If it's not going through either of them and they are just handling it then make sure he gets in writing that what ever taxes are owed at the time of this "closing" that the amount owed for taxes will be removed from the purchase price in order to pay the taxes due.

I believe they handle a lot of RMLO transactions for investors looking to sell with owner financing.  

We thought we could handle rehabbing 2 houses, while working, and be finished within a year. 1.5 years later one house is done and the other is (hopefully) going to be finished by the end of July, but who knows.

Apart from other suggestions, I would suggest creating a team of professionals, and each of these professionals would handle a particular part of the deal.

You'll want to interview a few people and get a good handle of their fee structure.  

You will get a good handle on the area by attending and asking questions.

If not, you should allow her to break the lease and potentially help her move (make the seller give you a credit or have them handle as a condition to close). 

Rachel, I got a much bigger venue, so it will be easier to handle overflow.

If you have a closing agent that can handle double closings, then you can buy/sell the HUD property on the same day.  

I risk vacancy for a month or two, but this area should allow me to find new tenants fairly quickly if I stay in the 1100-1200/month rangeAny feedback and insights you can provide with respect to rent increase limits or how to handle this scenario are very much appreciated.