Meet with financial advisers/wealth managers and see what other options other than real estate there are and how to best allocate / diversify. ie have you maxed out your TFSA?

That’s because the longer someone has lived in their house, the more that home’s value has grown, which directly increases equity.And if you’re one of those people who’s been in their home for 10 years or more, know this – according to NAR:“Over the past decade, the typical homeowner has accumulated $201,600 in wealth solely from price appreciation.”The Benefits of Having Home EquityWhat does that mean for you?

In light of this, I have been exploring the possibility of pursuing creative finance options, specifically seller finance deals, as a potential means to achieve my goals.

Typical equity build up time is 5 years, depending on your market.But can you purchase another rental using your own capital?

It's mostly Class A properties, a few Class B.You may find the below copy & paste info useful in addressing your question:----------------------------------------------------------------------------------Recommend you first figure out the property Class you want to invest in, THEN figure out the corresponding location to invest in.Property Class will typically dictate the Class of tenant you get, which greatly IMPACTS rental income stability and property maintenance/damage by tenants.If you apply Class A assumptions to a Class B or C purchase, your expectations won’t be met and it may be a financial disaster.If you buy/renovate a property in Class D area to Class A standards, what quality of tenant will you get?

This is typically for most people not a DIY project. 

@Christopher HeidrichRecommend you first figure out the property Class you want to invest in, THEN figure out the corresponding location to invest in.Property Class will typically dictate the Class of tenant you get, which greatly IMPACTS rental income stability and property maintenance/damage by tenants.If you apply Class A assumptions to a Class B or C purchase, your expectations won’t be met and it may be a financial disaster.If you buy/renovate a property in Class D area to Class A standards, what quality of tenant will you get?

While we are not immune to market shifts, we typically don't see huge bubble bursts. 

There are two options I have offered and I want to get a check on here if I am off base with my offer or if I need to push harder.

This sudden jump in rates has not fully caught up with market cap rates yet since especially in the commercial and multifamily property markets, transactions typically take 6 months to transact, creating a lag effect between interest rates and market cap rates since interest rates adjust daily.