The software company died fairly quickly as I realized that there was way more money in just using the information to do deals rather than basically begging people to pay for the information that I had.  

The areas up north I mentioned are also on the expensive side, but with the new rail station opening in Shoreline that I heard about on NPR I believe positions it well to grow quickly.  

The area is traditionally rural, but has brought in two major companies in the last few years and is quickly outgrowing its available rental housing.

Hey JasonI would look at the FNMA Home Style renovation loan instead of hard money unless you need to get in quick.

A huge incentive for me on jobs is that I'll be paid quickly, per the contract, and not nickled and dimed. 

@Rich Hupper Cant really offer too much advice.

You can create ads for getting buyers/sellers and quickly get your name and business out there.

Then a few months ago I happened upon my now beloved BP podcasts, and then Rich Dad, Poor Dad, and Think and Grow Rich, and... you get the point, my friends.

Do I just clean it up for a quick sell and use the money to invest in a property that's more suitable to my wallet right now?

Joe's brother-in-law buying Joe's house at a short sale would be a huge red flag for fraud.I think the biggest arrow in your quiver is #1, and your most probable path to success is to order a fresh appraisal with a fresh opinion of value, and once it comes back go to your (or the end-lender's) appraisal department (not the AMC, the lender's internal folks) and argue that the new appraisal is more credible than the previous one because of #1 ("if the appraiser didn't even go to the comps for a quick drive-by photo, who knows what else he didn't even actually do?")