Seems to me that if an investor considering syndicates who does not have experience or contact with syndicators would do well to join with a group of investors experienced in investing in syndications and pay the membership fee to “ride” the knowledge of experienced investors in this field.  

I noticed that the previous owner let them pay half the security deposit and the other half later, which is a red flag.

Plus, we had a family in mind that were looking to rent a house.

If the new owner pays on the loan its not "equity skimming" from what I understand of it.

We typically pay somewhere in the range of $3500 for a new, basic furnance, including install, if there are no other modifications to the system required.  

Be mindful of recapture tax when selling but consider long-term strategies like a 1031 exchange.This post does not create a CPA-Client relationship.

Suggesting to them buying their house for a wholesale range offer or lower dependent on the extent of the rehab, then having a contract in place that gives them a percentage of the profit to help get them back on their feet, paying off debts etc.

Now, you need to figure out how to find deals and pay for them.

It's likely they’re using this as an excuse to avoid paying rent, and there’s a good chance they didn’t pay the previous manager either.

It is not uncommon - main reason we see right now is over inflated original ARVs and now borrowers cannot sell and pay off the lender.