Bird dogging is a way to make money but its not gonna get you rich.WE have had many do some birddogging for us on the private lending side to find qualified people that need a loan and its interesting how many last a few weeks - I sense the same holds true for real estate bird dogs.

Be prepared for trial runs with several different candidates if you choose to hire a handyman to make sure they turn out to be qualified and dependable.

Quote from @Dina Schmid: You can sell anything you want, but that doesn't mean it will qualify for a home loan or be accepted by a building inspector. 

The buyer can obtain a property with no mortgage qualifying and or a lower than current interest rate, or on terms not readily available otherwise.  

I havnt even spoke to a lender yet on what I qualify for.

Qualified Intermediaries come in all shapes and sizes. 

.- Do I qualify for for a section 121 exclusion sense I lived on the property for the first 2 years of ownership?

It's great if you qualify, it has many benefits.

If I decide to go with option 1, I will have to borrow the money for the renovations at my primary and it may make it harder to qualify for a loan given the little or no cashflow. 

You can replace the switch to one that requires a key to move off and on. 3) We have a repair deductible in our lease, but even so, something originating in the common area wouldn't qualify to be passed onto the tenants.