He totally lost me with the video game wholesalers who bragged about closing deals on the phone while playing Call of Duty. 

Make those dollars do double duty.

*My husband and I are fairly new to real estate investing and are both Active Duty stationed in D.C.

If you're a licensed real estate broker, your broker duty includes not offering advice outside your area of expertise.  

I checked with Satchie Carvounis at Security Trust Company and she agreed that: The IRA owner performing any duties or maintenance on a property owned by the IRA would be considered a prohibited transaction.

Definitely consult a real estate attorney in your state to see what your legal options and duties are.

(A landowner has an affirmative duty to abate all known hazards.)  

You upgrading the property, thus increasing the value which in turn could push out the current tenants, contributes to the vitality of that free market, a market that gives the tenants alternative options. 

Lately I find myself doing clerical duties making sure that I'm escrowing enough for taxes and insurance when I should be buying and selling notes and properties.

Rock solid rental while the money is in the stocks doing double duty as the principle investment as well as your down payment equivalent.