It is vital that you have a high-level of trust in a relationship and this is a prime example of why you should never take anything on faith.  

(just one of the many reasons yearly inspections are vital!)

If you want to scale and grow a portfolio, that up front equity is absolutely vital or you will be stuck with one or two properties and no where to go. 

sorry for the late response everyone, my regular job has been nawing at my ankles but thank you so much for your vital info all is welcome and helpful.

It's educational gold.

A good PM is worth their weight in gold.

There's a gold mine of knowledge in the area.

They all think they're sitting on gold mines (and this was in 2013)...and to be honest many of them are...Anyway, I eventually just found the Santa Clarita 4-unit on the MLS.Where direct mail does work in SoCal, however (or at least where it worked for me back in 2015...not sure the market now as I haven't bought anything in SoCal since then), was for older absentee SFR owners in the outskirts of SoCal...I had several people willing to sell me their properties at a deep discount (for cash and a quick close), but I only had the cash to buy one at the time.

Gold, wrote me in pvt and said..yo monkeybreath, I will do it with you...We  bought a house fixed it up (and the oddest thing is, I have never even met the dude) He probably looks like this:...either way, I made him $80K on that deal.

Wouldn't be able to do it with out biggerpockets and what his gold mine has giving me in knowledge.