He said he would send references but then just never contacted me again.

Get specifics.Referrals are good, but I always ask for references from current out-of-state owners they work with.If they’re slow to respond while you’re interviewing them, or they’re vague about fees/screening, trust your gut — it only gets worse once they have your business.

I am creating a one-page reference document that has emergency numbers, how to report ordinary maintenance vs. emergency maintenance, how to shut off water or electric in an emergency, instructions for replacing the air filter, etc.

You may also occassionally see 6 or 7 month lease terms with LTR (more common when an annual tenant renews for an additional 6 months, for example).I've never heard of a 2-5 year lease term when referring to MTR.

Are you referring to actually purchasing the tax lien?

I’d recommend asking for a clear list of services and chatting with other landlords for references.

We also found some other deals that we referred to other buyers.

I have a few references if you need them. 

I’m not referring to networking or referrals — I mean the direct approaches they use to consistently generate these leads. 

. - I've got two guys I refer out that cover nw sides of Chicago.