The end result is not as clean but overall it is better for resale purposes than selling with a delinquent tax balance.

Assemble a team that includes not only the QI but also your acct for tax planning purposes and you'll find that at the end of your career you've not only used incredible sums of the governments money to finance your own investing interest free but you've also eliminated (not just deferred) most of that tax.

Whatever your feelings are about debt for yourself, a great concept to recognize is that other people will indebt themselves enormously (and banks and the government and family members will assist those people in indebting themselves) for the purpose of buying a place to live.  

my credit union's terms for heloc suck for my purposes otherwise I certainly would have.  

But I do as much as I can with what I have, but I know that I'm not talking to enough sellers, hence the purpose of the  initial post.

You won't be able to get DTI credit on your housemate income for mortgage purposes.  

I can show numbers better than you mentioned but the purpose of my post was not to attract people to my area but just to input that the OP needs to plan an exit strategy if he were to invest in SF today,I am not trying to guru predict the market; I have no tea leaves to read and no crystal ball.

@Sarah Miller The following is from the Ohio law link from above:Title [53] LIII REAL PROPERTYChapter 5322: STORAGE FACILITIES5322.01 Storage facility definitions.As used in sections 5322.01 to 5322.05 of the Revised Code:(A) "Self-service storage facility" means any real property that is designed and used only for the purpose of renting or leasing individual storage space in the facility under the following conditions:(1) The occupants have access to the storage space only for the purpose of storing and removing personal property .(2) The owner does not issue a warehouse receipt, bill of lading, or other document of title, as defined in section 1301.201 of the Revised Code, for the personal property stored in the storage space"Self-service storage facility" does not include any garage used principally for parking motor vehicles, any garage or storage area in a private residence, an establishment licensed pursuant to sections 915.14 to 915.24 of the Revised Code, or any property of a bank or savings and loan association that contains vaults, safe deposit boxes, or other receptacles for the uses, purposes, and benefits of the bank's or savings and loan association's customers.If I'm understanding this correctly, then most of the advice above relating to Self Storage would be incorrect.

My wife will be in Kentucky for the next month and has a poa specifically for the purpose of acquiring property.  

Code pt. 1450, govern the business of real estate brokerage in Illinois.The Act, as amended, defines a real estate “broker” as an individual, partnership, limited liability company, corporation, or registered limited liability partnership other than a real estate salesperson or leasing agent who, whether in person or through any media or technology, for another and for compensation, or with intention or expectation of receiving compensation, either directly or indirectly:(1) Sells, exchanges, purchases, rents, or leases real estate.(2) Offers to sell, exchange, purchase, rent, or lease real estate.(3) Negotiates, offers, attempts, or agrees to negotiate the sale, exchange, purchase, rental, or leasing of real estate.(4) Lists, offers, attempts, or agrees to list real estate for sale, lease, or exchange.(5) Buys, sells, offers to buy or sell, or otherwise deals in options on real estate or improvements thereon.(6) Supervises the collection, offer, attempt, or agreement to collect rent for the use of real estate.(7) Advertises or represents himself or herself as being engaged in the business of buying, selling, exchanging, renting, or leasing real estate.(8) Assists or directs in procuring or referring of leads or prospects, intended to result in the sale, exchange, lease, or rental of real estate.(9) Assists or directs in the negotiation of any transaction intended to result in the sale, exchange, lease, or rental of real estate.(10) Opens real estate to the public for marketing purposes.(11) Sells, leases, or offers for sale or lease real estate at auction.