Normally dead equity reduces your returns considerably with the opportunity value of cash being in the range of 10%.

(put it back within 60 days so there's no penalty).I had a friend who was a little short on the funds to close recently and she opened a margin account with her stock firm (Etrade or Fideility I believe). 

At this point, I'm no longer living like a rockstar, but my cash is accumulating with the intent to buy a house out in the suburbs and start investing in stocks while continuing to contribute the max to my work-sponsored 401K.

So once again I will beat that dead horse to death and once again preach that there are much better deals in your local market than you'll ever get in another state.

The Trump effect (driving up stock market values, causing declining bond values/rising interest rates), could affect mortgage rates on commercial properties soon...they have already risen nearly 500 bps on residential mortgages.

This is necessary in case there were any defects in the tax sale that rendered it void, such as the auction notices being the name of a dead person, or the "heirs of ..." a dead person.  

Stock shelves in the grocery store, work at Home Depot or get your own side gig mowing lawns, or fixing something you know how to fix or whatever. 

What isn't known with specificity, is what shifts will occur with its population, local and regional economy, housing stock, demand for housing etc. in the future other than analyzing historical trends. 

Decided to put a butcher block countertop on the island to make it a practical prep surface.Only issue I have in using IKEA cabinets for a flip or rental is that they never seem to have everything I need in stock and cannot wait 2-3 weeks for delivery when they cannot guarantee it will be there in that timeframe.

I don't have stocks or bonds.