If you make this a balloon payment in say 5 years, you've helped your cashflow, and you can refinance to pay out the balance of the 2nd mtg.I do have to ask though - you seem quite emotionally invested at this point - what are average house prices in this neighbourhood?

or maybe I was blinded by being emotionally connected to the deal?

If it is worth your time to manage your properties versus not having the learning curve and emotional stress of it, do it. 

One more tip – people remember stories that trigger their emotions.

Takes a lot of emotion out of the ordeal as well & can veer off script then come back to it in order to sound like a real person. 

One more tip – people remember stories that trigger their emotions.

I sold due to emotional triggers.  

They are making a decision based on emotions and not always just the facts as you have learned. 

I will give you some of my highlights.People in Texas complain about their property taxes at 3% ours are about 4.5%.New York in general and Monroe county specifically are very tenant friendly.Depending  on the town, the code inspectors/police can be quite anal.Since Covid and the 2020 protests we’ve seen an increase in crime in the city and therefore weakening demand in the city proper and increasing demand for the suburbs.Industry is well diversified—University of Rochester (medicine) L3Harris (defense) xerox (IT) and paychex (software/hr)) and relatively recession proof.Population growth is low and therefore appreciation (except the past 4 years) has been moderate as well.There aren’t many builders in the area so supply is relatively fixed.Home (and rent) prices are both affordable with homes typically being less than 1/3 median household income and rent being similarly affordable.For single family homes at 8% rent will cover piti with about 100$ to spare in the A areas.

@Chris PurcellI'm somebody that likes to keep situations simple, and by letting emotions and how you feel get involved, one can make any situation very complicated.