We are being conscious of property tax on a vacant piece of land (our potential liability) as well as the potential capital gains taxes (their potential liability). 

I think hard money lender to take this risk cannot legally charge appropriately which means the law is working against you (the law meant to protect owner occupied owners from unfair loans).I agree with @Jay Hinrichs that your best option likely is to sell on the mls.  

The other benefit to verify is if you have loss protection.

.- You will have to come out of pocket for the arears, fees etc, just to get into "contract" some times $20k or more and all you have as protection is the word of someone who's proven to be unreliable and a signed piece of paper... 

I would  show you purchase strategies, real estate monetization, rent roll leveraging, portfolio margining and asset protection/deep tax deductions  

the only thing with that is protecting future landlords.. but then again thats a personal choice..  

This could turn a potential loss into positive cash flow while protecting your property’s value.

I'll be getting several more opinions from other plumbers as well.  

Well, surprise, surprise the phony investment firm up and disappeared.

Cash Flow & Value-Add PotentialA well-selected multifamily property could outperform the $2,400/month cash flow you’d get from paying off the townhouse, especially if you find a property with under-market rents or appreciation potential.