@Ned Carey  I know that the title co is responsible for the title search and uncovering any liens but my assumption is that the title company can only uncover what is in public record.

(I don't know your market but I'm making some assumptions based on the numbers you mentioned.)

If not, you can usually get it from your title company's customer service department or your real estate agent usually has access to a tax database that reveals owner's names.If this property is the only property that person has ever owned in that county, and their name isn't John Smith, it should be easy to figure out what documents pertain to that property.

So based on the assumption these are cash flow rentals.. the reality of reselling them will largely depend on AREA of town...

If you use the same closing company you can ask them for an investor or frequent customer discount.

Option 1:Lets say you do have the ability to pay the 18k and run with that scenario based on the above mentioned assumptions.  

If so, you can call their customer service line to ask your questions about title.Maybe you can get a preliminary title report, which would be even better.Without more information, the explanation that makes the most sense to me is that the owner bought a junior foreclosing lien in 2007.

Given the assumptions above, that would be a mortgage of $2,014.72.  

This belief/perception is oftentimes related to the customs or culture of the people involved.

I have to work twice as much to show my tenants that I am not a slum lord and that I will treat them like a paying customer.