Wait it out and when the listing expires you have a potentially motivated homeowner.

The way this particular line of credit works, we had to prove $50,000 in liquidity and this allowed us to get access to a line of credit.

Though I do have some mentoring help, since it isn't local so you are right @Jason E.

The primary reason for delay was this process:(a) contact attorney, get him lease and applicable info(b) attorney contact process server, send him demand letter(c) process server schedules and then executes service(d) process server sends paperwork back to attorney(e) court date is made based on attorney's availabilityThe third we did ourselves. 

I'm not making use of the low-interest rates available to build a RE portfolio.In addition to liquid assets, I draw a highish salary and can potentially get access to high credit lines with low interest rates.

Liquidity is not an issue since it will be a long-term investment unless something happens to me and my income takes a dramatic change. 

So worst case -- if the market tanks permanently -- one can move away from a $5M asset with having lost the 20% portion.I'm not aware of any other asset -- apart from direct RE -- that can be leveraged this way.Stocks have leverage too through margin but that can wipe someone out since the margin call is executed automatically and the high liquidity makes the asset evaluated everyday.

Winter is a bad time, so I’ll address the spring and summer, when our leases expire.

Read some material online (and we're going to higher CPA later) but seems that mortgage interest can be shown as an expense on Schedule E. 

Ive came across a lot for sale $214k its 1/3 acre lot that has approved but expired plans for a 4plex.