A well written management contract should clearly spell out what is expected of both the PMC and the owner, to PROTECT both and avoid misunderstandings.

They clearly had no intention of paying off the loan in October but sought instead to further reduce their loan balance during a time of the note holder's personal hardship.

Am I not cut out for this?

Clear communication on expectations is key—I'd definitely push them to split that $250 cost at the very least! 

Hardly anyone can prep properly, mask or dropcloth properly, cut in around trim and windows, get even coverage, etc. 

Implying bait and switch is pretty bold, please provide specific examples OR possibly consider not implying this about a loan shop that you clearly don't know much about. 

6 months later, I have doubled the size of the yard with all the clearing, performed a unit turn raising rent over $600.

They are very up front about the whole process and all the details.Before I go on, I want to make it clear that I am a small time entrepreneur and am in no way affiliated with the Capital Syndicate, Awesome REI or anyone else associated with this course.I bought the Capital Syndicate course because I wanted to see if I could apply it to a specific niche market.I bought all the add ons because I wanted to make sure I gave it every shot to work properly and because they offered a 30 day money back guarantee. 

Another option is house hacking—buying a small multi-unit, living in one, and renting the rest to cut costs.

Some banks and lenders will cut you off at 6-7 even if your DTI is below the normal percentage.