There isn't any guarantee that whatever you do will add significant value to the property.

What period of time does it cover?

There are many ways to take this journey from here however we realized our best way is getting outside investors to come in and help us purchase the property, then give them a fixed % over a period of time or even equity.If anyone has been in this position before, what's another creative way we can scale?

Most of the time but not all of the time, I visit the property during the due diligence period.

I want to create a fund that will allow me to purchase distressed homes, fix them up, and sell with owner financing (possibly including a 5 year balloon so as to be able to recapitalize periodically and give investors a shorter horizon).

When a rental is taken out of service for personal use the accumulated depreciation goes away over a short period of time. 

The heating system, while straightforward, wasn't cheap for my 3 unit and will have a longer payback period. 

If the loan was fully funded at closing and since then the loan is in an interest-only payment period, these numbers would equal. 

4) Keep my money in a guaranteed savings account making 4.5%, until rates drop more or something changes, and the numbers are better to make a move?

Make it your business practice to post the notice to pay or quit precisely on the day after the grace period ends, every time.