So all my desired long term tenants are below market rent; I have one tenant that has rent set at market because they are not desired but not bad enough to warrant me not extending their lease (they are on month to month but soon will have length of stay that will require me to provide a 2 month notice).So the tenant made the right choice. 

I had no idea what I was doing and it could have gone very badly!

Generally, a bad idea.

There are a lot of people spreading bad advice so it's always wise to use other sources (e.g. books, attorneys, etc.) to verify information.Watch the webinars, read the blogs, ask the questions, and then dive in!

But I will agree with the other posts that many sellers have a bad impression on VA offers because they think it'll take longer or that it will be more complicated.

UTLS  etc .. permits many CA locations permits can be 50 to 75k per home.. but I like building these days as a preferable to heavy duty rehab.. last comment is log home in your area unless your way up in the moutains above SD  its too hot and sunny those log homes will get weathered pretty badly and they usually don't fit in the scheme of what is going on in the area like say a desert style home with stucco etc.. that can handle the heat and sun

In this game you have to take the good with the bad.

Sometimes there are just "bad dates", doesn't mean they are "bad people" just not the kind you want to be married to.

The adjuster said it was borderline and the offer they gave me put me in a situation where I had to choose the better of two bad options. 

Never a bad idea to define roles /responsibility but word of caution don't go overboard.