This way they give 25,000 and have skin in the game to lose if they get lazy and do not follow the steps.

Must have skin in the game - no way around this.

I live in a vacuum of my own thinking and I've got thick skin -- I'd rather find out now that I'm an idiot than a year layer and way off on my estimates on both cost and ability.And if you suspect maybe I'm CLOSE on the math, I'd love to understand how I can do this with real sweat equity and my own cash at a reasonable rate out here.

That is why I think I can say my intent was to rehab again, but opportunity arose and then decided to demolish.However, that said, our intent was always from the start to tear down the house, but there are multiple ways to skin a cat, and there definitely was a case where we could of just performed a rehab rather than ground up. 

You say to the seller you will put $200 in EM, which you never send the seller, so you have no skin in the game at all, you never intended to buy the property.

(it shouldn't take that long to rehab)Before I ask this question, I will say, I have no capital, down payment or "skin in the game."

I have much thicker skin than that to offend me.

They have more skin in the game then you do.Make sure you get clear title.

I gave up on the idea since I'm not thick skinned enough to invest out-of-state, but just another angle for you to look at.If you decide to follow through with this, let us know how it pans out.

Artists...musicians...photographers....actors....dancers....etc.I don't descriminate against ethnicity or age or skin color or family status or country of origin or sexuality.....we have a total mix of everything.