I am now ready to move forward in this business, or close to it so how do I present it to him so that I can make him feel at ease with my professional analysis?

It would be even more advantageous for you to rent out a room in that property to ease the cost of your mortgage. 

I started the process at my bank due to my familiarity with the mortgage guy and the ease of him already having most of my info. 

Gathering from the input i have received from all of you guys, it seems going for B neighborhoods for both ease of rehab on first project and a more reliable rent pool.

If I felt the seller was desperate, I would likely offer a larger EMD and explain what that meant, in order to help ease their mind.

It has helped put our minds at ease - now we have a game plan in place instead of just panicking.

Once the ownership of the home changes, the IRS liens can be removed with relative ease, as long as the owner receives nothing from the transaction. 

It is a economic driver meant to ease influx of investments.

Upfront money may help ease his concerns.

Will be interesting to see how this plays out as the trade wars heat up, snippet of the article below:Chinese investors have become net sellers of U.S. commercial property for the first time in a decade, reflecting China’s crackdown on foreign investment and growing tensions between the U.S. and Chinese governments.After years of binge-buying trophy real estate, Chinese investors sold $1.29 billion worth of property in the second quarter of 2018, according to data firm Real Capital Analytics.