This allows you to pivot when you can get a more favorable situation.Renting:Pros: Flexibility, less upfront cost, maintenance covered by landlord.Cons: Limited equity building, rising rents can strain affordability.Buying:Pros: Potential for long-term wealth building through equity and appreciation.

You could also offer to cover part of their tax liability through negotiation or encourage them to convert the property into their primary residence to use the IRS exclusion for up to $250K/$500K in gains.

You need sufficient rental income to cover your expenses, or you bleed money. 

Otherwise, you won't have the extra funds necessary to cover the rising costs of goods and services in the future.What causes rents (and prices) to increase?

Quote from @Lionel Quiambao:  ... and maybe throw in the option for the tenant for more speed at an increased rent to cover the additional payment. 

If the rental income doesn’t sufficiently cover the debt payments by their standards, they’ll limit the loan amount, even if the property is worth more.You could try a few alternatives:•Look for lenders who specialize in commercial real estate and have more flexible DSCR requirements.

Talk to your insurance agent and be sure you're covered.

Currently finalizing a deal for another property with a different individual investor where we will have the same payout model, but they will put up a bit more cash to cover all the admin work I have to do to set things up. 

I have been in construction/rehab/renovation most all of my life so I have that covered.  

So most agents are only putting about half of that $12k in their pocket, and out of that $6k they have to cover all of their operating expenses: licensing fees, MLS/ Realtor Association fees, continuing education classes to stay compliant with licensing requirements, monthly "desk" fees/ technology fees to their brokerage, health insurance for themselves and their family, errors and omissions insurance (required), marketing, car, car insurance, gas, clothes, computer/ software, cell phone, closing gifts, signs, photography, staging if they offer that, etc.