I have just discovered Biggerpockets.com and am finding it very informative.

Is there a quick way to discover tax rates in the various locations (not just the ones mentioned above but the area in general)?

Hi - after having discovered BP a few weeks ago when I decided to make better use of my commute, I decided to take the plunge and join the site.  

I discovered BP a while ago but didn't really get involved until recently.

Even the larger companies should stick to this basic process and make sure that the company fixes any communication flaw as soon as they become aware of it.There are many other aspects that the company can dwell on; however, if they stick to the basics keeping with the example of communication, they can trump a majority of their competition since their competition is more worried about growing exponentially and leaving all their true customers in the dust. 

I discovered BP a while ago but didn't really get involved until recently.

I thought the same when I discovered the site.

The C Buyer's Lender usually becomes aware of this during the due diligence process because they will discover that you, as the Seller, are not showing up anywhere as the Owner of the property.Happy Investing!

A couple years later after reading "The Automatic Millionaire" by David Bach I discovered that I could do a cash out refinance and use those proceeds to purchase another property.

If you feel you must pursue it, hire a lawyer and prepare yourself for a long hard fight, at the end of which you'll likely discover that the contractor is literally worth nothing and getting money from him will be like getting blood from a rock.Realize that in the future you need to be working with legitimate contractors, using legitimate contracts, with legitimate collateral in case things go wrong.For now, hire that contractor (The legitimate one), and get your property in line with your exit strategy.