Also, there are websites that offer inherited trust records or probate cases;  how do these companies access these records in all counties and be continuously updated with new cases/inheritance? 

I try not to make anyone layout any money until I know for sure that I have no red flags otherwise that indicate that I would not accept them as a tenant.

Hopefully the renter vs owner ratio is acceptable for taking on a tenant.It is a poor man's investment.

If he offers to charge you a lower interest rate, accept it graciously.You are only paying him interest on the money borrowed.

There website is michiganrealestateinvestors.com.

The podcasts have taught me more than getting my license ever did and you can use the form on this website to analyze deals quicklyI’d definitely recommend to start networking with local real estate associations. 

Is it acceptable practice locally to bill tenants for utilities?  

If you're doing a single member LLC, you just need to register on the SOS website, pay the fee, draft your Operating agreement.

My personal experience too and this is for those that do not plan on owning them forever and willing them to your kids or next of kin at a stepped up basis.but for those like me that were thinking hey I will own these 7 to 10 years take the write offs then sell retail..I did all that sold retail but what I was not thinking about is that a 10 to 14 year old home even though I bought them brand new.. to sell retail   what was acceptable when I bought them  tile counter tops  black appliances etc etcnow retail buyers standard is granite stainless  new paint 3 colors floors perfect etc etc.so it was costing me 20 to 25k per home to do a retail up grade to sell them for retail prices.. along with cap ex ( which in my case was minimal) since these were only 10 to 14 years old.. but then roofs being replaced because of hail that cost deductible.. and so on and so forth.. the cost of owning and keeping these nice is just more than you can raise rents in most markets.. that's my experience I got top rents in the day but they never went up much during the 10 to 14 years of  ownership.. just like I see modest type rentals that rent for 700 to 900 those rents have stayed pretty constant for the last 20 years .. and prices to fix stuff has gone way up.. 

NOTE: RUBS are not conman in every market, some market accept them and some don't.