If you can find a property that is in need of a lot scrape or retrofit, but is in proximity to a grocery center with good access and visibility, their is likely several ways to "skin that cat" from a build to suit to a ground lease, etc.  

I am also going to move the fireplace to the center of the living room (under the bear skin), and it will be a river rock surround.  

This could be a huge lawsuit in and of itself.However, you have indicated to me that it is not your desire or intention to pursue any type of legal action against these people unless they double down and respond in the same negative tone to this response.

If yo found a 3/4 plex for let's say 200k even FHA owner occupied you're going to need at least $10k to close, who knows how much to make sure the other units are livable (BTW, you should live in the smallest, crappiest unit), and reserves or access to credit to repair the inevitable things that will come up.

I know real estate isn't for the faint of heart & my skin is definitely in the game.

She's going to need private financing (family, hard money lender, investor).Perhaps she could find an investor to loan the ~$125K to the ex and take (very high) interest only payments for a few years while she gets her finances in order.

This could be a huge lawsuit in and of itself.However, you have indicated to me that it is not your desire or intention to pursue any type of legal action against these people unless they double down and respond in the same negative tone to this response.

Not just the “core 4” but actual partners who are both boots on the ground and have skin in the game. 

It's really hard to get there and you are realistically going to need a strategically planned net worth of $2M-ish. 

Why he wants me to have some skin in the game when he's otherwise just going to give everything away I couldn't tell you.