It may not seem hard because it's only 1 so its more about understanding the day to day mechanics of it. 

The economics, financial, social and mechanical and legal make it fascinating to me.

I suppose what I am after I already have for the most part, really just trying to be able to plug and scale a little larger from the beginning.Not looking to be a glorified salesman per se, unless that was to get my feet wet on the mechanics and realities of HML then branch off fully in the near future.

Even though his building are all free-and-clear, but he refuses to let me take out an equity loan on one to buy another (the mechanism he used to originally grow to 10 buildings). 

a lot of agents just send the contract to title company and Duck have no clue how the mechanics work.My Daddys old real estate attorney  told me when I was about 10 or 11 he said you want to make money in this business you go learn how title works and how to research at the courthouse,  how to find Plat maps that were recorded 100 years ago.. just dive into all the public records its fun and gets you to another level and you are not so beholding on other companies to do this for you its not a money issue its a time and speed issue. 

But it hasn't really touched the barely functioning mechanical systems that have been band-aided together for decades. 

They are all free and clear and I am looking for ways to finance updates. some of the update that i need to do are siding, mechanicals, and a lot of cosmetic on the insides. 

I would also have a title search done to make sure he doesn't have a 2nd mortgage, home quity loans, or mechanical liens, etc...Thanks in advance for your insights!

A question to you professional investors: What other possible liens/judgements can prevent the sale besides debts, mortgage debts and mechanics liens?

If your tenant had her car worked on and she didn’t pay the mechanic, would you be expected to pay for that too?