Basically, by reading the OP, it seemed like a lot to take on for a rookie with no skin in the game.

Just looking to get some skin in the game.

They have skin in the game and the lender collects the payments for you.

Have the owners put any skin in the game?

But with your background you might do some more research, there are many ways to skin a cat so to speak and you already know the basics, time to get a little more advanced I'd think.

Lenders want to know you have at least some "skin in the game."

You could do a "right to continued marketing clause" in the contract if you do not want to put hardly any skin (money) in the deal.The seller sounds evasive some and that means they are usually hiding something.

I like real estate for the opportunity that it provides.Some of my investor buyers for my listings have multiple stock accounts they pull from to purchase real estate.Personally I like real estate because it is a tangible asset.I don't like the idea of paper to be worth 100 one day and 10 cents the next.At least with a property barring and act of God or some other strange occurrance I will have a tangible asset to sell.I know some will say but if you bought at the height of the market you would be upside down on that tangible asset.I didn't buy anything back then.I saw many people laughing and making money refinancing and to be honest I did feel like maybe I was missing out.I waited on now I am so glad that I did because many of those same people laughing with joy are crying in pain.Stocks just like real estate is something that if you just dabble in it you can lose everything.The sexy part of stocks just like real estate is to make money quick but many more lose than win.The losers aren't talked about much but the few winners are pumped up to sell marketing and courses to extract money from the herds.For my honeymoon years ago we went to Tennessee.While there my wife had an adverse reaction I think to the make up used at the wedding (she has sensitive skin).So we went to a local doc.This guy was really nice but old in his late 80's.We started chatting up and he said it was just a reaction to something and gave her a shot.I talked about real estate.That's when he said him and his wife had put all of their retirement in Enron stock and had it for awhile then BOOM the bottom fell out and they lost everything.He had to come out of retirement and open a practice again in his late 80's to make ends meet.That scared the hell out of me and made me stay away from stocks.I might eventually buy a small amount for a long term hold but I am not into risk with stock market.I have seen too many people see big dollar signs with their eyes and lose their shirts.

Might have missed my point, the listing agent will have experience and they are not working at all for you, their goal is still the highest price and quickest done deal.I agree, get an agent on your side that has experience in REOs, one with thick skin who chews on raw meat!

LOL, that's okay, I have thick skin, but I think I am better looking.