It's a way many medical professional + spouse combo have saved a lot of money on taxes.

Just underwrite a refinance assuming about 30-36% of the money you will receive goes to refinance closing costs at worst, and find discounts when you can.

Did you use a hard money loan for this? 

Given their age and position in life… mailbox money flow forever sounds like a good start to retirement to me!

Quote from @Zach Howard: Quote from @Jonathan Greene: If you are looking at properties in the US only on Zillow, and not seeing them in person (I know you are in Hong Kong), this is just an effort in futility because you can't underwrite single-family or small multifamily deals only online.

The only thing we can think of is he deals with a lot of international trade and money and maybe it’s OFAC we just get a scripted message every time we talk to someone so we got lawyers involved. 

The city wants to tear the property and surrounding properties down Zillow said it’s worth 38000The city offer me 13000.I could use some adviceHard to give advice with limited information, but as a general rule, the longer you wait and the further down the line their project is the more valuable your property will be to them.Zillow (and all automatic online) estimates are very unreliable, so don't base on that.

Their ability to recover their money should you default is much lower in this position.

It would be a tight budget but I do have money set aside for repairs.

DSCR/hard money are non owner occupy loans.If you decide to do FHA203K for the first home - a 203K consultant/inspector will be required for the standard 203k loan, you will unlikely be able to serve as GC and you sign a 1 year occupany affidavit.