The other non-math issues I'm good handling myself. 

small portion" of profit is not worth the possible legal issues.

Where another issue arrises is I recently quit my job after becoming pregnant as they would not cover my maternity while overseas, my husband is employed however he works for a UK company and is British so would be unlikely to help us with the situation in the US.

Typical renovations include:Cosmetic Updates: Painting, flooring, kitchen and bathroom upgrades, and landscaping.Structural Repairs: Fixing any underlying issues such as foundation repairs, plumbing, or electrical updates.Efficiency Improvements: Adding energy-efficient windows, new HVAC systems, and better insulation to increase the property's overall value.The goal of the rehab phase is to increase the property’s market value while making it an attractive place for tenants.

It's usually best to talk with your neighbors about your plans and get their support as one of the variance tests is that the requested relief does not cause a public health issue or alter the essential character of the neighborhood.Try googling "tests for a variance in [your state]" and talk with your local zoning department.

This relative to my situation, is a super modest amount of funds.

No DTI issues.

@Aaron Raffaelli, I’m sorry to hear that you are having issues qualifying.

Since the properties are in New York you have a few extra steps you need to do to keep all of your funds out of NYs hands at closing.Here's an interesting BP thread on the South Carolina property tax issue you mentioned. https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/725/topics/604427-south.... 

The biggest issue was getting it out of there. $250.