We are both in agreement that our biggest asset is the equity we have stored in these houses-- about $400k.

As an example, I personally do not care for oil heat:  I do not like the liability of storing several hundred or thousand gallons of fuel oil (effectively diesel) on the property and, do not trust tenants to keep the tank filled.Regardless of the heating solution you choose, your best return comes from the fuel you do not use (Negawatts or Negabarrels).  

They are also a retail store (the only retail in the building) and they have been putting goods for sale out on the sidewalk during the day.I don’t like it, but they are a long term tenant and I don’t want their first impression of me to be a jerk trying to throw my weight around...How should I approach this issue?

If my guys and gals I fund want to use them I don't care I just don't want to deal with them.PS I like the car business if I was not doing this I would own a dealership... and I would finance sub prime auto debt.. big money in that these days.a few of my fishing buddies own big stores like Toyata and Chevey stores they as you well know make bank.. 

https://www.biggerpockets.com/store/flipping-physical

This past week, the basement became partially flooded, damaging family stuff I had stored down there and building products we had left over.

School bulletin boards are good, as well as other places students go often- laundromats, restaurants, grocery stores, hang out locations. 

You will need a computer or NVR to store recordings.

I’ve been all over the Bigger Pockets website, from the forums to signing up for Webinars (really excited to see what tomorrow’s has in store), and I have already downloaded countless episodes of the podcast that I can’t wait to listen to at work.

In NE Florida, jax, all auctions have gone online, 5% down, 95% rest is due noon the next business day, via cashiers check, bag of cash maybe..the big boy players store their 100% full cash with the court account already....ive also heard local escrow account will wire that morning too, which makes sense, .......Im interested in auctions, but until i am 100% all my own cash, i feel it is almost impossible to get a hard money lender to move 95% of the cash by noon the next day...no way.... to me, you can pretty much rule out using hard money all together to fund online auctions...they don't seem to go together.. it is 100% liquid own cash or private money ready to wire from escrow..