If something happens to affect the cost you might be able to change the scope of work or timeline to compensate for that.   

We can remotely control the temperature, but if someone (a guest) manually changes the thermostat, it overrides our remote settings, which is what we want.   

the 500k tax treatment will always be there.. ( unless code changes) .

I don’t think a three year historical lookback is sufficient.Unless the market fundamentally changed, I would just sit tight.

We need a significant retail price correction as a catalyst to change that, in WC at least. 

Nowadays there are a lot more strategies available to a lot more people, and that has changed the avatars of who is investing in real estate.Not every investor is defining "success" in the same way.

Since the interest rate is already high, adding to it won’t drastically change your overall costs and will free up the liquidity you need for the new investment without affecting the low-rate financing on your multifamily property.Using the hard money loan to close on the new property could work well, especially if the property generates the $6,000/month you expect.

Look into out-of-state markets for better affordability and ROI opportunities.Success requires risk, but calculated risks with proper preparation can lead to life-changing rewards.

How do we change this dynamic?

After it's rehabbed, you could then rent both units and use the cash flow to offset another primary residence or potentially refi and use those funds to scale your portfolio.I wish this policy change was being talked about more because it unlocks a creative new strategy for investors in MA, since you do not need to owner occupy to do it!