To me it is not worth risking reputation, morals, etc. simply to get a deal.

You are simply talking to the wrong department. 

I neer thought of simply having it cleaned.

I had agents that I trusted to purchase properties site unseen and simply go with the the numbers, reports and pictures.  

Any judicial process will take longer than a non-judicial process simply by the nature of having to go to court.  

Kenneth-as I understand it, there are a few platforms such as RealCrowd that function simply as a broker.

One of the rentals is fully paid for and I'm torn between simply using the cashflow from it and the other two to rapidly pay the other two off, or taking a cashout refi on the paid-for rental and using that cash to buy two or three more at 25% down on each (so they will also cashflow about 300-500/month each).  

I just posted for the first time yesterday and came across this thread shortly after, and it is simply phenomenal.  

So I would recommend you buddy up with a local investor near you that is using hard money and see if they can't give you an introduction and also review your deal for the hard money lender.Ultimately, the hard money lender's real fear is that a new investor simply doesn't know their numbers quite yet.  

Always attempt to overestimate for your investors, if it comes out cheaper, you're a hero.