b) should we try to climb the multifamily ladder instead (duplex, to triplex, to quad,...) ? 

As a result, home prices began to climb quickly with an excess of buyers competing for fewer available homes.

We love to rock climb, hike, bike and ski/board too. 

I try to lower my risk by purchasing in markets that have had a climb in tourism year over year and all drivable markets such as Pigeon Forge or Gulf Shores.  

This is also a slight uptick from the September 2021 median home price of $450,000 in the Austin-Round Rock market.Here’s how submarkets in the Austin area performed in October:City of Austin: The median home price climbed 21.1 percent year over year to $536,000­­, while home sales decreased 11.7 percent.Travis County: The median home price increased 21.8 percent year over year to $522,625, while home sales fell 16.9 percent.

Top rents in Columbus, Ohio are starting to climb rapidly now too.

The backstory is: Last month, (I wish I could make this up) a racoon climbed the roof and made a hole on the roof & the ceiling drywall last month.

Additionally, we are currently renting and our rent will climb from $1,500 to $1,900 if we do not move into a house by September.

Rates are only going up from here, so the HELOC rate will just continue to climb.

I wish you the best of luck, but this sounds like a very hard mountain to climb.