You’ll need $20-$50k cash to even attempt it, on top of financing. 

If you don't agree to the new terms, the original agreement would remain in full force and effect.If there has been a shakeup at the company and your contract was procured by the person or people forming the new PM entity, that would be a reason for them to attempt to pull you over to the new company as a client and get you to agree to make future payments to them. 

One last thought... if this is your primary residence you can sometimes get away doing to work yourself, although please know what you are doing before attempting any electrical work or wiring as mistakes can be deadly.

So California and Oregon will probably have less and less affordable rental housing as these poorly executed attempts to protect renters just exacerbate the problem.

I’m looking at a house and attempting to figure out the ARV.

I see they are just lumping it in with the "security deposit no greater than 1 month rent" rule, but anyone I've consulted with does not consider the pet deposit associated with the security deposit -- a slippery attempt to disassociate the two deposits. 

You would also have 3 units worth of rental income + however many units are in the project you are attempting to purchase.  

I have been educating myself for the past month (watching webinars, listening to the podcasts, reading articles, attempting to analyze "deals," and research viable markets-I think I've got that part down) and although I know that I won't feel totally confident and I just have to jump in and go for it, I really can't afford to lose money.

His advice was based on the fact that because the property is still in the redemption period, if we attempted to evict, and it went to court, the "squatters" would only have to say "my brother said we could stay here" and they would win, and we would be out court costs, time, and headaches, since technically the brother (prior owner) has rights to the property still.

Should I complete this refi and rent leaving the house as-is or should I consider updating floors and bathrooms and attempt to refi again with possible cash out?