When do I switch gears from learning how RE works to applying that knowledge to make money?

That could involve major rework of the existing units even if they were not damaged.If the deal was easy someone would have done it.

Dishwashers involve some plumbing too, and some "reworking" of kitchen cabinets, which leads to---By updating I'm guessing you mean replacing kitchen cabinets and freshening the baths.

We'd need the main level reworked and the kitchen redone.

but you may also be able to contact the current owner and reworking the deal with them for a new payment plan and end up making money.

So I re-worked my site a little and created a "Buyers" page.

Account ClosedI think you might need to rework or rethink your strategy.  

I figured I would bring the deal and do some of the work which would justify my equity position but it looks like either they wouldn't need me in the deal or I would have to rework the structure to make it worth their while.  

I am having new contractors redo all the work and providing itemized receipts for all the rework items to provide as evidence.

They're reworking the CMX guides right now, so they've taken those guides down for now.