Be kind to yourself and take a minute to be proud of the progress and good decisions up to this point.

Commercial is your best bet (rates are actually closer to 7-8%) or you can have a loan against your other assets such as brokerage, retire accounts, or a group LOC for your other properties.

Best bet is to contact your trusted lender or other financial institutions to compare offers to find the best interest rates and terms that suit your investment strategy.  

Might not be 100% safe but it seems like a pretty sure bet

Yet if the numbers were to far exceed the proforma, you can bet they wouldn't be willing to give you any of that money back. :-)I wonder if you could take another actual cabin and do a 5 year example of ownership on the actuals for that cabin and then put that those numbers can't be used as a guarantee for any other cabin's future returns. 

This translates to: they know they will make more with your money in stocks / & bonds long term.I know the allure of fixed / known income is appealing… but if you do the math I bet you will find that the historical average of the market outperforms what the insurance company is offering as the return on the  annuity.  

Virginia requires a professional license, not necessarily an attorney- a title insurance company, RE Broker, or financial institution might help you.As to your in progress HELOC you have another problem- if the lender does any physical or interior inspection they won't lend to you.

The seller has agreed to let us out of the contract but does not agree that we should receive our earnest money back because he says he is able to bet everything damaged and stolen repaired and replaced before closing.   

Plan for the Long TermTax Planning: Understand tax implications and consider strategies such as 1031 exchanges for deferring capital gains taxes.Estate Planning: Develop a plan for passing on your real estate investments to heirs.Additional Tips:Stay Disciplined: Stick to your investment plan and avoid making emotional decisions.Continuous Learning: Real estate markets evolve, so stay updated with industry trends and regulations.Risk Management: Be aware of risks such as vacancies, unexpected expenses, and interest rate fluctuations.By following these steps and remaining committed to your goals, you can progressively build wealth and achieve financial freedom through real estate investing.

I have a half dozen years of experience renting out a few single family homes and am looking to bet big in a different market.