Maybe they will owner finance any big profit they are making or maybe it's not even on the market and go after those first whcih might now be rental homes, unwanted by the owner who is now stationed far away.  

I've burned the ships and am not changing my mind, I'm committed, I'm going to be involved with real estate in some form or another, so what do you recommend I could be doing RIGHT NOW? 

I'll be calling the city's planning department today to make sure that I will be able to get a variance to rebuild on the lot if the property burns down (I believe that building on a half lot is a nonconforming).Thanks, David.

This is now going to burn another investor's time and money.

My sister has a 100x84 ft. lot (Home burned to the ground).

They had smoke stains on the walls, burned old blue carpets, pink bathtubs and garbage everywhere but they just trusted that I’d make the old units look like the one I had just finished.

But I strongly advise you start slowly and move one step at a time, it will show others you are serious and also help keep you from getting burned by ensuring you properly analyze deals.

I am learning that a quit claim deed is a weak instrument and if I don’t refi, that the old partner still can rescind the quit claim decision and do harm, block a sale, or other unwanted behavior.  

I have seen some go to tax deed auction that have been burned, but if you just Google Maps drive it, it looks good. 

That way if I am driving there repeatedly, forgot something at home, etc I am not burning myself out on commutes.