I havent read the article, but I have seen people go to the courthouse and ask the clerk to check a property to be sure it is "clear"  and then ask me if what they should do.  This is the public, so I tell them that the clerk is not an expert at research and they propbably just checked one name real quick..  THey answer that its damaged property and they are  only paying thirty thousand.  MY reply is that once they put another hundred thousand into the property and cannot sell it later because there is a title problem or a creditor must me notified, etc. the have lost their 130K investment because they did not go through a title company and have an accurate search done.  The price of hiring an attorney is not that much if you stand to lose your 130K investment.  They think about it for a minute and then leave.  I guess the public just like to gamble, or is very cheap.  PS, here in Louisiana there are still hundreds of damaged properties that need fixing up, so I get that question often.