Or just simply like a personalHope to find some advices from experienced people in this big community.Any information that could be provided would be greatly appreciated.

So, I'm trying to interpret his perspective - is he right that I would do better to sit on my hands and do very little investing in the next 400-500 days, or give it away, or am I correct that if I can find the right buyer, I could get some down and a good note, perhaps collateralized, and the risk would simply be that he burns my trees on the way out if I have to foreclose.

I want to figure out a win-win way to buy the house from my stepfather, remember I have no money, so that I can use the equity in that house and leverage it to buy other investment properties.

So if you want to put in hundreds of hours to find the one property others are not submitting multiple offers on then the payoff is great for you but I wouldn't expect a seasoned broker to do that simply for the time versus return just isn't there.Hope it helps..........

If and when it does, and if it is a great deal, simply tell them the following: "No problem, I understand, I will simply sell to one of the other buyers waiting in line hoping you do not perform".

I assume there has to be a balloon payment of some kind, otherwise you would simply be calling owner financing lease/options?

If anyone local is looking to meet-up, network and/or simply bounce idea let me know!

But if I wanted to use a friend's money, and that friend didn't get involved in the transaction details, the rehab, and all of the work, would I simply treat that person like a bank and pay them some interest?

The guys you are talking to, simply don't want to help their competition, as they see it.

If you cannot verify previous owner gave rent concession then a court battle might be tough to win and just a letter to credit bureau would be what I would do.