As @Conner Olsen mentions, I'd simultaneously look into partnering with someone more advanced and provide capital in exchange for learning the ropes.

They just want the sales taxes collected and life safety practices in place.

In practice, you usually end up paying a premium to purchase a tax lien certificate. 

Any "property manager" allowing this practice needs to be fired.

Just thinking out loud, it made me feel much better to think I had a somewhat practical Plan B in the event the engineer gives me super bad news.After a few phone calls, I finally found a structural engineer that specializes in residential properties.  

While I'm on the way to lunch with Investor, Attorney calls me back, because investor got his JD and works for attorney now in his practice, mentioned he was having lunch with me, and it reminded him to call me and set up a dinner meeting.

You likely have to put down 25%, so your remaining 175K can only be leveraged into 583K which is less than keeping it in a traditional retirement vehicle.Also in practice it gets challenging to finance properties after the 4th or 5th property.  

Trust me... take it from this Investing Broker.. and all the Investing Brokers who are also practicing Realtors®...We don't care where the lead comes from.  

They were willing to remove all the questionable practices and clauses from the lease!

I think if you paid them all the money they ask for you would get some practical education and even in-the-field training.