However it could be worth 170k-180 if everything was fixed and I think I could get it going as a functional rental property for the purchase price plus another 20k and some blood sweat and tears and maybe could get it reappraised in a year and do a heloc, but I could end up being 160k in when you factor in lost rent and is 10-20k inequity worth the gamble? 

Buying without title insurance is gambling. 

with email marketing for example, a good open rate is 20%. with text, the average open rate is 90% or higher. everyone reads every text they get. that extra 10% is due to some phone carriers having a “spam text” folder. i personally have never seen this, but i do see many of my texts not being delivered due to the phone carriers’ spam folders. anywho, people rarely answer the phone, and almost always listen to voicemails. so i feel texts & voicemail drops would probably have about the same efficacy. texts might beat VM drops because they could be perceived to be more authentic (depending on how they’re written), meaning more responses. you’d also have to consider your demographic. will you know that the #s on the list are cell phones vs landlines?

Priced too high, rents are too low and investors do not want to gamble loosing a tenant right away, the leases are wonky or maybe there are bigger issues (Estate, Something wrong with the property etc).  

Appreciation is a bit of a gamble, can swing wildly up or down, and doesn't pay off until you sell the property.

If you use $40k to take a trip to Vegas and gamble your money away, then I would go with $300/mo. 

More than likely a potential for more profit, but must put in landscaping and fencing, maybe $40k.If the goal is to make as much money as possible in order to have a big down payment on the future CA build, should we stay where we're at given the capital gains hit, or take the gamble of hoping the other house gets us a bigger profit margin?

It is pure gambling at that point at the cost of your money. 

Should I take this gamble?

Many people purchase the wrong properties and then can't afford repairs, vacancies and they don't have a clue regarding how to manage properties and don't have a clue regarding what to do when the tenant from hell destroys the property and does not pay rent for 6 to 9 months while you are paying the mortgage and an attorney.If you a gambling woman with huge suitcases full of money then jump right in and take your chances not with real estate, but take your chances trying to find an honest and competent person who will guide you in the right direction like you are their mother.