I'll just be honest...you're in a very difficult spot and there isn't going to be a straight forward or easy way to recover your funds or get the work completed. 

In realms where shadows veil the light,I shift possessions overnight.Deferring burdens none can see,I weave the threads of property.A spectral path to trade unseen,What method moves behind the screen?"

Rest assured; the process is designed to be straightforward. 

My wife and I are thinking about doing mid term rentals so a buy and hold strategy may be the path we choose.

At this point talking to the tenant is your best path unless you want to pursue an eviction. 

But I'm not going to rise through the ranks, I'm soley working there part-time or full-time to make my first income, this isn't my sole path.

You’re definitely on the right path!

A straightforward response like, 'Thanks for your interest, but we’ll need confirmation that the buyer can cover the full (or close to full) listing amount,' seems fair.

In Washington, where I was previously licensed, I had easy access to phone numbers for expired listings right on the MLS, making it straightforward to cold-call expireds.

See here for the Guides: https://www.biggerpockets.com/guides See here for The Path to Purchase: https://www.biggerpockets.com/learn See here for the blog: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/ Search MeetUp.com for local meetups.If you have any questions I can answer, don't hesitate to reach out!