The tenant has not paid anything since April 2024, effectively staying in my property for free for four months.

@Sebastian NadalI've used Zillow Rental Manager to screen my tenants and have found it effective.

There are also some benefits to leverage such as tax breaks that lowers the effective cost of borrowing the money.

Having watched many prior co-workers get paid, cash their check at the casino, and promptly deposit it all into a slot machine I can tell you with pretty good certainty that casinos don't have a positive effect on disposable income and good use of the existing income in the area surrounding :)Are there solid local employers OTHER than the casino in a 15-minute drive? 

As you are finding out, it is so local that the next door building effects your investment. 

In effect, you will end up paying tax on your refi cash later on, when you sell the property.

Several of the contractors offer helical piers but don’t seem to think they’d be a more cost effective option - we can directly ask about this again.  

In online forums, the danger I've experienced is the "national" effect. 

How keep it legal of course but more importantly how to do if effectively.

If you acquire one new property each year, you could significantly increase your wealth and potentially position yourself to qualify for larger investments, like apartment buildings or construction loans, within 10 years.I’ve worked with clients who have successfully implemented this strategy, and it has proven to be an effective path to building long-term financial freedom through real estate.Good luck with your decision!