Grab the getting started guide here and start marketing - I'm a firm believer that marketing is 90% of this business.

This guide on flipping/rehabbing houses would be a good start https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2014/01/07/flipping-houses/

Do you stay local in SW Michigan or spread out?

The tenant quit paying the son and continues to stay there without paying rent.

Welcome to the BP site @Allana Alexthere are plenty of educational information here: Videos, Podcasts, and numerous guides. 

In those cases auction.com will use this tactic to help expedite the sale by guiding the auction participants to the reserve.

WelcomeJovana Rotula, Investing is fantastic, if you get a chance read the Ultimate Beginner's Guide here, under Education Tab under Guides, There are lots of strategies for Real Estate, but not every market fits every strategy

Hotels being a odd animal a majority of crowdfunding portals stay away from them unless you have a very good track record of ownership or operation.  

Or do they only refi up to a certain %.I am a bit confused about this method does anyone have an in depth guide to how this works?

Stay thirsty my friend!