the property is just the temporary resting place for it.

You don't have enough information about your temporary job. 

So at some point, you need to buckle down and save, even if the frugality is temporary.

And here is a little nugget of insight often attributed to Alexander Tytler but unsubstantiated: A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government.

Unless the jump in int % is substantial, the drop in price is only temporary...until the market (buyers) adjust, then they will creep up again.2 - The monthly payment on the loan to buy goes down because the price of the house, and the subsequent amount of leverage needed also goes down....and the monthly payment follows.

The roof was fixed in a temporary manner to prevent further damage and active mold.

I think the only merit to this is if taxes in your area are really high meaning hundreds and hundreds in negative cash flow and a long path to profitability either due to this or rent stagnancy.Since this house is in Arizona, which from all indications is a fairly strong rental growth market, and you could feasibly have the house for nothing into it with a good chunk of cash in the bank to cover the temporary negative cash flow, I would probably just go option 1 assuming the taxes are reasonable.

Electroplating property, excavated areas were backfilled with clean fill material and the site was restored with a temporary impermeable asphalt cap to prevent infiltration of stormwater.

I also mean to say the low returns you would get here are not worthwhile considering the temporary depreciation losses a CA investor would see in the event of economic correction.

It won't be comfortable, but at least you will know that it's a temporary situation till your hubby gets his business off the ground.