I want to engage in seller financing option with an owner, who owns his property out right.

If you do engage an environmental engineering company to do a Phase 1 report, be prepared for them to recommend a Phase 2 that would involve drilling soils samples as their further action recommended.

The more you listen, the more you engage in conversations in this industry (networking)...the more comfortable you will be moving forward on something with the opportunity presents itself.

If it is a flip - then you cannot use 1031. 1031s are for rental properties.If it was a rental - then yes, you can use a 1031 exchange. 3 pointers:sometimes it makes more sense to pay the tax, so run the numbers firstuse an experienced 3rd party intermediary, like @Dave Foster or @Bill Exeteryou must engage them before you sell the propertyGood luck!

California now has a pretty onerous brightline test of sorts after the Dynamex case last year in the CA supreme court.A hired worker will be considered to be an employee unless it can be shown the worker passes ALL of the following test:1) The worker is free from the directions and control of the hirer in connection with the performance of the work, both under the contract for the work and in fact;2) The worker performs work that is outside the usual course of the hiring entity's business; and 3) The worker is customarily engaged in an independently established trade, occupation, or business of the same nature as the worked performed for the hiring entity.Note this is a lot more restrictive than the federal "questionnaire" for an employee vs IC determination. 

I found that the groups with the most engagement activity, not always with the most members, are the best to start scouting out. 

Please share your thoughts; I have my own position on this but I’m interested in hearing everyone’s position.Thank you for engaging with me!

If the lights stay green, you'll need to engage at a minimum, civil and structural engineers.  

The tenant likely has the right to stay in the property at the rate on the lease until the lease expires, but all rents should now come to you instead of the HOA.More than likely, the HOA lien remains in place and you are now liable for it.The receivership company that the HOA has engaged with (the HOA can't manage the property directly, usually) is likely very expensive, so you'll have to work to get them out of the picture.I'm the president of an HOA that has a unit like what you're describing.  

Will they engage with me at this stage in the pre-purchasing process?