Hire a great real estate agent and let them help you- that's the best thing you can do to make more money. 

I won't be another grown man's emotional punching bag for any amount of money.

This is tough.Depends on how fuzzy you want the business/family line to be.The only thing I'd be absolutely sure of is that your money has more tangible security than being a "personal loan" EVEN IF you cut him a break on cost. 

The gurus tell you that you can do anything with nearly no money at all.

Maybe some extra money owed on taxes?

Wall Street often doesn't highlight these options because they make money from the fees on traditional investments, but with a Self-Directed IRA or Self-Directed 401(k), people can take control of your retirement savings and invest directly into real assets if they wish.Here’s how it works:1.

He seemed willing to do whatever to get the unit, putting up all the money for a year and extra security deposit, but he did sound a little "car salesman" so that didn't work in his favor.  

Support/Maintenance requests would be high since the system is too complicated3.

I know the consensus is "The best market is the one you're already in"  but I'm just curious.If you could start over anywhere with a decent chunk of money and a solid house hacking strategy, where would you choose?

When you're evaluating the credibility of a hard money lender, here are some key steps and considerations:Checking Credibility:Reputation and Reviews: Look for online reviews and testimonials.