I'm currently a freelance designer, and I have a lot of extra time that I'd love to devote to this.

We owe $349kHer house value according to Zillow (since we haven't had appraisals done yet): $754k needs major work (we are ok with the work, it comes with the land we want as well and that has huge value to us) She owes around 60k (I think)My question is more about how to go about the legal piece of this.What are some options to make sure both parties are covered legally?

Without an estoppel form or legally binding leases, I can see problems coming up in the near future that I’m trying to avoid. 

The closing takes place in your living room.If there is a (legal) way around this, I’d also love to know.Refi rate was too high.

Perfectly legal and acceptable here .

A licensed Architect in CA could probably design this for you and also add structural information that the GC can follow. 

I invoked a FL statute forcing the bank to detail why they will not accept my power of attorney; this woke up the regional compliance officer and legal counsel but still they will not work with me. 

Retirement accounts are designed to be invested passively.

This is legally binding and I would not act to terminate as some have suggested without legal counsel.

At this meeting they decided to  disallow rentals.I was grandfathered because I already had the rental, but the HOA demanded I give them all sorts of info on my renters that it isn't even legal for me   to disclose, for example their SSNs.