private money lender How did you add value to the deal?

we would have paid the 10% deposit and have had zero legal recourse to get the money back.

Unless you are using your own money, then you shouldn't have a problem, however, if you are enlisting an investor or a lending company, and there are plenty to choose from, don't go with the ones who do the lowest interest.

Some can actually be pretty cheap.

IE motivate them for money. 

Private money and personal funds.

Unfortunately almost every franchise involves renting the occupied space when the property would have made more money than the business.

Risk goes hand in hand with the amount of money you stand to make.  

It might be wise to sell it just from a management standpoint and reposition the money into some index funds and maybe another property in NC.

The investor would buy an ugly black box that produced money if it was the right price.