The more affordable price points, combined with a steady rental market, provide some peace of mind.

A piece of advise if he lays hands on you or your son immediately go to court and see if it qualifies for a peace order or similar. 

I'm someone who values peaceful life and time to the extreme.

One of my original mentors was PRO lease option on the purchase side, however I never felt  peace about it.I was always concerned what if something happened to the original seller and they did not cooperate when it came time to exercise the option. 

At the same time, serving notice seems like the right move for your peace of mind and future plans. 

You can also request a security deposit for extra peace of mind. 

This shows due diligence, not distrust.For seeing the property, if it’s your first deal, consider visiting or hiring a third-party inspector for peace of mind.

@Chris Berry I’m currently with Peace of Mind.

I am confident that the 3 water heaters and 3 HVAC systems I put in place since Summer 2024 will give me some peace of mind in 2025 and beyond... for those properties.

Not only is it the right thing to do to help them get their legal ducks in a row about knowing SPECIFICALLY what the seller did wrong, ie did not disclose and can prove it was done for the sole purpose of deception to make the sale "smoother" but it can help you look good and have you learn how to avoid in the future (as you say "tighten up your due diligence")It sucks when agents "help" 1st time or largely inexperienced buyers long enough to make the sale and get their commission but then peace out on the client when something like this happens.It It seems like you are attempting to do the right thing which is admirable bc at the end of the day, the court system is the closest thing to a "business police" that ppl can get.