You can maybe try filling the crack with high-strength epoxy (yeah, the kind where you mix 2 parts).

Don't get the idea of a mortgage/trust trustee mixed up with other trustees who are neutral, a mortgage trustee may have a fudiciary responsibility to the Party fo the First Part, the mortgagee, except to the extent that upon the full payment of the obligation, the Trustee is deliver good deed to the mortgagor.

I've personally developed office condo's, built a couple of my own homes, invested in SFR, worked for large companies that developed industrial parks and built office,retail and mixed use throughout the U.S,, managed them all, including mobile home parks and mini-storage facilities.

There are pre mixed, pre colored latex based "stuccos" on the market.

Make a low ball offer then rinse and repeat, eventually you will have a list of houses you keep an eye on to see if they reduce the price, hit a certain age, or get sold.Kinda simple and low tech but it works for me and I actually enjoy driving around looking at houses lol.

I haven't read the book, but I have mixed feelings about socialized medicine.

You are seeking entity financing---something like this one:Documentation: No Ratio, No Documentation Main Credit Score: 400 Credit History: Very Poor Debt to Income: N/A Occupancy: Owner Occupied, Non-Owner Occupied Loan Amount: $200,000 - $50,000,000 Lien Position: 1st Mortgage Cash Out Amount: $50,000,000 Loan Purpose: Bridge Loan, Purchase, Rate and Term Refinance, Debt Consolidation, Cash-out, Heloc/Line of Credit, Construction, Forward Commitments, Equipment Purchase, Unsecured Loan, Business Loan, Equity Capital, Venture Capital, Credit/Asset Enhancement, Takeout (const-to-perm), Home Improvement - Value After Improvements, Rehab, One-Time Close (const-perm) Property Types: Five Plus Units, Mixed Use, Farm/Ranch, Condo-tel, Retail, Warehouse, Raw Land, Hotel/Motel, Office, Care Facility Housing, Special Use, Industrial, Gas Station, Other Commercial Types, Office Condo, Non-Warrantable Condo Rate Types: Straight Fixed, Adjustable, Hybrid Amortization: 5 Years, 20 Years, 25 Years, 30 Years States: AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY, International Special Features Drive By Appraisal, Borrower is a Corporation, Borrower is a Church, Borrower is a Trust, Borrower is a Foreign National, Non-Permanent Resident Alien Allowed, Borrower Owns Over 10 Properties, Mortgage History Only Reviewed, Bankruptcy May Remain Open - Ch.13, Bankruptcy from Filing Date - Ch. 13, Currently in Foreclosure, (bailout), Borrower with NO Credit Score Allowed, Score Only, No Credit History Reviewed, No Form 4506 Required, No Reserves Required, Gift Funds Allowed, No Mortgage Insurance Required, No Seasoning Required on Funds to Close, No Prepayment Penalty Required, Interest Only Payments Available, Less Than 2 Years Employment, Self-Employed, Non-Recourse Allowed, Recorded Land Contract Allowed, Unrecorded Land Contract Allowed, Less than 12 Months Seasoning Refi, (using purchase price), Leasehold Property Allowed, Less Than 2 Years Employment, Wage Earner, Rural Property Allowed, Seller Seasoning less than 6 months Allowed, No Minimum Number of Trade Lines Required, Less Than 12 Months Seasoning Refi, (using appraised value), Lease Option Allowed Regards,Scott Miller

It could take time to find the right group/mix of people though. 

Payments received by the seller are a mix of principal (partially taxable) and interest (taxable). 

The guy didn't have the actual rents right--he mixed up current rents with "market" rents, which of course made the price way off base.I guess if you can hold on for long enough and/or drive the price down, it might be worth it, though with rising rental prices in the bay area, it would be hard if not impossible to get tenants to leave without some seriously huge incentives!