We also have a great renting environment and laws.  

Rather than taking out some boot from your sale to pay off debt, you could take a detailed look at your financing math after buying a new property and then strategically refinance to replace expensive debt with cheaper debt, but this is not very easy in today's rate environment. 

These communities often feature amenities such as fitness centers, swimming pools, and communal spaces, providing residents with a high-quality living experience without the burdens of homeownership maintenance.Moreover, the low housing supply in Sunbelt states has created an opportune environment for BTR developers and investors.

It's the first rung on the homeownership ladder, and folks who could previously afford $400k in a 4% interest rate environment, are now having to fight over a basic bungalow.  

They're inspecting nearly every home now post-bind because of the difficult insurance environment and ability to get off a risk (flat cancel) within a certain period of time (depending on the state) just after the policy was issued. 

@Seo Hui Han, in a high interest/low cap rate environment debt kills commercial deals. 

You may be able to trade debt for equity to a private investor and give them a split of the equity in the home rather than debt, however, outside of that no one is going to invest in something with 0% returns especially not in this current environment

Brokers may be unnecessary to some sellers in the current market; next year in a totally different market environment sellers may be begging brokers to list their properties.  

While you've already explored Harrisburg, Allentown, and Scranton, consider expanding your search to include other rural towns around metro areas that might offer a more stable and landlord-friendly environment.

My goal with that is to foster an environment where college students can better prepare themselves financially by improving their financial literacy and exposing them to different types of investments early on.