REX (real estate exchange) is a mix of all things real estate.

He did say lease purchase i got it mixed up with lease option.

If you can get another one or two in the mix, you will be able to pay off 1 house within 2 years and the cash flow only increases.This would help to pay more properties off quicker. 

There is a good mix of some low, middle and high end apartments in this town.

Good mix of experience in the group.

Usually expect to see two points to the lender unless there are other people in the mix which can easily drive that number up.  

I put my proceeds in the stock market for now but am looking to invest in a 3-fam, 4-fam, more-than-4-fam, or mixed-use bldg. 

Maybe you could fill the cracks in with concrete repair ( the stuff in a tub that you mix with water) and then caulk with that gray self-leveling stuff by silka or quickcrete.

Take one gallon vinegar and some heavy gauge steel wool and mix them together.

But from personal experience, I'd might do a land contract in which the seller becomes the bank for a time, until  you satisfy the contract, and the deed is held in escrow by a title company.Another scenario is to have the seller form an intervivos revocable trust, put the property into the trust, and assign certain beneficiary rights to you, along with a resignation of trustee (assuming the seller becomes his own trustee) and a quit-claim of any beneficiary interest to you, all of which is held in escrow by your title company.Remember, you and your neighbor can be as friendly now as front porch cousins, but when you throw real estate and money into the mix, ya never know how it might end up.