There is a driveway for 2 cars so there is currently off street parking.Should I take the extra time and money to build the garage or just do the quick reno and move on? 

I know I will pay more in interest but with the extra cash every month I'm hoping to turbocharge my REI.

There is also commission splits and extra office fees that I would be subject to if we have to run everything thru her office.   

We do a lot of work in flood zones and from what I've heard regarding "stilts"(we call them pilings) is you're looking at 20-30k extra over a traditional slab with a crawl space....Most of our footings are within a couple feet of sea level so we've never needed pilings but if you're indeed that deep you defintiely can't pour a footing on top of muck.....The other concern is flood insurance - the lower your first floor elevation the higher the flood insurance - I'd imagine if your first floor is under 10' the insurance would be astronomical.....your best bet is to talk to an engineer, get a survey, and go from there.

Just got a second place in front and borders my land Bought it to add to what I have and the extra privacy.

You can even create different classes of membership in LLCs where maybe the ones who put more in up front can have extra profits. 3) Division of labor? 

Would I turn my kids out without extra worry in this neighborhood?  

I like doing 30yrs and paying extra if needed, but gives the extra flexibility.  

LOL Not sure if Insurence costs are different ,but you are right about the extra set-up and Labor costs .

The senior lender knows that they are at the top of the food chain and they'll have absolutely zero motivation to discount the note or waive accrued charges and penalties.