Once you complete your first project, you'll gain experience and confidence!

If you are skilled in each of the areas above, and you have enough in reserves to cover the costs of when things do not go as planned, then you can likely attract money from private money lenders who want to get a return on their money and they see lending to you as a low risk way of earning a better return than in the other passive investing options they have. 

I had an experience with a terrible tenant who reported me for a bogus claim but by making the claim it allowed me to gain access needed to get photos of the condition of the property, and then the tenant refused to allow maintenance people in which really helped prove my side of the situation.If possible, explore alternative dispute resolution options like offering the tenants a cash-for-keys agreement.

You would have had to be there for at least that to save on the capital gains taxes (up to 250k). 

Selling it now vs renting, will give your dad more money and he won't have to worry about renters or cap gains. 

Also Chip and Joann Gaines and put this town on the map with their show on TV.

You are neglecting to account for gentrification, which is the biggest REI gain or all.

Seller will be taking a 30k+ loss with this route.325k with 50K down to seller, 3 years of payments $1600/month, and a balloon payment of 215k at the end of 3 years.Benefits to me: (1) 10k less downpayment, (2) with the conventional route, the loan would be at 228k after 3 years of payments, so I will gain additional equity with the 2nd option since I will owe 215k (presumably I will have to refinance at that time).Benefit to seller: she gets over asking price, 50K upfront and $300/month of cash flow.Does this offer and structure sound reasonable?

The meeting was mostly passive.

Renting could allow you to focus on paying down debt and saving for a larger down payment, while buying now could help you start building equity or even generate passive income through house hacking.