Keep up the great work. 

If the other options fail, that allows you to keep the 3% and only pay the higher rate on the repair in the meantime.

So is it better to keep ‘em, kick em, or pay em?

I also use the BIGGERPOCKETS calculators to keep track of things like ROI and cash flow projections and update the data there on my buildings frequently.

If you can't keep control of your personal finances, you are highly unlikely to succeed in real estate investing.

Keep in mind the private lender is probably going to want a second mortgage for the investment so you'll have to address that paperwork.  

You keep a fractional reserve, plus credit reserves, plus liquid assets, and the rest of the capital goes into the real estate deals that really drive the return for you.

I go pheasant hunting in some very out of the way places and there are windmills that keep water troughs for cattle full.  

No matter how good your systems are you will likely end up in that city a few times per year at least, especially in the early years.With that being said, once you have your core team established in long-distance investing, it becomes much easier and problems equal google searches for vendors, phone calls and book keeping in your life (project management) vs. swinging the hammer or fixing a toilet yourself because you're forced to put those systems in place.I live in a similarly expensive city and would honestly be stoked to find a duplex in Denver for $600K!

Just keep pushing, we have found money just finds us now.