We had tons of interest from small families and young professionals because of the size of the home, freeway access, and proximity to the local university and hospital.

I've been searching non stop for an answer to my first question and can't seem to get a concrete answer.

Someday you might make the choice to stop and you don't want your deals to be dependent on you managing to make them work. 

Hooked up with a realty as an assistant strictly for MLS access to find deals/run comps? 

The library is only ~30 episodes deep so it's accessible to cruise through them all.  

I would use your downpayment to pay off your credit cards and stop using them.

I had been told that the owners had stopped paying rent, and just abandoned the homes. 

Not sure if I want to hang my license with a flat fee company to have access to the MLS and maximize return in investements.  

Meanwhile, the day I filed the dispo, the tenant called to tell me the AC stopped working, I sent an AC company out, who had to go out multiple times and thought something seemed fishy, the $380 invoice had a note that during one service call a guy (who was not the tenant) climbed through a window to let the AC guy in.

I    have a good amount of cash and have access to quite a bit more, yet that isn't enough, even with proof of funds.