I challenge you to find and post a single reputable reference that does not show San Diego to have historically produced outstanding returns for a modest length hold.  

They said it was highway robbery on such an easy property.

this is due to historically outstanding rent growth, overall far better tenant than most other markets due to the housing shortage (San Diego ranks near bottom in nation in both delinquent rent and evictions), and property taxes being near fixed rate.  

Thus, an investor can purchase a foreclosed home and make improvements to it only to see it seized by the IRS as payment for the previous owner’s outstanding tax debt.

I asked the clerk if it was common for the contractor to not show up and her response was...most have outstanding warrants and leins and won't come near the courthouse.Not sure what you are out but it might be better to limit your losses and eat the money. 

The repayment terms for a 401k participant loan are equal monthly/quarterly payments of principal and interest (typically prime plus 1%) over a 5 year term (longer if used to acquire your principal residence).Please note that if you take a full $50,000 and then pay back the loan, you can't take another $50,000 until 12 months after the first loan was fully paid back.Per the loan offset rules that went into effect with the 2018 Tax and Job Act: if you leave your job and the loan is current at the time you leave your job but then the loan goes into default because you left your job, you will have until your tax return deadline (including any timely filed extension) to make the loan current by depositing the outstanding balance into an IRA (and thereby avoid the taxes and penalties that would otherwise apply).Please keep in mind the multiple loan rules:Under those rules, the sum of the balances of a participant's outstanding 401k loans under a single 401k plan (using the highest outstanding balance of each loan over the last 12 months) can't exceed 50% or $50,000 whichever is less.

-based nonprofit organization that works to prevent human trafficking.Yost's office is fighting to stem the demand for sex trafficking via law changes and other approaches, but places like Harriet's Hope "provide that highway of hope for a survivor to be able to exit the life," he said."

The house has outstanding taxes (the $7K) with a face value of $100.6K.

I know of an outstanding provider of such properties in the FL market.

@Samuel Metcalf- thanks   1) I would recomend getting a HELOC in place on your primary residence duplex  for  as much as  possible...this should be available for  free or a low  cost and the rate will be variable in the  8-11%  range ...prime rate +  margin of  1-3% ) ...the min payment is in interest only payment on outstanding balance   2)  use the heloc for the  remodeling  costs ...pay it down as  agressively as you can   3) on the  purchase of the investmenet  1 unit -  you are  allowed to put as little as 15%  of the price for your down payment ...the pricing you get for the loan will improve  as your down payment  grows so you might look at  75% /  80%  and  85%  ltv  options