Meanwhile our local properties were having increased cash flow without the effort involved with 2 hurricanes. 

I’d love to have real estate provide some financial freedom/flexibility and create a portfolio that I could eventually get my kids involved with and pass down to them, but I end up feeling frozen/stuck based on the factors above. 

@Zach RumfieldEstimating an ARV involves using public sales data, subscription services, local tax assessor's website, real estate agents, CMA tools, and local appraisers.

In retrospect, some yellow flags found by the property manager during the tenant screening are now bright red flashing sirens, but the tenant showed decent credit, had a positive previous landlord reference, wrote a charming cover letter in his application, and applied through the referral of a reputable real estate agent.

If anyone is open to sharing advice, offering guidance, or involving me in hands-on work that could enhance my learning, I would be very grateful for the opportunity.

As far as the SD, disperse it as usual...apply any damages and refund the remainder.

When I acquired my own portfolio I did so largely by my own version of BRRR which involved paying cash for a property, fixing it up, renting it out and then a year later getting a Wells Fargo HELOC on them and using that money to buy another house.

They are pretty involved in making sure the property is updated and functional which ends up reducing the amount of $ offered, or if the property needs maintenance repairs Flock might not offer on it at all.

Same logic can be applied to anyone impacted by the recent hurricanes.So what is the risk?

Is there actual precedent where this has been successfully applied?