Lesson #3: Cover your hair.

My only other thoughts are doing a horrible job painting over flaking paint, putting plywood up painting over that and getting the bank out of our hair that way..

I could get a HELOC giving me access to 80% (say $64k) The hair brained idea is to find the people that operate in that area in either wholesale or flipping, and try to partner with them once they find a property that makes sense numbers wise for him and is a good home for me.

This would be like me saying I'd like to do other people hair for a fee, but I don't want to get a cosmetology license.  

Yes, they still exist but they are rare now and you are adding layers of hair on the deal with questions about contractors.

Good luck with your real estate endeavors (and your hair !!).   

I am STILL finding dog hair in this property and it was cleaned thoroughly by professional house cleaners.  

Tenants seem amazed that I've done things like fix a loose baseboard, tighten the screws on a wall switch faceplate that was coming loose, removed and cleaned off an air return that was clogging with dust and pet hair and basically just take care of little things.  

Also the total level of the debt compared to the value.We are on the same page but the subtle differences can be confusing to some reader so splitting hairs is a good idea.

You are not selling the property.Splitting hairs matters if you want to keep things legal.Note that when you sell on a contract the buyer's lender might have an issue.