He offers a 90 day money back guarantee so long as you submit at least 1 note each month.  

4) Would there ever be a benefit to approaching the current owner and offering to buy the property from them, and pay their property tax, which would remove it from the tax sale?

So if my offer is higher than other offers you would reject it?

And here's why:Key Takeaways:1) The market is following the original year-over-year appreciation trendline from 2014 upwards, indicating sustained growth and stability.2) Supply issues in Reno's housing market are once again in focus, emphasizing the need for strategic solutions to address housing shortages.3) Exciting developments, like Tesla's massive expansion to manufacture electric semi-trucks in Northern Nevada, will further strain housing availability, signaling continued demand.4) With increased home prices, we anticipate a ripple effect on rental markets in both single-family and multifamily sectors, driving up rents due to housing unaffordability.For California investors in San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, Sacramento the proximity of Reno and stability of investments are attractive. 

There are a lot more private lenders offering bank competitive rates and terms for investment properties then there used to be!  

Also be mindful of the fact property management is generally viewed as a loss leader in the industry and many make the mistake of self managing through employees  which costs more than hiring a 3rd party firm that has scale to offer mroe back office support, technology, in-house maintenance staff etc.

However, we now believe that exploring less competitive markets could potentially offer greater value for our investment.Would appreciate any mentorship or recommendations on websites to identify areas with the highest returns nationwide for multi-unit properties.

Drawing from your professional experiences, I am keen to understand how you typically support investors who encounter similar challenges.I appreciate any guidance and expertise you may offer in this regard.Thank you for your consideration.Warm regards,Tim Christian

It was initially his idea to invest out of state, but looking at the current market potential of Fresno and California in general (new laws restricting investors to put offers until 30+ on market, etc) I agree with him that it doesn't make much sense to invest in local real estate. 

Then they offered what they could (which I was more than happy with) and we agreed upon that price.I don't think they'd just turn you down.