Take a step back and find out what percentage of vacancy you'd be comfortable accepting as worst case, then figure out what you could refinance them for and still break even. 

I understand that I would need to seek information from some other local brokers to determine what the actual market cap rate is, and make an offer based on that and other variables like @Jeff Copeland mentioned.

Then tell him if you invest more than him you get a higher percentage going forward.

Finally what percentage or discount are you seeking on the CMV or "as-is" value for your first rental?

I will refine that number as I continue to research and I anticipate that the summer months in Charleston will see higher percentages than that.

If it goes to court, what percentage of the time does the landlord prevail in these cases over a broken lease?  

When the home sells the lender gets the loan amount plus an arranged percentage.

Paying too much up front (more than enough for initial materials or a small percentage), not holding them to at least a generalized timeline, or paying ahead of any work can all get you into trouble.

Depending on the size of your portfolio drives the percentage that you get.  

i'm telling you all this so that you can see that i am a genuine and relatable person. life's too short to pretend i'm a stuffy business person- i'm not. i also want to show you that i am motivated, smart, and resourceful. i have goals, but i need some help. i don't have time to waste, and i read once that Andrew Carnegie said that making good deals involves being up front and honest about what you want, so this is what i want:i want a mentor to help me to get some real experience in the field, and i want to find a reliable and fair network team. i also want someone to believe in me enough to invest in me so i can get started. what i'm willing to give:i am willing to negotiate a fair return on investments. i will share and support my network team just as much as they support me. and for a mentor, i will negotiate a fair trade(perhaps a percentage of my real estate profit for the first year) for the education. and... i will totally take some people on business dinners(and write them off on my taxes), you know, as a bonus. :)so, are any of you willing to invest in me?