@Casey J Burkhead hit the nail on the head. 

I've polished my crystal ball to no end and it's still cloudy...

One of a few.Ultimately, I think @Joe Villeneuve you hit the nail on the head.

I wish I thought of getting the HELOC nailed down BEFORE going self employed. . . blast. 

Zach Morrison nailed it!

Also, the quicker it gets done, the sooner you can make money on it normally.Also...youtube tutorials are great, but if you have ever seen "nailed it" scenarios...I promise, this is not nearly as easy as it looks.I'll be in Orlando for the realtor conference in August, let me know if you want to grab Starbucks and talk rehab.I normally have at least 2 home sites going at any given time.

I would go with a higher end laminate or ceramic/porcelain tile or polished concrete.

General wear and tear like nails or screws in the wall is to be expected.

You nailed the importance of networking. 

Ordinary wear-and-tear would include a few nail holes in a wall from hanging family pictures, a wear pattern in the carpet from walking on it, paint worn down where the bed rubbed against the wall.