You are just having them spend money in an attempt to trade realized tax deferred liability into tax deferred liability.It depends on what they need/want. 

If he/she doesn’t, they don’t make money.

I'm not a huge fan of the 3 way split - if the current owner is going to retain the properties, but you are going to rehab and manage them, and then you have another person fronting the money to fix them up.  

He is now starting to complain about gas money and needing to fix tire.

Def is a competition between investors looking for deals and families that have the money/time to do minor live in renovations, I see it everyday- people offering 15+ over asking and then some because the market is so wild. 

It is a gigantic money pit.

I guess i would like to have clear goals on what to aim for when i save money and understand who i can reach out for such things.

This is simply a times money calculation. 

Making money drops down a few pegs on the list versus TIME.

Is the marketing money better spent elsewhere?