I have been told to stay away from lease options in Texas.

Quote from @Catherine Ding: My PM company is offering to do it for a high fee of $100/month so I'm trying to find alternative options.

These are all good options.

An assistant can do most everything that you need done and they work directly for you rather than a property management company that has several clients and you’re just one of them.Also, again, depending on the location of your properties, have you considered doing a lease with the option to buy?  

Would this be the ideal market, or are there other rental options we should explore? 

Be prepared that they will be promoting an optional mentorship program at the end.

We are in 11 markets, including Huntsville and would be happy to set up a call to talk over some options. 

If a HELOC isn't an option due to Texas laws, you could consider a cash-out refinance with another property or a portfolio loan, even if you want to keep your current rate.

But like @Henry Clark said and others in this post there are options you can consider.

Rates may still be high, but sometimes they’re more flexible with repayment options than a mortgage refi.Family Loan Structure: Since you have an existing interest-free loan from family, you could talk to them about restructuring or even adding onto it, if they’re open to it.