We price our rents at or slightly below market and that means we can afford to be choosy.  

You may also want to consider renting month-month or airbnb it for 30+ days as you wait for your permit. 

About once every year or two I get the “what if the $20k in rent deposit never happens?”

:Class A Properties:Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, 3-5 years for positive cashflow, but you get highest relative rent & value appreciation.Vacancy Est: Historically 10%, 5% the more recent norm.Tenant Pool: Majority will have FICO scores of 680+, zero evictions in last 7 years.Class B Properties:Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, decent amount of relative rent & value appreciation.Vacancy Est: Historically 10%, 5% should be applied only if proper research done to support.Tenant Pool: Majority will have FICO scores of 620-680, some blemishes, but should have no evictions in last 5 yearsClass C Properties:Cashflow vs Appreciation: Typically, high cashflow and at the lower end of relative rent & value appreciation.

My options are:Sell: Maximize down payment in NC, reduce debt.HELOC+Rent: Keep NJ property as an investment, rent for potential $3,300/month.I'm interested in long-term wealth building.

The most obvious is that you will be able to offset your mortgage with renting out a few rooms.

Very few properties at Texas sales are rent ready. 

Since the start of the year, I've read a handful of BP books:- Rental Property Investing (Brandon Turner)- How to Invest in Real Estate (Brandon Turner/Josh Dorkin)- Investing in Real Estate with No (and Low) Money Down (Brandon Turner)- BRRRR (David Greene)- Multifamily Millionaire Volume 1 (Brandon Turner/Brian Murray)- Start with Strategy (Dave Meyer), currently readingI was thinking of using the equity to BRRRR small multifamily properties and combine some concepts from both the BRRRR and Multifamily Millionaire books (specifically making cash offers via HELOC to secure distressed properties, ideally vacant to set market rents).

Websites like Zillow often have owner information, especially if the property is currently listed for sale or rent.

In some areas it is de rigor for Class C units to have window ac or sleeve ac, And get Market rent.