hello, I have just bought a property that needs a) fumigation (section 1), b) landscape grading to improve drainage, c) crawspace/foundation work to repair some piers and fix sump pump, and d) minor interior remodel and retrofit window. 

IS there a ball return in the basement that goes under the foundation that could be expensive to fix?

The house has been vacant for a year and a half who knows what else you find (cracked foundation, drugs, look up police acitivity in the area) but if the house gets worse and is condemed by the city for being a hazard to the community he will get basically nothing for it.

You want to build your investments on a stable foundation, you can not do that with bad debt pulling you down.Additionally to be a successful investor you must be financially highly structured.

Great foundation, but will not compare to real world experience.

You need to have a solid financial foundation to be successful in real estate, so I would suggest working towards that goal, and then pursuing REI.

Sometimes it can be stressful but most of the time you just have to laugh it off and move forward.Just in the short time I've been rehabbing properties I've dealt with gravity furnaces, lead paint, asbestos, foundation issues, no foundation (really), but this is a new one for me.

Only goal is to avoid expensive foundation problems.

In the interim, I had reflected on potentially shady pattern in my interactions/encounters, I decided to cancel the deal per the contract as the title was not deliverable by the closing date, confirmed by the title company.How do I get my earnest money deposit back, and when does the title company give it back? 

If this isn't the issue, or you can't go this route then go in the crawl space/basement, find the main water line coming through the foundation wall.