@Matt Skog forgot to say...I have never heard of a conventional lender participating in a deal where seller financing is involved?...

Any appraiser worth his or her salt maintains strong relationships with market participants such as brokers, investors, and even other appraisers.

Now I'm wondering if there is anything we will be able to learn from the event if we don't participate in spending any more of our own money.

Employer Contributions: Employer Contributions may be distributed upon the 401k Participant’s severance from employment, death, or disability.

Further, if the participant or accountholder is performing the active duties, conflicts with the prohibited transactions rules will generally result. 

@Jesse HargroveFor 2016, a participant may contribute up to $53,000 per year to a Solo 401k.

I'm assuming it's a main stream name mortgage servicer with a private investor due to them participating in HAFA.

if we are talking about pure brokering, and not selling fractionalized participations, you shouldn't have to worry about securities law compliance.  

Despite the "passive" claim on real estate investment, I find it requires far more "active" participation than any other investment I have and thus warrants higher returns.

I can't make any recommendations as far as Sheriff Sales (go to www.bcsd.us and click on "Civil Process") as I have never participated in one.However, through experience I've learned that when homes are going through the pre-foreclosure/foreclosure process, the owners continue living there, without paying the monthly mortgage, until they are physically thrown out.