If your goal is to retire your fiance, your best bet is to increase your W2 income and lower your expenses.

Debt increases risk AND reward. 

The timing was perfect with the A class duplex, but that's the kind of appreciation I've experienced for most of my portfolio in Columbus on top of the cash flow getting better as the years have progressed and rents and increased. 

California is most definitely a Tax-deed sale state. 

That's awesome you have been able to increase the rent rates beyond expectations, secure an off-market deal, and leverage yourself as an agent.

There would be somethings I'd like to just mention to them to see if it would help increase their business, but otherwise let them grow and we just have a percentage.For example, this could be part of the structure.

And you have the ability to bring it back on the market and represent the sale. 

Or, if that doesn't happen, the first one of you to sell a house will have the proceeds of that sale yanked from you by the court before you even touch them, even if it's ten years later. 

Be extremely conservative - assume very low rent growth, very low appreciation, and fairly stagnant interest rates, meaning minimal opportunity to increase cash flow through a refinance. 

Is there any room to improve your current rentals and increase rents?