If I have to place a bet now, it would be Oakland, wouldn't you agree J.

Contractors MUST be licensed to file a lien... its that way in Oregon and WA and I bet in most states.. this is why unlicensed contractors risk not getting paid and really have no standing to get paid..

If you're able to do the solo 401(k) as mentioned above, that may be your safest bet.

Negotiating with the tenant or cash for keys may be your best bet. 

At this point, your best bet is time - & open windows.

I'd say your best bet to pull out equity is a small, local bank. 

According to a recent #BloombergBusiness article (Starwood Bets $5.4 Billion that Apartment Rents will keep Rising, Oshrat Carmiel, October 27, 2015), Starwood’s CEO, Barry Sternlicht, indicated that the purchase decision was made not on the presumption of strong rental growth, but on a rent growth that is projected to increase just marginally over inflation.

(I bet it is the same roofer).Good luck with your leaks,

Your best bet is likely to be a hard money loan...in which case they would lend a percentage based of the value and repairs of the house, and you would need to come up with the other part of this...which I think most hard money lenders would be ok with that cash coming from your parents.  

More than the few hudred dollars for the lien I bet.