@Richard Edgar doing a cash out loan on land is EXTREMELY hard...I might even say impossible...but I can't speak for every lender in the country on this though. 

:(    Owners just do NOT have enough stress:  under water, extreme deferred maintance,  loose of income and behind on payments. 

Either you misunderstood what was said, or you are extremely likely to get yourself into all kinds of grief following that line of thinking.   

I really see Columbus Ohio as an extremely safe bet for the next 10-20 years.

Most national or mainstream mortgage lenders do not offer Super Jumbo mortgage loans (typically above $1.5-$2.5M) Although Super Jumbo Loan Lenders can provide loan amounts from $3M-30M+The majority of these buyers obtain their mortgage recommendation through their real estate professional or frequently through their existing private or premium banking relationship. 

We took a beating on the Gulf Shore units.I recognize the GR is an extreme example, but people did cut back or not take vacations.  

It’s great for getting an idea of what similar properties are going for in your area.Zillow Rental Manager: Not only can you list and manage your rental property here, but it also offers rental price estimates based on local market data.AirDNA: While primarily focused on short-term rentals, AirDNA offers data that can help you set prices for medium-term rentals by providing insights into occupancy rates and revenue projections.PriceLabs: This dynamic pricing tool adjusts rental rates based on demand, seasonality, and local events.

I'd like to echo Brian's idea on considering hard money lending as potential strategy.Hard money lending can offer similar to even higher returns compared to traditional real estate investments, often ranging from 8-15%, providing the cash you're looking for even in A/B areas.

I know a guy who does this, Maybe he can offer insight 

Depending on your market buying a duplex might be feasible but many down payment assistance programs do not offer credit for multi-families.