I have been researching real estate investing with the help of Bigger Pockets for about 6 weeks now.

Recording the option should sufficiently cloud title, which protects their interest against you going rogue and selling the property after pocketing their payment.

You can find me on Bigger Pockets.

I'm new to this game and am in the Augusta/CSRA market. 

It's been a while now into Cody Sperber's fast track program learning how to wholesale real estate online, but I haven't pocketed any profits yet besides the education.

.- future assumptions: 2% annual income growth, 5% PV growth, 2% expenses growth, 6% sale expensesBigger pockets tool sheet with above data:Cash flow: $916/monthCash on Cash ROI: 6.65%-7.57% depending on rehab costsPurchase cap rate: 7.15%I know this does not meet the 2% or 50% rule but it seems like a good investment for the area.  

I'm fairly confident the current owner wouldn't want it to happen, because let's face it, he'd like to pocket the 12k and sell it for 50 again.Is there any kind of a play that will let me pay the remaining $38k and give my friend a few thousand so he's not completely out all his cash?

When a tenant tried to play the games that yours are doing with you @Edgar Perez, I simply pointed to the letter and said, "you can take that up with the prior owner, but from here on out, this is how it's going to be." 

I posted numerous times about how everyone and their mothers are in the game with the rising market, I got to auctions and there is like 100-200 people in Bergen County just driving prices to crazy levels... if it's not the prices being driven up, the bank wants something totally ridiculous. 

Welcome @David Houghtaling to bigger pockets!!!