If you don't understand the basic principles of construction, market standards (i.e. average cost per labor hour, cost per sqft for flooring, cost per sqft for hang/finish drywall) then you may find yourself getting taken advantage of without even knowing it.

Moved kitchen and removed walls What was the outcome?

FHA does not allow you to do things outside of the home like adding a fence, hard scaping, retaining walls...   

I'm currently renovating my rear unit and it has the perfect layout to split into 2 units by adding a wall and an additional front door.

Fantastic book and the author hangs out on this group very often.

Meaning the low hanging fruit for a new investor might be a little higher up on the tree and fewer and farther between.

You're a trooper @Don Miller for hanging in there.

This is something I try to live by and teach my kids if I can - "A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly.

Hang in there—I hope you can find a solution that works!

The winner is obviously Wall Street.