Paulette, it is good to call out these bad contractors and unfortunately you are caught in a bad situation on what to do, start by a small threat that you will contact the BBB and report a claim if he does not show some progress, or if you know an attorney, maybe a simple letter from one may get him worried and he may start showing up.

I could be wrong or out of line, but I feel like this is a field where you really need some good expertise/experience to know how to address the variety of crazy situations that will come up.

And if their both right or wrong-how to handle this situation?

I've started asking questions for clarity with scenario/situation posts like this.

Get a big downpayment so that the buyer doesn't end up in the same situation 5 years from now.

@Daniel Han -  So there are essentially four parties in this situation. 

In my situation if I’m earning $18,000 in cash flow from a property my tax benefits are offsetting at least that amount and I’m still paying $0 in taxes so the real estate scenario is attractive to me.

I will also emphasize the importance of keeping at least 5% of your gross rent income and allocate it toward emergency situations each month. 

A good securities law attorney will be able to advise you, on your specific situation.

I was looking for more of a meetup type situation with some like minded people, freely sharing information.