Looks like utilities are not split so owner would have to pay.

I lean toward the idea of never paying more than 50% equity into something if I can utilize than money somewhere else. 

An under-utilized approach to REI...two off the top of my head are ZER and XER, though have also been watching REI.UN, which offers ~6% return just from dividends alone.

Also, in FL at least they give more room for units where you pay the utilities.

(For the record, I receive not one penny for my recommendation; I'm just satisfied customer and a fan!)

If the properties sold for more than what you offered, this is just a case of below average customer service, not shady business practices. 

Now my wife and I each run a truck and each have 35-45 hours per week of paid work, 10+ hours of unpaid driving, and turn away new customers constantly.

Another item to consider in your plan is often times the utilities are not going to be separate, which may not be an issue when you live there but if you end up renting out your dwelling when you PCS elsewhere, your new tenant is not going to pay for their utilities plus the accessory dwelling unit.

(k) to neither hold not attempt to hold the Landlord or Landlord's agents, employees, or insurance companies liable for any injury, loss or damage to persons or property arising from any unknown cause, or arising from fire, floods, riots, governmental actions, acts of God, terrorism, interruption of utility services, or from the defect of the Property not called to the attention of the Landlord by Tenant in writingThe tenants should file a claim with their renters insurance. 

If this rural Georgia, you will also have less options to billback utilities (or rather you can billback but the tenants might not pay you).Unless the seller provides financing, what lender does the seller expect you will get financing from based off these shoddy financials?