Ended up hiring an attorney to demand the release of the funds.

In a market like this where properties are sitting a bit longer, buyer demand is kind of stagnant, many appraisals have been coming in lower than anticipated.

This has freed up my income substantially from where I was working previously.

When Helene/Milton hit we had local displacements and I suspended any rising rates (rising naturally due to spike to demand). 

Curious how the demand is there. 

A cash-out refinance or home equity line of credit (HELOC) can be powerful tools to keep your momentum going.Focus on Stability:Look for investments in areas with strong job markets, population growth, and consistent rental demand.

You can learn about demand, running an airbnb, and all the moving parts.

I think if you can nail that down you will be able to find a market easier.As a buy and hold investor some of the things that were important to me when deciding on a market were landlord tenant laws, price to rent ratio, housing demand, ability to build a team, large population 500K plus, multi-family availability and some other factors.take the process step by step and you will be fine. 

Since you’re still figuring out where to invest, look for areas with strong rental demand, good schools, low crime, and potential for future growth.

Where do you find details on prices, demand, cash flow etc?