I thought about stocks for the long term/retirement but I didn't have a lot of control with it so I looked at savings bonds and IRA's but they were too slow.

You hiring them should have been formalized and documented, including the W2s, just like you would do with an unrelated worker:https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/why-its-tax-smart-hire-your-children.html1099s are not appropriate for your own 12 and 14-yo kids, because you exercise complete control over their work.

Not the best time to refinance investment prosperities right now..

Hi Dorothy,You could get a 2nd job and save it up pretty quickly.You just have to able to have the self-control not to spend it on other things, and just let it accumulate in a Savings Account.Good Luck!

If a low equity seller wants out, sandwich LO or land contract to control, but it has to cash flow, and MA does not cash flow for SFH.  

From an investment standpoint if you're looking at buying one in a park for cash flow, sketchy/poor management would be my biggest concern since they control the park its in. 

As I mentioned, it doesn't mean you too can't be successful there but there is a small bias.So do your own market research, look at the actual data, market growth, population, rent control, job growth etc. 

CC&R's state flooring is not permittable due to noise control. 

Additionally, I had more control over this investment than I did in the stock market.   

I worked for a small firm in Constriction Engineering Products, Johnson Controls, that sold air and water control equipment to large apartment and commercial building contractors.