Either the seller needs to pay the lien at settlement (if there is a lender involved... see below) or the buyer needs to factor in taking care of the lien immediately.

traditional buyers?

The FHA loan handbook appears to be silent in the section titled “Assumptions” (pages 457-459) on whether there are restrictions on when a loan can be assumed.Aside from the FHA/HUD anti-flipping policies (which don’t limit a buyer’s ability to freely sell the property purchased with an FHA loan but rather restrict when a new FHA loan may be allowed for a recently-purchase home) it would appear that an FHA loan assumption is possible at any time, given the lender’s participation in the transaction.

Everything I’ve done (from the buyers view) I’ve done with dotloop which allows you to do it remotely.

@Zach White I have represented military buyers here in the Chicago market, and the only issue I have ever run into with the VA loan is if the appraisal doesn't come in high enough.

As a REALTOR I recommend the seller accept no less than 10% of purchase price, above-average interest rates, and a shorter term (5 - 10 years) though it can be amortized at a longer term (20 - 30 years).If you are the buyer, I recommend get the most favorable terms for you.

I work with mostly primary residences for buyers, yet here is my list:1) Befriend a contractor and take them with you to give to you a rough estimate for a) livability repairs, b) updating, or c) to make it really nice.

I would also get up to speed on the landlord tenant laws and write as much of the maintenance into the buyers lease as your allowed to per Washington State guidelines.

That seems to me to be the time that you need outside expertise more than later in your career.If a deal is on the market (on MLS), the commission paid to the agents is already agreed to in the listing contract, so buyer's agent or not, the seller will pay the same amount of commission. 

Since both Buyers/Sellers do work with agents to Sell/buy real estates.