If it is REO the banks will auction it, if it is not the law states its still owned by the owner of record. its like a maze and really hard to get anyone to speak to. if the bank dont own it they cant sell it, if the owner wont co operate with the bank in shortsale they cant sell it. so either way you spend a lot of time and get no where.

(the law determines tax deed sales date?)

Most will want you to pay them, they drag out the process out so you'll pay them longer...dah...The quickest way to start doing deals on your own I to understand it from the beginning, general methods, regulations and laws in your state.

Notice one poster stated California is a tax deed state, true, but the law is on the books that tax liens are possible if a county wants to use them.

There's a law of diminishing returns to how much risk is eliminated as you increase the reserves.

However the laws and infrastructure there are so different I don't know how much someone from here could help unless the already have experience there.

You need to check and make sure there are no quirky laws in California protecting sellers from having to sell even with a written contract.You might stand to gain some helpful knowledge by showing a real estate litigation attorney all your paperwork for review for a few hundred and they can give you realistic options and chances of being successful with your purchase if one seller fights it etc.No legal adviceP.S.

But offering a series of month-to-month or 6-month leases would seemingly allow for a landlord to raise the rent in a stepwise fashion... at least according to the letter of this law.

Either on the policy or mandated by some city law?

Back story of house: It is a friend of my brothers father in law.