Third, I also understand that I can loan the SD IRA to a business I'm affiliated with as long as it is 49% or less ownership...and the partner has to be a non-qualified individual and the managing member in the LLC.

You can see who the borrower is and track them down :) I did this with Trustee deeds issued to third parties as well.

Third, we're too far away to be dealing with day-to-day issues, like leaving a key for a renter.From what we've been told, the companies charge 25-30% of collections.Does this sound right?

There are some funding companies that even provide down payment assistance for the third party you sell the house to.

The only person who had to pay was the clogged toilet because it was a third offense.

Third thing, that hiring was on hold when I heard on TV that over half of the largest corps were planing on hiring in the forth quarter.Those on the political bandwagon will continue with the negative forecasts, the worse it gets, the better for them.

In my opinion, relying on third party financing is dangerous.

I sometimes find it easier to have a third party make my case for a lower/higher price with a buyer/seller than doing it myself.

Getting brokers to help in choice is impossible, and since deals are scattered all over the country, third party advise becomes inevitable.

Some nicks and dings certainly fall under normal or expected wear and tear, I would think in a neighborhood where it could be assumed that you might rent to a Christian tenant, that it would be reasonable to assume they might celebrate Christmas in a customary fashion and decorate the outside of the home for the season, where the wind blows and ice may form.