I’d look into the cost of a 500 sq. ft. garage and compare it to the potential boost in sale price.

Agreed the biggest issue will be labor especially on the west coast and say Texas were Hispanic labor makes up HUGE portions of the manual labor force and Agricultural.. your not going to get born and breed US citizens to work in the fields picking fruit ..

I did check Loopnet and it's all listed for sale by brokers and agents, so I don't think it is off-market -- right?

This home was located in a zip code that is notorious for its ultra-modern design (though those homes are still sitting for sale).

However, value add with a sale is not as implacted by rates.  

That will put us into the long term capital gains category on the sale. 

Sale your first unit or two.  

Why not test the market by putting the lots up for sale, and if nobody bites, that might provide your answer. 

It’s a smart move, especially since it ties in with your goal of saving for your first investment.For skills, you probably already have a good foundation with your sales experience—things like communication, organization, and dealing with clients are all super valuable.

This would need to be structured that if your rent is at or below your mortgage payment, the portion of the mortgage payment going towards principal is more than all other expenses (and hopefully more than budgeted capex).