If for example a home is selling for $225,000 it will have an estimate of $1,462/month.With 25% down the calculator shows: $1,023 per month Principal and interest $806Property taxes$125Homeowners insurance$92How can I get a better idea of the total including everything?

Get an ibuyer offer from Opendoor/offer pad anyone like that.Anything else you can think of that’s better than walking away.

If the cabin doesn’t do better than-11k I might have to sell one of these investment properties.

Where could you invest that money for a better return when you include adjustment for tax-free?

The benefit of paying yourself and paying the lender back is you can then refinance that as a rate/term refinance rather than a cashout refinance which can get you more leverage and better terms on your long term debt. 

But in today’s interest environment she would be better off buying an annuity.

Now that 10% return begins to look a lot better.  

better to get into a brrr strategy with fix and flip to be able to potential pull your initial investment out and keep it rolling over into the next project 

I don't mind borrowing if the long-term payout is better. 

If you do the math, when you get to 6+ bedroom houses, the numbers work out better with living for free and also cash flowing while living there.