Im no expert but im in the rehab phase of a 203k right now. 

hi zion. let me give you a quick education on how you can do this. first, let me say that doing it yourself is not a great idea. yes, you can learn how to do a pretty good job, but the experts are the experts, thats why you pay them. that being said, here is a basic education. go to the record of deeds office or county clerk or whatever you call it in your neck of the woods. sit down on a computer and plug in the address. look for anything and everything to do with that house. look for liens especially. after you find any open liens for the last, lets say 50 years, look forward for lien releases for each and every lien. if you find the releases, then those loans/ liens are finished and will not be a problem, unless something stupid comes up on them where someone signed in the wrong spot or the date is wrong or something like that. anytime someone places a lien on a house, be it a mechanics lien or loan or back taxes, they have to file paperwork with the county to do so. it will be recorded. anything that is open and has not had a release of lien, is still a valid claim against that house. simply put, the complications involved here, especially if you have never done this before, is exactly why you pay an expert to do it for you. good luck

BP is such a great source I thought I'd throw out one or two of them to the experts.

After carefully and strategically placing myself in US and Canadian markets I could use some advice from people in those respective areas, as I don't claim to be an expert at all.

I'm not an expert especially not in Philly, but doesn't it sound a bit shady, he dropped the price so low, but like I said I don't know the Philly area. 

I don't consider us experts, but the biggest thing I would say is watch out for the little stuff!!

However, there are enough potential minefields, that even the experts stay away from it.

I need to get with @Joshua Dorkin on this too, obviously I'm a BP addict and have no intention of competing with BP, I'll always be around.Well, some good advice, start with the basics of real estate.LOL, coaching and mentoring offers from experts that don't even have to shave everyday! 

By no means do I think you become an expert with those questions alone, but I do feel you can better overcome the initial "information overload" that comes with learning a new market area and give yourself direction. 

I am no self-proclaimed expert on economics or real estate; however, I do own several paid-for rentals, and I am considering the idea of turning my current paid-for residence into another rental, moving into a new personal home upgrade.