Later she was unable to refinance, and the ex-husband kept making payments for her so the property wouldn't go into foreclosure.I would highly suggest to your friend to contact Noel Cookman DURING the mediation process, not after.

If you're using financing, evaluate how a rate hike could affect your payments.

I assume you currently have a residential mortgage that does not have a pre-payment penalty.

Even large and small businesses with intangible residual services like TV, internet, security, pest control or the local contractor with remodels in process could fall behind on payments revenue contract. 

Here are a couple of ways you could structure the deal:Lease Option with Seller Financing: You could lease the property with an option to buy later, allowing you to rehab it while giving the sellers time to find a 1031 replacement property.Seller Financing with Deferred Payment: Structure the seller financing with no immediate payments, allowing you to refinance once the property is appraised, and the sellers can complete the 1031 exchange when ready.Escrow Holdback: Transfer the deed into an escrow account, giving you control without immediate transfer, so the sellers can take their time with the 1031.Third-Party Facilitation: Use a qualified intermediary to hold funds and facilitate the 1031 exchange while you refinance.These options allow flexibility for both you and the sellers.

There are cases of local governments delaying payment due to budget constraints.

If you’re offering $450K, then you could offer to take over the $120K payments and seller finance the remaining $330K.

Will all of your vendors take a credit card as payment?

As a new fix and flip investor lenders will typically want to see 20% down payment and will be able to fund 20% of the rehab budget (80% LTC). 

The rules and payment standards vary significantly from one area to another, so familiarizing yourself with the local housing authority's procedures is key.