I asked for the house to be vacant at closing as I wanted to renovate each unit and my wife (girlfriend at the time) and I planned to live in the top unit (bottom unit provided more income). 

Bottom line- he needs to come back to NY for treatment, needs a place to live with his 2 black labs and is willing to pay 12 months up front. 

We also installed a ceiling in the basement as previously it was just open to the bottom of the manufactured home.

We also installed a ceiling in the basement as previously it was just open to the bottom of the manufactured home.What was the outcome?

The bottom line - ALL offers must be presented. 

If you're bottom-line driven, it's exactly the areas I would look.

If he wanted to sell for 90K with his bottom being 75K wouldn't I be able to take as an assignable land contract and find a realtor to sell to an end buyer for that price? 

Searched online for 7 years for properties in Tennessee when this one popped up at the bottom of our search page.

Bottom line its not an easy business however if you can get your first 5 to 10 years in you will / or should be doing most of your work by referrals.. then its hands down one of the best business's out there for the cost of entry freedom of your time freedom to do deals.. 

You need a neutral third party  and I am assuming your grandma would not be neutral.You can close before id'ing on day 45.