I assume the purpose of hiding who owns the properties is to limit your liability in a lawsuit.

Rents don't only include the few things that most gurus mention like taxes and insurance, but also advertising, entity maintenance, management, maintenance, office supplies, evictions, court costs, damage done by tenants (above the deposit), legal fees, utilities paid by the owner (even if the tenants typically pay the utilities), lawsuits, etc, etc, etc (I could go on and on and on).The vast majority of new landlords fail in a relatively short period of time.

There have been some lawsuits over just this think. 

Doing this protects you from potential lawsuits.

And it may also get the tenants to back off/calm down, so a lawsuit never even gets filed.  

could you be exposing yourself to a lawsuit?

For example, he would have to follow up by filing a law suit within 6 months or the lien wouldn't stick.

.--- ie the ones with the fewest lawsuits on their tails.

On the other hand paying cash can make you a target of lawsuits from unscrupulous people who see deep pockets.

She had filed lawsuits and motions against the bank for wrongful foreclosure, mortgage fraud, etc. .