Can I force them to buy? 

You won't get forced equity and you will be paying at or above market price. 

Therefore, it should be allowable that a landlord require the notice on the last day of a month and therefore force terminations to be at the end of every month.I've never had to defend it in court, but I have a clause in my leases that says rent is fully earned on the 1st of each month and it is not prorated should tenant vacate early in the month.  

Then, the next step, is to assess the impact on the tenant breaking the lease - not for the lender but for you. 

The act of making a counter offer in writing, by law, voids their original offer and they are absolutely no longer obligated to it.Even if you hadn’t voided their original offer with your counter, there is no ability to “sue them to force performance”.  

Nope):1 - Learn how to analyze with real numbers2 - Learn what a plan is, and how to develop one for REI3 - Learn what is important to a REI...and then start thinking like one, instead of a homeowner.4 - Learn how Money Works5 - Learn how to analyze Markets (not economic...geographic) in order to find where the properties whose profiles match the criteria you need to execute the plan you developed.6 - Learn how to eliminate any emotions, both yours and the ones you think are driving forces for the buyers/renters that will be your clients7 - Learn how to eliminate any for of "rationalization" (most expensive word a REI can use) from your thoughts.8...and last, for now, learn how to describe yourself (when asked what you do for a living) as a "Successful Real Estate Investor". 

How does taxes impact the rental business?

I’ve been forced into the analysis paralysis by my good wife who would like our kids to be in school before we start purchasing properties (that’s fair).

Just a quick FYI, addressing a misconception that might be there between the lines if I'm reading that right.Mortgage credit pulls have the lowest impact on your FICO score of all types of inquiries.

I really like the idea of buying something distressed and forcing the appreciation into it through renovation.