To answer your question directly - yes, never buy a property that neither you nor someone you trust has seen in person.  

Refinancing doesn't make sense as I'd effectively double the current interest rate and have additional closing costs surpassing the PMI. 

A targeted handwritten direct mail campaign will generate qualified leads and increae your ROI!

Not sure how you feel about living around others but a 2-4 unit would be a great investment but also a great way to learn about real estate investing and which direction you'd like to go with moving forward. 

I wanted to find an investment strategy that would provide more cashflow than a traditional long term rental, but I wanted it to be lower maintenance than a short term rental.

Beyond that period, new applicants will need to wait until the current active rental list declines by roughly 100 permits. 

Given that it was both a rental and a primary residence for 4 years and solely a primary residence for the last 2 years, is my below assessment correct?

Does anyone know of a direct lender who allows for seller credit that comes with a 2nd positioned lien?

I do not mean to imply crime rates and familial status don’t matter for an investment decision, only that this method doesn’t take it into account directly.

I am currently paying $1700 in rent and I despise paying rent, especially being in a financial position where I can afford to build equity in some manner or get a cashflowing asset to offset it.