For the tear down, sometimes the local fire department will burn it as part of their training is it is not too close to the neighbors.

Sweet bowl dude 🚬🌿  I had some tenants leave their's in one of those hanging plants when they left the house....Apparently it still had some nugs burning 🔥Your move.

Their home had burned down and rebuild in 2014.

Whereas if I rented out a 1 bed house, I would get instant cashflow, but I would still be spending $700 a month on my personal rent, (essentially burning money).Are there any links you can send me that might nudge me in the right direction?

Many landlords get burned on this ploy by tenants.  

But I do think FSBOing is better than some of these bad agents, where I watch some of those inexperienced agents crash and burn and cost their clients tens of thousands of dollars. 

That's 4 students in one house who all get a nice fat housing check at the beginning of each semester.

That burns. 

Handymen don’t always have the best track record.. you never know with hiring a un licensed contractors, they can completed destroy something or burn your house down, and all they have i a van and you’re stuck with the bill.. always check for insurance, and ask to see a copy and see it hasn’t expired, I’ve seen what a bad handyman can do, and it’s not pretty...

Got to find an agent who is okay with that philosophy, and many aren't because they've gotten burned by tire-kicker investors who can't/won't perform at an acceptable rate.