Now, I'm interested in making additional income for a more secure retirement and yet still have the freedom to dictate my own schedule and manage my own time.No real estate or investment experience at all.....none....at all.

So depending on what kind of property it is will most likely dictate how fast you can start the foreclose process on the property using a lien. 

If it's low equity I generally show them -Selling w an agent, paying 8 to 12 per cent in not just commissions but closing costs, sellers concessions, waiting to sell costs, like PITI and utilities, and spruce up costs like fresh paint or mild landscaping-Renting, paying a property manager, risking damage and eviction costs, lost rent-option one - Owner finance - I take over PITI and maintenance -option two - I find a lease 2 own buyer for free, 24 payments, then house mortgage is paid off, you pay insurance and maintenance Seller picks his solution If he picks option 1 or option 2, I tell him how fast I can do it, and I dictate terms, I am the solution provider

Personally, I'm really into that and believe your attitude and personality dictate a lot of what happens to people.

Let the numbers help dictate where you invest and then find a team to help realize that business plan. 

He told me that he travels to and from the property just to mow the lawn as a form of exercise and apparently wants to dictate the terms of the negotiation.

I can tell you that I'm seeing several flips in the Scottsdale areas where Investors are asking $100k to $200k above what the area market is, to me this is pure ignorance and greed, when Investors try to dictate what they think the market should be.

With no agreement in writing, or record history, the marital property act would likely dictate the asset value at the time of legal separation be divided 50/50 (the debt as well) regardless of the amount he had contributed.

For us, a major red flag is when a customer wants to dictate means and methods to us.

We let our mind dictates our thinking.