Although I will be losing the LTR in the process, this exchange of property will take me from $700/mo cashflow to potentially significantly more per month, which is most important to me at the moment as I prepare to separate from the military in two years and lose my W-2 paycheck.

We have a lot of meat on the bone for a buyer too.  

Chicago zoning is honestly still confusing to me at times. 

My neighbor next door has agreed to hold the property to sell it directly to me at 650k (Market rate 4 family can get 720-750k) so I will have immediate equity.

People who were already planning to buy are mostly still engaged in the process and haven't dropped out. rates on jumbo's are actually lower than the non jumbo from what my Mortgage broker who is doing a lot of our financing on our new construction for our buyers tells me at least this was last weeks news.. since our price points are going above 800k ..

They are willing to sell the space to me at a 5 cap.

This is likely the best route for me at this point.

Accumulating more free time is the goal, at least for me at this stage, not necessarily more assets.Economics, legislation, etc doesn't bother me.

Perhaps it's worth waiting a few weeks and probing the idea of her selling the home to you and your wife.

Ring ring ring: Hello this is angry renter.You: Hi Angry Renter, I'll need you to return to keys to me during normal business hours.Drive over to my office and leave them in the mailbox (or meet me at McDonald's at X am the next day).Or you can just leave them on the kitchen counter top and I'll have a locksmith drill the lock out--which will come out of your deposit.If you're in a smaller town maybe they can drop them of at the front desk of the local PD and you can go pick them up at 11:30.