Does anyone have any insight to offer on:-powering homes with solar, electric furnaces (we know they’re expensive though I can’t get anyone to actually give me a price), solar water heaters, and other measures to cut house emissions-pre-/post-buy checklists-systems for running rental businessesFinally, shout out to @scottinnocente for being a knowledgeable and educated investor-real estate agent and the Green Mortgage Team for moving our financing along.

It is an over reach of power to bribe the have not's for their vote. 

A 30 year resident hoarder is not exactly a hot lead...they will do everything in their power to stay and the HOA does not seem to care.

Generally the group tends to overwhelmingly side with the "customer" side of the equation at the expense of the offering party.

So if you have an extra $500/mo loan for the vehicle they are going to figure that translates to something like $75,000 less purchase power for the house.That's why your friends say to not have a vehicle loan, because it lowers your purchasing power towards a mortgage.

To say the amount of real estate info I have processed over the last month (through books, blogs, articles, and this site) has been overwhelming and intimidating is an understatement.

Cash & buying power will rein supreme for a long time.

The power to be able to ask questions to different investors in different markets around your area that are utilizing different strategies is absolutely key, and when the time comes and you need contractors or other members of your team in other areas, you will be able to leverage those relationships to find great people, as well as doing the same for the people you meet.

Thanks in advance for any advice on taking some power back in this situation.

The simpler the better- once you start getting in to interest rates, amortization schedules, etc- sellers can get overwhelmed quickly.