And while you may not be a titled owner, as a relative you'll likely be considered as such if you end up in court since its obvious you're not in the business of PM.

They first said they were waiting on court papers, then the following week they said a court date.

The goal would be to work with the errors, name one of them as the RP with full authority, and purchase the property without involving the courts. 

Make them attend 3-5 12 step meetings a week and have them provide documentation similar to the courts.5.

If it truly is just the paint and carpet and outdated but functioning bathroom and kitchen, a conventional mortgage should work as long as it appraises at the right amount, right?

Hey Andy - If you use the search function and query arbitrage you will see dozens if not hundreds of posts on this. 

And that's why we have courts, and contracts. 

They won't pay, but I'd take them to small claims court anyway, to get it on their record.

Hence if something like this happens and you collect the security deposit, you have that paperwork to fall back on if it goes to court. 

You only need to be proficient enough in the languages associated with development to function effectively in the role.Feel free to reach out if there's anything specific I can assist you with or if you'd like to have a chat.