We have a small business as a retail tenant who has been impacted by Covid like many business.  

The properties he's found for us so far have seemed to be turn-key properties on the high retail end of the price-range.  

The tenant has been great thus far (he has lived in my property almost 12 months) but works for a large clothing retail company and retail is doing horribly right now. 

The retail market in the area doesn't have much inventory, so any time there is a chance for a good flip, it's worth doing.

I second what Jonathan said in terms of the competitiveness of the northern NJ market, as my investor clients are having to be very aggressive with bids on all types of properties (fix and flips, buy and hold, and also seeing this in many SFR homes on retail side).

>Buy & Hold a multi-family property that already cash flows with existing long-term tenants and use the cashflow to save for future rehab/renovation projects on the property.In my market, very few retail conventional residential properties (1 to 4 units) have positive initial cash flow. 

In my retail businesses, it's only me. 

Buying a Single Family Home + ADU conversion is great: but the down payment alone and closing costs in the OC will be between $25k and $40k depending on purchase price: + the ADU conversion: thats on the "cheap" side if you have the right contacts about $60k (retail is about 80k to $120k all in). * so already you have exceeded your 50k budget. 2.

Pay if needed: it's worth it.2) Potential market value after total rehab to retail buyer standards. 

These days, I specialize in Commercial Real Estate (Offices, Retail and Medical Buildings).