Not many people are given such a nice pile of investment cash. 

Although the Ohio Building Code states the basement bedroom is a bedroom, the appraiser did not count the basement as general living area (GLA) and did not provide much value, if any, for the additional nicely refinished space.Does anyone have a recommendation how to overcome this barrier?

I would appreciate that, would be nice to be able to ask a few questions. 

Which is nice since 5 years can feel like a long time to some people. 

Maybe if you really like these guys and their work...and feel that they honestly got in over their heads, you could throw them an extra $500 just to appear 'nice'.

Or would you just fix it up nicely and rent it out as it is?

(this covers a lot of ground and serves as a nice framework)

Both are super nice people easy to talk too I’m just not sure if they have minimum size  def worth a call!  

I made above market rate rent over 2 years and I vaguely can deduct how much they grossed and they were probably negative cashflow a little as the business became less lucrative but with all the nice furniture they invested, it should be either breakeven or lost money.

Here are a few tips that might help as you get started:Market Analysis: Since you're open to out-of-state investing, look for markets with steady population growth, job diversity, and a balance between rent prices and local wages—those factors often hint at stability and demand.