I’m genuinely asking because I’m in the same boat.

It sounds like he just wants to genuinely help the both of you succeed in anyway that is necessary, given the fact he essentially brushed off the idea of a partnership agreement.

@Dannielle O'BuckleyPick your market by choosing a city you believe in, maybe look for job indicators or neighborhoods that are transforming, or the "path of progress".

They have the means to make that happen and the knowledge to choose something that will make them money either way.When it comes to mindset, the most successful ones in town are genuinely out to help the owners. 

What a transformation.

It is about finding a handful of serious capable buyers.I PURPOSELY do not want many buyers because the more buyers you have the more time wasters on your list and the more issues you will face in the future.Most people think that there is no disadvantage when it comes to adding more buyers.The more buyers you have on your list the more chances you have deals will fall through, and failed closings.You just need 16 (or so) buyers with capital ready and a genuine hunger for discounted off market properties.Focus on quality here, not quantity

We then have a tenant that refinishes the oak cabinets using rustoleum cabinet transformations. 

I genuinely think you are wasting your time driving for dollars. 

And hey, if you're ambitious, you could enlist neighboring landlords to spruce up your block and be in the vanguard of transforming that part of town, which really deserves to be transformed

No, because time value of money and oppertunity costs over the past 8 years have transformed the financial picture and the "CoC" was really only a cute way to look at the first 1 or 2 years of rental profits.