In preparation for that, I am trying to find a good way to manage preventive and routine maintenance. 

If lower the sellers lost money also.The title company should have in their search seen that there was a pending Tax Sale which was going to happen before your purchase date and brought that to your attention before settlement.Also if you knew there were delinquent taxes you should have as part of your due diligence found out when the sale was scheduled and bought the property before the Tax Sale, paid the taxes first and prevented it from being sold at Tax Sale.The overage will be given to the estate. 

John Anderson No I don't, no federal regulations will prevent me from getting a federal contract even if I have a mere judgement.

You can only underwrite tenants so much but what you can underwrite for, scrutinize as much as you can to prevent bad tenants from happening!

I used base rock (4-6 inches of class 2 base rock compacted at 2-inch lifts), an inch or so of sand, pavers, and a polymer modified sand (which has a little bit of bonding strength) to fill the joints between pavers and prevent weed growth.

It may not help resolve anything but it may prevent someone else from having the same experience.

This would prevent me from having to tap into my cash for subsequent properties.

This article's a bit dated but still applies pretty well. http://www.indystar.com/story/news/crime/2014/10/09/mayor-ballard-and-impd-to-focus-on-crime-prevention-in-six-indianapolis-area-neighborhoods/16979317/Feel free to PM me if you have a specific home/cross street/area you're looking into.

Hi Paul, I'm from a different area than you, but the situation you are trying to prevent is common to all landlords and property managers. 

Three evictions in 17 years, rent collection is automatic via ACH, maintenance is always preventive so late night or emergency calls from tenants, etc.I have recently changed to having only one group showing a few weeks after the current tenant gives notice that they are moving out.