Then we send out crews to restore it.

If you are able to consistently buy turnkey properties at below this value, then you have a good value -- especially if you have reason to believe that local prices are likely to go up (new employment coming to the area, Main Street restorations, or other identifiable trends).The area I buy in has turnkey properties at $40-60/sq.ft and the local cost to build is at roughly $100/sq.ft. 

I worked in water/fire restoration for years and our crews would see things like this.  

I restored a two story 2,600 Sq ft house.

My primary goals are to increase my knowledge of real estate investing, build a portfolio of rental properties and help restore neighborhoods while building wealth.  

Whats the best way to utilize my cash, use it as a down payment (20%) on 2-3 inexpensive properties and finance the rest or just purchase a single property outright?

I drove it for years, but lately it spends most of its life in the garage awaiting a restoration.  

History in construction, mainly repair and restoration.

I have been doing insurance restoration construction for 10yrs and have been very interested in learning how to build new relationships and how to properly obtain those types of projects with little money down.

I went to Lowes and bought the PEX parts and the plumbers fixed the leak, restoring the hot water.