When I got my property I had some support from my parents in financing, and we got some really good professional help, but with our current financial issues, that level of professional help is well beyond reach.

Most of the time, executors hire an attorney to advise them topics such as the one you mentioned.  

Some background: my friend is a tenant who has been living rent-free in a unit for over ten years but is a professional painter and has been painting numerous properties/units for the landlord in lieu of rental payments.

You can hire an attorney to do a 'quiet title' where they contact all the lien holders to negotiate a deal with them to clear the title. 

PROs:Adds a level of professionalismAccess to MLSNetworking with other agentsAccess to resources of TREC, TAR, NAR, SABOR, & other groupsListing your owner propertiesAbility to earn commissions (or given them up in order to get a deal)Ongoing education that keeps you at the forefront of the market, legal issues, & trendsCONs:More liability (assume professional liability)Some people just don't like RE agentsRealtor - often considered the last bastion of hope for people who have failed to launch a  successful career in anything else.Dues, Fees, Insurance, Expenses in GeneralSubject to rules and laws that don't apply to non-realtorsHaving to work with TREC (they are just very slow and cumbersome to work with)For me, I find it worth it to be a professional in my field.  

In particular, I want to get started renovating homes outside of the Northampton, MA area, where quaint country homes are a prime market for visiting professors and working professionals.

Hello everyone,Can anyone in the metro Detroit or/ Detroit area recommend someone that is savy and knowledgable in legal advice, entities, real estate questions as an attorney but need them to be professional!

Recently, I saw on a news site, the city I want my investing career to begin and thrive in, has hired new people to continue demolishing abandoned and condemned homes.

I also thought it didn't seem very professional and I doubt would get me to make a call.

Some partner or hire a contractor to give them reliable bids as well.