I'm also looking to understand the best local title companies to use for private funding / "subject to" deals. 

Depending on your cash, there might be other ways to invest in RE without ownership such as doing private loans, etc (make sure you comply with your state laws).

If a buyer wants to see a home, they can call for a private showing any time. 

This money I can borrow privately at 2%, undetermined term but I would hope to refinance once the property was up to par and rented out.All in: 110kSo that I'm not misleading, I'll say here that the area is probably C-, right on the east edge of Washington Park for you Milwaukee natives, and that this could pose difficulties (or perhaps scare off many investors?).

This money I can borrow privately at 2%, undetermined term but I would hope to refinance once the property was up to par and rented out.All in: 110kSo that I'm not misleading, I'll say here that the area is probably C-, right on the east edge of Washington Park for you Milwaukee natives, and that this could pose difficulties (or perhaps scare off many investors?).

@Jean-marc Cabrol  from all the different post I have seen and private e mails I have gotten this is pretty much how these notes go... maturity comes and goes... lots of swapping out of beneficial interests which is replacing one investor with another on the same loan.. 

The seller has a $80,000 private mortgage on the property. 

But what if I find an amazing deal, that no one else wants or maybe other people have their eyes on another property, and I know I can make a nice profit flipping it, but I don't have the cash there.Should I ask for private money BEFORE the auction, and then just return it if I don't get anything?

Try looking elsewhere, look for hard money lenders or mortgage brokers with private money investors that loan out money from their 401k's looking for higher returns.

I am looking at financing with Phyllis Brown a private lender.