You are just effectively paying you Canadian tax rates.  

I’ve heard pay a slightly higher rate and take the loan out under your LLC.

Aside from that the biggest value add areas I see are as follows: Kitchens, Bathrooms, decks/patios (if added), additional rooms/bathsKitchens and bathrooms tend to be the go-to, but all of those can help you get the most bang for your buck. just keep in mind that if the area is already of high quality, then it may not be the best area to spend the money vs something that is blaringly in need of an update.

Going down the Tiny home path is more like starting a new business than RE investing in my mind. 

I wouldn't be cash flowing paying a property manager, maintenance, etc. to be able to operate out of state though.

First off they could close a sale and make a commission and secondly failing to do so could cause their license to be suspended or pay a fine. 3.

Mind Excess Business Loss Rules.

Have a few areas in mind that typically have good options. 

However it is important to remember to make sure you have a plan to pay that loan down and not allow that credit card debt to climb back up.

I have just over $200K left of owner-financing, but I'd like to obtain a cash-out mortgage/loan of $500K (ideally) to be able to pay off the previous owner and make some repairs, etc.