(I'm actually having a hard time understanding what you even think you could possibly do?)

Is it possible to make a deal when you are personally not on the ground? 

Owner financing is a possibility, too.

I told her that I was an investor and would possibly be interested in buying the house.

Buy and rehab, then sell as soon as humanly possible and repay the loan.

So, if you spent say $200 on a list for example, then you mail to 2,000 possible cash buyers at $.50 per post card, then you've spent $1,200 right away, plus you need to spend another $4,000 if you mail to each of them 4 more times.

Networking with as many people as possible can help catapult you in the right direction.

Depending on the size of the MF we could possibly help. 

When the swamp cooler needed repairing/possibly replacing in one of the units, I asked the tenant if she was interested in getting AC and she said she wouldn't be able to afford the electricity  and preferred to keep the swamp cooler.  

If they are only seeking a check every month and the largest amount possible based on the equity of this other property then sure it's a fine decision.A couple other thoughts though:With a smaller multi-family a vacancy is felt more financially than with a larger one, but the extent of that is influenced by the market's local metro and property location; andWhy not use some of the equity from the property to fund the purchase of the smaller one and then have two properties generate (probably) the same amount of income or more with debt service on both.