in a jam.

After the completion of these projects in 2004, citizens voted to extend the duration of the tax to inject $700 million into the troubled Oklahoma City school system for renovations, new construction, etc(ongoing, see link).

You could spend a tiny fraction of that to get your own leads.

You might find what you are looking for, but I do stress that you spend sometime in there before jusmping into doing business with someone!

How much money should I anticipate having to spend on my first deal?

After Jan 1, this right of redemption goes away and the cure period (time from NOD to sale, NOD is called a NED - Notice of Election and Demand here) is extended by the former owner redeption period.