But even though you have a relatively high interest rate on the investment property, with such a low balance of $48k, you aren't looking at a big savings in terms of real numbers...You might only save $60 to $80/mo if you refinanced it at 4.5%. 

, what the loan type was (Better hope its not an equity line), what the original terms were (Better hope it wasn't modified), whether there was any previous default, any capitalized interest, any change in terms, any forbearance, deferred fees, property inspection/preservation costs, and so on and no, none of that is public and so no, nothing can be modeled in any calculation assumption for all of those variables so it's all a guess and while some of these entities do a good job of guessing and making their assumptions, still, at the end of the day, it's all a guess until the NOD gets filed and after that, it's all public and free and the whole world knows and even then, it changes daily and you don't get any updated information until  the NOTS or judgment and by that time, too late.

I've checked listings in my local area, what exactly should i be looking for in terms of pricing?

Especially in terms of the commitment.

You may wish to confirm that the new 401k provider has experience with the particular investments in which you intend to invest your retirement funds as you very likely will have questions in terms of the mechanics (e.g. how do you invest in real estate, etc.).3.

Homes that at first glance may appear comparable may on further reflection turn out to be very different in terms of value based on lot location, quality of finishes, new build versus old, etc.

I hear that banks look for you to work in the same job/industry for 2 years and look at that income to judge for what you qualify for in terms of a loan.

Also, would HOA's affect my ability to be profitable in terms of a live and flip situation.

What's a reasonable percentage for me to expect to retain in terms of ownership on the property?

Real Estate is widely recognized as one of the best investment vehicles in terms of hedging against inflation.