I chose to do this project for financial reasons, and I left feeling satisfied that I also helped to stabilize a neighborhood (where the housing stock is largely abandoned), as incremental as my effect may be.

In Cali we've always found some pretty good investment opps after a major earthquake, flood or fire as so many folks just abandon their properties because they were underwater, under or even un insured.

YES in Chicago if the property is abandoned it will get demolished by the city due to violations.

I think my main problem is I don't WANT to go to live in a super rural town and abandon a lifework of connections and move backwards in a sense, but simply am beginning to feel its the only option.

The land was part of a larger farm and was abandoned for about 15 years prior to us obtaining it.

Others look for abandoned properties.

Agree with you and Mike - they are a lovely way for southern Italy to attract vacationers to love and care for previously abandoned land, but that is about it.

When I tried to invest first time out of state, the first thing that the turnkey operator tell me is to never never never bought broken house out of state we visit the broken property that's abandoned by investor.You need to factor in R&M in long term and my experience with turnkey is actually pretty good, there're surprises but it's managable.But nowadays I would rather spend and fix home in local market than out of state, fixing 20k plumbing issue in one mil house is considerable cheaper compare to fix 10k plumbing in 120k house. 

I am feeling dread and worry that this will affect me for years to come, but also about his reaction, I’m sure he’s going to be very angry that he is finding out now after the work is done (this is an out of state property so I was not there to see it in person and only got the full photos after the job was finished, I did get a couple of photos after he was halfway through but at that point, I also didn’t want him to abandon the project because I need to get it rented right away).I’m feeling turmoil, uncomfortable, upset about the whole situation, tense, and my needs are for security (financial in this case, because this is my long-term financial investment), a need to be known by him for what I’m experiencing (which he may not be able to see if he sees red about not getting paid in full—I’m thinking since the work is done the only thing left to ask for is a discount, I don’t know how much to ask for, maybe I should let him suggest an amount first? 

They will also likely clarify what "abandoned" means, in their world.