I recently started here in MA and I've had to request them from each town's Treassurer/Tax collector.

I am in a very tough market and have bought and flipped a property here in the San Francisco Bay Area right before the boom that started a couple of years ago and lost money on it because of both bad luck (squatters who caused a lot of damage and accidents).  

This housing boom has wreaked havoc on low and no-income populations, and put housing policy in serious flux.

@Mike Malicad,first please re-read what @Mark Ainley said. the average life for oven/range and washer is 2-3 years (from brand new) with a large tenant family.now for buying new, and new card offers with 1 year/2year 0%:-sears or sears outlet (for scratch and dent)-talk with the local homedepot/lowes/menards, especially the manager on duty or appliance desk-abt -all of them deliver southside, and they may even install + remove old appliances (for a fee) (if your metal garbage collectors are not active in your area..)

One warning, though, historically the AV has been boom or bust, which means that it has gotten hit hard every downturn price wise.

If it is dented then boom note it and send a notice.  

You don't have to worry about any other tax certificates outstanding, as those have to all be paid to apply for a tax deed:197.502 (2) A certificateholder, other than the county, who makes application for a tax deed shall pay the tax collector at the time of application all amounts required for redemption or purchase of all other outstanding tax certificates, plus interest, any omitted taxes, plus interest, any delinquent taxes, plus interest, and current taxes, if due, covering the property.

The other condition I am in a lower income area and the culture in Baltimore City has bred a notion that landlords will not collect or report to the credit agencies.

You'll make a fortune in the boom times, and you'll make a whole lot less in the trough so you'll want to make sure that your income is somewhat protected.

My father used to work as a tax collector for the People's Republic of Kalifornia and on several occasions, took entities to court and attempted to pierce their veil and get at the tax evaders on the inside, but he was unsuccessful most of the time because the courts do not set aside legal veils readily.