If the electrical panel is substandard (dangerous) and they are the one who hard wired an extension cord in the attic while cutting through a major purlin holding up the roof, and the garage door doesn't open due to damage (when they hit it with the car?)

In all honesty, the term "best" is hard to pinpoint.

Last thing I wanted was something I could hardly afford, that's a ticking time bomb toward disaster.

One very hard concept is the HELOC if you don't live there it is called a cash out refinancing. 

A private investor is not likely and hard money is not my preferred route.

Considering the holidays and people spending more money on parties and gifts, I was wondering if this would make it too hard to sell the property/would drive the price down due to lack of activity?

Very hard to find reviews on it.

It's hard to compare the 2.

My point is that focus, hard work, integrity, dogged determination, and results will bring you success.

If you look at a hard money comparison, it looks one way.