However, I might suggest putting that same effort into wholesaling until you save up enough to do your own investing.There may be others on this platform who still swear by arbitrage, so I'll leave that advice to them.

Save you some paperwork

Use money saved for our downpayment to flip the basement Instead.

It's unreal that people trust their life savings to something that they either just made up or found on some random forum.

If you have the means to pay them off quickly, why not just save up the money and pay cash?

I was thinking of purchasing a hot tub...I called local companies and can get a 220v hot tub for around 6500, or could order a "plug and play" online that is 110v.

Is there no definitive MLS of commercial properties online?

no reason at all to bring this much complexity injust save up until you can both house hack separately

That's because most of the time, energy efficiency is stated "energy efficient home", with no numbers as to how and when it saves them money. 

Save what you would have spent, build up a nest egg and then buy another in a year or two or three.