Why hasn't anyone thought of overlapping multiple lists (absentee list, compared against tax default or something like that) to find true motivated sellers?  

I have seen Jerry Padilla mention that he does smaller balance loans on multiple occasions.

At a minimum, an agent can set up multiple "hot sheet" searches to find rentals that meet "The 1% Rule" (monthly rent must equal 1% of the purchase price).The second step after determining potentially good rental spreads is to get a close estimate on rehab costs.  

Fill up costs for 275 gallon tank that is 1/4 full still means you put in about 200 gallons or more; when prices crept to $4 per gallon, that's an $800 fill up that lots of tenants won't be able to cough up, or if they do the rent might be short ;) And it will need to be filled multiple times during a normal heating season; this past December, being so warm, obviously reduces that a bit this season. 

This prevents you from having to fill out multiple applications and have your credit pulled unnecessarily. 

Provides that the Secretary of Financial and Professional Regulation shall conduct an examination of each licensee that engages in brokering and lending activities, the scope of which shall address the delinquency rate of the licensee's loan portfolio.

That can be alleviated obviously with say a whole commercial building with multiple suites, much the same with a multi family home spreads that risk out over a number of units.

There are multiple little neighborhoods going through revitalization with some very far along and others at the beginning.

in the process of closing on a 5 unit. 4 of the units are occupied and have been for multiple years.

I'd do that now on your tax return to help show numbers for needing to show previous numbers for sale purposes.If there are multiple parcels on that one Bill Each is a separate entry unless its considered on complex.