I bought them 3-4 years ago, had good rental income and a decent appreciation.  

I am a 19 year old Real Estate investor and a Licensed Realtor.

It's a pretty safe location for rental income, lower crime and a fair amount of appreciation, however you are probably going to pay a fair amount in property taxes, purchase price, etc.

Challenges could include:Having the population to make it a sustainable day-to-day venture.Finding quality staff is tough these days, don't care what you pay them.Breakdowns/serviceInclement weatherPennies on the dollar at exit If the truck does say, 1000 bucks and after labor/cost of goods the operator's left with 500 - 600, then has commissary expenses and a possible split with a partner(s)Ehhhhh...burnout.There were dozens of trucks here 5 years ago and only a handful have really survived the grind. 

First option leaves me with a paid off home and a slow start on acquiring properties. 

The downside is it takes time and a lot of money for it to produce results.

It's basically part 2 to that book and a must read.

Thinking out of the box, having a motivating "why" and a few tools in your arsenal you can definitely do it.

So my understanding of the lease then is that I can only charge a termination fee of a month and a half's rent.

USA Today , New York Times, local newspaper, local real estate agent, local business magazines and a few national real estate websites