File insurance claim immediately for roof to prevent further damage that would not be covered due to homeowner neglect.View property, see what kind of work it needs to get it habitable.

They maybe open to a small rent increase in exchange for coming in and doing some small or preventative maintenance.

That is why, if you are going to spend the money you want a good property manager, proper screening, preventative maintenance, and 24/7 emergency maintenance  means a lot less headaches for your investments.

It is possible that the previous flipper bought the property thinking it was only paint and carpet need but ran into a slew other issues preventing a profitable flip. 

Beware of posting past deals (which are considered tombstone ads), as they may be construed as conditioning investors for future investments, and thus, the first step in making an offer.This is a case where an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

I understand the importance of adequate tenant screening for prevention, but even the most thorough screening cannot mitigate all risk. 

Otherwise there's nothing in public records to prevent the seller from selling it to someone else.

I did not receive any notice of these violation due to the HOA letters were sent to my rental property, but I'm not sure if my tenants actually received notice either, if they never opened any of these HOA letters. 2- In an attempt to prevent future violations, I asked my tenants to hide their trash cans inside the garage or in the backyard.

I started off basically dropping off notes, texting, etc, and I've had two situations now blow up because that one-way style lost a lot of subtext that would have prevented the situation from escalating. 

Ned,Do you mean the property owner is best protected by the state to prevent/delay/give notice for the sale....and then the chance to redeem?