First of all I have not estimated and received an investment yet mainly because when I had that medical accident and I am still bedridden from some medical problems I have had them at age 54 but I'm 61 now but I am  still thinking that I will recover someday. 

No one will take a chance on you in your present position so give yourself a couple of years to recover and in the interim study and learn the business.  

I already have some pitential investors Looking to continue to grow the amount of rentals I have but at the current rate I will deplete my cash reserves quickly and I do not want to slow down while I wait to recover downpayments from my rents.

It is to reduce risk as one ages and can not recover for a downfall. 

Your tenants would probably think you were commenting on their cleanliness AFTER they recovered from shock.  

I just lost the contract on a deal as conventional financing let me down too late in the timeline to be able to recover from.

It is pulling out the money that you previously put in.Once you're at a point where your money is recovered, and you have profits over and above - you're free to do anything with this money, probably in this order:keep a reserve for contingencies (vacancy, major repairs etc.)reinvest into buying more propertieswhat you call paying yourselfYes, it is arbitrary.

If you do look back at the 2008 crash, the market has recovered since then and even gone beyond it.

They are small and will recover.

This will likely help you exit profitably or close to it without having to put more money in to it... of course you will not be recovering your money until the term is complete.The advantage of the above idea would be to allow an investor to own/control a property with limited out of pocket expense as opposed to purchasing the home for all cash and funding the entire rehab.