Should I refinance to lower my payments and eliminate the PMI so I can have some positive cash flow ?

A 20% Deposit would lower the mortgage payment and eliminate the PMI requirement.With the low income and high mortgage payments it makes it a no deal.Maybe it’s a good deal for your Realtor (commission $$$$).

How long until they eliminate realtors as well?

Most state laws state that tax deeds eliminate mortgages.

This structure give you the ability to have checkbook control over your retirement funds, bypass the custodian when making investments and eliminate most of the custodian, transaction and asset based fees charged by the custodian.Also if you are self-employed or own a small business you can set up truly self-directed Solo 401k plan, which does not require an LLC nor custodian and also give you checkbook control. 

I'm not sure if you saw but City of San Diego eliminated granny Permitting fees for 5 years. 

It's those maniacs that buy homes cash via quit claim deed off of craigslist that really get screwed.Make sure your property manager is a licensed real estate brokerage.Understand you can not eliminate all risk, only mitigate it.

Look at what you can minimize or completely eliminate in terms of expenses.2.

BUT I have been looking at fixers... where 6 moths would only really be a month or 2 longer than the flip time anyway... and in that last couple months, I will rent it out, seriously reducing or eliminating holding costs....

Tax on the income is either deferred (Traditional IRA) or eliminated (Roth IRA).Rental real estate is an example of a type of real estate investment that can be a tax shelter on its own.