Franky,Feel free to send me an email I can help with evaluating some options.   

There just aren't a lot of options in my area, and my kids need to live close to their dad. 

More interested in land contracts and lease purchase options enough /without needing a lawyer each time.The properties are worth about 150k each.

Then when you are done you can weigh the option between refinancing or just keeping the current loan.

Option 3: Find a better investment at this time.Stop thinking of yourself as a real estate investor and start thinking of yourself as a well rounded investor.Pay off your mortgage: Your money is not working for you when you spend it on liabilities like a personal residence.Buy Rentals with little/no cash flow: You are speculating what a rental will be worth in 20-30 years.

I grew up in WNC and still have family there so that is an option and even have placed offers on cabins in WNC to make an STR but nothing has panned out yet for something like that.

Given that I recently created a Series LLC here in TX, and there still doesn't appear to be straightforward options in this regard, I figured I would bring it up again. 

+1  Real Estate Investing Data and How-to Guides - This here shows that you can filter to Multi family but I don't see it as an option as well.

On VRBO, when we set up the listing, they didn't have a "loft" option, so I think it's considered office space which led to some confusion or set up as a second living area.

This is one of the options I was considering as well.