Certainly open to other ideas and strategies, it would just require additional diligence from my end given my level of comfort and expertise would be lacking in other areas.

The lease agreement also states that they are responsible for any landscaping damage due to lack of watering or neglect.

Although, they may widen their search if there are a lack of similar sales in the Subject's market area.Based on what you are saying, the properties located beyond your property's zip code and within the 1-2 miles radius, are in a higher demand market area, with greater market appeal and therefore higher values - for some reason.

Is it exclusively our collective income being in the 500k range preventing us, or is it more complicated like lacking a license or certificate?

Something with cashflow which Madison seems to lack. 

They may run credit but they never give me a hard time about my DTI ratio, my lack of a W2, or the fact that I offset my income with passive losses and don’t have much “income.”

Remediation involves venting it out of the home (for lack of a better description).

Though it is over 50% cheaperin my market, the price came in about the same although Reonomy isn't market-based but is limited with contact search, Reonomy has loan maturity data which co-star is lacking which is a big upside. costar has leasing data and is  also more accurate. 

Since our properties are not in a vacation destination hotspots, we delisted on VRBO due to lack of bookings.

In the meantime, they keep running through the BRRRR motions believing they are growing a real estate empire because the BRRRR method pencils best in these neighborhoods which lack the fundamentals that will equate to a true realization event.