Just start thinking of how you can leverage each and every one of these advantages, set up your long term goal, and work backwards from there.  

Call your local city/county and they will set you straight.

I dont know the price yet, but I want to get private money set up before then.

If the wife is to be removed from the lease, a date should be set off when she would vacate since all parties living on the premises should be on the lease.   

My skill sets at this point are in the physical labor aspect of rehabbing.

Sounds like you want him out now and money motivates a lot of people.Make it contingent on the condo being in good condition and professionally cleaned so that the expectation is set before handing him over any money.

If you set up an LLC, you might be able to save in some areas, but pay in others (for example, here in California, we get to pay $800 a year just for the LLC registration, regardless if any profit was made).

I'm not predicting anything or dead set on anything.

The bonus was also picking up a little square footage in an upstairs bedroom by removing the fireplace which allowed a better set up in that room.

I always like to set a standard for the level I'm leaving while jumping up a level.