It's all a numbers game and you have nothing to loose.

You may loose money or break even or maybe even make a little. 

These laws are to give the installment buyer homestead rights, rights of redemption and the opportunity to obtain excess equity secured, as may be applicable.

I just wanted any loose mortar scraped and replaced as there's no real cracking, just some loose mortar here and there.

It was not a plumbing issue but it appears the rubber seal that connects the dishwasher hose to the plumbing pipes had been knocked loose or off and flooded the area and ignored for quite a while, unfortunately there is no cabinet floor and it flooded the subfloor to the kitchen.

Sell the collateral, take your money and any excess goes to the borrower, (there are differences in installment/seller financed notes to the seller who holds the note, after that note is sold, it becomes a cash injected transaction, see an accountant as to the basis and cash equities established).Linda, a RE broker is not a mortgage broker (Cali has origination exemptions, but that doesn't put a RE Broker in the same seat as a mortgage broker in other brokerage activities, IMO).

I also read somewhere that judges won't uphold excessive late fees in court.

You could loose 10% of gross, or more, in these line-items...Good luck!

Better to Loose $800 than get hung out to dry for $385K.  

You don't have to complete with emotional families, with excess capital, who are willing to bid housing prices to astronomical levels.