@Christian Wathne I don't know if you've seen the show(s) on HGTV about Tiny Houses, but there are a lot of alternatives in respect to the heat/water, etc.

Well you're wise to respect leverage and debt as over doing it is the major way people to lose their properties.For me I got over it by starting slow but taking action, my first property I bought in cash as I was afraid of debt at the time.

The two duplexes I own were purchased for $64k and $69k respectively.  

As long as you are patient with me in this respect, know that I intend to build some beautiful, energy-efficient, and profitable houses as well as purchase enough rental properties so that I can have more financial freedom.      

As long as you are patient with me in this respect, know that I intend to build some beautiful, energy-efficient, and profitable houses as well as purchase enough rental properties so that I can have more financial freedom.

My only thoughts have been to allow them to find people to sublease from them, pay 2 months rent to terminate the lease early, or to remain until the completion of the lease.I want to be respectful and compassionate towards the girl's safety, but I don't want to just let them get out of their lease so easily either.

Assuming you have a respectable FICO you can buy, with a FHA Loan (3-5% down, a 30 year amortization schedule, and a residential loan rate).

I feel since we were all full time workers and all men (typically less dramatic, no offense at all) we didn't have any problems among each other and we all respected each others desire to keep a nice and tidy atmosphere that we each called home.I had a friend who went through the exact same situation for all 4 years in a 5 bedroom SFH.

You just need some method to your madness and you also must be consistent going forward with respect to calculation of depreciation, interest expense if there is a mortgage (a portion could be an itemized expense on schedule A and the other could be a business expense on schedule E). 

You should be able to beat your mortgage interest rate, unless it is very high, with any respectable investment.