Especially because most of my investors would be family and friends and non-accredited.

Not only can you save 10% of gross rent but you have better control over repair decisions and you can defer non emergency ones based on your financial situation.

Research the correct way ( I believe putting in what amounts to an escrow account) and include a letter with your June rent payment explaining that per PA code XX you’re withholding $yy this month to cover the costs of non functioning systems that were included in the house.

It took a while to get through the paperwork, but it was well worth it. https://caliberhomeloans.com/ also has been helping homeowners in the city with non-perfect credit, I would give them a call. 

You may be able to evict the non-paying tenant, again upon advise of your attorney. 

The only thing the seller listed in the non-disclosure was that there may be lead-based paint in the home.

i am married, my wife  [ 60 y/o ] is also disabled due to no kidneys and is on Home Hemo Dialysis, but she spends hours everyday looking through real estate , and though we have found several great oppurtunities, we have no been able to capitalise on them due to out low income and crummy credit ,  [although when i moved here i had 621 score until when I tried to refi through Loan Depot, they really messed me up and I am not sure what my score is now.]I think the first thing I need to do is repair my credit as best as I can, as well as see what kind of assets and value I have to help me get the investing process going. [ kinda long story packed with lessons there]  Due to a small windfall we have $5,000 earmarked for beginning real estate investing in hopes of getting our of our crushing poverty trench.I want to begin by doing non rehab wholesaling,  but am also wondering if Tax Lien investing might allow me more bang for my few bucks. 

I work full time at a non-profit for at-risk inner city teens.

Our tenants have our contact information already, but we haven't had any non-residents of the building contact us through the sign on the building. 

HELOCs are extremely difficult to get for non-owner occupied properties.