The remaining ones are mortgage free.Like you, I have dwelling fire insurance and used to have a 3 mil umbrella, but since cut to 2 mil.

I'd say cut your losses and move on.  

@Karin DiMauro don't bring up anything about the GC you let go, and personally I would cut all ties with them altogether.  

@Wendell De Guzman, do you find that the guys try to cut corners in order to finish early? 

You'll somehow have to succeed in talking the seller/agent into a VERY large discount in order to create room for your own cut in the deal. 

hi kenneth. no, these are not specific to ny. these are guidelines that i followed to get the info i needed. granted, in other states, the " release of lien" or " release of mortgage" may be called something different, but the procedure is still the same. a few years ago, the feds put a limit on the number of foreclosures that a bank could put back on the market. that prompted the banks to put just those better, or more valuable houses up for sale and sit on the less than desireable ones. eventually, the banks come to the conclusion that these " junk houses" not only made their books look bad, but they were never going to get what they needed for them anyway. and, foreclosing costs even more money. so they release the lien. it gets it off their books, and takes away the liability for the house from the bank. yes, it puts it back into the owners lap free and clear, but the bank has to cut the fat somehow. so, they have to file something to release the lein, with the register of deeds or who ever it is done with in their jurisdiction. this is what you want to look for. 

., how close to the prop you are valuing. write down 6 or so if possible, don't count the highest and lowest, add up what's left and divide by that # to come up with an average price per sq ftlAlso need to look close at ones that have been fixed up, difinitely not a cut and dry process, but another tool.

Cut back overgrown foliage.  

I had people complain that "the guy that cuts the neighbors only charged $35".

Find places to cut financially.