Same plan, take out a LOC and stop paying credit card rate interest.There is one big downside to getting a HELOC to pay off credit card debt: credit card is unsecured, but that HELOC is secured by the OP's home.If the OP and his wife had their spending habits already under control, then the risks of converting unsecured debt into secured debt (via using a HELOC) become reduced.

I was pissed that we didn't make $400k because we were paying property taxes, year in and year out, on a property that should have netted us $400k when we sold).But the BP Trolls know it all....California "appreciation" sucks I cannot see the posts from OP (blocked) but have thus far enjoyed the discussion.Interesting to note, the most profitable 3 housing markets for landlords since 2000 = All in CA.

Unless it's for a photo op, approximately zero.The vast majority of the people on this site are lone wolfs and are playing relatively small ball.  

Its a Studio Co-op, bought it in 2002 for 62k and should be able to get 130K.

A short sale is a Hail Mary at best at this point as:-The OP doesn't even know if there is any equity- The owner may have assets and therefore to pay so no reason to do a short sale- The POA issue.

I guarantee the landlord will do just as the OP admitted.

The OP said the developement is ongoing so the developer is almost certainly still in control of the HOA/the HOA isn't even formally in existence... 

I might add the question ... what is your (OP) expectation for a daily or hourly rate to pay for a "good handyman"?

Co-ops and municipal owned electric providers are exempts, so I'm stuck paying over 13 cents a KWH.

So if I can jump in with the OP and ask why I'd ever want to do maybe I'd learn something that my banker hasn't been able to explain.