And now found that city is about 12 months behind with  title transfer recording. 

I'd also prefer not to have a claim on record. 

They never turned me down because of my record. 

Aside from the interest rate and amount of the loan, you should also look for a lender with a solid track record and reputation.

@Brenden MitchumI've been doing more research into the Cumberland County records, and the property is definitely a single family house in their records. 

You can just check the County Clerk records.

You will have access to the mls but also to Imapp (great free software to search public records, and create mailing lists such as deliquent property taxes, expired listings, absentee owners, ect).

I'd disclose to your broker of record what you are doing, but there should be no commission, transaction fee, or other payment to your broker if it's not on the MLS. 

There could be involuntary liens such as code violations, water and other utilities that survive foreclosure  and are not necessarily recorded 

The property had mortgage recorded in 2009 and has a senior 90k federal tax lien from 9/7/2010--- per this clip from the IRS website, and it being over 10 years, would that mean I'm safe?!