And Tampa keeps showing up on lists of best places to invest, inspite of my bad choice (I will own my decision-i can’t call it “bad luck” ) in buying there during the red hot boom of the mid 2000’s. 

For example, your state may require you to store it gratis for 30 days before declaring it abandoned, and then there's the gauntlet of red tape to acquire title. 

Too much red tape but always good to know.So is that fund in trouble now?

I then said I would need an updated one which he got me in his fiancées name which I guess should have maybe thrown up some red flags but she was there with us  which I thought made it legit. 

Red flag right there.

If this particular loan isn't a GSE loan, again, yeah, maybe a small local or regional bank might be willing to cut through some red tape.

An official eviction will take some time to show up on a searchBUT..... there were probably other red flags....AND its obvious you didn't call their previous landlord..... big and expensive mistake.

The fact that he could not give you an upfront cost should have been a red flag.

This is a huge red flag that you've got a future problem tenant on your hands.

As a buyer, I can tell you that it definitely is a red flag.