I do not recommend pulling a home equity loan as a first time investor if you are buying a fixer-upper, the current rate environment is not favorable for rehab projects that run way past their scheduled timeline and you don't want to run into a situation where your family can't meet loan payments while your house is securing the loan. 

Seems like you know the answer and need confirmation (and I am typing this from a 3/2 beach block condo in Wildwood Crest.)At 25% down purchase, even renting 12-14 weeks you would negative cash flow $3-5k month when you consider the many layers of expenses and the current rate environment.

In today's building environment, a lot of markets don't have the necessary income for a 4-plex to support the cost of building a new one. 

Definitely a very humid environment, especially near the coast, so expect to deal with all of the issues that come with high humidity - termites, bugs, mold/mildew, wood rot, etc.

I’m naturally observant and closed off when I’m in new environments and it can come off kind of shy; but these are just excuses and the meetups will be perfect for honing those skills. 

The current market environment is such that your return can't possibly make up for the penalties and taxes you would pay. 

A lighter floor is going to create a more comfortable environment, but it will also create a more open environment as well.For walls, I would recommend using an off-white for the majority of the space, and adding in a light beige accent wall throughout the home.

There is no point in buying a rate down in this environment, take no prepay or short prepay option, then refinance when rates drop, no need to spend the capital when it is clear we are headed down in the nearing future.

For better or for worse, we aren't "federally" in a short sale environment anywhere in the country at this point in time (Yes, maybe one neighborhood in one city may have disproportionate value to debt, but not on ANY large scale ANYWHERE).

In a more competitive environment, you need to make your property stand out to capture the limited demand.