However, the web tells me that sheriffs often are not privy to doing so.

Look for something where you can get the web URL. 

The house was a horror; filthy, roaches literally everywhere, a kerosene pot-burner heater in the floor - no fan: just a big grate in the floor, everything in the house was sticky, and there were dead bugs and dusty spider webs in the bathtub.I refused to work there and told her to call somebody else.

Hi Benjamin Christensen and welcome to BiggerPockets.Forming an LLC can probable done on the Texas secretary of state web site.

(You'll probably need to copy and paste the link to your browser.

If you do what I do (web and software dev) the unemployment rate is less than 2% here.

The Internet is MUCH more than "the web", and also much older than the web.

Our web site and our group follows the airport and other factors that influence the real estate market...

Here's their web address http://www.retireonrentals.com/ I first contacted them 2-3 years ago, and they are still around, and haven't changed their business model, so that is a good sign.

Go to the title company or to your state's real estate commission's web site, get a contract and get out there and get a deal. 9 times out of 10 you are buying distressed property from people who don't care what the contract says anyway.