Even if it's a reimbursement of the wholesaler's EM, deposit your EM with escrow and authorize release of the same amount back to the wholesaler.Don't pay the assignment fee until you've closed. 

You'll want to obtain documentation on the Trust (Proof of Funds available for full payment of lease, who is authorized to sign on behalf of the Trust, and for what purpose can withdrawals from the Trust be made). 

You should call the Housing Authority yourself and see what the hold up is.

While I believe most in our chosen trade(s) are already familiar with the word or term “Appraisal”, it can’t hurt to provide some clarity: According to the most recent edition of Merriam-Webster’s On-Line Dictionary:Appraise - to set a value on; to estimate the amount of; to evaluate the worth, significance, or status of; to give an expert judgment of the value or merit of.Appraisal - an act or instance of appraising something or someone; a valuation of property by the estimate of an authorized person.Appraising - making or expressing a critical judgment or evaluation.Within the realm of real estate valuation, the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice: 2020-21 (USPAP) offers the following applicable definitions:Appraisal (Noun) – the act or process of developing an opinion of value.Appraiser – one who is expected to perform valuation services competently and in a manner that is independent, impartial, and objective.Appraisal Assignment – a valuation service that is provided by an appraiser as a consequence of an agreement with a client.Report – any communication, written or oral, of an appraisal or appraisal review that is transmitted to the client or a party authorized by the client upon completion of an assignment.

I author a blog dedicated to raising reader's financial IQ and I think what you guys offer here, on the site and here in the forums is valuable and would love to share Bigger Pockets with my subs.I have read a few of the books published by Bigger Pockets and will be reading more because, frankly I trust these guys.

As a California real estate assistant, it sounds like you're allowed to do the following:-cold-call prospective customers (although not regarding a specific property, transaction, or product), -assist with open houses,-conduct a comparative market analysis (i.e. identify comp properties), -arrange appointments, -give entrance to a property to inspectors or other authorized 3rd parties, -prepare and design advertising, -prepare documents and transaction instruments, -deliver and obtain signatures for documents (although you can't discuss the contents), -accept money for trust funds (i.e. earnest money or similar), -relay certain information between the agent and the principal, and -review transaction documents for completeness and compliance.Hope this helps. 

What are they doing to estimate taxes if not contacting the tax authority?

Thomas Stanley, author of The Millionaire Next Door, as one of the most important traits held by the majority of people who achieve high levels of success. 

I hate to be pessimistic, but the thing you have in writing says you have to pay the $50.Someone on the phone told you not to, but there’s no written documentation of that, or that the person who told you it had the authority to say it, that what they told you was the official and correct policy, etc.I suppose a good compromise would be to email them and ask for written (emailed reply) confirmation that you can ignore that invoice, that it was sent out in error, and that you should not pay it.My guess would be that no one will respond to your email, which to me would mean they’d be unwilling to give you written confirmation that you should ignore the invoice, which would mean you’d probably want to pay it at that point (in my opinion).It’s completely up to you, but that would be my thoughts on how to handle it.Kind of ridiculous of course that you’d even have to apply this kind of thinking to $50, but when the City has the power to attach a lien to your property I think it’s worth being a little paranoid.

Your lawyer will also be able to advise when it's time to get the authorities involved.