If you think you can manage a mortgage, taxes, insurance and the upkeep of a home while paying your student loans then buying is not  bad idea but if you think you will overstretch yourself renting is nto bad either.

So we would have to get a loan, pay off the seller and transfer title and then wait the seasoning period before doing a refi unless there is a bank out there that will treat it as a refi off the bat

If not, then the path of least resistance is to simply adjust your vision so it fits better into the lot, as-is. :) A zoning change can take up to 6 months, approval isn't guaranteed (despite Aldermanic support), and potentially cost a lot of money (architectural site / floor plans & dimensioned elevations, zoning attorney, holding costs, etc.) 

It seems more your fault for choosing the "lying" contractors from the tenants point of view, if you ask them to pay up, I'm sure they would.

Attend in person, bid, if you win you have to pay right then via a cashiers check.

If the properties are split into more than one LLC, then each LLC will need its own accounts.Checking: collect all income here, then use it to pay bills.

I'd also never pay $700 for an LLC.

You might be surprised, but your rental properties have more in common with dividend-paying stocks than you think!

Being part Alaska Native, there was incentive where they would pay your down payment and we utilized that tool!

From what Ive seen looking the home equity and heloc are similar if you get a fixed rate heloc if not your probably paying more in interest.