Your best bet in this case may be to do a short sale, rent for a few years, then buy another house.You may be able to borrow from your 401k for the down payment.

With about 125k$ on hand I know my best bet to stretch my money would be to BRRR method properties.

In the early days of my real estate career, I would buy nothing down properties strictly betting on appreciation.  

It was easy to see once you see the decline of the Big Three Automakers over the decades.The fact is that NYC is diverse in virtually all Verticals, making it actually a safer bet than a one trick pony town like Detroit was back then.So, as long as I am investing in a City and Neighborhood that is Diverse Economically, then I only need to worry about the the rest of the areas which could impact my portfolio.I'm an Expert in my very specific locality.

It may take some effort but it's your best bet to find someone with a track record of playing by the rules. 

A good bet for the insurance company.

One of the reasons why I chose a syndication over crowdfunding was access to the sponsor -- personally, I bet on the jockey over anything else.

Local meetups, and local networking is your best bet in getting started out.

I'll bet they let you in, then inspect the furnace and all the ducts. that will probably get you inside.

The net population growth is downward, but I'd bet the areas near highways, near the T, and closer into the city have generally done well, and will continue to appreciate.Know your market I guess.