If the real estate is producing a steady return, you can make more aggressive bets with stocks or other alt assets.

Getting multiple contractors involved will be your best bet to get a reliable estimate, though you need to come up with a scope of work.

@DeBret McGee IIYour best bet is to secure a deal with creative financing, seller financing or meter lease options.

My friend Dylan Marma would be a solid bet and I'd be happy to make an intro.Using leverage to scale, such as borrowing against this cash for larger down payments?

I also read in real estate by the numbers that it's risky to bet on market appreciation.

Out of state may be your best bet, everyone on this thread has suggested great markets.

If you are in a high fire zone, the California Fair Plan is likely your best bet.

I could maybe sign up with that theory if the GPs were using the side hustle money as a way of cutting or eliminating their fees & salaries altogether while they try to hang in long enough to hope for enough rate cuts to refinance or the market to unfreeze and let them unload at least at break-even, but I bet none of them do anything of the kind. 

I imagine you'll have the same issue with the unpermitted kitchenetteIf you can rent the property as a MTR then listing on Furnished Finder will probably be your best bet.

I bet there are some ways you could proactively plan so the problem almost resolves itself.