:) Attn Marvin do you have any intern ships available??

Solution #1 - Austerity - it would eventually turn the ship around - but that's 5 or more years of under-consumption, increased savings and paying down debt.. living below our means - which means a sustained weak economy (high unemployment, demand destruction and a slow leak in asset prices).

My wife grew up in Mercy Ships sailing up and down west Africa while her parents did surgeries and relief work.

Cash flow and rents will be more important.Potential rent: $1300-1400Repairs:Tricky to say, I need to get some better numbers and estimates from contractors, but there are very few in this town and are exorbitantly expensive, so we plan on some sweat equity, purchasing materials in the lower 48 and having a cargo container shipped up and repairing / updating at our leisure.Downstairs will need new carpet (about 400SF), other half of downstairs has Pergo, but we might re-do the whole floor as the Pergo is in the entryway, kitchen, and 1/2 bath, all high-wear and moist/damp places, and it's a few years old.Upstairs will need new carpet.

Don't worry if they're not "investor friendly" you're steering the ship mon!

Sometimes you get quality-control shipping issues with them (missing parts, valve needs to be replaced, but you can get that straightened out).

I am thankful we have Professionals like them steering the ship through these uncharted waters. 

They take Fannie or Freddie requirements, make sure you meet those requirements (aka underwrite), write you the loan, and then ship the loan paperwork off to Fannie or Freddie. 

Many of them branch into off-topic flame wars that you have to weed through and five pages later you finally find that someone answered the original topic profoundly.So thanks again Josh for running a tight ship here at BiggerPockets and I think creating a new standard and model for which all professional forums should look to to create a fantastic user experience.

I am out of Saginaw, MI and I am seeking mentor-ship and professional development as well, so if anyone is willing to help or can point me in the right direction it will be greatly appreciated!