So if you purchase this outside of California, you must have your local infrastructure in place to help you take care of the property. 

The IRS does not care whether it is a conventional loan, private loan, gift from a friend, sale of stock, savings, robbing your child's piggy bank or wherever you have access to money. 

Take care.

1.) renting as is- Usually folks who are interested in the house are not going to care for the property.

Your work will be at the beginning, being careful with your money. 

I want to be super careful with OPM.

I do not quite understand why they would care about your rationale. 

PS: Cutting an inch off the bottom of the cabinet is tempting, but not really a viable solution in this case.  

Ugh...I'd tread carefully in those treacherous waters.

They managed the finances and I took care of the property management for many years.