(Information gathered from Google searching his name looking for online county records.)I don't have the cash up-front to do a cash offer, and the house is too cheap for a bank to be interested, so naturally I landed on seller financing as a potential path in, assuming he's interested in selling. 

When they call I look up the reason and say your records show that you have xyz issue which is not acceptable with our acceptance policy.

I bought a vacant lot one time, believing the prior owner, I just searched their records and all clear. 3 weeks after we closed and I was clearing the property, I received notice from the city the there were $22,000 in demolition and clean up fees from the owner before the person I bought from.

The MLS listing was not correct—they used a public record search but it was from a previous sale (the Sherriff sale which was not correct).

Yes, that status will block all payments for that particular property record.  

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The tax records show that the owner is Deutsch Bank National Trust. 

I've found that it maybe better to go to the records building to do the research as the information is more complete. 

(Lien searches only check official records at county, so if municipality doesn't file things which happens sometimes you are still on the hook.)

I'm finishing up my paper application now and wanted to know if it made sense to record the applicant's SS number on the application?