And if the rates ever do come down from 7.25 to say 5, I'm going to get a nice little boost in income when I refi.

You are definitely in the right place to boost your journey!

Time, Interest, and Energy. 

As part of the Biden/Harris plan to boost housing affordability, the White House is proposing a 5% maximum annual rental rate increase for corporate landlords (or forfeit federal tax breaks).Single-family rents rise faster.

These improvements modernized the home, boosted curb appeal, and increased market value.

Then you have the energy efficiency of the home, its size etc.

These efforts boosted the property's value, leading to a successful sale at $225,000.

Making more income requires a significant amount of time, stress, and energy which would come at the expense of my family.I've also gotten to the point where it's harder to delay gratification--it's not a skill my wife is great at (so delaying gratification frequently means I go without, and she doesn't) and spending $2000 to go see nephews and nieces is much more important than having an extra 5 shares of google or MSFT. 

I don't think that will be that fast, because we need to solve the energy problem first.

Pro tips: Boost credit (aim for 670+), get pre-approved, find a savvy lender, and get creative—think home equity lines or teaming up with an investor.