The other reason you can use it is that this loan or 401k loan is considered to be "secured," funds since the funds are secured by your 401k and your job.The main advantage with 401k loans is that the min monthly payment on this loan is not counted in your DTI or debt to income ratio this is the case with all funds borrowed from financial assets which include other financial assets like loans against:- permanent life insurance policies like universal and whole or mutual whole life insurance policies (not term since term life does not have cash value)- stock and bond portfolios- CD's- cash like instruments like money market- cash value positions in options/shorts/etc- retirement accounts like 401k, 403b, 457, defined benefit (DB or "pension," type plans) , and other defined contribution (DC) plansHope that helps.

"Accurately" and "estimate" should not be used in the same sentence.Real estate is not a stock or a bond, while financial ratio analysis has a place, it isn't that applicable to real estate, attempting to estimate ROI or ROE less than annually for small investors is really wasting time playing with your calculator.

I'm 26 myself and I bought my first investment property in June 2017 when I first realized the significant IRR good RE deals are capable of producing compared to traditional investment vehicles such as stocks and bonds. 

You could even buy REITs or bonds to produce a stable income.

Also do you have any 401K, IRA, or stocks and bonds as this can be used for reserves as well.No gift money on investment properties period. 

You are really comparing investing in real estate vs investing in stocks, bonds, and mutual funds.Best of luck!

Or you could hire a bonded and insured tree service to handle it. 

Maybe  the home inspector is bonded and could  pay or help pay for your cost to correct problem. 

In the meantime, I would need a surety bond for double the value for 3 years that protects me.  

Your contractor may be required to have a bond for the work.