Hello @Jesse Klein Your right the ARV is way out of line for the price that is asking which makes it a pretty bad deal at the asking price with comps around $850k. 

Other areas weren't hit nearly as badly and some even went up in value.

I tend to fall into bad situations though being nice to down-and-out'ers half of who end up preying on my soul(literally!)

Thats what I see most of the time.You are not doing something wrong you are trying to protect yourself and to avoid any title problems in the future.Basically you are buying the property that simple.I'd call the county clerk and ask about which site to use to search the records...that way you can do your own search not saying professionally but at least sometime you can find some liens on any property interested in like labor liens, child support, abstract judgments...etc could save you some time and $$$ by filtering your targeted properties before doing the title search through title abstractor.Some times I offer the former owners some time to leave like few weeks so I dont need to pay them alot and get them sign a short term lease with zero rent with waving their rights to fight any eviction and giving me the right to get the writ of possession right a way once the short term lease ends without giving them any eviction notice.Hope that helps.Good luck to all

Are we all really that bad at business.

However, I have seen first hand what can happen when a tenant digs in and fights all the way up to the point of the sheriff removing them from the property.

Which seems to be both, an opportunity and a bad idea at the same time.

I've tried Craigslist in the past and there were just a ton of bad prospects to sift through. 

Look at me, I have a bad history housing history!" 

You make it sound like it is a bad thing.I think it is wicked !