In areas with rapid and sustained appreciation, you can use the equity gained through appreciation to purchase additional properties.

I have been fortunate to meet two of those individuals and gained a mentor.

And it has been gaining recognition as a vibrant, desirable place to live, especially for younger professionals and first-time buyers. 

However, I don't find the long vacancy particularly enjoyable, and I'm hoping to gain some insight and grow from the experience.Has anyone else experienced this, and what did you do to avoid it?

We also have this specific property listed on FF in hopes of gaining a 3 month + rental through the winter.

Thus transferring not just the decades of knowledge this master had gained, but the hundreds/ thousands of years of knowledge he himself had received from his mentorship. 

You get a deduction for the contribution, the gains grow tax-free and as long as you use the proceeds for health-related expenses the funds come out tax free as well. 

I had an experience with a terrible tenant who reported me for a bogus claim but by making the claim it allowed me to gain access needed to get photos of the condition of the property, and then the tenant refused to allow maintenance people in which really helped prove my side of the situation.If possible, explore alternative dispute resolution options like offering the tenants a cash-for-keys agreement.

Gaining knowledge about investor loans, like DSCR loans, can be particularly beneficial.

I don't know the rules in the US, but in Canada, you can do that every 2 years and when you sell, you don't pay taxes on the capital gains.