We are open to using wholesalers and are looking to get plugged in to a wholesaler, realtors in the area, etc.We've been eyeing SFR ~3/2 in the <$250k range.

I need all new appliances (Fridge, Microwave, Dishwasher, Sink, oven/range)I also need flooring (Tearing out carpet ..yes it's everywhere...yuck)Will also need to repaint and buy new LED lights for my fixtures. 

I am comfortable in that range personally. 

North Carolina has been on my list of states I’d love to invest in, but the only real area we’ve been able to find something within our range has been the Winston-Salem area, but we don’t know enough about it to figure out how successful we could be with rentals there. 

Comps of single-family homes suggest we are in the 2500-3200/mo range. 

If you qualify for a 600K 1-family, you should qualify for something in the 800-900K range in the Bronx.

Just for kicks, i looked up a few sf properties sold last year and see that land ranged from 40% to 60% so without knowing your property specifics, dunno why your land would be assessed 70%all i can suggest is look at comparable sales and see what the ratio is and then appeal using that dataalso i remember many years ago, a home was assessed higher than the transaction amount and after failing to reach agreement with assessor office, the homeowner reached out to the different elected city reps.

I would like to use it as collateral to borrow 42k from a private lender, interest only payments in the 8-10% range for 12 months.

(They later sued the toilet line manufacturer and returned my deductible.

this is in our lease regarding prohibited conduct, aka violation of the lease, "criminal conduct, regardless of whether or where arrest or conviction occurs, including but not limited to: manufacturing, delivering, or possessing a controlled substance or drug paraphernalia; engaging in or threatening violence; possessing a weapon prohibited by law; discharging a firearm in the apartment community; or, except when allowed by law, displaying or possessing a gun, knife, or other weapon in the common area, or in a way that may alarm others"I'm no lawyer but the person who wrote this lease is a lawyer, "regardless of whether or where arrest or conviction occurs" leads me to believe that suspicion of illegal activity is enough.