@Christopher NemlichAside from all the great feedback, I agree that you need to sift through your options with some sort of system.I would connect with local sponsors, as mention by @Brian Burke.Then, I would connect with local brokers to ask for feedback on the buyers.

But there is some good talent on there after you sift through the applicants you get. 

I look for: -estate type: RE (basically general real estate...you don't want small estates)-Status- OPENOnce you have found the type of estates you are looking for, you really just have to sift through legal documents, which will be take some time to understand, but will be beneficial.

This was after a ton of sifting through properties and being very very picky about what I would go for. 

You do want to sift out those with serious problems (to not waste your time and their's) but not also filter out those who could be potentially good tenants.

I will sift through these and come back around.

C hoods fetch me $2500 rent for $140k. there's a bunch of crap deals too though, and in my experience, the variation from block to block requires that you have someone local who you trust to sift through the homes. nova/dc is probably one of the worst and most competitive areas I've seen.

I just figured that would take a very long time sifting through each and every probate calling reps and asking if they were left  property.

I copied and pasted it below so others can read it without sifting through all the information you posted.

I thought I implied I understood it to be an evaluation tool of sorts, a sifting screen through which poor investments didn't pass.But you buy a property... first year, no one moves out, no big repairs... your Gross rents were $15,000 and expenses were $4,000 with another $4,000 towards your mortgage and interest.