After talking with an attorney on if repair was responsibility of lower residence or my residence, knowing it was builder's fault but would be difficult/useless to try to get them to fix it 15 years later, we fixed the retaining wall for $9K. 

We are getting ready to take a HELOC out on our primary residence.

The VA loan considers 1-4 unit properties as the same thing, so as long as you plan to occupy the 4plex you want to buy next year as your primary residence (which would mean selling moms house that you inherited, or turning that house into a rental). 

I am originally from the Monterey Bay, but currently reside in the South Bay Los Angeles/ Long Beach area.I was raised “on the fence”, in the sense that I was exposed to much prosperity and poverty growing up.

Can there be an owner still living in the residence if its been been foreclosed? 

We purchased our primary residence about a year ago and have been building out a basement apartment we will be renting out to my mother in law.

My residence is also on 5 acre minimum parcels, but with the growth that is occurring in my area, I anticipate the zoning will be changing.

I have equity in my primary residents, so I plan to start with that.I owe about $124k and it should be worth 165 - 175.

I’m a US citizen/Canadian resident. 

Let the property wash its face for 5 years while allowing it to appreciate at 3-4% rate.