The building next to yours looks much nicer and has THREE security vehicles parked in front.

If I were in your and/or your mother-in-laws shoes, I would go to a local bank and use the free and clear house to secure a $150K+ line of credit. 

And if a property is owner occupied, how can you secure a loan with a hard money lender not being able to view the home to estimate repairs?

Securing quotes for properties in flood zones can be challenging and time-consuming (especially if vacant), so it’s unlikely you could have done it quickly.

The buyer may pay off the remaining balance at any time without penalty.2.Late Payment Penalty: A late payment fee of 5% of the overdue amount will apply if payments are more than 10 days late.3.Loan Security: The property will serve as collateral for the seller-financed loan.Hey @C.S.

We were not able to recover any yard damages due to other damages they had left that needed repair, which empted out their security deposit.

Ensure you collect a proper security deposit (typically one month's rent in Florida) to cover potential damages.Your plan to increase rent next year makes sense given rising costs (taxes, insurance, and maintenance).

Some lenders offer creative solutions, like a cross-collateralized loan, where they use your existing equity as security without refinancing the duplex.Another idea is partnering with private lenders or exploring a second-position mortgage, depending on your lender's terms.

Traditional deals often don’t excite investors—offering $200/month in cash flow isn’t very compelling.But with co-living, you can offer 5X the returns, making it much easier to secure funding.Now, instead of asking an investor to put up a 20% down payment for $200/month cash flow, you can pitch them a 5% down investment yielding $1,000+/month—a much more attractive deal.Why Co-Living is the FutureCo-living isn’t just another strategy—it’s a high-demand, high-cash-flow, lower-risk investment model that aligns with today’s rental market trends.

But the bank still treats it as a secured debt.