My home is 100 years old and the wall is made of this:Outer most later stucco type of cement, wire mesh, plywood, 3 inch beam every 16 inches, thin wood pieces rubs horizontal with 1/5 gap and then stucco inside (this stucco grade is different from outside)The wall is just after the entry door to the right and if I open it up, I'll have a larger space to place a shoe cabinet and stool.

I doubt it. 

He simply duct taped the plumbing together instead of using PVC cement.

I doubt I could flip a non-historic 4400 sq ft century old home with decades of deferred maintenance for twice their budget.Also, there is no such thing as a partial renovation/flip when it comes to real estate.

With that, here I am.I know next to nothing about REI, but I have always had an interest in RE since I was young and I actually used to want to just work at Home Depot just to be around it all, so I have no doubt that this will be fun an rewarding in the long haul.I cannot wait to look back at 2015 and see how I have grown over 3, 5, or even 10 years after making this executive decision.All that being said, I love just reading and listening to all I can right now and it is a blast filling my notebook with all the information I am finding here in the community and that is really my primary focus for the foreseeable future.

I doubt that you are taking unconscionable advantage, however.If you feel you are taking advantage of people, then you really ought to take day off and examine your motives and decide, in advance, what is appropriate and acceptable for you. 

Matt, if your IRA owns a house free and clear you can finance it and get a mortgage on it (I doubt you can get a line of credit).

I doubt you are doing something wrong with showing your places if that is all you have vacant at any given time.

If tax assessor does not know, I doubt you will figure it out.

If you say now he is not trustworthy I have doubts about whether you will align on the business goals.