I am not an attorney but I think deals involving real estate must be written.I also don't understand when you say you offered him $135,000 with a $1,000 option fee and then paying him $1,000 a month.Do you mean you are currently renting from him for $1,000 a month but have an option to purchase it for $135,000?

I have some old friends involved in small rehab projects in the city.

Get them on board sooner than later and get them involved as the boots on the ground.

Judicial foreclosures are more complicated and have more steps involved than the non-judicial FCs but, if you know what you're doing, you can streamline the process far better than any large institutional lender can.

Raise money for a Syndication – This is a great beginner’s way for someone that has a network and wants to get involved in the deal.

If it's a roof leak, that's a tough one and there's not likely a quick solution other than getting the city involved or buying the house. 

Do you have partners involved in your investments?

Are their extra steps involved to be sure nobody else is an heir to the property?

Does this protocol eventually grant letters, or will there be an entirely different process involved in probating?

Six units in Glen Arbor or Williamsburg sounds high to me unless of course there is water involved.