Safe and normal or ultra risky and dangerous?   

They're not out of hand, but are becoming more normalized.

Normally I would suggest the seller carry the note until you can refinance but like the others, I'm not certain the status of what you are looking at. 

Offer the Fair Deal: You can say, "If you pay the last month's rent as agreed to, I will return your security deposit promptly, minus any reasonable charges for damages above normal wear and tear, after you move out and return the keys."

But, why don't you just do a normal lot split?

Is this amount normal? 

Every single time, the payout was a fraction of what the policy claimed to cover.So I’m curious — am I just cursed with bad luck or is this normal?

These are all a normal part of doing business.

Feeling your way through is totally normal; every first investment has a learning curve.You probably already know this, but one thing many first-time duplex owners miss is how home office rules can apply if you manage the property yourself.

And while it's not always easy to tell from the ground if a roof is on it's 2nd third or last third of its life - the difference between brand new and totally shot is normally pretty obvious.And the cost of the roof should have been more than offset by the interest rates getting lower of the last 6 months.There must be more to that story..