If you state the seller is to pay all of it on the first contract, and the new buyer is to pay all of it on the second contract, you can save yourself that fee (and any other split costs).

My business partner (my brother who lives in San Francisco Bay Area) have saved up a solid amount of money and want to make a purchase where one of us will be local to help manage.

Conversely if values are high but rates are high you can appraise for the value you need but the rates will not be so appetizing.In your case where you have FHA monthly MI of .80%- .85% even if you could refinance to the same rate you have right now and remove monthly MI it would be worth it since you'd save around 400 dollars per month most likely.

You may need to tighten your belt to try and save up a little money from your part time job.Would tenants take you seriously?

First step is to get your daughter healthy and save all documentation.

Does anyone know of any online real estate schools in SC?

If he is good, and has built a reputation, he will save you more than the extra that you are paying him.

A lot of people forget that a penny saved is the same thing as a penny earned, and leaving a tenant in place, even at a slightly lower rent, can be better than having a tenant leave, incurring the vacancy and turn cost, and then getting a slightly higher rent.  

It's unfortunate, and I wanted to warn the group and maybe save someone lots of trouble.

My goal is to be able to work with real estate full time and make a decent living and save for retirement.