I love what I do, but honestly... while I know how to use all kinds of tools to do just about anything from Electrical to Plumbing to Metal Fabrication or whatever, I have obviously not learned to use some of the most impotant tools in how to make my money work best for me.  

Retirement plans are not limited to investing in financial products, and can invest in real estate, private mortgages, stock of privately held companies, precious metals and a whole lot more.So, you can "invest in what you know", but not "into yourself".The way folks get benefit from their self-directed IRA is by networking and finding opportunities that present a good mix of security and return on investment.  

The metal ones the slats get bent and the crease never goes away so those are right out.  

The key is that material services are performed, whether under an LLC, sole proprietorship or corporation, for example. https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-se...Following are the similarities and differences between the solo 401k and the self-directed IRA.The Self-Directed IRA and Solo 401k SimilaritiesBoth were created by congress for individuals to save for retirement;Both may be invested in alternative investments such as real estate, precious metals tax liens, promissory notes, private company shares, and stocks and mutual funds, to name a few;Both allow for Roth contributions;Both are subject to prohibited transaction rules;Both are subject to federal taxes at time of distribution;Both allow for checkbook control for placing alternative investments;Both may be invested in annuities;Both are protected from creditors;Both allow for nondeductible contributions; andBoth are prohibited from investing in assets listed under I.R.C. 408(m).The Self-Directed IRA and Solo 401k DifferencesIn order to open a solo 401k, self-employment, whether on a part-time or full-time basis, is required;To open a self-directed IRA, self-employment income is not required;In order to gain IRA checkbook control over the self-directed IRA funds, a limited liability company (Checkbook IRA) must be utilized;The solo 401k allows for checkbook control from the onset;The solo 401k allows for personal loan known as a solo 401k loan;It is prohibited to borrow from your IRA;The Solo 401k may be invested in life insurance;The self-directed IRA may not be invested in life insurance;The solo 401k allow for high contribution amounts (for 2017, the solo 401k contribution limit is $54,000, whereas the self-directed IRA contribution limit is $5,500);The solo 401k business owner can serve as trustee of the solo 401k;The self-directed IRA participant/owner may not serve as trustee or custodian of her IRA; instead, a trust company or bank institution is required;When distributions commence from the solo 401k a mandatory 20% of federal taxes must be withheld from each distribution and submitted electronically to the IRS by the 15th of the month following the date of each distribution;Rollovers and/or transfers from IRAs or qualified plans (e.g., former employer 401k) to a solo 401k are not reported on Form 5498, but rather on Form 5500-EZ, but only if the air market value of the solo 401k exceeds $250K as of the end of the plan year (generally 12/31);When funds are rolled over or transferred from an IRA or 401k to a self-directed IRA, the amount deposited into the self-directed IRA is reported on Form 5498 by the receiving self-directed IRA custodian by May of the year following the rollover/transfer.Rollovers (provided the 60 day rollover window is satisfied) from an IRA to a Solo 401k or self-directed IRA are reported on lines 15a and 15b of Form 1040;Pre-tax IRA contributions on reported on line 32 of Form 1040;Pre-tax solo 401k contributions are reported on line 28 of Form 1040;Roth solo 401k funds are subject to RMDs;A Roth 401k may be transferred to a Roth IRA (Note that from a planning perspective, it may be advantageous to transfer Roth Solo 401k funds to a Roth IRA before turning age 70 ½ in order to escape the Roth RMD requirement applicable to Roth 401k contributions including Roth Solo 401k contributions and earnings.)

We are familiar with how to do most work ourselves but never knew the wiring entering the house couldn't be coiled the way it was.

Seller hired a technician, and he supposedly replaced the filter, charged freon, cleaned outside condenser coil, and "serviced" the HVAC unit.   

Most recent was someone cut the large gauge wire coils draped in basement. 

This would activate the "dead equity" in your home.Lastly, I would recommend having liquidity (rainy day cash, paper assets, precious metals, etc depending on your personal preferences) elsewhere.I'm "all in" on real estate and because of that I keep a healthy amount of cash on sidelines. 

Years ago, in NYC, I used to hide a key in a magnetic key box outside attached to the underside of metal stairs. 

Buildings for income, precious metals for liquidity and SHTF insurance