There are no existing structures on the land—it’s a vacant lot.  

They bought their house near Lucca, Italy.  

You have acquired skills that are worth 500k, so maybe you can translate that into an adjacent career path and leverage your existing skills?

I wouldn't touch Franklinton with a 10' pole on the existing inventory side. gravity 2 is being auctioned and sold by the developer the area didn't support office developer lost millions:https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2024/12/19/gravity...linden I agree on if you can get a good deal. super fast appreciation. small homes, close to downtown, you can look at year over year and it's going up fast but also fast to change. any urban adjacent neighborhood is going to be good. 

You can often get better rates with a national lender, but the customer service is non-existent, communication probably sucks, they may ask for the same documents multiple times, etc.

The new property has to make $50k plus $12k/yr more than the existing property just to break even.

I'd guess I could sell my house with ADU for 650-675.

This allows you to access funds while keeping your existing mortgages intact.Second Mortgage: Explore lenders who offer second-position loans on investment properties, though rates will be higher.Cash-Out HELOC : While traditional banks often restrict HELOCs on non-owner-occupied properties, some portfolio or private lenders may offer HELOCs for investors.With $15-20K in liquid funds, look for deals where you can negotiate terms:Seller Financing: Negotiate lower down payments or interest-only periods.Subject-To Financing: Assume the seller’s existing mortgage while covering the down payment.Lease-to-Own: Lock in the purchase price while using rental income to build equity.

I recently came across a property through an agent with attractive numbers for a house flip.

I would buy a deal that at least minimally cashflows (they exist) and then plan to refi in the 18-36 month window.