The hope would be that I would repeat this many times of course with multiple investors and eventually use property management when it becomes too much to handle effectively.  

The neighbor has 30 days to do something, and then another 30 days to do something else, and so on....eventually he will get $750 per day fines and a lien, but when?

Real estate is a passion of mine, and I'm working get my real estate license to eventually make the transition into real estate full time as an agent, property manager and full time investor. 

Are you going to rent it out eventually?

Eventually, replacement is a necessity though.

You don't have to get the stump and roots "gone", they'll eventually rot away (maybe even in your lifetime)

I think the thing to keep in mind there is that your contribution should not be any more than the fair market rent you would eventually charge somebody.

I didn’t find out about it for awhile and then there were some screwy things that happened but eventually it fell through several times and I bought it very cheaply.

Does he have to report the income he received this past year and declare it a rental event though he would like to move back in eventually?

I manage an asphalt maintenance company during the day but would like to build a rental portfolio and eventually get into flipping full time.