We have 2 paid off cars and paid off home, no kids and we don’t travel excessively. 

And there is no way that you can make up for the excess that you will have to pay in order to get the house vs the higher interest rates you pay today.

I'd like to finish it with insulation, electrical, dry wall, treaded stairs, etc. 

Since my home had only a bit of dirty water in the laundry area, supposedly the mitigation company cleaned the area and set up fans for drying.

Odor abatement companies charge that much because they will have a machine and an enclosed system in place to suck the odor and source dry so it will not come back, my opinion is you are stuck with that or finding someone who doesn't mind the odor.

Home goes for state tax sale obtains excess funds to pay past due taxes and liens then servicer sits on it and never gets their $$$. 

When a tenant moves out, transfer the deposit back to Checking so it's ready to apply towards expenses or refund the Tenant.If you end up with excess funds in the Checking account, I recommend you transfer it to a third account designated explicitly for future investments.

Deals are being done every day long after a market has "dried up".

Legal counsel for N.A.R. approved the agreement early Friday morning, and The New York Times obtained a copy of the signed document.The deal, which lawyers anticipate will be filed within weeks and still needs a federal court’s approval, would end a multitude of legal claims from home sellers who argued that the rules forced them to pay excessive fees.

I owe the IRS money and didn't want them to know I had any excess cash.21.