I think behind tenant screenings and leases there is a quality of a landlord that's also as a person that is the respect for a good person and the intelligence of making fair affairs.
For me for ten years in the past...

There will likely be a partnership return required where you flipped a house with a partner and lost $120,000.If you sold the other property within the same partnership, it will also be reported on that partnership return.The net result to you is that you will receive a K-1 showing your income / loss which you then use to report on your individual return.If you made no money within the same year, you likely pay no additional taxes / get no additional refund.Best of luck.

I feel a loss of direction and that makes it really hard for me to focus and build.Do we keep at building a portfolio of small multi family (very abundant in my market, very rare to find anything above a triplex for sale), with plans of selling the portfolio and 1031'ing into larger properties? 

I even try to unsell them on the business by sharing my financial losses, litigation,  market shifts, permit purgatory, shady contractors,  clouded title issues,  paranormal activity, squatters, mold, etc.

However, as W2 earners, these losses are considered passive and can only offset passive income unless you or your spouse qualify as a Real Estate Professional (REPS) by meeting the 750-hour and material participation requirements or STR is used.

Please keep us posted as you and so many in SoCal are experiencing genuine hardship (whether it's the loss of a home, belongings, jobs, etc.).

What happens if you lose on it, you now have an additional liability, not just a loss of money.Are you planning on keeping the current property or exchanging it (1031) into something else?

That loan will cost you around $800/month for 30 years.I think this improves things, and your only loss would be the cost of the equity loan and the payments you've made so far on your IRA and credit cards. 

But then again a large swath of syndicators that jumped in when they did have had major struggles to full blown liquidation and 100% capital loss's..

These days too many people have too little coverage in case of a rebuild so you do want to make sure you understand the true cost of a total loss.