We were so excited to get started and things were lining up for us to finally make some moves and get our first flip...then our teenage daughter attempted to commit suicide.

Commit to a date within say 9 months where you want to move to your new house and put it in your calendars. 

I would be careful buying over the next few years but if your an investor holding real estate you have already committed your self to the life style.

They have missed paying bills they committed to paying repeatedly (this has been an issue going on 8 months) now there are service requests that have been sitting for almost a week, one of which being a broken glass top for a stove, one being a sewer line backing up... 

Personal property is from unauthorized occupants one of whom has committed assault against the other but police declined to press charges.

I committed to learning what works for the investors who inspire me and copy, copy, copy.

Thought I’d ask you guys before making a commitment:1) do you avoid properties all-together that have knob and tube wiring?

Landlord is committing a crime unfortunately My older generation would proceed to tell me about how they'd kick down the door and throw the squatter out into the streets (and only get a slap on the wrist for doing so).   

Any of these options requires market research and running your own numbers, but the time commitment is still relatively minor. 

I will then pay back at the +0.25% rate, the $65 annual fee (waived the first year) and (haven't worked through the details on this part yet) commit to a full repayment should the HELOC rate go crazy.It seems like this is a reasonable way give my family member a return (meager, but otherwise unused anyway), take advantage of the different lending rates, and still meet the obligation to my local bank.