I think that your assessment is very helpful and it is true that I am trying to offset costs and cut my commute.I have also had reservations about a flip/brrr because of the difficulty of finding a builder for my team.  

I won't buy a property, that I can't simply cut a check for.

Not only did it cut his living expenses drastically (and the triplex appreciated $843K over those 10 years, not bad on a $20,000 down payment even though that was a fair amount of money back then), but one of his tenants eventually became a business partner on his next investment.

The end of the year statement the bookkeeper prepared for my taxes this year cut my accountant’s time in half compared to what I had been providing him.

Therefore, if the housing market has stagnated or the rental market is in decline, it may be wise to cut your losses and sell the property.

One of the main challenges is that I can only afford to put 5% down, which would leave me tied to this property’s expenses for the foreseeable future, making it harder to pursue other investments.All of this said, I’m really struggling to stay positive about investing right now.

If there is no match there is honestly no reason to tie your money up with them especially if the returns are lack luster.

Cutting back vegetation etc.The home probably got more deferred maintenance, water damage evident even in this video.

A private money lender could provide that last 10%, allowing you to move forward with the project without needing to tie up your own funds.

Don't pay for points since you can refi later.4 to 6 rate cuts coming by end of 2025.If it won't cash flow at a 7% mortgage then it's probably not a good deal anyway.