I, not being a tax accountant, was thinking that the value of the home included appreciation and (the value of) improvements, so I didn't think to split them out.  

Now, comparing a Living Trust and an LLC for commercial property:For a Living Trust, the pros include estate planning benefits and no immediate impact on property taxes.

These may include the efficiency of the court system, the tenant's response to the initial notice, and any legal challenges or appeals filed by either party.

Together, you can carefully consider the financial aspects by comparing the potential income from renting to the costs of selling, including any repairs needed to make it more marketable.You may qualify for a conventional loan with a down payment as low as 3% to buy a new one.

Or use a screening software like showmojo, and allow tenants to do self serve showings.

Im not sure which areas you were looking at in Idaho, but I'm very familiar with my service areas which include the entire panhandle and I'm happy to answer any questions if you want to dig deeper.

I am new to real estate investing and I am in the process of purchasing a self storage facility that has under 100 units.

It sounds like you want to self-manage, but if you have to drive 12 hours, let's say, they you are already in the lane of long-distance real estate investing (because it's not local to you).

6) I start sending our exclusive deals in advance of receiving the deposit due to how good we both felt on the call (My mistake).7) Investor "openly and honestly" questions our business model and wants to know how we make money.

Hard money lenders, and private institution lender/businesses will only loan 70% of arv including the rehab cost, with experience.