I genuinely enjoyed the connection, until I met his life-partner who clearly didn't trust me and my whole "scheme". 

@Joe VilleneuveThe biggest scam artist who made his money doing those kinds of fudged macro comps and selling properties in a Ponzi scheme to Israeli investors here was this dude named Dov Ratchkauskas, active a few years ago, now in federal prison.

We installed new cabinets, removed a wall to open the space, new granite countertops instead of laminate, replaced the carpet with Lifeproof LVP, did a two color paint scheme on the wood paneling, remodeled the master half bath, refinished the tub in the full bath, new vanities, new appliances, and new six panel interior doors instead of slab.

We have a mindset of this is not a get rich quick scheme.

I'm not sure why installing a pantry cabinet would be that expensive but in the grand scheme of things, if your property still cash flows who cares?

It's pretty affordable in the grand scheme of things and tends to be a solid cashflow market if that's what you're after.

Cons of financing holdings:Having the mentality that you are "owned" by someone (the bank) and worry in the back of your mind they are ultimately in controlIn a severe down economy you could be underwater and risk the property (though maybe this could be avoided by not being over-leveraged)More administrative and accounting work (though this is probably a very small point in the big scheme of things)Paying 4% interest rate takes away from the return?

But there are people like David et al who are only about the money....not the questionable morals and ethics involved in these blackmail schemes, which is exactly what they are.

I couldn't imagine not working/racing/dealing full time even back at the W2 job and I thought my wife was 100% crazy when she proposed this "scheme" to quit our jobs, run away and find happiness... 

Hopefully you have leftover paint, but if not either try to match it (remove an electrical outlet cover and take some drywall that is painted from an area covered by the plate) or get an accent colour.