Since the insurance business is a great a residual income source my goal is to be able to set the right systems and people in place so I can step away from the insurance business by 2026 and focus 100% on real estate investing.  

Negative would be moving into something that would be a step down from my current home/location.

He bought it in with many other properties at the courthouse steps for $100k and then incurred back property tax liens, Hurricane Irma damage and other expenses.

At that moment your kid inherits at a stepped up basis and depreciation starts all over again.  

What should our next step be to find the owner so we can try to make a deal?

Unless there is a specific provision spelled out in your property management agreement about your rights if they fail to perform the inspections, I would not waste time pursuing it.

The arts are my passion, and I want to pursue them more fully without having to worry about money...because everybody knows that artists are starving for a reason: nobody wants to pay them!

The arts are my passion, and I want to pursue them more fully without having to worry about money...because everybody knows that artists are starving for a reason: nobody wants to pay them!

I have zero faith in any elected officials to take the right steps for future planning and protection. 

I believe you have missed a crucial step here that possibly puts you in a bad position where it might not be possible to deny the wife accessDid either party give the 30 days notice required to terminate the existing lease?