Just keep in mind that contractors may hesitate to attend multiple pre-inspections, especially if they lead to no work.

Since your homes are free and clear, keep them that way.

@Bryce Jamison As long as the previous owner keeps up with the maintenance of the home and keeps it in good condition, I tend to favor older homes in established neighborhoods.

The $80K from the HELOC used for personal debt won’t affect taxes but must be repaid upon sale if tied to the property.To minimize taxes, keep detailed records of your remodel expenses and selling costs to adjust your taxable gain.

With a Conventional Loan you can buy a SFH, Duplex, Triplex or Quadplex with as little as 5% Down if it is your primary residence as long as you have the intention of occupying one of the units for 1 year after closing escrow.This is the strategy I have personally implemented and have assisted many of my investor clients in doing the same. 20% Down is also beneficial as it keeps your payment low but it does limit your ability of buying more real estate faster.i would be more than happy to discuss the different strategies with you over the phone or in person.

Don't split the work between multiple contractors if possible, finding one to do all or most of the work will keep prices down.Challenges were finding replacement pieces for certain items as manufactured homes were very different than stick built as well as going through state guidelines for affixing the house to the land

This continues and the appeal of Cali keeps going down in my opinion.

Unlike refinancing, which involves taking out a new loan, recasting keeps your existing loan terms—including your interest rate and loan duration—intact.

I have talked to tons of investors recently and everyone says the Zillows interface is the worst, but it is just a side comment and we keep going on to the next conversation. 

How strict are the licensing requirements, and are there any recent changes in city or county ordinances to keep in mind?