I would forgo altogether the decorative fence too. regarding the driveway & sidewalk I would recommend not adding a brick ribbon.

Sell it all and give up on REI altogether?

Key items to rehab on the second home to bring the property value up for the refi, determining which lenders/servicing companies will be favorable, Identifying good properties to invest in altogether.

That's the only thing that would change for me if I found out this information about a rental unless you want to change strategies altogether and flip it. 

I did try a few arbitrages in 2018-2020 and I think altogether maybe a breakeven.  

The fact the seller is becoming the mortgagee is a separate matter altogether - though in both Canada and the U.S.A., it affords the seller the ability to defer capital gains over several years.

Do you skip cold-calling altogether, or do you just scrub your lists against the DNC?

But other investors will get screwed when municipalities write laws in ways that prevent transferring permits, or that outlaw STRs altogether- Vacation markets will tend to be more STR-friendly on average due to the income they bring to areas that depend on tourism.

And maybe I’ll quit altogether and go RE full time.

Many investors avoid these areas altogether.