Need letter from employer that either says they allow remote work or the hire is for Texas location. 

Another option would be working with private lenders to see if they're open to your idea should you need additional funding. 

But I’d be amiss if I did not suggest that instead you gain knowledge of the aforementioned 3 foundation by studying for a real estate agent/broker license, and then seek employment with REITs, real estate operating companies, real estate managers, or real estate brokers.  

In both you are now paying taxes on an additional $1K/mo.

Both properties have a substantial amount of equity that’s essentially sitting idle.Would it be a good idea to tap into this equity (through a HELOC, cash-out refinance, etc.) to fund future fix-and-flip projects or purchase additional rental properties?

In addition to that, platforms like HomeAdvisor or Angi are great for finding vetted professionals, and local builders associations or the Greater Beaumont Chamber of Commerce may have directories or recommendations. 

Here is a list of what adding ADUs in my CA market is typically a poor RE investment:1) The value added by the ADU addition is often significantly less than the cost of adding the ADU.

What do you file for this "income overseas," do you file SChedule C self employed on your personal 1040 tax returns ?

The 50% is rather deep a cut, especially with all the additional operational expenses not included into that 50%.

An emergency fund needs to be liquid, and immediately available to you in addition to being low risk and protecting principle.