Alas, you may have a great point there as I have decided to cut into my "profits" if it meant a "win-win" situation for all.

Population growth fuels demand and demand drives up rents and values.

If you heard me at the last Bigger Pockets conference, someone in the audience asked what fee do I try to get and I cut the guy I was speaking with off and replied "The right answer is the biggest fee possible."

I asked the agent to let me talk to the owners directly promising that they would not be cut out of their commissions but then nothing, never heard anything back from them.

Not sure what happened to my cut/paste slop, but it is supposed to say: and I estimate that it is currently <50% occupied and I don't...grrr

Some, like me, are simply not cut out to be landlords.

J Scott - You probably have a point about the IRS issue, but I'll wait to find out what my accountant has to say at our next meeting since I've been cutting her commission checks.

Your parents need to sit down and look at their finances to see where they can cut costs and what they can do to get more money (eg sell their home and downsize, get rid of the motorhome, do they have an in-law suite they can rent out). 

Social security payments - cut by a third (know anyone getting these?)

You might try contacting the loan company and seeing if they would cut you some deal.