It's not worth hiring a lawyer but as you suggested, small claims court may be an option IF you hired them in your personal capacity OR if your jurisdiction allows LLC owners to go to small claims and represent the LLC in court (many, most?

@Isaac TerryIn terms of it being worthwhile, just like most other markets out of state if the barrier or entry is too high where you live, the landlord laws are not favorable where you live, and you are looking for positive cashflow then Cleveland can be a good option.

Sounds to me option 1 will be best though.   

To leverage the equity for financing my next deal, a second mortgage seems like a more cost-effective option.

Investors are already on board with the options weve got, just shopping for the best option.

Would it be a good idea to get a real estate license and work in real estate or are there other options to get in Missouri to get real estate experience without a license? 

Now we are mostly scaling our business with larger communities but I've used many different creative finance strategies including seller finance, private lending, hard-money, collateral from other properties, and lease-options. 

Especially in a more competitive market where the options are plentiful.

Kelly, you have many options.

I can help you with financing options and help you analyze deals.