None of the major plumbers/electricians that I know of in Orlando are listed as having this cert. on the EPA's website.The house was built in 1970, so I thought there was a good chance there was no lead, and I would do the lead test in the hopes that it would come up negative and I could be exempt from the new rules.

Make sure you learn about their rental ordinance as it is similar to RTLO but Oak Lark is exempt to RTLO since they have their own.  

You can definately do well at the beach but keep in mind a few things.. one is the homestead exemption for SC is dramatic.

If you have lived in the property for 2 of the last five years, there is a tax exemption.

Some of our clients have opted to pay capital gains tax on a portion of the proceeds and use that money for the renovation.If you only identify the replacement property during the 45-day identification period and you cannot close on any of the identified properties, you lose the tax exemption.

Since your 5 years has expired you are disqualified for the primary residence exemption but can you qualify for a 1031 exchange now?  

The first thing to figure out is if you can legally do this as a partnership or if you're offering a security and must use an exemption to registration (like Reg D Rule 506b).

And this qualifies the landlord for the homestead exemption. 

The seller makes more money from interest.Other old news is the contract for deed arrangement just filing a deed to take a property back, this is now seen as circumventing foreclosure laws, with residential owner occupied buyers you can easily violate the Dodd-Frank and SAFE Acts, ability to pay rules apply and terms of the financing must be compliant, unless you're selling your residence or qualify for state exemptions, however, predatory aspects still apply, so you might as well conform.CFDs were my favorite to buy or sell even 5 years ago, not today, laws have changed, there are a string of issues from proper title being conveyed, to insurance issues, to collection issues, that you might as well do a note and deed of trust.I might suggest you go to my profile, then go to my posts on seller financing, note issues, wraps, contract for deeds as there much more posted than I can possibly rewrite here.

To qualify for the primary residence exemption you don't have to be living in it when you sell it.