Hello Roy,This is somewhat of a trend with the IRS.

If we continue this trend the big numbers start to fall off and get replaced by smaller numbers we could be in the 2%-3% range 6-7 months from now.The biggest item, that I think could lead to CPI specifically dropping even faster is the way the CPI report calculates shelter costs.  8% of CPI is based on an actual rent survey, but its y/y changes not m/o, so even as rents are dropping in real time it will take another 3, 6, 9 months for rent numbers to come down on CPI. 

Refi, and pull out the majority of your original capital to put it back into savings, invest again, etc.As long as you have a plan on how to deploy the capital and the returns beat what ever your interest rate is on the monies you'll be in good shape

The cabinets are in good shape.

Put whatever you want in the contract that you feel comfortable with and that will protect you.With the environment of raising interest rates, that is causing a downward trend on comps.Best of luck

Now, having said all that, house hacking isn't necessarily easy (if it were, everyone would do it)...it's just easier than the more advanced strategies...House hacking still takes significant due diligence, skill in analyzing the market and the property, time and effort to learn about tenant screening and property management, the ability to anticipate appreciation/depreciation trends, etc., etc., etc....and even with lots of skill and preparation, things will still go wrong (vacancy, plumbing leaks, bad tenants, etc.)

If you don't want to manage 5 rentals that you put $100k down for each, then buy 2 or 3 and sleep better at night knowing if the worst came to fruition that you would have enough equity to come back out in good shape. 

Are these kinds of freezes a growing trend in the healthcare industry?

(We are just starting to get good at bookkeeping for our properties so I want to continue that trend)Thanks!

Won't help you out much at square one, but you you can build it into an investing vehicle, and it's geared specifically to self-employed individuals.Beyond that, I'm finding lenders who still talk to me about refinancing after seasoning a property for 6 months, but I don't know about the trend mentioned by @Chris Seveney.