It's not until year 18 of the mortgage that the principal payment becomes more than the interest payment for the month.My question would be- what would be your ultimate goal with buying a property?

The ultimate goal is to make 8k per month, be financial free, travel, live life, provide for myself and eventually my family. 

Typically when one tenant in a joint tenancy situation moves out, the deposit stays with the property and continues to be held by the landlord in trust in case there are any damages or money owed when the property is ultimately returned. 

If that is the case, then you might consider including a small acquisition fee for all the up front effort of sourcing and securing the deal.With limited info (and even with all the info) I can only tell you that it ultimately depends on what your goals are, what you think is fair and on what your partners are aiming to achieve out of this deal as well.Again, talk to your real estate attorney and your real estate CPA and have them advise you on the best structure to move forward.Probably not the straight up answer you were looking for but I hope it helps.Good luck!

I ultimately would like to "House Hack" a duplex or triplex in efforts to stop renting and get into the world of real estate investing. 

So, you will have to pay to get the property in your name, and then flip it to your ultimate buyer.

We had assumed that the tenant had paid rent to the previous seller for March and did not inquire regarding rent for that month (it was factored into the concessions we asked for and the ultimate purchase price).    

Would like to move into commercial as the ultimate goal.I made this post because I would simply like someone to chat with about real estate. 

I reimburse them the $25 if they ultimately become a tenant.

Since I've started down the path to financial freedom, I have began to look at money differently .I've become more aware of the flow of money, and how it can be used as a tool to achieve my ultimate goal - and also the goal of many here - financial freedom.I have learned that when I buy a $5 sandwich, I haven't just exchanged $5 for a sandwich.