Also from a percentage standpoint, say a 10 year old tree with a diameter of 10 inches grows 5%; but a 25 year old tree with a diameter of 20 inches grows at 3 %. 

So I deflect, say a hand full - most people get the hint.

@David Weintraub I'll be interested to hear what others on here say as you will probably find it difficult to finance the "purchase" since you're related to the owner.

Is it safe to say a realtors job to give you all in on a sale or give you or prices each level of sale with a fee?

But if you want to buy, let's say, a distressed property in 10 zip codes, you will miss awful a lot of opportunities if you don't do some serious marketing, including cold calling. 

Let's say a property is worth $250k and the seller is happy with $150k.

I guess I would say a split is okay but the bad thing is it still incentives them to take pets and if it is more pets they get more.

How do you keep track of the finances if you have a say a duplex with two different sides/doors of the house that has tenants come and go at different times for each unit?

I'd reach out to them tomorrow and say as you haven't heard from them despite repeated attempts to contact them, they haven't arranged for a time to meet and get the keys and you don't have a security deposit, you will consider the lease null and void.  

thinking to use some portion of that money for down payment and buy another rental If you made money you will pay taxes  - as a sidenote what you had for loans etc. does not matter at all - it goes off your "cost basis" which is the purchase price (lets say $200k) minus depreciation ($x per year times number of years owned) and add back in repairs etc.So if you sell it for $400k and bought it for $200k and depreciation was $20k your basis is $180k + say a new $10k roof - so you are in it for $190k.