And even having a great network is only valuable if you take action with it. 

I want to have a game plan in action prior to reaching out to lenders. 

Best case, you learn a lot, survive financially and trade up.

I don’t know what’s going on of course, but I can offer the possibility that the seller tried to negotiate the bill down and the contractor realized he was being squeezed so he took action.  

Sellers will trust you if your actions match your promises.

Financing might be a challenge.I would recommend consulting with a attorney, loan officer, and CPA to discuss your specific situation and determine the best course of action. 

These small, individual actions lead to big impact.

You can also trade up these properties quicker into other properties where you can force equity.

Pretty sure that is grounds for legal action against the PM.

Most landlords wait for a problem to land in their lap, then they waste a ton of time thinking, worrying, researching, and bleeding money before they ever take action.