If you and your wife find that your balance sheet indicates that you have too much debt and need to learn how to reduce it, DR's university could be a good thing to learn how.In times like the ones we are in right now, I would hold on to any cash that is available or accumulating to allow for well-researched investments when the economy is coming back.

Was able to reduce my rate a full point from 4.125 to 3.125, reduce my payment over $200 a month and save over 70k in interest over the life of my loan.

They reduce rent for six months for a single mom who's struggling.

Help for Airbnb and Vacation Rental OwnersWhile long-term effects on the short-term rental industry are debatable, here are some things you can do right now:Reduce your vacancy rates as much as possible by offering discounts and being more flexible during this timeCut your expenses by eliminating welcome gifts, reducing amenities and subscriptions or applying for mortgage deferral programs, as discussed aboveIf you’re an Airbnb host, apply for cancellation reimbursement under the $250 million Host Relief Fund available for qualifying cancellations (up to 25% reimbursement of what you would normally receive from a canceled booking)Consider turning your short-term rental property into a long-term rental, at least for now, as the traditional rental market is not expected to be impacted as severely as the short-term rental market  Additional ReadingResources for Property Owners and Agents from the National Association of Realtors is a great list of general recommendations and resourcesList of Relief Programs Offered by US Banks, published by the American Bankers Association, is a comprehensive list of specific measures banks across the US are taking to help borrowers in needCOVID-19 Tax Resources Center by the Drucker Scaccetti tax services firmLegal Guide for Landlords by Julie Anderson, written for the Mid-America Association of Real Estate Investors, provides general legal guidance and advice for real estate investors  Please let me know if I missed anything, or if there is any inaccurate information, so I can correct it.  

Will the home equity loan act as a lien, preventing me from doing the refi?

If done right, you drastically reduce your monthly housing costs and can save that money to repeat in a year and within a few years, you own a few properties.

It might be hard but I wouldn't let the wholesale represent you, don't sign any agreements because it could prevent you from going with a realtor later.Check out your local REIA meeting. 

The banks have so many regulations to prevent exactly this - you are wasting your time.

Typically I would imagine California has some type of law preventing it, but if there is truly no agreement between the two of you, no lease, nothing verbal, and they haven't paid anything, I don't see how the law could reasonably come to a conclusion that there was an agreement, it's obvious there isn't.

I worried that it would reduce not only the rents but also the pool of property managers who would be willing to work there.