Be sure you to have offer for potential homesellers to raise their hand... like a Home Seller's Guide.Call expired and ask them how come they think their house didn't sell and listen to what they say. 

The stock market offers liquidity and potential appreciation but comes with volatility.

She’s currently not paying rent, and while she has some health issues and no stable income, she’s been communicative and open to general talks, with a possible option to vacate through a cash-for-keys arrangement, though this might take around six weeks and some hard work.I plan to rehab the property and eventually rent it out, potentially to a Section 8 tenant.

EDUCATE YOURSELF - yes, it will take time, but will lead to a selection that better meets your expectations & avoids potentially costly surprises!

I actually had come across your post below in the Events forum and thought to myself it would have been nice to attend that to see first hand a local flip and talk shop about the process.https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/521/topics/1215682-chec...I am happy to hear that someone with your experience in the region feels that Westchester is a market with some potential.

If you need some connections, I run the most active group of small landlords in the city and have a network of connections that you could potentially leverage.

Attend real estate meetups and networking events in your area to connect with potential lenders and other investors.

Depending on what the potential jobs offer in terms of income, does this seem like a realistic strategy?

The calculation uses the following formula: Total Rent Potential x 75% ≥ PITI (plus HOA if any). 

This signals long-term appreciation potential.