NOw on Craigs list you have scammer after scammer.. so I suspect some amount of phone qualifying would be in order.When one is in the sales business.. what is one's time worth.. your time is to sell. if that involves a drive well that's your choice.but basically its Qualify present and close.. has been that way for hundreds of years.when I used buy homes like this  we targeted what we wanted and we door knocked simple as that the only time we went to mail or phone is if they lived in another state..

I have a question about short-sale properties.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-existing-home-sales-fell-sharply-in-july-1472047382Sales of existing homes fell in July. 

Surely, the sale couldn't proceed without THEIR permission?

My father has been in the buying and selling (mostly commercial) in real estate for about 45 years and he has taught me a little bit.Always do a math analysis and look at your prospective properties before you make an offer or at least have a clause in the sales contract that allows you the time (about 15 days) to make a detailed inspection and possibly back out of the deal without a penalty that will hurt you too much.  

Do not cut any corner to make something look better.The more sales activity is probably where you want to be.  

Section 8 usually only pays a portion of the rent each month , and you can't charge a late fee on the sections 8 portion, if it comes after the 1st of the month, which it will,  Usual pays out are by the 3 to 5th.

I actually watched this one being redone because I look in this area a lot for homes for sale and saw the subcontractors there constantly. 

The days go buy quickly with a HUD home, hopefully your agent has done sales like that before.

You have to factor in current homes for sale, units under construction and units planned to be built to figure out your projected capture rate.