It's not theoretically all that difficult to do yourself with a 60-buck trim coil from HD and some homemade shaping aids made out of clamps and dimensional lumber, but it's not a typical DIY thing.

I can typically get those smaller items fixed for the price of the service call or even lower and its not worth the hassle.If you are hoping to get the HVAC replaced or other appliances by them, it might work out unless it takes few more years and by then, you already spend that money on the home warranty and service call fees and they might not even cover the whole thing once it comes to replacing.They are here to make money and they will go out of their way to replace parts before replacing the entire item.

On the surface it may look like all you have to do is put up walls because there is probably already a roof but what you are thinking can require work not only to tear down the existing but rebuilding all the way from the foundation and including at least one wall typically from the living room, not a good idea.

The education I received through the podcast was invaluable in giving me the knowledge and confidence to do the first deal.

Parks are typically overpriced there and it’s not worth my time to look there.  

However, if your property is a SFR, it is probably a little on the high-side.There is typically an add-on to the rate adjustments for multi-family properties.Hope this helps,

Gathering from the input i have received from all of you guys, it seems going for B neighborhoods for both ease of rehab on first project and a more reliable rent pool.

Would she qualify for the mortgage on her own (taking into account salary and any alimony she may receive)?

if you need to supplement the costs further you can consider renting rooms out in the unit that you live in but this typically is only an option for those who need the financial assistance (housemates are often not easy).You learn Property Management, if you like being a landlord, doing repairs and hiring contractors. 

She said her salary alone is $80k plus she receives child support.