And you don't take into consideration costs of operating/maintaining these properties out of state which will be much higher. 

If the current manager won (results wise), he keeps his job and above market compensation after bonuses.If the new manager won, he replaced the current one.He found this to be a highly effective way of keeping his pay per click managers highly motivated  to continue optimizing the campaigns to the best of their abilities.This is more easily done in the online world, but I wonder if such a competitive incentivization scheme would work between property managers as well.

(I've found one that has run-down homes next to well maintained ones, probably in a 50/50 ratio).

There is no doubt that it can melt further and it is possible that 7500 will be seen as a goal to attain and not a baseline to maintain.Although the government-financial sector are creating more money out of thin air by the minute and lending this to people (called injecting "liquidity into the economy") , the people will have to be really stupid to go back into the debt trap by taki g the bait of easy credit.Even Obama realises that he has to find some other issue than the economy to maintain a positive media image, nuclear weapons.

Have your kids do the laundry, wash the cars, mow the lawns(where you maintain a home office) etc.

Redemption amount does give the purchaser reimbursement of amounts that are paid out for insurance and taxes, as well as maintaining the property. 10% interest is an annualized rate.There is a saying "let sleeping dogs lie" - it applies to properties where there are redemption rights.

It's a historical building (which means 1/2 off my taxes) with four well-maintained units that have been consistently occupied and I'm cash positive each month (about $900 before taxes etc).

It looks reasonably well maintained and could probably be up and running for less than the cost of filling it in.

All contractors are required to "file a Preliminary Notice within 20 days after starting work to maintain their lien rights."

Yes you could setup a Wimax network over your whole acreage but again you have to maintain it.