Lots of parents like to be close enough to school to walk their kids to and from. 

@Meng Chen cool idea.Had a local competitor trying to have college kids handle showings and they got a warning from the state Board of Real Estate and Attorney General about using unlicensed personnel for showings (they went out of business).

Learned what was required to move forward and it cost a pretty penny which we could have saved some of had we done our homework. 

Those tenants want out and their kid his wife and three kids want to take their place, relocating from Denver.

I am an introvert, but I will easily strike up a conversation in the store with someone and as we leave, my kids ask, "Did you know them?"

I imagine these as similar to the racially integrated neighborhoods that I grew up in in Northeast Philly in the 1970s--row homes that didn't look pretty but kids played outside and their parents didn't have fear. 

Give it some time to rise again and consider selling in the future.2) This is what investing is all about - if you keep this home as a rental and are able to acquire another, you now potentially have properties to pass down to your kids later in life.

Having a partner in the renovation business can help to keep some of your costs down, possibly giving you an edge on the buying side.Areas to target will largely depend on your income goals, your plans for property management, and your tolerance for drama.Regarding the refi part of your plans, @Darrin Carey can also offer some input - especially about target values, timelines, and the various pitfalls.As with most anything else in this business, the strategy is definitely achievable so long as you do your homework beforehand.

Correct my kids less and not make a big deal over small things. in all reality, going back in time machines has proven to be an exercise in imagination.

If so, then you basically are relying on them to have done all that homework and research for you and I would ask them about it and why they decided to offer the model/s they do, upgrades, etc.