It includes the possibility of the federal government taking control of property if the housing provider receives certain federal payment assistance.Get informed and take action by contacting your representatives.

This money must be put into a lender-controlled account. 

At this point, a lease seems like an unnecessary hassle, I should probably do it, maybe I'll get around to it when I get my own to-do list under control (LOL, like that's ever going to happen).

If you can't keep control your finances, you are highly unlikely to succeed in real estate investing.

Fortunately, since you also live in the house, that makes you exempt from both Sacramento’s local rent control (Tenant Protection Program) and California’s statewide rent control (AB1482).Now, with regard to how to raise the rent, after the lease expires and it transitions to a month-to-month (MTM) agreement, you are free to raise the rent by any amount you choose. 

I have a zest for knowledge and I am also very detailed and action oriented and frankly I wanted more control of my future real estate deals.

Knowledge of fair housing laws, ESA's, section 8, rent control, eviction procedures etc, 

If you take out a mortgage personally and transfer the property to your LLC that you control, you should be exempt.

In my professional career I mentor many NFL Players and when I tell them Gold and Guns they immediately think Rolex Watches, Gold Chains and Uzi's and although all are fun to have they are not the best value for your investment.

I just wanted to create a retirement pension I could understand and control.