. #2 I may have considered (apartment buildings on SoCal or real estate debt fund).  

Assuming this is an 8 cap neighborhood you'd have a ~$420-450k value within a year (unless property taxes are crazy high) when leases would renew since it'd be valued as a commercial building with the office space.

Are you saying that because of this unit, the building might not be able to be refinanced?

Start small with strategies like house hacking, leveraging your hands-on skills for value-add properties, and building a strong team or network to reduce risks.

We needed to build more there but the cost to build has doubled and the return is t sufficient.

Make them build them, so they own them. 

With thoughtful planning, you’ll be well on your way to building wealth and achieving your goals.Good luck! 

My name’s Stuart, I’m an agency multifamily lender with Berkadia that finances apartment buildings throughout the Western US with Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae.

Also, without even looking at the plans a 7 unit building will likely have flawed floor plans and/ or an inefficient layout unless its an irregular site.

You need to be able to talk with strangers over the phone or in person to build rapport.